In an interview for Cheddar, DraftKings Jason Robins spoke about the upcoming Super Bowl LV game and the betting activity associated with it.
DraftKings Boss Says Activity Spiking Ahead of Super Bowl LV
With hours left before the Super Bowl, the biggest operators in the industry are expecting significant increase in betting activity. The American Gaming Association (AGA) has already reported that some $4.3 billion will be staked on the big game on Sunday, featuring The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs, with the Chiefs looking to win a second title back-to-back, after winning LIV.
Commenting on the upcoming Super Bowl on Sunday, DraftKings CEO Jason Robins noted that there has been an increase in sports betting activity, with more people betting online, collaborating AGA’s own expectation for the game,, that is that three-thirds of all sports US bettors are expected to place wagers remotely.
The pandemic, while difficult for sports as a whole, has proven a success for DraftKings in terms of engaging with new audiences: “It’s been a really amazing year for us from a customer acquisition perspective. Engagement of customers and retention rates have been higher than we’ve ever seen before.”
The statement was given in an interview with Cheddar where Robins shared that he saw competitors struggle with the suspension of college and professional sports, but not DraftKings.
Tampa Bay Favorites, Canada and US Betting Avidly
Giving more details about the upcoming NFL showdown, Robins said that around 60% of the total handle was going in the way of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, close to AGA’s own prediction.
DraftKings has also enjoyed significant interest in its free-to-play pool, which has reached $55 million right now, with the offer available to both the United States and Canada, and in those jurisdictions where sports betting is allowed.
One person will win some sort of prize, Robins said, with the top prize sitting at $1 million. Everyone else can expect a piece of the loot as well, with some individual prizes going up to $25,000.
According to DraftKings’ chief executive, over 600,000 people have already signed up, with 12 states in America fully authorized to make sports bets, and at least another nine very close to legalization.
Robins finished the interview on an upbeat note, arguing that the future was still difficult to predict and that anything could disrupt the recovery sports have made.
However, he commended the major collegiate and sports leagues for finding a way back to normality and making it possible for the Super Bowl, and other events to return. DraftKings has recently expanded its existing partnership with the NFL to Canada.