NFL training camps are in high gear, "Hard Knocks" is up and running on HBO and the countdown to the start of another NFL season is on.
BetMGM Ontario Sportsbook on Tuesday became latest Ontario sportsbook to sign up with the NFL in Canada as an Official Sportsbook Partner, announcing a multi-year deal.
The NFL has been quite busy in signing partners in Ontario – it already has the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. and FanDuel Ontario on board. OLG has an “exclusive” partnership with the NFL, a spokesman pointed out, a five-year deal.
Without seeing the exact terms of all the partnership deals, “exclusivity” means OLG can do more in the promo, content or contest realm with the NFL across Ontario sports betting, the spokesperson added.
BetMGM Ontario was one of the first regulated Ontario sports betting apps and iGaming platforms to go live in the province. That was in April.
“We’re already seeing great interest from our Ontario customers and this collaboration truly elevates the BetMGM experience,” BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt said in a statement.
More Details on the Deal
BetMGM Ontario now has the rights to use official NFL marks in Canada and advertise on NFL-operated digital platforms throughout the region, according to the news release. On top of that, BetMGM Ontario can offer Canadian customers access to exclusive NFL experiences.
That isn’t nothing, of course. The NFL is a sports betting behemoth — Americans love pro football, and so do Canadians. An estimated $100 billion is wagered at licensed sportsbooks during the NFL season. The American Gaming Association predicted more than 45.2 million Americans bet on the 2021 NFL season.
We’re about to get a full taste of how far Ontario bettors are about to jump in, in a fully open, legal market, for the first time.
NFL Popular With Ontario Bettors
An OLG spokesperson said the NFL was among the most popular sports that people in this province bet on — but not the most popular.
According to OLG, sales for the “Big 4” sports break down as follows: NHL 29%, NBA 26%, NFL 23%, MLB 21%. (OntarioBets is also your home for everything related to NHL betting.)
Remember last NFL season the OLG via PROLINE was the only place you could bet legally on pro football.
Today’s deal complements BetMGM’s agreement with the NFL in the U.S. In 2021, the company became an Approved Sportsbook Operator of the NFL, allowing them to run in-game television spots during the season.
