FILE PHOTO: NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman attends a news conference prior to the ice hockey NHL Global Series match of the Florida Panthers vs Winnipeg Jets in Helsinki, Finland November 1, 2018. Lehtikuva/Martti Kainulainen via REUTERS/File Photo
November 5, 2018
By Hilary Russ
NEW YORK (Reuters) – The National Hockey League on Monday announced that FanDuel Group, a unit of Paddy Power Betfair PLC, would be an official sports betting partner.
The multi-year, non-exclusive deal comes on the heels of an agreement between the NHL and another official sports wagering partner, MGM Resorts International, announced Oct. 29.
The New Jersey Devils also partnered with FanDuel, making it the company’s first sports betting deal with an NHL team.
“Teaming up with FanDuel furthers our strategy of aligning with leading brands that share our vision of using new platforms and technology to drive innovation and engage and excite hockey fans,” said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman in a statement.
Known for its fantasy sports products, FanDuel also said it is now the exclusive daily fantasy partner for the NHL, a potential blow to rival fantasy sports provider DraftKings.
That agreement will give FanDuel brand exposure during Devils’ regular-season home games with a logo embedded in the ice under players’ skates.
FanDuel was acquired by Irish sportsbook operator Paddy Power in a deal that closed in July.
(Reporting by Hilary Russ; Editing by Tom Brown)
