Get those New York sports betting apps ready: Your day has arrived!
The countdown to online sports gambling is over. FanDuel NY on Thursday become one of four operators to get the go-ahead to register customers in the Empire State.
The New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) said FanDuel, along with DraftKings NY, Caesars and Rush Street International (parent company of BetRivers), can begin mobile betting Saturday at 9 a.m.
FanDuel NY Sports Betting Plan
The New York-based company said it plans to be live Saturday and is telling customers they can celebrate mobile betting coming to New York with $100 in FanDuel sportsbook site credit when they activate their FanDuel sportsbook account. You can claim the FanDuel Sportsbook Offer Here.
With the largest retail sportsbook in the area at The Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, N.J., FanDuel, a subsidiary of Flutter Entertainment, has a presence across all 50 states with more than 12 million customers.
FanDuel is one of four sports betting companies to already operate a retail sportsbook in upstate New York at Tioga Downs Casino in Nichols. Both Tioga Downs and The Meadowlands are owned and operated by Jeff Gural.
Earlier in December, FanDuel opened a live retail sportsbook in its 11th state, Maryland, at Live! Casino and Hotel in Hanover.
Why Operators Wanted NY Mobile
New York is widely considered to be the crown jewel in mobile sports betting.
With a population of 19.3 million, New York ranks fourth among U.S. states. However, No. 1 California (39.6 million) and No. 2 Texas (29.7 million) do not have sports betting and will not until 2023 at the earliest.
The third state in total population, Florida (21.9 million), has been tangled in legal challenges after previously having only one sportsbook run by the Seminole Tribe (Hard Rock Sportsbook). Currently, there is no betting at all in the state of Florida.
How We Got Here
The push to get mobile New York sports betting underway has gained steam all year, starting under Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
It became just a matter of time after the NYSGC made its picks for mobile providers and operators.
In addition to the four operators licensed to start Saturday, these companies will enter the market when ready on a rolling basis: Bally Bet, WynnBET, PointsBet NY, Resorts World and BetMGM NY.
Servers must be placed and ready at the four upstate casinos. In addition to Tioga Downs, where FanDuel already is present, the other casinos are: Rivers Casino in Schenectady, Del Lago Casino in Waterloo and Resorts World Casino in Monticello.
FanDuel Partners with Bills
FanDuel also announced Thursday it had entered a multi-year partnership as the official mobile sports betting partner of the Buffalo Bills.
FanDuel will gain access to a range of media assets, including TV and radio spots and in-game signage and activations at Highmark Stadium. They also will be allowed to use Bills logos. FanDuel also will be the presenting sponsor of Bills by the Numbers, a podcast hosted by Steve Tasker and Chris Brown.
“The Bills take pride in being a culture that is built on genuine connection with their fans, and we are absurdly fan-focused at FanDuel, making this a natural collaboration,” said Mike Raffensperger, CMO of FanDuel Group. “As we prepare to bring America’s No. 1 sportsbook to New York state, we will collaborate with the Bills to bring unique content and experiences to one of the most loyal fanbases in sports.”
“FanDuel has built a strong reputation as a premier sports betting destination for sports fans,” said Dan Misko, the senior vice president of business development for Pegula Sports & Entertainment. “The ways they reach people through engaging and entertaining content is innovative and aligns with how we think about connecting with our fans. We’re very excited for all this partnership will offer our valued fans throughout the state of New York as part of their gameday experience and look forward to working with FanDuel for many years to come.”
