Subscription-based sports media giant The Athletic has named BetMGM has its exclusive sports betting partner in the US.
The agreement with the MGM Resorts and Entain joint venture will see the title launch a new content vertical, The Athletic Betting Hub. This will be supported by in-depth content and product integrations between the partners.
Launched in 2016, The Athletic has accumulated over 1m subscribers worldwide, supported by an editorial team of more than 400 writers.
Its new betting hub will feature dedicated content, supported by integrated live odds and exclusive offers powered by BetMGM. This includes betting analysis and original written, audio and video content.
The Athletic and BetMGM will also collaborate across other digital and social platform, to offer an “immersive” betting experience to US fans.
“BetMGM has pioneered the online gaming industry and as we sought to establish The Athletic as a home for great betting content, we knew there would be no better partner,” The Athletic’s Evan Parker, general manager of content operations Evan Parker explained.
“As we collaborate on this new venture, we share a joint vision for how to seamlessly blend media, analysis and betting into unique, premium experiences for The Athletic subscribers.”
BetMGM chief revenue officer Matt Prevost added that he looked forward to introducing the title’s “incredibly engaged and loyal readership” to the sportsbook brand.
“They also have an outstanding product and, through integrations and collaboration, this partnership complements The Athletic’s premium offering,” Prevost added.
The deal further strengthens BetMGM’s national media presence in the US. It already has a partnership with Verizon-owned media platform Yahoo Sports, agreed in October 2019.
This has seen the BetMGM sportsbook integrated into Yahoo Sports’ app in regulated states, and the media brand’s content featured throughout MGM Resorts properties.
The partnership was strengthened in October last year, when the integration was streamlined, to offer a seamless betting experience across both platforms. This goes as far as allowing registered Yahoo Sports readers to use their login details to access BetMGM’s sportsbook.
BetMGM is currently live in ten states, following yesterday’s (28 January) roll-out in Virginia, becoming the third brand to launch in Old Dominion.