DFS Deals With Boston’s Pro Teams Could Help DraftKings Dominate MA Sports Betting Market

While folks in The Bay State are eager it place their bets once Massachusetts sports betting launches, one of the premier sports betting platforms is chomping at the bit to get things rolling.

DraftKings Sportsbook has been at the forefront of legalizing sports betting in Massachusetts for years. The Boston-based operator has been laying the groundwork for this moment for quite some time. In fact, the platform has placed a lot of focus close to home by already creating partnerships with Boston’s four major professional sports franchises.

With the launch of sports betting in Massachusetts approaching, it appears DraftKings will have a leg up on the competition once legal wagering gets underway.

Upcoming DraftKings Sportsbook MA Launch

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) is still hammering out details about what sports betting will look like in the state. However, the excitement has to be building at DraftKings world headquarters in Boston’s Back Bay. DraftKings Sportsbook has already launched in over a dozen other states that have already rolled out sports betting. Now the company is ready to bring its sports betting platform to its home state as soon as possible.

As of now, MA retail sports betting is tentatively slated to launch in Massachusetts in late January 2023. MA mobile betting apps are expected to follow in late February or early March. It is important to note that DraftKings will have a massive advantage once legal sports betting launches. Not only is Massachusetts DraftKings’ home turf, but the company has also been building relationships with all four of Boston’s pro sports teams.

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DraftKings’ Partnerships With Boston Sports Teams

It all started in 2014 when the New England Patriots struck a deal partnering the franchise with the popular daily fantasy sports operator. The partnership was a first for any professional football team with an organization operating in daily fantasy sports.

Since then, DraftKings agreed to similar partnerships with the Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics and Boston Red Sox. With Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) being legal in Massachusetts, it was a match made in heaven with the operator and the hometown teams.

When speaking about partnerships with the local pro teams, DraftKings chief business officer Ezra Kucharz said the company’s “Boston roots” make these partnerships more meaningful.

“As a Boston-born company, we are well-acquainted with the devotion of Boston sports fans,” Kucharz said.

Few cities generate fan interaction like Boston’s ‘Big 4′ teams. Over the past few years, people in the state have seen various advertisements promoting DraftKings’ DFS platform whenever they watch their favorite teams play. Those built-in relationships will pay dividends once DraftKings Sportsbook Massachusetts officially launches in the state.

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Other Partnerships Between Sportsbooks And Sports Franchises

As of today, none of Boston’s pro sports teams have announced sports betting partnerships with any operators. That could change once the Massachusetts Gaming Commission establishes when online wagering will go live in the state.

However, we have seen what partnerships between sports betting operators and pro sports teams can look like in other states. In total, DraftKings Sportsbook has established partnerships with over 20 pro teams. The company’s deal with the Chicago Cubs is bringing a state-of-the-art retail sportsbook to Wrigley Field.

Other major sports betting operators, like FanDuel, Caesars and BetMGM, will be playing from behind when it comes to creating partnerships with Boston’s pro teams. Could we see DraftKings retail sportsbooks at Gillette Stadium, TD Garden and Fenway Park? It may be possible.