Yahoo Sports, MGM launch mobile sports betting — but only in this state
Sports betting is legal in 19 states
Yahoo Sports kicked off its efforts to cash in on legalized sports betting on Thursday with the launch of its MGM Resorts-backed mobile sportsbook for customers in New Jersey.
Yahoo Sportsbook will allow New Jersey residents aged 21 and older to place mobile bets through the Yahoo Sports app and website. The app will display betting odds on upcoming games in the NBA, NHL and other sports and users who click will be directed to the BetMGM platform.
The program launched in New Jersey just weeks after Verizon-owned Yahoo and MGM Resorts announced plans to partner on sports betting initiatives. As part of the deal, Yahoo Sports became the official digital media sports partner of MGM Resorts.
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“The historic partnership with Yahoo Sports and BetMGM will change the future of fandom, providing new ways for sports fans to go beyond engaging with content and interact through commerce,” Verizon Media CEO Guru Gowrappan said in a statement. “At Verizon Media we believe in building products that connect consumers to their passions and drive the deepest end-to-end value possible.”
At launch, Yahoo Sportsbook allowed New Jersey users to receive $100 in free bets after they submitted a $10 deposit. The betting plug-in will become available to customers in other states with legalized mobile sports betting in the near future, according to a press release.
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Colorado became the 19th U.S. state to legalize sports betting earlier this month. The U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal ban on sports betting in May 2018, allowing states to determine how to approach it on a case-by-case basis.
New Jersey posted a record handle, or betting total, of $487.9 million for the month of October, according to the state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement.
Yahoo Sports has 60 million monthly users in the U.S., according to Verizon.
MGM Resorts partnered with Buffalo Wild Wings to run a sports betting pilot program at select New Jersey locations in September. Customers will earn perks by using the BetMGM platform at the restaurants.