Apple Sports to Feature Odds From DraftKings

It seemed inevitable that Apple Sports would cross over into the legal sports betting world, and that's happening through a partnership with one of the best sports betting apps.

On Wednesday it was announced that the newly launched Apple Sports app will enhance its product through offering not only the usual scores, schedules, stats, and standings typical of such a site, but also betting odds. The new Apple Sports app will be available in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.

The product will feature live odds from DraftKings, one of the two betting behemoths in the U.S. legal sports betting scene. The addition of sports wagering content for the Apple Sports app has been in the works for approximately a year and comes at a good time ahead of the lucrative and widely wagered on March Madness tournament that's critical for online betting sites.

While not fully immersing itself into the world of online gambling, Apple is  joining the technology/sports wagering provider partnership fray. BetMGM and Twitter announced a deal earlier this month that will see BetMGM odds embedded on the Twitter platform. ESPN's media empire expanded to include ESPN BET with its odds on the Disney-owned omni-channel platform.

The differences from the others? Apple will not display the DraftKings branding on its app, and by clicking on the odds featured on the Apple Sports app, you will not be redirected to a sports wagering platform.

Apple Sports app

Apple Sports is trying to gain a foothold in the competitive sports media space in America. A relationship with DraftKings, which is one of the best sportsbooks, certainly gives the technology provider immediate entry into the betting landscape.

Apple Sports has gained the rights to Major League Soccer and it features Major League Baseball's Friday Night Baseball available for customers to stream. The app is currently available for download on the App Store.

“We created Apple Sports to give sports fans what they want — an app that delivers incredibly fast access to scores and stats,” Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, said in the announcement. “Apple Sports is available for free in the App Store and makes it easy for users to stay up to date with their favorite teams and leagues.”

What DraftKings brings to the table

With the new Apple Sports app, the most popular sports will feature DraftKings odds in North America. Right now that includes:

• MLS
• NBA
• NCAA basketball (men’s and women’s)
• NHL
• Bundesliga
• LaLiga
• Liga MX
• Ligue 1
• Premier League
• Serie A

MLB, NFL, NCAAF, NWSL, and WNBA will become available for streaming on the Apple Sports app when those seasons start.

Users of the new Apple Sports app will need to click on the matchup of their choice to access a host of wagering markets from DraftKings. Wagering odds on moneyline, totals, and spread markets will appear once a user has selected their desired game.

“DraftKings is working with Apple to display real-time betting odds for the Apple Sports app,” a DraftKings spokesperson said. 

Users will get a chance to turn off the odds setting if they're not interested in viewing the DraftKings wagering content.

Is the Apple-DraftKings deal a game-changer? Not really, but there's little doubt that Apple's willingness to embrace sports wagering odds on its platform is another major step toward the total mainstreaming of betting in the U.S. market.