The NFL’s "embrace of gambling is, well, lucrative," as experts expect revenue from gambling companies for the NFL and its teams to be "several hundred million dollars this season," according to Drape & Hsu of the N.Y. TIMES. NFL Chief Strategy & Growth Officer Christopher Halpin said, “Over the next 10 years, this is going to be a more than $1 billion opportunity for the league and our clubs.” Wynn Interactive CEO Craig Billings: “Being part of the in-game broadcast is important -- it’s our most popular sport with a core audience of early adopters that have been betting offshore. It’s a rifle shot you have to take.” Billings hired Ben Affleck to "direct and star, alongside Shaquille O’Neal, in a commercial," and Wynn has plans to spend more than $100M on "advertising throughout the NFL season." Through Sept. 9, DraftKings’ spend on national TV ads is up 98% year-to-date, while FanDuel’s has "more than doubled," according to estimates from iSpot.TV. Overall, gambling companies spent $7.4M on "advertisements during the first week of prime time games," up 9% from '20, according to estimates from EDO. CBS saw a "surge in advertising interest for NFL broadcasts this year," and CBS Sports Exec VP/Sports Sales & Marketing John Bogusz attributed “a good portion” of the growth to betting. Bogusz: “Volume is up among all advertisers. ... I think it will continue to grow.” NBC Sports Group Exec VP/Advertising Sales Dan Lovinger said that the "surge from sports betting operators was 'reminiscent to when the fantasy category opened up'" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/16).
