On Friday, PointsBet made the not-so-unexpected announcement that its sports betting data would be integrated into Sunday Night Football’s pre- and post-game telecasts on NBC and Peacock, starting with the Week 1 Los Angeles Rams-Chicago Bears game at SoFi Stadium (nee Hollywood Park). Prior to that announcement, NBC had taken a 4.99% equity stake in the sportsbook, which has its U.S. headquarters in Denver, and PointsBet subsequently signed NBC football analyst Drew Brees on as a brand ambassador, further cementing its partnership with the network.
“We know viewers who are sports bettors are more engaged with the game throughout the broadcast, and PointsBet offers more opportunities for players to stay involved,” PointsBet USA CEO Johnny Aitken said in a press release. “We are just getting started, and we are excited to do it together with premium partners.”
Brees, the ex-New Orleans Saints quarterback, was plenty present during the Football Night in America pre-game show on Sunday. PointsBet? Not so much. About the only time the sportsbook took center stage was during a “PointsBet Pulse” segment in which Brees went over the odds for Defensive Player of the Year. This made sense because Rams lineman Aaron Donald is the favorite at odds of +500.
“I’ve actually heard one defensive lineman say that when you go up against him, you have no chance,” said Brees, whose former team smoked the Packers in Jacksonville on Sunday. (Hilariously and effectively, the hurricane-refugee Saints chose to play their home opener in Jacksonville based primarily on how difficult it was for Green Bay fans to travel there.)