USA Today owner taps BetMGM as official sports and gaming partner

Gannett, a publishing house which owns USA Today, along with its assets the USA Today Sports and USA Today Network and operates in more than 200 local US markets and 43 states, has confirmed that USA Today has appointed BetMGM as its official sportsbook and casino partner, part of a multi-year collaboration that starts now.

BetMGM odds to be displayed on Gannett’s USA Today

This is the latest such deal which involves a mainstream publisher of newspapers and a sportsbook, as more regulated sports coverage and gaming content seeps into the mainstream, giving rise to lucrative deals for the newspaper sector.

Gannett Chairman and CEO Michael Reed has hailed this collaboration as a milestone, arguing that BetMGM is a best-in-class partner which will enable USA Today to better serve the 44m sports fans that it reaches every month.

"We believe BetMGM complements our existing portfolio of partners and will enable us to drive further audience growth and engagement. We anticipate this collaboration will immediately lead to an increase in the overall monetization of our content platform," Reed added.

Thanks to this new partnership, USA Today readers will have direct access to BetMGM sports betting odds directly into the digital content and stories by the newspaper and its covered sublets, allowing sports fans to quickly get the latest scoop of what is going on in the world of sports gambling.

The partnership covers an extensive selection of markets and odds, such as moneyline, spreads, totals, and a direct link to the BetMGM Sportsbook in states that have regulated sports gambling and where the company owns a license.

Empowering 44m fans in the US to stay informed on sports

The partnership was hailed in a similarly good tone by AdamGreenblatt, BetMGM's Chief Executive Officer.

"By integrating odds and insights seamlessly into Gannett’s content, we're empowering fans to stay informed and engaged with their favorite teams and games," he said hinting that the future of press coverage and sports entertainment has arrived through this partnership.

This is not the first time a major media in the United States has turned to the gambling sector to create synergies between the burgeoning sports betting vertical and press coverage. This is not the first time that BetMGM has formed a similar synergy with a major media business, however.

Earlier this year, BetMGM revealed the same type of arrangement with the Associated Press, providing the renowned outlet with its betting odds to feed its millions of sports fans.

Image credit: Flickr (SoQ)