Super Bowl LVIII Will Feature Just Three Sports Betting Commercials

Posted on: February 1, 2024, 02:22h. 

Last updated on: February 3, 2024, 12:13h.

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

Super Bowl LVIII will be played on Sunday, February 11, in the gambling capital of the world, Las Vegas. But the big game will feature just three commercials promoting sports betting.

Las Vegas Super Bowl LVIII sports betting
The Vince Lombardi Trophy, awarded annually to the winners of the Super Bowl, stands in front of the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign on the southern end of the Strip. Super Bowl LVIII will go down from Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium on Feb. 11, 2024. (Image: NFL)

With the cost of a 30-second commercial at about $7 million, only FanDuel and BetMGM are wagering on getting a return on a Super Bowl advert. NFL executives revealed this week that FanDuel and BetMGM are the only sportsbook advertisers for this year’s championship game.

The defending champion Kansas City Chiefs will play the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium, just off the Las Vegas Strip. The Niners are currently two-point favorites and favored at -130 on the moneyline. The Chiefs are the dogs at +110. The over/under is at 47.5 points.

FanDuel Bets $14M on Super Bowl

FanDuel is expected to run two commercials during Super Bowl LVIII.

The first will hype a forthcoming live kick from former NFL star Rob Gronkowski. The former tight end will attempt a 25-yard field goal during a third-quarter commercial break.

FanDuel customers can place a free bet on whether the kick will be good. Those who correctly predict the outcome will split a pool of $10 million in promotional money good for future wagers. The first FanDuel ad will be used to invite new customers to participate in the Gronk spectacle. FanDuel ran a similar promo with Gronk during last year’s Super Bowl.

FanDuel and rival DraftKings control about 70% of the U.S. sports betting market. DraftKings is sitting this Super Bowl out, but BetMGM isn’t staying on the sidelines.

BetMGM has tapped NFL and NHL legends Tom Brady and Wayne Gretzky to star in its Super Bowl commercial. Comedic actor Vince Vaughn costars.

Sports Betting Ads Toned Down

David Highhill, the league’s GM for sports betting, said the NFL has gone to great lengths to reduce the number of sports betting and fantasy sports ads consumers see during television and streaming broadcasts of the league’s games. Highhill explained that the league has advised its media partners to limit the number of betting ads to “roughly one ad per quarter.”

We put some policies in place to limit the amount of advertising for sports betting that happens in our live games,” Highhill said. “All told, less than 5% of all in-game ads are sports betting ads.”

The NFL’s media contracts allow the league to dictate what sort of ads its television and streaming partners accept.

Before the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal law that had limited single-game wagering to Nevada, then-daily fantasy sports firms DraftKings and FanDuel regularly flooded NFL commercial breaks. Fans scorned the incessant advertisements, many of whom complained about being bombarded with misleading claims about how easy it was to get rich playing fantasy sports.

The NFL has embraced sports betting and expanded gaming in over 30 states. It has increased fan engagement and viewership ratings, leading to richer media deals. After the landmark 2018 SCOTUS PASPA ruling, the NFL allowed its franchises and stadiums to partner with casinos and sports betting businesses.