- DraftKings teams up with Dish Network to provide immersive TV-based sports betting experience
- Dish customers will be able to initiate sports bets through Dish Network’s Hopper mobile app
- The feature is only available to customers in states in which DraftKings Sportsbook currently operates
It’s been a big week for DraftKings. Shortly after agreeing to a massive $350 million partnership with the UFC, the sports betting and daily fantasy giant announced a separate deal with Dish Network. The deal will allow DraftKings to bring sports betting and DFS experiences directly to Dish customers. Both DraftKings and Dish Networks saw their respective stock prices rise shortly after the announcement.
DraftKings’ app will be integrated into the Dish TV Hopper platform. The pact also calls for DraftKings’ offerings to be incorporated into Sling TV and Boost Mobile, which are both owned by Dish Network.
DISH Network and DraftKings have a new agreement to bring $DKNG sportsbook and daily fantasy experiences directly to $DISH customers thru DraftKings app integration on the DISH TV Hopper platform.
Expect integration with DISH Network’s SLING TV and Boost Mobile in the future.
— Darren Heitner (@DarrenHeitner) March 3, 2021
Dish TV group president Bryan Neylon said,
“We’re thrilled to work with DraftKings to amplify the sports fan experience, and extend the DraftKings footprint across our unique suite of services, including Sling TV and Boost Mobile, with potential applications across our 5G wireless buildout in the future.”
DraftKings’ Surging Popularity
DraftKings has exploded over the past couple of years as sports betting has become more and more popular in the United States. DK originated as a daily fantasy sports provider, but the company made the plunge into the sports betting realm almost immediately after the US Supreme Court voted to strike down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in May of 2018. That decision cleared the way for states to decide for themselves whether to legalize and operate their own sports betting industries.
Since then, over 20 states and Washington DC have opened their doors for legal sports betting. DraftKings has quickly become one of the country’s industry leaders, with an online sportsbook accessible in 13 states and counting.
DraftKings’ stock price rose as high as $72.16 per share at midday on Wednesday before closing at $65.75. Earlier this week, the company estimated that it would generate in excess of $1 billion in revenue by the end of this year. DK’s stock has strong potential moving forward.
Dish Network’s stock closed at $33.64 per share, which was a jump of nearly two percent from the beginning of the day.
Features of the Partnership
Once DraftKings and Dish Network launch their partnership, Dish customers will be able to initiate wagers on the NBA, NHL, and college basketball from the Dish app via Hopper. More features are expected to come in the future, as well.
Paul Liberman, a DraftKings co-founder, said,
“Our deal with Dish TV and the technology behind it immerses customers within a next-generation viewership experience and reaches these fan bases in a completely new way.”
The new technology will be available to all Hopper customers. Of course, customers in states in which sports betting is not yet legal will have to wait. Dish gaming approvals are still pending in Michigan, New Jersey, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Actually placing wagers is only available to customers in states in which the DraftKings Sportsbook currently operates.
Taylor Smith
Taylor Smith has been a staff writer with GamblingSites.org since early 2017. Taylor is primarily a sports writer, though he will occasionally dabble in other things like politics and entertainment betting. His primary specialties are writing about the NBA, Major League Baseball, NFL and domestic and international soccer. Fringe sports like golf and horse racing aren’t exactly his cup of tea, bu …
