Fanatics Sportsbook is getting ready for Kentucky sports betting. Over the weekend, the online operator announced it was now allowing pre-registration on its site in preparation for a Sept. 28 launch in the Bluegrass State.
With the news, Fanatics joins the likes of Bet365, BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings and FanDuel as operators looking to be ready for the first day Kentucky betting apps can take bets. In all, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has approved licenses for eight applicants, although not all of them have begun accepting registrations.
To attract bettors at the start of Kentucky’s launch, Fanatics will offer new customers a free jersey of up to $150 after placing a qualifying $50 wager. It’s identical to the offer it has announced in other states where it has launched. Fanatics sportsbook Kentucky will only allow adults 21 and older to register for KY sports betting accounts.
Who Is Fanatics?
Fanatics is best known as an online sports retailer that has licensing deals with MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, NCAA, MLS and other sporting leagues. It’s also an official retail partner for the Kentucky Derby, held annually at Churchill Downs. The Louisville track is Fanatics’ partner for Kentucky sports betting.
Getting into the U.S. sports betting market has been a long-time goal for the company. It hired former FanDuel CEO Matt King two years ago to lead its gaming operations. Fanatics Sportsbook is already licensed in Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio and Tennessee. It ran under a soft launch in those states for several months before announcing its full launch in time for the NFL season.
With an eye toward rapid growth, Fanatics announced it would acquire PointsBet’s U.S. operations for $225 million. Once that deal closes, it will give Fanatics access to 13 additional states. PointsBet is already branding itself as “A Fanatics Experience” in those markets as gaming regulators review the sale.
Game Plan for Fanatics Sportsbook Kentucky
The U.S. sports betting market is currently dominated by two operators – FanDuel and DraftKings. Those companies have been able to leverage the databases from their daily fantasy sports contests and outspend rivals on huge marketing campaigns to acquire a majority of the U.S. market share in most states.
Fanatics hopes to emerge as a viable competitor by tapping into its customer database. The retailing giant that operates hundreds of online and brick-and-mortar storefronts has sold jerseys, caps and memorabilia to millions across the U.S. Fanatics will offer its FanCash program in its sportsbook to entice those customers. Select wagers will be eligible for rewards between 1% and 5% of the bet. Bettors can accumulate those rewards and apply them as bonus bets or use them for discounts on merchandise at Fanatics.com and other select sites.
Fanatics may quickly emerge as one of the country’s top operators if it succeeds in pulling its retail customers into the sportsbook. It remains to be seen, though, if Fanatics will help grow the sports betting market or eat into other operators’ shares. Regardless of which sportsbook you plan to sign up with, BetKentucky.com will continue to have all the best and newest Kentucky sportsbook promos for you to use.
