Users will be able to build bets slips off gaming activations in the ESPN App but will ultimately be moved over to the ESPN Bet app to transact on any wagers. “In leaning into the ESPN brand leaning into our ecosystem designing a special look and feel, this is going to be incredibly compelling to the marketplace.” “We’re seeking to reach sports fans, not just sports bettors,” Mike Morrison, VP, Sports Betting & Fantasy at ESPN said during a presentation at the ESPN Edge event in New York City last week. The network is partnering with PENN Entertainment and, while the app will appear very ESPN-like in its branding and design, the product itself runs off of PENN’s proprietary in-house tech stack.ĮSPN’s entry into the sports betting market presents a unique wrinkle as it will be able to deeply integrate betting products and services into its already popular ESPN App, social media channels, website, and linear television franchises. It’s a significant moment in the rapidly growing sports betting market as ESPN becomes the first legacy media company to place its name directly on an online sportsbook.
On Tuesday, the ESPN Bet app is expected to launch and begin taking wagers in the 17 states where mobile sports betting is legal in the U.S.
