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There’s no denying that sports betting is here to stay. The list of states that now permit betting on sports seemingly grows every month. People love sports and betting on sports is a fun way to enhance the experience as long as you do it responsibly. The industry is booming and will continue to grow for many years. Connor McDavid highlighted that on Friday.
There has long been a stigma surrounding sports betting. It was an under-the-radar activity that a lot of people kept quiet about. Did people bet on sports before it was legal? Of course. However, now it’s common to openly talk about that side of things.
Betting used to be a topic that sports leagues and players would ardently avoid. Pete Rose is famously blackballed from the Hall of Fame because of his gambling habits. Broadcasters like Al Michaels and Brent Musberger were personal favorites, as they would slyly allude to betting implications in games they were calling while making sure not to explicitly say anything.
The turnaround has been quick. Many networks now have the betting lines in their tickers. Media members and talking heads make picks against the spread during their analysis. On Friday, another major step was taken in the sports betting landscape.
McDavid is the first active player to partner with a sportsbook
On Friday, BetMGM — which is an affiliate partner of Yahoo Sports — announced a partnership with reigning NHL MVP Connor McDavid. The Edmonton Oilers star joins BetMGM as a brand ambassador.
BetMGM already had Wayne Gretzky on board as an ambassador. By adding McDavid to the squad, BetMGM now works with the greatest hockey player of all time as well as the best active player. It has the hockey market locked down.
However, the McDavid announcement is notable. McDavid becomes the first active player in a major U.S. professional league to endorse a regulated North American sportsbook. We’ve seen the likes of Gretzky and other former players partner with sportsbooks. We’ve also seen teams and leagues enter into partnerships. For the first time, an active player has joined the party.
McDavid is the current favorite to win the NHL MVP at +200. He has won the award twice already in his first six seasons, including last year. McDavid currently leads the NHL in points and has won the Art Ross, given to the league’s leading scorer, three times before this season.
What’s the fallout of this announcement?
It’s not surprising that the NHL is the first league to allow an active player to partner with a sportsbook. The NHL was the first league to allow a team in Las Vegas. The Golden Knights were an immediate success and since then, the NFL has followed suit with the Raiders.
Will other athletes now follow suit? There’s no denying that athletes can make major money through partnerships, especially in an industry flush with cash like sports betting. Does McDavid’s new deal break down a barrier? Will we see the likes of Joe Burrow or LeBron James signing partnership deals now for their sports? I certainly would not be surprised.
Some fans might not love the optics. These players are the ones we are betting on, and them being in bed with sportsbooks might not sit right with people. However, rest assured, the NHL prohibits players from betting on not only their own team’s games, but any NHL game. Other leagues certainly have similar policies in place.
Speaking of optics, there’s also the Evander Kane angle to consider. Kane’s estranged wife, Anna, accused Kane of betting on his own team’s games when Kane was a member of the Sharks. The NHL investigated Kane and cleared him. Kane had a litany of other issues with the Sharks, which led to them terminating his contract and releasing him earlier this season.
Once Kane became a free agent, McDavid supported the Oilers bringing him in. Edmonton signed Kane and he’s been a member of the team since Jan. 29. A few weeks later, McDavid becomes the first active athlete to partner with a sportsbook.
These optics will take a while to get used to, but rest assured, this is a sign of things to come. Sports betting will become an even bigger part of consuming sports in the coming years. Whether it’s through partnerships with players and teams, in-arena experiences or TV broadcasts, this is just the beginning.