Only a select few sportsbooks are allowed to advertise during NFL game broadcasts in 2021. The companies that were selected to be a part of that group took full advantage. Sportico’s Alex Crupi reports that those books spent a combined $21.4 million in TV advertising last weekend.
Nearly half of the sportsbook ads on NFL game broadcasts were purchased by FanDuel. In fact, FanDuel was the number four spender of the week regardless of category. CBS seemed to be the biggest winner amongst the networks. According to i.spot data, that network aired 52 spots for sportsbooks. FOX aired 27 and NBC aired 11.
Since the Supreme Court opened the door to let states make their own decisions regarding sports betting, advertising for sportsbooks has become ubiquitous with almost all sports programming. It is a windfall for stations and networks. It is paying off for the books too.
Across the country, sportsbooks set records for the amount of money wagered and the number of bets placed in the first week of an NFL season. The Sunday through Thursday window saw a 126% increase in the amount of money spent by gamblers.
The NFL certainly hopes its sportsbook partners keep spending at this rate. If that happens, the NFL will add more than $400 million in TV revenue off this sector alone.
