First of its kind
Amazon has added a 24-hour gambling network to its list of content offerings on its Prime Video streaming service.
“It is an exciting day for the SportsGrid executive team to partner with Amazon Freevee and Prime Video services offering their millions of users access to the best destination source for sports betting news, real-time data, and expert commentary,” said Louis Maione, president and co-founder of SportsGrid. “We look forward to the Amazon partnership to innovate and develop new tools to engage and redefine the sports viewers’ betting experience.”
users will not have to pay for any extra packages to watch SportsGrid
SportsGrid, which provides live sports coverage, gambling insights, and analysis, joins as Prime Video’s first fully-dedicated gambling outlet. Users will not have to pay for any extra packages to watch SportsGrid, now one of 30 shows and 200 features available to Prime and Freevee users.
Prime video wades deeper into sports gambling
SportsGrid started in 2018 and quickly became ingrained in the gambling industry with partnerships with FanDuel, BetMGM, and other high-profile sports betting agencies.
The network can also be found on platforms such as YouTube TV, Fubo, and Roku, meaning it joins Amazon with an already-large following.
Amazon has shown an increasing amount of interest in jumping into the world of sports recently. It acquired the rights to Thursday Night Football this past season in an 11-year deal that will cost over $1bn annually.
Prime Video also aired 21 New York Yankees games from the past season exclusively to Prime users. The games came with no extra cost to Prime customers in New York, Connecticut, north and central New Jersey, and northeast Pennsylvania.
On top of that, Prime also includes English Premier League matches. So, not only is Amazon’s sports interest local, but also international.
considering launching a standalone sports app
Amazon revealed in December that it was also considering launching a standalone sports app, which would allow it to earn money from sports broadcasts and related operations, and also add content plans to subscription packages.
Amazon is already in bed with gambling companies, as well. In September, it chose DraftKings as its partner for Thursday Night Football broadcasts; fans received extra pre-game content and betting promotions through the arrangement.
Riding the wave
Although adding SportsGrid is the next step for Amazon and Prime Video, it is par for the course with other competitors in the industry.
combining sports viewership and gambling
Plenty of companies have been working on combining sports viewership and gambling. Several major sportsbooks already offer live streaming services, while platforms such as Fubo have accepted bets right from their streaming platform (this service is no longer available).
The latest sportsbook innovator was FanDuel, which launched FanDuel TV in the fall of 2022. Its shows offered gambling analysis in combination with traditional sports coverage thanks to hosts such as Kay Adams, NBA insider Shams Charania, and others.
Although Amazon is not directly involved in sports betting, it could improve its market position by adding sports betting-themed content, since that is what’s hot on the market. 36 states have already legalized sports betting, and over $80bn was bet on sports in 2022.
This is also a great time in the sports calendar for extra content. Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday is expected to draw over $16bn in wagers, and the annual college basketball tournament March Madness could produce similar numbers.
Users can already find SportGrid on Prime Video.