- Caesars Entertainment has been named a ‘premier sports betting partner’ and the ‘Official Casino Partner’ of the NFL Indianapolis Colts.
- The multi-year agreement expands upon a previously existing partnership between the Colts and Caesars owned Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino and Indiana Grand Racing & Casino.
- As part of the deal, Caesars will open a sportsbook lounge at Lucas Oil Stadium.
With the start of NFL football season there’s been a slew of sportsbook partnership deals announced with pro teams over the past week. The New York Jets may have been the busiest team in the league on this front, announcing partnership deals with Fubo Sportsbook and WynnBET in a matter of days. Even teams in states with poor citizen gaming rights are getting in on the act via ‘end arounds’ like the Los Angeles Chargers’ partnership with DFS platform ThriveFantasy. There’s a new NFL team/sportsbook partnership announcement dropping today, this one involving the Indianapolis Colts and Caesars Entertainment.
The partnership announced today names Caesars Entertainment as ‘a premier sports betting partner’ and the ‘only official casino partner’ of the team. The deal ‘expands upon the existing Colts-Caesars partnerships with Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino and Indiana Grand Racing & Casino’. Where this leaves the partnership agreement announced last year between Caesars Entertainment, William Hill and the Colts is unknown. Caesars bought the iconic British bookmaking company in a £2.7 billion deal completed in April 2022.
The new agreement does get the Caesars Sportsbook brand some additional marketing and sponsorship assets including the naming rights for Lucas Oil Stadium’s South Gate (now known as ‘Caesars South Gate’) and sponsorship of the free-to-play ‘Pick 6′ predictor game on the Colts’ mobile app. The most visible new sponsorship asset will be the Caesars Sportsbook Lounge, located at the former Blue Room in Lucas Oil Stadium. The press release announcing the deal describes this venue as ‘an entertainment space open to fans 21 and older. Live odds will be displayed on LED screens and Caesars ambassadors will be available to help fans download the Caesars Sportsbook App and place bets.’ ‘Sportsbook Lounge’ installments are becoming something of a trend around the NFL this season. In addition, Caesars Sportsbook ‘will continue to be integrated into the franchise’s media and marketing efforts, bringing exclusive offers and promotions directly to fans through the newly branded sports betting app’.
Roger VanDerSnick, Colts chief sales & marketing officer,emphasized the team’s long running relationship with Caesars properties in Indiana:
“We’ve been a proud partner with Caesars properties in Indiana for some time now, but this new partnership expands our ability to offer Colts fans a truly unique experience, whether at Lucas Oil Stadium or watching from home on gameday.”
Chris Holdren, Co-President of Caesars Digital, sounded a similar theme in his quote:
“Expanding our sponsorship with the Colts to serve as their premier sports betting partner and only casino partner is an exciting step in our longstanding relationship. Indiana has been a special place for our company, and we know how passionate these great sports fans are for their home team. Caesars will continue to push for innovation to bring the best in sports experiences, both in-person and on mobile, to the Hoosier State through Caesars Sportsbook and our partnership with the NFL.”
Caesars Sportsbook now offers mobile sports betting in Arizona, Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, West Virginia, Michigan, Colorado, Virginia and New Jersey. They also offer a retail sportsbook at their gaming properties in Mississippi.
