MGM Resorts International Partners with Yahoo Sports in Online Betting Deal

• MGM Resorts International and Yahoo Sports announce historic partnership
• The deal will see the Las Vegas company integrate its sports betting platform to Yahoo Sports’ website
• The deal is the latest in a string of partnerships involving MGM

MGM Resorts International has entered a historic partnership with Yahoo Sports, owned by Verizon Media, in a deal that will see Yahoo enjoy exclusive access to the largest sports platform in the US.

MGM Resorts International and Yahoo Sports Announce Online Betting Deal

Yahoo Sports and MGM Resort International have agreed to partner in a new venture that will see MGM Resorts integrate its sports betting platform to Yahoo’s website.

The announcement was made on Tuesday morning and Yahoo Sports, owned by Verizon Media, said that it will now be the official Digital Media Sports partner of the BetMGM betting app and MGM.

According to the statement, BetMGM will also promote Yahoo Sports content in all states where the company owns property and where online sports betting is legal. On its part, Chief executive at Verizon Media, Guru Gowrappan said that the new partnership will provide new ways for sports fans to interact with content and each other.

On the other hand, MGM Resorts International CEO, Jim Murren, said that the partnership will allow them to take control of market share. A recent study by Statista revealed that in 2017, 39% of fantasy sports players in the US participated in at least one league in Yahoo Sports. That is the same figure for both FanDuel and DraftKings combined.

The integration is set to take place in the Yahoo Sports app in November with all transactions residing on the BetMGM platform.

Praise from Various Entities

The National Hockey League and the National Basketball Association were some of the earliest entities to praise the deal. Keep in mind, both have ongoing deals with MGM.

Gary Bettman, NHL commissioner said the deal will see fan engagement escalate since both establishments (MGM and Yahoo Sports) provide exciting opportunities in the sports betting landscape. Adam Silver, NBA commissioner said that the new deal will offer NBA fans new ways to engage with their games.

Roar Digital, through CEO Adam Greenblatt, said the partnership forms a winning combination given that up to 60m users in the US enjoy digital sports content every month. He also said that Yahoo Fantasy Football hits an impressive 9bn minutes every year in user time.

Just last month, GVC Holdings and MGM Resorts through Roar Digital joint venture launched its BetMGM app in New Jersey. The new BetMGM app replaced PlayMGM that was in existence from 2017 and features GVC’s new sportsbook platform including poker and casino games.

More Partnerships for MGM

The new partnership by MGM comes after partnering with Buffalo Wild Wings in what is seen as a keen effort to build connections with sports-related businesses. Buffalo Wild Wings operates over 1,200 sports bars in the US. The other notable partnership is the one with Taco Bell for World Series promotion.