The NFL has selected 888 as its UK and Ireland betting partner.
The National Football League (NFL) has selected online gambling operator 888 to become the league’s official betting partner in the UK and Ireland.
This deal comes just before the start of the 2020 NFL season which is set to kick off tonight with the Houston Texans facing the Kansas City Chiefs.
The partnership
The deal with the NFL will see 888 advertisements broadcast during the UK and Irish broadcasts of Monday Night Football, as well as during the NFL playoffs and Super Bowl on Sky Sports. In addition to this, 888 will become an official betting partner of the League’s games that are played in London in 2021.
888 will also launch a new series of videos titled “The Punt” on its social media platforms. These will feature celebrity guests discussing the latest NFL news and developments.
Chris Halpin, NFL executive vice president and chief strategy and growth officer, said: “We are delighted to partner with 888Sport, our first official UK betting partner.
“It is a brand that will help us deepen fans’ engagement with our sport, and this partnership will provide us with strategic insights that will shape our broader sports betting strategy.”
Guy Cohen, senior vice president and head of B2C at 888 said: “This is the start of an exciting chapter for 888sport. We pride ourselves on being at the forefront of live sporting experiences and we’re delighted to partner with an internationally adored brand such as the NFL.
“We look forward to playing our part in an exciting NFL season, which kicks off this weekend, and beyond.”
888 has now become the NFL’s first betting partner in the UK and Ireland and follows behind Tabcorp in Australia in entering an international partnership with the league.
This deal also builds upon 888’s partnership with the NFL’s New York Jets from last year, which saw the operator become an official sponsor of the team.
Fewer Americans betting on NFL games this season
News of this partnership comes as the American Gaming Association (AGA) published research showing an estimated 33.2m American adults plan to place bets on NFL games during the 2020-21 season.
This figure represents a 13% year-on-year drop on the number of US adults who planned to bet on NFL games during the 2019 season.
The AGA report also noted that sports fans report less enthusiasm about the upcoming NFL season than they have in previous years, with 42% of respondents saying their enthusiasm has waned due to several factors.
According to the AGA, several reasons including increased political activism around the league, absence of fans in stadiums, and the inability to gather with friends to watch games, were cited as the reason for a drop in enthusiasm for the return of the NFL.
