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The face of football is changing. Thanks to the advent of legal betting in the US, more people now have the opportunity to speculate on the sport they love. Of course, Las Vegas has been offering books on football for years. But, thanks to a political shift in 2019, more states are getting in on the action. For football fans, the benefits are obvious. Having the ability to bet on games via local casinos or online sportsbooks adds an extra dimension to the action.
However, it’s not just sports betting fans who are set to benefit from the changes. Financial analysts at Morgan Stanley believe US sports betting will be worth $8 billion by 2025. In and of itself, that’s impressive. But, the residual benefits could be good for the sport as a whole. Indeed, when you consider the impact of sports betting in other parts of the world, the positives become obvious.
Lessons from Across the Atlantic
Perhaps the best example of this is betting and soccer. Today, sports betting in the UK is worth more than $3.5 billion, according to the UK Gambling Commission. With fans generating so much revenue, teams are reaping the benefits. For instance, online gaming operator MansionBet currently sponsors a number of high-profile soccer teams, including Tottenham Hotspur. Outside of soccer, the company also has deals in boxing and pool. As well as sponsoring teams and organizations, MansionBet works with individuals.
For an NFL draft pick, these opportunities could be significant. As we reported on here at mwwire.com, when a team like the Green Bay Packers drafts Jordan Love, it’s a big deal. However, all football fans (and players) know this is just one part of the equation. Yes, players get sizeable salaries from their teams. But, it’s the endorsements that really add up. Odell Beckham Jr. got $29 million for signing a deal with Nike. Alongside similar lines, the likes of Tom Brady and Drew Brees have all benefited from outside endorsements. With sports betting on the rise in the US, gaming operators could jump into this space.
How the Two Can Work in Harmony
If you look at the top operators listed on sbo.net, all of them could partner with the next NFL star. Just as MansionBet works with some of the biggest names in soccer and boxing, the same could happen in the US. When the analysts at Morgan Stanley made their prediction, they based their calculations on the European market. Inevitably, they will have taken into account the auxiliary benefits of sports betting. In other words, they will have accounted for things like sponsorship deals.
All rolled into one, betting and football can and will feed off of each other. As revenue increases for one, it will help the other. Football is and always will be one of the top sports in America. However, like all businesses, it needs to generate income. It can only do this by seeking out new opportunities. Sports betting is one of these opportunities. With the right oversight and some inspiration from across the pond. betting and football can help each other and, in turn, benefit everyone connected to the sport.