Elon Musk's X, formerly of Twitter, has signed a deal with sports betting operator BetMGM, the companies announced Friday. The deal, which BetMGM describes as a “strategic partnership” with X, will see the operator become X's exclusive live odds sports betting partner and introduce access to betting services on X.
Initially, X users in the US will be able to explore pro football betting odds, with more pro and college sports to be rolled out over time. Through the new interface, users will be able to click through to BetMGM's website or app and place bets there, but the company says the integration will continue to evolve over time and will be available in future versions. suggests that betting could be even easier with X.
“Sports never sleeps at X, and with our strategic partnership with BetMGM, fans have a virtual front row seat. ,” X CEO Linda Yaccarino said in a statement about the new agreement.
She also posted Shortened version of this statement X itself showed off a screenshot of what the betting integration will look like at launch. Here, a mockup image of Super Bowl LVIII on the X was displayed with images and selected videos of each team, followed by a new section at the bottom titled “Odds by BETMGM.”
The partnership is another example of the different direction X has taken since Musk acquired the social network then known as Twitter in 2022. His vision extends beyond social networking, allowing X to include not just text posts and media, but creator content, subscriptions, live and recorded video, online shopping, payments, and more, so to speak. I think it will become “.
Tucker Carlson's announcement that his interview with President Putin will be published on Thursday's X and the activity surrounding Drake's explicit photo (which was circulating before the huge spike in Submit App installs) The company's app shot to the top of the App Store this week. to No.1). Capturing these viral moments and accessing sports betting through X, where sports commentary and conversation often take place, has the potential to attract new viewers and help X maintain its high rankings. (As of Friday morning, Goal remains his number one spot in the U.S. App Store.)
Reached for comment, a representative for X did not provide details on whether or how X would generate revenue from the new deal with BetMGM, given the required integration work. Then there will probably be an agreement.
Company X is in a difficult situation from an economic standpoint. The company has yet to wean itself from its reliance on advertising, but its owners have a habit of scaring off X advertisers with brand safety concerns. Late last year, for example, big-name brands like Apple, Disney, and IBM suspended their campaigns after Musk endorsed anti-Semitic posts.
These departures left X full of low-quality, spammy ads and a search for new sources of revenue.
“X is at the center of the sports world conversation 24/7,” BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt said in a statement. “Having direct access within that forum is an unprecedented opportunity to expand our reach to a passionate and engaged audience. We look forward to adding more Intel and content that will enhance the platform's interaction around sports.” he added.