BetMGM and Detroit Tigers Announce Official Gaming Partnership

BetMGM has become official gaming partner of the Detroit Tigers. The deal acts as another sign of growing and mutually beneficial relationship between the top-tier betting provider and one of the preeminent North American pro sports leagues. Back in November BetMGM became an official gaming partner of Major League Baseball.

The partnership is a coup for both parties involved. For the Detroit Tigers, they will benefit from a sports betting provider that already has strong ties to MLB and for BetMGM, they get a chance to increase their exposure in one of the most exciting up-and-coming markets in the US legal sports betting scene. BetMGM has quickly become an iconic sports betting brand and the Detroit Tigers are an established iconic North American sports franchise.

BetMGM's Chief Revenue Officer Matt Prevost said, "From day one, it's been a priority for us to develop deep relationships with Michigan's beloved sports teams. We look forward to our partnership with the Detroit Tigers and engaging with their fan base to offer best-in-class promotions and benefits only available on BetMGM."

Some Details

The BetMGM/Detroit Tigers partnership is said to be a multi-year deal that gives the sports betting provider unique and tangible advertising opportunities in and around Comerica Park. Those opportunities include a presence on speed pitch LED board visible at the Park, on the unmistakably iconic “Tiger” scoreboard in left field and on all of the Tigers ‘digital platforms.

Like similar official sports betting partnership deals, there will be integrated social media content between the two entities, including the MLB Ballpark App. BetMGM, as a by-product of the partnership gains immediate access to official MLB data and trademarks within its sportsbook, some of which it already had thanks to their prior deal with the league.

The new deal gives birth to fan-focused Tigers’ promotions and gives the MLB team and its fans access to one of the most proven and trusted names in the US legal sports betting scene. Fan engagement and enhancement has long been the goal of such betting provider/team partnerships and the BetMGM/Detroit Tigers deal is no different.

“We’re excited to expand our relationship with BetMGM to feature the Detroit Tigers and Comerica Park,” said Detroit Tigers’ senior vice president of corporate partnerships Peter Kent. Our fans will enjoy the enhancements this partnership provides to their experience, both at the ballpark and in rooting on the Tigers from home.”

The Michigan Scene

The state of Michigan has been on the legal sports betting radar for quite some time and the numbers out of the state support the notion that they are in the elite class of bet-friendly states.

Michigan is currently the 10th most populous state in the US with about 10 million residents. The state is also home to one of the more rabid sports fan bases in the country. It all adds up to a market that every betting provider wants a bigger piece of and one that could elevate into the Top-5 sooner rather than later.

Michigan's sportsbooks were able to generate a $301.8 million handle in February while at the same time launching what is sure to be a game-changing mobile platform. With the NFL season over for another year and with the Pistons and Red Wings experiencing "down seasons", many Michigan sports fans are pinning their hopes on the Tigers, who just threw the first pitch in their season, for something to feel good about.

MGM Resorts’ Midwest Group president David Tsai commented: “The Detroit Tigers are a central part of the Michigan sports scene and bring an undeniable energy to the city. MGM Grand Detroit is ready to welcome Tigers and sports betting fans to our BetMGM Sports Lounge before, during, and after games for an innovative and exciting experience.”

Other BetMGM News

BetMGM didn't stop with their Detroit Tigers deal last week. The betting provider also signed on with Audacy in another multi-year deal to use Audacy’s top-notch digital media platforms to advertise across the country.

Audacy will expand the BetMGM reach through the slew of radio shows and podcasts that fall under the Audacy umbrella. BetMGM will now have a strong presence on both media entities going forward and should be able to organically grow their brand through these media outlets.

Audacy also owns the top-tier iGaming platforms BetQL, which was designed to provide sports betting information to bettors. The BetMGM brand figures to be featured heavily on the BetQL platform, which immediately increases BetMGM's exposure and brings a new audience into their fold.

Last week was a good one for BetMGM, which finds itself in a race to maintain elite status within the US legal sports betting space. With new providers coming online and with existing ones doing all they can to separate themselves, BetMGM saw a need to act quickly on deals to increase their exposure. The Detroit Tigers deal is a “Win” for the provider – look for more to come as the US legal sports betting gold rush continues.