DraftKings has been named the official sports betting partner of the upcoming boxing match between former undisputed heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson and former four-division world champion, Roy Jones Jr.
DraftKings branding will appear throughout the match’s media day, weigh-in and boxing ring.
As part of its partnership, the operator will also develop the ‘DraftKings Tale of the Bet’ original series, to capture sportsbook trends such as percentage of bets and handle, significant bet placements and unique market offers.
The bout, which takes place on November 28, marks Tyson’s return to the ring following his retirement in 2005. US media reports suggest it has already broken records for pre-fight pay per view sign-ups.
Tyson and Jones’ main card event will be joined by several undercard bouts including YouTube creator Jake Paul against former NBA player Nate Robinson; former WBC super-middleweight champion Badou Jack against Blake McKernan; and Viddal Riley facing Rashad Coulter.
Undercard sports betting on DraftKings will be available to customers in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Tennessee, and main card betting will be available in Illinois, New Hampshire and New Jersey. Players nationwide will be able to enter a free-to-play pool for the match.
The event is sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) and scored by the World Boxing Athletic Commission, which will choose a winner based on pro-fighting rules in the absence of a knockout.
The four-hour event will be hosted by former Saved by the Bell star Mario Lopez, beginning at 8:00PM ET on November 28. Video-making and social networking company, Triller, has secured musical guests for the event including DaBaby, Lil Wayne, French Montana, Wiz Khalifa, and YG with Ne-Yo set to perform the national anthem.
“Viewers of this fight will be at the forefront of a premier and customer-first event that pits two generationally dominant boxing talents against one another while also integrating DraftKings branding and exclusive sportsbook data for a seamless second-screen experience,” said Ezra Kucharz, chief business officer at DraftKings.
“Sports betting technology has evolved exponentially since Mike Tyson or Roy Jones Jr. were crowned world champions, so seeing these legends now clash within this innovative era of our industry is something special.”
Bonin Bough, chief growth officer of Triller, added: “Triller is thrilled to have DraftKings as the official betting partner of Tyson’s return. With fans excited to participate in this significant face-off, we knew we needed an official facilitator. They become one of the many new brand partners to join the Triller family and the integration we have planned with them is nothing short of amazing”.
The event marks DraftKings’ latest sports sponsorship deal this year. It has also signed deals with individual teams, including the National Football League (NFL)’s New York Giants in September, and Philadelphia Eagles in October. Later that month, it signed a wide-ranging deal with the Turner Sports arm of WarnerMedia.