The Drone Racing League (DRL), has announced a deal with DraftKings Inc. making it an Official Sports Betting Partner of DRL.
The deal makes DRL the first aerial sporting event upon which fans can place mobile sports bets. Mobile wagering on DRL drone races is currently legal in Colorado, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Tennessee and West Virginia with regulatory approvals pending in additional states
“The sky is now the limit for DRL fans to get skin in the game, and we’re thrilled to partner with DraftKings to transform our high-speed race competition into the ultimate sport to bet on,” said DRL President Rachel Jacobson.
“The opportunity for us to elevate our engagement through all forms of gaming and gambling will only increase as mobile betting becomes more adopted across the country.”
DraftKings states that consumer research which indicated drone racing fans are three times more likely to place a bet than fans of major sports leagues and 90 percent more likely to be interested in sports betting than the average global sports fan. The sports technology and entertainment company believes DRL will bring an entirely new audience of fans to gaming.
Ezra Kucharz, Chief Business Officer, DraftKings commented that: “DRL is scaling their business as fast as their drone races, and we’re excited to be flying with them given DRL’s thrilling, innovative racing events are perfect for the customised wagering offerings we can create,”
He continued: “Our expertise in sports betting combined with DRL’s stats-packed competition will make this a fun and seamless opportunity to engage their avid audience along with tech-savvy, adrenaline-loving sports fans.”
After introducing DRL drone races to customers as a free-to-play pool during the 2020 season, DraftKings saw over 30 per cent more entries in its first week than the average for new sports, totaling over 150,000 entries to date.
Moreover, this deal gives DraftKings exclusive marketing rights around sports betting and branding integrations, including custom gates, through the culmination of the 2020 DRL Allianz World Championship Season. Both pre-race wagers and in-race live bets will be available for fans in approved states to engage before and during the high-flying action.
