The NFL has taken a bold step toward incorporating gambling content into its games. While the league had long forbidden betting in stadiums, it allowed sportsbooks to become team sponsors in states that allowed legal gambling. In addition to providing training and guidance to players, the league will put the onus on its operators to ensure that gambling is conducted in an honest and ethical manner.
To help ensure that all wagers are properly resolved, the NFL has licensed data from several sources. It will make that data available to sportsbooks in a form that can be used to generate live betting odds. That will allow sportsbooks to offer their customers an improved experience.
The PGA TOUR has partnered with Genius Sports and IMG ARENA to license live scoring data. FanDuel has a contract with the TOUR to provide odds-based content to fans.
Meanwhile, NASCAR has created a new official sportsbook product. The data-powered solution will enable sportsbooks to take bets on every lap of every race. This is the first-ever official sportsbook in the sports industry.
Among the other major professional sports leagues, the NBA, MLB, NHL, and the National Hockey League have all forged partnerships with betting operators. MGM Resorts International is the nation’s largest sportsbook operator. A couple of NBA teams have partnerships with DraftKings.
ESPN has also jumped on the bandwagon with a sportsbook app and a daily show about sports betting. Fox is also planning to launch a sportsbook this fall.