ESPN BET officially launched in Michigan on Tuesday afternoon.
While the app is in its infancy stage, PENN Entertainment has big plans for the rollout.
In the coming weeks, users can expect to see an expansive media integration between the new Michigan online sports betting option and ESPN’s multiple media platforms.
PENN copying theScore Bet integration playbook in Ontario
ESPN BET introduced its product across 17 different states on Tuesday.
The Michigan product also includes Hollywood Casino Online, but the focus for PENN will be on integration with ESPN BET for the time being.
PENN already has a similar utilization going on in Ontario with theScore Bet and theScore sports media application.
“You’ll begin to see even deeper platform and media integrations with ESPN over the coming months, providing an unmatched and eventually frictionless media and betting experience,” said PENN Entertainment CEO and President Jay Snowden during PENN’s Q3 investors call.
ESPN will begin making changes to its sports media app in the coming weeks to make direct connections with ESPN BET Michigan and its platforms in its other 16 active states.
What the ESPN media integrations will look like
ESPN has already begun to push the ESPN BET branding on its television programming.
Along with using ESPN BET odds on its programming, it also has changed its “Daily Wager” television program to “ESPN BET Live.”
All odds listed on the ESPN website are supplied by ESPN BET as well.
Eventually ESPN app users will see direct links to the ESPN BET app. ESPN BET branded, standalone six-pack odds that include spreads, totals and moneylines will be integrated into the ESPN app’s scoreboard pages.
Each of the six-pack odds will carry a direct link to the ESPN BET app that will allow users to place bets on the game they selected.
The ESPN app will also include betting-based news and headlines that feature links within the story that will carry to ESPN BET as well.
Unique ESPN audience a key to growing ESPN BET
PENN is hoping that ESPN BET can make an immediate splash in the online sports betting market. Not just in Michigan, but across the United States.
ESPN had 12 million unique app users in September, which immediately gives it an advantage over other online operators.
ESPN has a large audience that it can take directly to its betting platform. By comparison, FanDuel averaged 3.3 million unique users in September, while DraftKings has 2.9 million.
In Ontario, theScore media platforms have brought over 73% of users to their sports betting platform.
From there, cross-selling strategies have converted roughly 50% of sports betting customers into theScore Bet’s online casino.
ESPN BET has its Hollywood Casino feature available in four states. And, PENN has stated it has an increased focus on the states that offer both sports betting and iCasino.
PENN has a large unique audience it can introduce to its product. As such, ESPN BET and Hollywood Casino online could see a successful launch when all features are up and running.
It will be interesting to see just what PENN’s new online gambling app does over the rest of 2023 as it sets itself up to be a major player in 2024.
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