BetMGM went it alone on Monday when it became the fifth digital sports betting platform to go live in New York state. The launch came just over a week after the first four — Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Rush Street Interactive (BetRivers) — went live on Jan. 8, in time for the final weekend of the NFL regular season.
At launch, BetMGM is offering a “risk-free bet” of up to $1,000 to new customers.
While most of the NFL’s Super Wild Card Weekend was played on Saturday and Sunday, the reformatted playoffs will showcase a Monday night game for the first time when the Arizona Cardinals visit the Los Angeles Rams as 3.5-point underdogs.
BetMGM is partnered with Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks, the New York Rangers, and the MSG Network, so it’s a good bet that there will be signage promoting the launch in “The World’s Most Famous Arena.” The Knicks play at home all week, hosting the Charlotte Hornets Monday, the Minnesota Timberwolves Tuesday, the New Orleans Pelicans Thursday, and the Los Angeles Clippers Sunday.
The Rangers, meanwhile, will be at home Wednesday (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Sunday (Arizona Coyotes) and play at Miami Friday. The Brooklyn Nets, New York Islanders, and Buffalo Sabres will also be in action in New York beginning Monday.
BetMGM’s deal with MSG is not exclusive — Caesars has a similar deal.
Jets deal includes virtual gaming experiences
BetMGM also has a partnership with the New York Jets. The 2018 deal was the first of its kind in which an NFL team partnered with a company as a sports betting operator. Since then, the Jets and BetMGM collaborated in 2020 to build a state-of-the-art television studio at the Jets practice facility, and MGM in 2021 introduced virtual immersive Jets-themed blackjack and roulette experiences.
According to a company press release, New York is the 19th U.S. market BetMGM has entered. Among them are the neighboring states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, two of the first movers in terms of offering sports betting after the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was overturned in 2018. Both offer statewide mobile wagering.
BetMGM’s retail partner in New York is the Empire City Casino in Yonkers, which MGM purchased in 2014. The company later purchased Yonkers Raceway. There is currently no retail sports betting at the Empire City Casino.
“With today’s monumental news, we’ll now be able to fully activate our relationships with MGM Resorts’ Empire City Casino and Madison Square Garden,” BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt said via press release Friday. “We look forward to offering customers in New York unique experiences that they can’t access on any other platform.”
BetMGM was part of a winning “super bid” that also included Bally Bet, DraftKings, and FanDuel. In total, New York will have nine digital platforms available. After BetMGM’s launch, four are still pending: Bally Bet, PointsBet, Resorts World, and WynnBET. When announcing the first four to get approval, the New York State Gaming Commission said it would approve and launch all other operators on a rolling basis.
On Monday @BetMGM launches in New York. late to the party, but better late than never. pic.twitter.com/1C8CIbC4nJ
— Contessa Brewer (@contessabrewer) January 14, 2022
Bettors will find an option to bet same-game parlays on the BetMGM platform, as well as a comprehensive bet menu that includes unique wagers among a diverse list of events on which to bet. In addition, customers can earn MGM loyalty points through sports betting, and those points can be redeemed for food, beverage, hotel stays, experiences, and more.