UpickTrade has become the official sports betting tipping partner for the Vegas Golden Knights in a newly-announced deal this week.
Golden Knights Are First Team to Partner with Tipping Platform
The Vegas Golden Knights have revealed a multi-year partnership with Mexico-based UpickTrade sports betting tipping platform. The tie-up marks the latest foray into the sports wagering space by an official sporting franchise.
Moving forward, UpickTrade will be recognized as the official sports pick service partner for the franchise, and it will be present across the Golden Knights’ social media and web channels and platforms.
The partnership includes signage on boards at the Knights’ home stadium, T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. This alliance is important for two specific reasons. On the one hand, it’s the first time a traditional sports team has joined forces with a sports tipping service. Secondly, it’s the first official partnership for UpickTrade with an NHL team and a first for any Mexican company into the National Hockey League.
Knights VP of global partnerships Mike Mungiello welcomed the alliance and said that the team was hopeful to see their fanbase tap into UpickTrade’s unique platform and make more educated predictions about sports contests.
UpickTrade CEO Carlos Lazo Reyes called the deal a historic opportunity for the sports betting market. Reyes volunteered that UpickTrade already has 6,000 customers worldwide, offering them $89 a month for data-driven selections on sports, including the NHL.
Community and Industry React Negatively to the Partnership
So far, though, the platform has not volunteered selections on Knights’ games. While this is a new chapter for partnerships between sporting franchises and betting companies, not everyone has seen it as an opportunity.
Gambling addiction experts have cautioned that UpickTrade has some catch-up to play in coming up with a product that meets safety standards. National Council on Problem Gambling executive director Keith Whyte took to Twitter to argue that the platform lacked responsible gambling messages.
As a whole, the community and industry have not responded kindly to the announcement, not least because of the fairly niche status tipping platforms have. Legitimizing them would be difficult, and a hint of conflict of interests is already there.