Caesars, ESPN Team Up On Sports Betting Content; Casino To Host New Studio

A Caesars Entertainment Corporation CZR-owned casino in Las Vegas will be home to a new ESPN studio focused on sports betting content, and Caesars will be the sports network’s official sports-odds data supplier, the Walt Disney Co. DIS-owned network and the casino company announced Tuesday.

The studio will be up and running next year at Caesars’ LINQ Hotel and Casino on the Vegas Strip.

What To Know

ESPN said in a release the studio will create sports-betting-themed content and segments for ESPN’s new sports-wagering show “Daily Wager,” along with other programming. It also will be used as a studio for betting segments during coverage of major events.

The deal also calls for ESPN to use data on odds from Caesars in its programming.

“The sports betting landscape has changed, and fans are coming to us for this kind of information more than ever before,” said Mike Morrison, VP of Business Development at ESPN. “We are poised to expand our coverage in a big way and working with a category leader like Caesars Entertainment will help us serve these highly engaged, diverse sports fans with the best and most relevant content possible.”

Why It's Important

The deal is just the latest melding between the growing sports betting industry and big players in sports media and the sports industry itself.

Fox Corporation FOXA unit Fox Sports said earlier this month it was buying a small stake in Canadian company The Stars Group TSG, the parent company of PokerStars, for about $235 million and would launch a mobile app to let bettors place wagers on their phones.

Several major leagues, including the NBA, Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League, have signed betting deals with MGM Resorts International MGM.

Caesars has a sponsorship deal with the NFL.

Related Links:

Caesars Entertainment Locks In NFL's First Casino Sponsorship

Sports Betting Comes To More and More States — And Mobile Is Key