Genius Sports Expands NFL Partnership
Author:
Megan Butler
Big league sports technology data provider Genius Sports has revealed that it is further expanding its already-existing partnership with the National Football League (NFL), soon allowing football fans in the US to view and bet on choice games. Genius will provide its Watch & Bet service and live video betting products to sports wagering operators in the US.
Genius Sports is further expanding its existing partnership with the National Football League (NFL), meaning it will soon allow football fans in the US to view and bet on choice games through select sports betting operators. ?Pexels/Pixabay
Caesars Entertainment Will Be First Operator to Take Advantage of Genius’ Service
The increasingly prominent sports technology data supplier Genius Sports has revealed its desire to expand its partnership with the National Football League (NFL) with the aim of allowing fans in the US to view and bet on specific games.
As a result of the agreement, Genius will furnish over its Watch & Bet service and expanded live video betting products to major sports wagering operators in the US. The NFL designated Genius as its exclusive worldwide distributor of real-time official play-by-play statistics back in April 2021, giving Genius the rights to distribute low latency video feeds to operators in core international markets. These privileges have now been expanded to include the United States.
Caesars Entertainment will be the lucky first operator to fully unveil the new service, with its wide customer base gaining the ability to wager on regular season and post season games through the comfort of their own mobile phones and tablets. The Caesars Sportsbook app will naturally provide official data-driven in-game betting opportunities and player props, along with live video streams of NFL games, while also making use of official NFL league and team marks and logos to help advertise the offering.
Genius Sports Already Boasts a Deep Relationship with the NFL
This noteworthy expansion of Genius Sports’ agreement with the National Football League (NFL) rests upon the already established strong links the operator boasts with the NFL, acting as its official sports betting partner, as well as the first official casino sponsor of the league.
Speaking on the occasion, Genius Sports chief executive Mark Locke promised the delivery of the most engaging sports betting experience around, while also touting the data provider’s long-running relationship with the league:
“In our expanded agreement with the NFL and Caesars Entertainment, Genius Sports has created a unique solution that combines our exclusive official NFL data with live streaming content to deliver the most compelling sports betting experience available across the US. Accelerated by our long-term NFL partnership, Genius Sports continues to go from strength to strength as our innovative products enable our customers to grow their product offering and increase market share across North America.”– Mark Locke, Chief Executive, Genius Sports, Press Release
Meanwhile, for its part, Caesars Digital president Eric Hession sang the praises of Genius’ Watch & Bet video streaming service, expressing the operator’s pride in being the first US sportsbook to offer its fans in-app live streams:
“The addition of live Watch & Bet video streaming brings the best that the NFL has to offer right into the Caesars Sportsbook app. Delivering innovative technology like this remains a key emphasis for us, so being the first US sportsbook to provide customers with in-app NFL live streaming isn’t something we take lightly. We’re thankful to bring an industry-leading new feature to our sports wagering app through our partnership with Genius Sports and the NFL.”– Eric Hession, President, Caesars Digital, Press Release
Genius and NFL Partnered with Three Canadian Sportsbook in November 2022
Genius Sports and football’s partnership is so strong that it even extends over into the United States’ neighbor, Canada, in the form of a video streaming licensing agreement the data provider and football league struck together with three major Canadian sportsbook operators in November 2022 – Bet365, Bet99 and the esports-focused Rivalry.
All three providers now have the coveted ability to provide their customers with video streams of all regular and post-season NFL matches – all thanks once again to the ingenuity of Genius Sports’ Watch & Bet technology solution.
Genius CEO Mark Locke explained that the operator was riding a high thanks to the announcement, ensuring all operators involved that they would greatly benefit from the company’s state of the art technology and data solutions:
“We are delighted that the NFL has broadened its partnership with Genius Sports to become the exclusive provider of official data and live streaming content for sportsbooks across Canada. We connect the global sports ecosystem through cutting-edge data technology, and our official solutions will help Bet365, Bet99 and Rivalry to thrive in the newly legalised Canadian market.”
Genius and Canadian Football League Joined Forces in December 2021
In further Canadian football news, Genius Sports event went so far as to join forces together with the nation’s own Canadian Football League (CFL) all the way back in December 2021, with the exclusive deal involving Genius providing a diverse range of technology and services to the CFL.
In return, Genius earned the exclusive rights to commercialize the CFL’s official data worldwide and video content with sportsbooks in markets all across the globe. It even received the ability to acquire a minority stake in the Canadian Football League’s latest commercial arm – entitled CFL Ventures.
The league’s commissioner Randy Ambrosie sees the agreement as a radically new way for the organization to reach out to and connect with its fanbase:
“Our partnership with Genius Sports has the potential to launch a new era for the CFL. It provides access to the technology and tools we need to engage our existing fans, and reach new ones, in exciting, innovative and highly customized ways. This goes beyond transforming our marketing. It can redefine our relationship with fans, partners and other key stakeholders, here in Canada and globally.”
