Sportsbook operator PointsBet has become an authorized gaming operator of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), its first partnership with a women’s professional sports league.
The agreement allows PointsBet to integrate WNBA games into its betting platforms, as well as gaining access to sponsorship opportunities with the league’s franchises.
“We are thrilled to align with the WNBA and bring the world-class PointsBet experience to one of the most digitally-engaged fan bases on earth,” PointsBet USA chief executive Johnny Aitken commented.
“The WNBA has done a phenomenal job with growing fan engagement, and PointsBet is excited to be a piece of that puzzle moving forward,” he added. “In owning and operating our technology from end to end, PointsBet can innovate our product and personalize our offerings according to fan interest and needs – WNBA supporters will appreciate this competitive advantage, as well as our app’s market-leading speed and ease of use.”
As part of the agreement, PointsBet and the WNBA will collaborate on efforts to promote and protect the integrity of league games.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said the deal would enhance a second-screen experience that would increase fan engagement with players, teams and the league.
“We’re excited to partner with PointsBet to continue expanding in the sports betting space and look forward to the innovative ideas they will bring to our game,” she added.
The deal complements an expansive roster of partners signed up by the operator in recent years. In 2021 alone, it has brought on NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal as a brand ambassador for its native Australia, and struck deals with the National Hockey League’s Detroit Red Wings and NBA’s Detroit Pistons.
The Red Wings deal was preceded by a partnership with the NHL itself, through which the league took a minority stake, worth $500,000, in the operator. Other partners include NBC Sports, NBA franchises such as the Indiana Pacers and Denver Nuggets, and Major League Baseball’s Detroit Tigers.