WNBA: FanDuel becomes the W's official sportsbook and daily fantasy partner

The GIST: FanDuel is increasing its wager on the WNBA. The company upgraded its sponsorship yesterday to become the W’s official sportsbook and daily fantasy partner. The multiyear renewal also involves FanDuel’s content arms, FanDuel TV and FanDuel+, increasing the league’s visibility in the process.

• In a conversation with The GIST, FanDuel VP of brand strategy Jennifer Matthews said, “The world has so many conversations — Are female sports getting enough credit? Are they getting the airtime? … FanDuel just felt as if this is the place we could do this.”

The details: Betting odds from FanDuel will now appear on the WNBA’s digital channels, and the sportsbook will also activate around retail and online wagering. FanDuel TV will air league highlights next season, and the two will collaborate on creating responsible gaming content.

The context: FanDuel and the WNBA initially teamed up in 2017, meaning FanDuel has enjoyed the league’s surging popularity. The sportsbook said WNBA bets are up 270% YoY across all its retail locations, and saw a 101% increase in handle.

• Consequently, Matthews pointed out that increasing its investment in the W is simply “giving fans more and more of what they want.”

The benefits: Premium channel FanDuel TV currently reaches 50 million U.S. households, which the sportsbook thinks will be a perfect entryway for new W fans. “Now if [the WNBA is] on FanDuel TV, it’s like ‘Oh my God, I forgot W was on!’ Now this is another opportunity for them [fans] to engage with the platform,” Matthews noted.

• The league should provide valuable assists, too. WNBA content should drive up engagement with FanDuel during the summer sports lull, and help retain the 1.7 million women who joined the betting platform last year.

• Matthews described the W partnership as part of FanDuel’s push “to tailor that sports betting experience for women through brand partnerships … and sports coverage … [It] shows the value of female sports bettors.”

Zooming out: As sportsbooks expand into content creation to grow consumer bases, FanDuel is creating the blueprint for how to leverage women’s sports during expansion.

• The male-skewing sports betting audience is ripe for opportunity, too — men comprise 51% of fans interested in women’s sports.

FanDuel is a partner of The GIST sports news. You can bet on this weekend’s NFL games here.