- BetMGM has been named as the Las Vegas Raiders’ official betting partner for the 2020 NFL season.
- MGM Resorts was previously announced as a founding partner of the Raiders’ home field, Allegiant Stadium.
- The Las Vegas Raiders will play their first home game on Monday, September 21.
This is a big weekend for the city of Las Vegas and their newest professional sports team, the Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders will play their first home game on Monday Night, September 21 and the first game at the state of the art Allegiant Stadium. Even though the Raiders have been forced to play the 2020 NFL season without fans due to the COVID-19 pandemic they’re trying to make the team’s opening weekend a big event. They’ve got Las Vegas locals The Killers playing at halftime atop of Caesars Palace and they’ve announced that BetMGM will be their official sports betting partner for the team’s debut season in Southern Nevada.
One of the by-products of the expansion of sports betting in the United States post PASPA has been the rush by gaming companies to form ‘partnerships’ with media outlets and sports teams. Technically, the Raiders’ deal with MGM is an expansion of an existing arrangement. Here’s what Raiders’ President Marc Badain had to say about the new addition of BetMGM as a sports betting partner:
“We are pleased to add BetMGM to the MGM Resorts partnership portfolio. The addition of BetMGM will open new levels of engagement for Raiders fans and guests of Allegiant Stadium.”
BetMGM’s CEO Adam Greenblatt had this to say:
“We’re thrilled that BetMGM is the first Official Sports Betting Partner of The Las Vegas Raiders. This new partnership complements what is already a wonderful and rewarding relationship with MGM Resorts and the Raiders and we look forward to introducing Raiders fans to the excitement of sports betting with BetMGM.”
It’s a bit unclear if they’ll actually have to *introduce* Raiders fans to the excitement of sports betting. They do live in the country’s oldest and most established sports betting market after all. It is a good way to promote the BetMGM mobile app.
As noted above, the Raiders and MGM already have a working partnership. MGM Resorts is a Founding Partner of Allegiant Stadium and has prominent branding throughout the stadium, including in-stadium signage and an MGM Resorts VIP entrance on the west side of the building. The venue also features a private MGM Club that will offer Raiders fans an ultra-exclusive game-viewing experience with a full-service premium bar, luxury lounge and upgraded stadium seating. Additionally, MGM Resorts is the presenting sponsor of the Raiders first-ever regular season game at Allegiant Stadium on Sept. 21.
MGM Resorts CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle had this statement welcoming the Raiders and the NFL to Las Vegas:
“All of us at MGM Resorts are proud to welcome the Raiders and the NFL to Las Vegas. We look forward to providing Raiders fans a world-class sports betting and entertainment experience, both in our BetMGM Sportsbooks and digitally, through the BetMGM mobile app.”
There has been some speculation that a sportsbook in the venue is on the drawing board. That isn’t the case–at least not for the time being–even as other teams in other markets look to add sports betting to their product mix to enhance revenues.
