Operators around the US are preparing for the influx of activity that comes with the arrival of the new NFL season each year. Futures bets, player props and money lines all take centre stage as customers return from what is typically a slow period for most operators during the summer months. With the NBA and NHL Finals concluding in June,sportsbooks are forced to find alternatives to continue driving audience retention and revenue. Luckily, in 2024, sporting events such as the Euros, Copa America and Paris Olympic Games all took place and provided a bridge between popular US sports coming to the end of its seasons and the beginning of the NFL season on 5 September.
“While the NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Finals were certainly busy, it has been an exciting summer for DraftKings with plenty of key moments on the sports calendar that grabbed the attention of new and existing customers. The Euros and Copa America both brought in a strong amount of betting activity on soccer, which was great to see as we get ready for the highly anticipated 2026 World Cup [hosted in North America],” DraftKings CRO Greg Karamitis told Gambling Insider.
“Of course, this year’s Olympic Games created another big moment during the summer as well, generating plenty of interest among our customers. As we turn our attention to the return of football, we were very pleased with the results we were able to achieve and look forward to continuing to provide our customers with year-round offerings.”
INCREASED OFFERINGS
Now with the NFL season returning, companies can turn attention back towards the sport that generates the most activity across the US. Some operators have chosen to strike partnerships with the NFL as well as companies that offer features such as NFL Sunday Ticket and NFL RedZone ahead of the 2024-2025 season.
For example, FanDuel recently announced a renewal of its partnership with YouTube to offer its customers the chance at a free trial of NFL Sunday Ticket. Customers who bet $5 will have received a three-week free trial for NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV, also making FanDuel the only US sportsbooks partner with the streaming service.
“Football season is an exhilarating time for fans, and we are committed to delivering.an unparalleled sports betting experience all season long,” FanDuel President of Sports Mike Raffensperger said at the time of announcement.
“As we continue to raise the bar with new product features that allow fans to engage with the NFL in new ways, we’re also thrilled to again partner with YouTube to offer a NFL Sunday Ticket free trial to our customers, providing an NFL betting experience only available with FanDuel."
FanDuel also increased its offering for Same Game Parlays (SGP), a feature that continues to draw interest from users of any sportsbook.SGPs offer bettors the chance to combine player props and money lines to create parlays that build increased odds for a specific game’s results. FanDuel’s additions give its customers the chance to include player quarter props, defensive props, players to catch a pass and more.
New products prior to the start of the NFL season are all made in an effort to take advantage of a returning consumer base that departed once the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers to win the Super Bowl in February. Player props and SGPs are quickly becoming perhaps the most popular feature for bettors to use once they sign up with a respective sportsbook. Fans want to get the most out of their viewing experience, and finding ways to incorporate sports betting into that experience seems to be the common goal for operators whose markets are in the US.
INCREASED PROPOSITIONS…
“We have seen player props grow in popularity and as we continue to drive innovation forward, we will certainly be focusing on expanding these markets across several major sports. It’s important that we are delivering our customers with the content they want and enjoy, while also finding new ways for customers to engage with our products,” DraftKings’ Karamitis said.
“Throughout the offseason, we made a series of enhancements to our online sportsbook in an effort to further amplify DraftKings’ offerings. Some key initiatives our team worked on included bringing player props in-house, differentiating our live betting experience and optimising trading capabilities. This fall, customers will see these enhancements reflected across fan-favorite features such as in-game betting, same-game parlays, player prop markets and more.”
Karamitis also spoke on how DraftKings is looking to market its product to football fans this season, “While our campaigns will air nationwide, we know football fans are very passionate about their favorite teams and players, so we also create localized content within the DraftKings sportsbook app customized to their betting experiences. DraftKings customers will be able to access our extensive menu of betting markets and see select offerings on the individual state level that tap into the interest of fans who may root for the local team. This allows us to engage with our customers throughout the season both on the national and local level, no matter how big or small their market is.”
The new strategies created by FanDuel and DraftKings highlight a growing awareness towards what is to come once the NFL season begins in September. The sports betting industry is constantly evolving to bring in younger and more expectant consumers that are very technology-savvy, but still desire a simple process to place wagers. While these additions will assist operators in marketing to the returning client base, actually executing these features and providing an improved experience will be tested from now until the season concludes next February. With the NBA and NHL returning early in the fall, perfecting these strategies could lead to further increased activity for both DraftKings and FanDuel prior to those respective seasons starting.
MEDIA NETWORKS
Sportsbooks such as Fanatics and ESPN Bet have the advantage of marketing to an already existing consumer base due to the popularity of their respective brands in other sectors. Fanatics built its network of customers through clothing and apparel, now connecting that portion of the brand into its sportsbook ordering through FanCash. With the ability to earn rewards based on wagers made, users of Fanatics Sportsbook are more inclined to take advantage of the possible promotions or deals the operator may offer before the NFL season begins.
ESPN Bet obviously has a pre-established built-in media network it can attach to its sports betting offering at any time, including promoting its money lines or spreads across different ESPN television programs. While the access ESPN Bet has at its discretion will always be an advantage for the operator, it is also responsible for marketing to its consumer base in a responsible manner. Attempting to highlight the odds of a, certain bet or influence viewers to place wagers could present challenges especially as the NFL season approaches and betting activity begins to rise.
“A way for us to drive audience growth is to integrate across our platforms. ESPN Bet is the sponsor of various ESPN programming, and it keeps ESPN Bet top-of-mind with our leading database of sports fans,” ESPN Bet and Fantasy VP Mike Morrison told Gambling Insider.
An avenue operators could choose to follow in due time is tying in its player prop offerings with a line-ups feature for each game. Take a soccer formation or baseball line-up, for example, the ability for users to simply select any player in the line-up and instantly have the option of wagering on one of their respective player props could be an advancement many operators execute in the near future. The delicate balance of finding ways to constantly enhance one’s product while also keeping the wagering process simple and effective will always be a proponent of the industry that sportsbooks are forced to maintain.
“There are always ongoing updates to the user experience and Penn continues to work to innovate the product. We are working toward new integrations within the ESPN and ESPN Fantasy apps, which will include deep-linked markets and personalised in-app betting offers,” Morrison said.
The sports betting industry is constantly changing, forcing operators to evolve and enhance its product offerings to satisfy a consumer base that will only continue to demand more improvement. Ahead of events such as the NFL’s return to play and the reappearance of the NBA and NHL in the Fall, activity across all sportsbooks spike as wagers for the country’s most popular sports are made available once again.
How US operators choose to prepare for these events helps distinguish which generate the most business throughout the fall and winter months while these sports are occurring. Through a number of new promotions, enhancements and even partnerships in some cases, the sports betting industry is gearing up for the gridiron as fantasy and sportsbook consumers alike look towards a new season – and new horizon.
