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The leading online sportsbook in the United States has widened its investment into horse racing. A new agreement between Churchill Downs and FanDuel will add more horse racing content to FanDuel’s US online gambling products.
Additionally, FanDuel TV will take over the broadcast rights for most of the races that happen at Churchill Downs and its affiliated tracks. Altogether, the new partnership puts FanDuel in the running for the pole position for betting on horse racing in the United States.
FanDuel adds more horse racing to US online gambling options
A Thursday press release has all the details. The new agreement between Churchill Downs and FanDuel spans multiple years, with many of the components taking effect in 2023. Of primary interest to bettors are new broadcasts and races coming to FanDuel.
The release states that FanDuel will use Churchill Downs systems to place pari-mutuel bets on horse races on both FanDuel and TVG. That will include the Kentucky Derby. FanDuel has also become a sponsor of the Kentucky Derby starting in 2023.
The Kentucky Derby will not be part of the broadcast rights package that FanDuel has acquired for its FanDuel TV platform, however. All events during Kentucky Derby week at Churchill Downs are not part of the broadcast package, as NBC just renewed its contract for those rights in February.
FanDuel will have the broadcast rights to all other content not only at Churchill Downs itself but all the tracks affiliated with Churchill Downs as well. That access won’t actually begin until next year, though, when Churchill Downs’ current non-Derby broadcast contract expires.
Even without the Derby rights, it’s an important acquisition for FanDuel TV as it builds out its programming.
What is FanDuel TV?
Essentially, FanDuel TV is a rebrand and expansion of the TVG Network. FanDuel says it will keep all the existing horse racing content that lived on that network, airing daily from noon through midnight Eastern Time.
Additionally, FanDuel has added sports content like a daily morning show with Kay Adams. Live sports action available on the network so far includes basketball games from leagues in Australia, China, France, and Germany.
It’s uncertain right now how aggressive FanDuel will be in continuing to add live content to its network. In 2025, perhaps it will try to outbid NBC for the Kentucky Derby week events when that contract expires. Regardless of whether that happens or not, FanDuel TV will soon be the home of other Churchill Downs races.
