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ESPN BET Will go Live on Nov. 14 Ahead of Eagles vs. Chiefs

James Bisson

Last Updated: November 3, 2023 11:22 AM EDT • 1 min 60 sec read.

ESPN Bet has officially launched in 17 states as of Nov. 14, 2023.
ESPN Bet will officially launch on Nov. 14, 2023.

The "what" and "where" of the highly anticipated ESPN BET launch were established over the past couple of months, but now we have the "when," too.

PENN Entertainment announced during its third-quarter earnings report on Thursday that the launch of ESPN BET will occur on Nov. 14.

“We are extremely excited to announce the planned launch of ESPN BET prior to the active Thanksgiving week sports calendar that includes the NCAA college football rivalry week and the Super Bowl rematch of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles televised on ESPN’s Monday Night Football," Jay Snowden, PENN Entertainment CEO and President, said in a press release.

"ESPN BET will be powered by our proprietary and proven technology platform, which continues to drive impressive performance in Ontario under theScore Bet brand for both online sports betting and iCasino.”

How we got here

It's been rumored for weeks that the ESPN BET brand would be looking to take advantage of what's being billed as the NFL game of the year: a Super Bowl rematch between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. Those rumors were confirmed on Thursday.

ESPN has featured betting-related content on its television networks and website for years, including odds for each game and segments on SportsCenter dealing with sports betting.

On Aug. 8, ESPN teamed up with one of the most respected and successful legal sports betting operators in the country, PENN Entertainment, in a $1.5-billion deal to deliver the ESPN BET brand.

ESPN BET is set to replace Barstool Sportsbook, the brand PENN had previously partnered with in 17 states.

The PENN Entertainment-ESPN BET deal is a 10-year agreement.

Where will we see ESPN BET?

ESPN BET still has to gain final approval in each state where Barstool Sportsbook had a presence. But, at this point, thanks to its relationship with PENN, and the fact that ESPN is such a well-known and respected sporting entity, approval is viewed as just a formality. The only exception is Massachusetts, which last week pumped the brakes on a rubber stamp for the betting brand.

Look for ESPN BET to go live in the following states:

Bettors in these states should expect to see generous ESPN BET promo code offers similar to the strongest ones available from the best sportsbooks.

Should FanDuel and DraftKings be worried?

ESPN BET poses an unprecedented threat to the "Big 2" in the broad U.S. legal sports betting scene. FanDuel and DraftKings have been dominant players but will now get a serious threat to their impressive market share.

ESPN BET's media empire boasts an estimated audience of 370 million. ESPN+ has an estimated 25 million subscribers, and the company's global reach is second to none.

Last month, Snowden said he expects a 20% market share for the ESPN BET brand by 2027, and he has the polling data to support the notion that the brand will be a big hit.

According to data from an Odds Assist survey of 1,000 American bettors, 54% said that they would sign up for the ESPN BET experience with only 8% saying they definitely wouldn't give the brand a try. Roughly 46% of those surveyed said they believe that ESPN BET will eventually become the most popular sportsbook in the country.

Written By:
James Bisson
James Bisson is the Editor-in-Chief of Sportsbook Review. He has been a writer, reporter and editor for more than 20 years, and his work has appeared in more than 200 publications across North America. His first book, “100 Greatest Canadian Sports Moments”, was a hardcover best-seller in Canada in 2008. He has written more than 50 sportsbook reviews and dozens of other sportsbook-related content articles. James has also been quoted as a sports betting expert in USA Today and Sports Illustrated.