With online sports betting in Massachusetts now underway, FanDuel has announced it is the official sports betting partner of the Boston Bruins.
FanDuel Group CCO Mike Raffensperger called Massachusetts home to “some of the most passionate fan bases across the county” and believes that the FanDuel sportsbook app will enhance that fervor.
“Bruins fans are the true embodiment of that passion and we look forward to supporting the team this season and beyond,” Raffensperger. Massachusetts marks the 19th state where FanDuel offers its sportsbook app and the fourth in the northeastern US.
What the Bruins partnership means for FanDuel
Now that it’s the official sports betting partner of the Bruins, FanDuel plans to:
- Use the Bruins’ logos in its marketing and products
- Ad placement on the Bruins and the NHL’s dasher boards (the metal ring that surrounds the ice)
- Partner with the Bruins for digital and social media content
FanDuel will provide exclusive Bruins content on its social media channels as well as the Bruins’ channels. Bruins CRO Glen Thornborough said:
“We’re thrilled to welcome FanDuel to the Bruins and TD Garden family. With the legalization of sports betting in Massachusetts in January 2023, it’s an exciting time to be partnering with an industry leader in FanDuel.”
Boston teams loading up on sports betting partners
The Bruins-FanDuel agreement is the second major partnership between a sportsbook and a professional Boston sports team in the past week. On Mar. 7, BetMGM announced it inked a deal to become the first official sportsbook partner of the Boston Red Sox.
In February 2020, DraftKings became an official sports wagering partner of the Boston Celtics.
Online sports betting in Massachusetts set to explode
The launch of online sports betting in Massachusetts was a long journey; longer than it should have been, according to the consensus of industry insiders. However, “better late than never” applies here.
Generally speaking, in states like Massachusetts with online and retail (in-person) sports betting, online betting makes up more than 90% of all money gambled. So, though the rollout took a while, the state will likely vault itself into the top 10 states for most money bet (“handle) via sports betting.
PlayMA.com predicts Massachusetts could generate around $5.7 billion in the annual handle. That would potentially make it the eighth-biggest sports betting market in the country.
FanDuel is one of six online sports betting operators in the state fighting for those billions. Its competition includes:
- DraftKings
- BetMGM
- Caesars
- Penn Interactive
- WynnBet
Historically, DraftKings and FanDuel grab a big chunk of market share, while BetMGM and Caesars take the second-biggest slice of handle. Lower-level competitors like Penn Interactive and WynnBet tend to fight for the scraps.
