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Posted on: July 13, 2023, 07:10h.
Last updated on: July 13, 2023, 07:10h.
DraftKings is making its NASCAR sponsorship debut in a big way as the gaming company will be the official sponsor of not one, but two cars participating in Sunday’s Crayon 301 Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motorspeedway (NHMS).
By way of an existing relationship with 23XI Racing — the team co-owned by basketball legend Michael Jordan and current Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin — DraftKings will be the official sponsor of Tyler Reddick’s #45 car and Bubble Wallace’s #23 ride in Sunday’s race.
The DraftKings Network logos and high-octane colors will be featured on both the car wrap and Reddick’s firesuit,” according to a DraftKings blog post. “Additionally, DraftKings will be the official sponsor of Bubba Wallace’s No. 23 car for Sunday’s race, with DraftKings logos and colors adorning Wallace’s car and firesuit.”
Gaming companies sponsoring rides in NASCAR’s top series isn’t new. In 2021, BetMGM reached an agreement with Richard Childress Racing (RCR) to be an associate sponsor of that team’s rides.
New Hampshire Ideal Venue for DraftKings Sponsorship Debut
NHMS is the ideal track at which DraftKings could make its NASCAR sponsorship debut. The company is based in nearby Boston and essentially holds a monopoly over sports wagering in the state.
In May, DraftKings’ VSiN, also known as the Vegas Sports Information Network, announced it reached with an agreement with Binnie Media — one of the largest radio station operators in New Hampshire. Under that accord, the new VSiN Radio 106.3-FM will feature 24/7 sports and wagering programming. VSiN’s Brent Musburger’s action updates will also air twice daily, Monday through Friday, on eight other sister stations — six FM and two AM.
For the Cup race at NHMS, DraftKing is offering odds of +1800 on Reddick (bet $100, win $1,800) to win. Wallace’s odds of winning, as offered by DraftKings, are +3000 (bet $100, win $3,000).
Reddick’s best finish at the New England track was tenth in August 2020 when he was driving for RCR. In his last three races at NHMS, Wallace’s best finish was third with a worst showing of 26th.
NASCAR Continues Betting Embrace
While there have been some bumps along the way, NASCAR increasingly embraced regulated sports wagering and the related companies since the fall of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018.
In addition to BetMGM and DraftKings sponsoring rides in the Cup Series this year, gaming companies or venues served as the title sponsors of four races, including three remaining on the schedule.
Two — the Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by Barstool Sportsbook and the South Point 400 — are part of NASCAR’s 10-race playoffs. The Hollywood Casino race is held at Kansas Speedway while the South Point 400 takes place on Oct. 15 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
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