Amazon Prime Sports Betting Network Debuts on Free Streaming Platform

Posted on: February 9, 2023, 10:32h. 

Last updated on: February 9, 2023, 01:37h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

Amazon Prime’s newest streaming channel is a 24/7 sports betting network airing on the Freevee platform.

Amazon Prime sports betting SportsGrid Freevee
The SportsGrid Network studio. SportsGrid Network launched on Amazon Prime’s Freevee streaming platform this week. The network is focused on sports betting and runs 24/7. (Image: SportsGrid)

Amazon Freevee, formerly IMDd TV, was rebranded and debuted under its new identity last April. Amazon acquired IMDb, an online database of credits for movies and television productions, in 1998.

Freevee is a free streaming service featuring movies, television, and original shows. Along with on-demand programming, Freevee offers live entertainment channels.

Freevee’s newest channel comes from SportsGrid, an online website and sports radio network focused on the convergence of sports and gaming. The SportsGrid Network on FreeVee is the world’s first and only FAST (free ad-supported streaming channel) network.

It is an exciting day for the SportsGrid executive team to partner with Amazon Freevee and Prime Video services offering their millions of users access to the best destination source for sports betting news, real-time data, and expert commentary,” said Louis Maione, president and cofounder of SportsGrid.

The SportsGrid Network launched Wednesday, February 8. The channel seeks to serve the global sports wagering audience with exclusive programming and real-time coverage of pregame and in-game sports betting odds and line movements.

Amazon Considering Own Bet

Last December, Amazon revealed that it’s contemplating dipping its toes into the sports betting space with its own standalone app focused on the emerging gaming sector. The goal of the mobile application would be to allow Amazon to better capitalize off of its sports rights, which are highlighted by the company’s NFL Thursday Night Football package.

Amazon Prime is the exclusive broadcaster of “TNF” through the 2033 season. There was a bit of a learning curve for consumers this past season, however, as ratings for the Thursday games were down 15% in 2022 — or about two million fewer viewers per game. Since Amazon Prime is a subscription service, the NFL requires that Amazon allow the games to air on broadcast networks in the local markets of the teams playing.

Amazon’s “TNF” declines outpaced the league’s weekend and Monday Night Football games, which also experienced year-over-year ratings losses. The NFL’s 272 regular-season games averaged 16.7 million viewers across television and digital platforms — about 3% lower than in 2021. Despite the slight setback, NFL ratings were the third-highest since 2016 in 2022.

Along with “TNF,” Prime also has rights to Premier League soccer and some New York Yankees games.

DraftKings Partnership

Integrating its own sports betting product could help Amazon Prime increase its “TNF” audience. Amazon is paying the NFL $13 billion over 11 years to serve as the exclusive home to “TNF.”

In September, Amazon announced DraftKings as an official sponsor of the weekly games. DraftKings odds were integrated into the weekly kickoff games.

This Sunday is Super Bowl LVII between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. The Eagles are slightly favored, and Amazon’s Alexa believes a bet on Philly is a good one.

When prompted to predict an outcome, Alexa is currently telling users, “This game is going to come down to one thing: defense. My prediction? The Eagles and their defense are going to soar to their second Super Bowl win. Fly Eagles Fly!”

The Eagles last won the Super Bowl in 2017 with a 41-33 win over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.