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Jul 15, 2021 10:59 am

BetMGM To Be First Sportsbook With Big Presence At PNC Park

By Gary Rotstein

BetMGM will be the first digital sportsbook promoting itself extensively at PNC Park under a marketing agreement it announced Thursday morning with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The deal enables the online sportsbook and iCasino to have signage and other branding throughout the ballpark — particularly on the left field wall and behind home plate — in addition to participation in fan-focused promotions and social media content tied to the Pirates. BetMGM previously announced a marketing partnership with the Pittsburgh Steelers last November.

BetMGM came to the Pennsylvania market relatively late, as its MGM Resorts parent has no casinos in the state. Over the past eight months, however, it has been the fourth most heavily used among the 13 online sportsbook sites now operating in the state. In May, it saw betting handle of $32.4 million, on which it earned taxable revenue of $268,069.

“BetMGM has seen tremendous success in Pennsylvania since launching in December 2020,” said the operator’s chief revenue officer, Matt Prevost. “Growing our presence across the state, in partnership with the Pirates, is a top priority and we look forward to providing Pittsburgh’s passionate sports fans unique promotions and benefits only available on BetMGM.”

While PNC Park is highly praised as among the best venues in MLB, the rebuilding Pirates are mired in last place in the NL Central and annually rank near the bottom in league attendance. The ballpark is within walking distance of the Rivers Casino, which has a relationship with the Pittsburgh Penguins to promote its BetRivers brand, but nothing announced with the Pirates.

“Our partnership with BetMGM is one that we are extremely proud to announce,” said David Burke, Pirates executive vice president of sales and business development. “We are incredibly excited to partner with such a respected and innovative brand. It allows us the opportunity to provide a unique platform for our fans to engage with Pirates baseball like never before.”

Photo: Shutterstock

Gary Rotstein

Gary is a longtime journalist, having spent three decades covering gambling, state government, and other issues for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, in addition to stints as managing editor of the Bedford (Pa.) Gazette and as a reporter for United Press International and the Middletown (Conn.) Press. Contact Gary at gary@usbets.com.