Sports broadcasting leader ESPN and Penn Entertainment’s ESPN Bet announced on Friday a new integration allowing customers to link their accounts on both platforms, aiming to provide a richer and more engaging betting experience.
By connecting their ESPN Bet accounts with ESPN.com and the network’s mobile app, users can now track their active, resolved, and upcoming wagers in one place. This enhanced connectivity may also open doors for customized promotions tailored to users’ preferences.
“This account linking feature will soon enable ESPN Bet to offer fans personalized betting options and timely promotions based on their favorite teams, sports, players, and fantasy rosters,” the companies noted. The linking process is accessible either through a prompt in the ESPN Bet app or within the settings menu of updated versions of the ESPN Bet and ESPN apps, as well as ESPN.com.
ESPN Bet is currently operational in states including Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Strategic Move in Brand Collaboration
Penn Entertainment is investing $1.5 billion over 10 years for the rights to use ESPN’s brand, a move that underscores the mutual benefits for both companies to leverage ESPN’s significant brand influence in the sports world.
Expanding capabilities through initiatives like account integration is a step in this strategy. Despite some critics questioning the delay in launching this feature—Penn’s licensing deal with Disney was announced in August 2023—the partnership appears poised to capitalize on its potential.
This announcement comes as ESPN Bet strives to catch up with top competitors like DraftKings and FanDuel, which have established themselves as leaders in the sports betting sector. Nevertheless, data suggests that ESPN Bet has made notable progress this football season, particularly among new bettors and those placing wagers in the $50 to $200 range per event.
Advancing ESPN Bet’s Technological Framework
Enhancing the technological infrastructure of ESPN Bet is a priority for Penn, and account integration with ESPN aligns with this focus. This move follows the appointment of Aaron LaBerge as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) in April.
“Account linking enables us to better serve and engage users by providing critical personalization and promotional features. This step is just the start of more extensive integrations that will set the ESPN Bet experience apart,” LaBerge stated.
Before joining Penn, LaBerge had a 20-year career with Disney, including four years as CTO and vice president at ESPN, where he played a pivotal role in the expansion of the network’s digital content.
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