Amazon Prime teams up with FanDuel to use betting to drive viewership to WNBA, NBA

The GIST: Yesterday, FanDuel partnered with Amazon to become the official odds provider for WNBA and NBA games on Prime Video. The partnership — which will offer real-time odds and in-app bet tracking — capitalizes on the power of gamification across the sports industry as it attracts both avid and casual fans. So much at stake.

The details: The collaboration involves a new opt-in Prime Sports viewing feature that will showcase dynamic betting information during live games. When fans link their Prime Video and FanDuel accounts, their active bets will display and update on the screen. Additionally, fans can add an Odds View experience that offers live odds, lines, and probabilities for trending bets.

The why: Overall, fans with something on the line tend to be more engaged. Roughly 80% of sports bettors say gambling boosts a game’s entertainment value, and they are more likely to attend games and buy merch than non-bettors. This phenomenon extends to fantasy sports players in the U.S. and India, who reported following sports more closely due to their participation.

• Bettors are also more likely to watch sports games for longer periods of time (even blowout games) because they have something at stake. This also spills into the media ecosystem around games, with bettors more likely to consume game highlights.

• The idea of getting fans hooked by wagering their sports knowledge is a simple concept, and it’s not limited to betting and fantasy apps. Many brands have launched contests, brackets, and pick ‘em competitions, especially around college football and March Madness.

The takeaway: As the WNBA grows in popularity and attracts more gamification and betting, people will tune in to monitor their bets, in turn cultivating more fandom. However, brands beyond just FanDuel and Amazon Prime are capable of harvesting potential here, especially through offerings like social media contests or bracket challenges — we’ve got NFL and WNBA options as we speak.