Football fans have always wanted more action than the relatively short NFL regular season and playoffs – and new organizations like XFL have been able to fill that void at various times over the last 20 years.
There have been many innovations that the NFL has taken on after noting success in XFL. Aerial sky cams and on-player microphones have enhanced the enjoyment for football fans watching NFL games after first being used in XFL. But there is another aspect of today’s football routine that XFL was first to embrace – betting, Read on to find out how XFL’s betting deals have now been embraced by the NFL.
XFL and Sports Betting
Although XFL marketing has had grand ideas about being the biggest football league in the world in the past, the reality is that even those who have been in charge over the years have readily conceded that it cannot really compete with the sports extravaganza that is the NFL.
But the 2020 version of XFL, which was sadly postponed because of the global pandemic, did embrace sports betting in a way that the NFL hadn’t before. Draftkings was announced as the official daily fantasy sports provider and both ESPN and Fox had their own deals with gambling operators to enhance their broadcasts.
NFL – Before and After XFL
The NFL – in direct contrast to XFL – always did everything it could to distance itself from any trace of sports betting. This was not only the case with the billions staked illegally, but also with the huge amounts wagered in Las Vegas and offshore bookmakers used by overseas bettors.
But with a change in the laws and regulations concerning sports betting in the US, there has been a very noticeable shift in attitude. As well as the amounts bet legally on games there were millions paid out on advertising during intervals. But the NFL realized that it could make a lot of money from betting too.
The league agreed on a partnership deal in 2020 with Caesar’s that brought football and betting much closer and the deals have not really slowed down since. Individual franchises signed up with sportsbooks eager to cash in on an ever-expanding US market.
Sports Betting in the US
As much as there are some teams in the NFL that are cashing on deals with sportsbooks and betting firms, there are others who have found that their location has impeded the chance to jump on the bandwagon. The Supreme Court decision in 2018 to allow individual states to choose whether to allow sports betting means that some teams find themselves at an advantage.
There are other states where sports betting may well be legal, but not yet live. This means that it has been agreed in principle but the details have yet to be ironed out by the state’s legislators.
What Next for Betting on XFL?
It is not true to say that the NFL copied the success story of XFL when it comes to sports betting. The main reason why the league is so in step with the gambling world now is because of the timing in the change in the law.
But it is fair to say that the ideas that came out of the shortened 2020 XFL season have had far-reaching consequences when it comes to betting. The same people that did their best to make XFL the complementary league to the NFL also changed the football/betting relationship forever.
Although details about the new XFL season in 2023 are still few and far between at the moment, sports betting is sure to play a big part. Mobile betting will be even more widespread by then, so the number of fans betting on XFL is set to increase – and that will only make the league even more popular.
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