Since the other major professional sports franchises had sports betting deals, it was only a matter of time for the Colorado Rockies.
That time is Thursday.
DraftKings has reached an agreement with the Rockies to become both the daily fantasy operator and the franchise’s first official sports betting operator.
Included in the announcement of the deal with the MLB franchise, DraftKings announced the grand opening of its retail sportsbook at the Mardi Gras Casino in Black Hawk. That is scheduled for Friday.
There was a temporary DraftKings retail outlet in place at the casino since early July.
DraftKings and Rockies latest sports betting partnership in Colorado
DraftKings joins a list of other sports betting companies to reach deals with the professional franchises in the Colorado sports betting market.
The Denver Broncos have agreements with:
PointsBet has an exclusive sports betting deal with the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Mammoth and the Pepsi Center.
PointsBet also has a deal with the University of Colorado.
Matt Laish, the co-founder and president of DraftKings North America, said in the release:
“In the short span since launching our top-rated mobile sportsbook app in Colorado this past May, Coloradans have proven to be among our most engaged customers. (That) makes our deepened connection to the state through these collaborations all the more exciting.”
Details of the deal
As part of the deal, DraftKings will get in-stadium-branding rights and a license to use the Rockies trademarks and logos. The news release adds that DraftKings and the Rockies will collaborate to develop a digital content series that will feature player appearances on DraftKings’ program The Sweat. There’s also a plan for podcasts, live videos and more.
This is where it’s crucial to point out that while this is a sports betting “deal,” there will not be betting kiosks at the stadium. It doesn’t appear that there are plans for an in-stadium betting lounge. If that does happen, you won’t see kiosks at Coors Field.
The only place betting kiosks are allowed are the retail sportsbooks in the gaming towns of Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek.
Walker Monfort, the Rockies vice president of corporate sponsorships, said in the release:
“Expanding on our current deal for daily fantasy sports will only enhance what we’ve built with DraftKings up to this point. Tying our brand to an early industry leader in the new frontier of legalized sports betting will be a great, new endeavor for both parties.”
DraftKings retail sportsbook at Mardi Gras
As for the retail DraftKings Sportsbook, this is what patrons can expect come Friday:
- Optimal viewing and hospitality experience.
- Equipped with more than 40 TVs.
- Large video boards dedicated to odds.
- Several self-service betting kiosks.
- Full-service sports bar and restaurant.
The release of the August sports betting handle shows why the Colorado market is so appealing.
The return of major US sports is a huge reason why.
Look for more sportsbooks to launch their mobile apps and betting sites in Colorado in the days ahead.
