Online sportsbooks are changing the game in football

July 10, 2025 by Staff

From team sponsorships to player partnerships, online sports betting companies are digging deep into the heart of football. Here's how the gambling boom is reshaping the sport, on and off the field.

If you’ve watched an NFL game lately and noticed more betting ads than Gatorade commercials, you’re not alone. Over the last few years, online sports betting sites have sprinted onto the American Football field, not just as spectators, but as big spenders. From sponsorship deals with whole teams to endorsements with locker room influencers, sportsbooks are firmly grasping the game. The league once kept a healthy distance from gambling. Now? It's part of the playbook.

With sports betting legalized nationwide in the U.S., sportsbooks are finding new ways (and highly conspicuous) to associate themselves with one of America's most beloved sports. And it's not just putting logos on jerseys. This is a more insidious, calculated game of influence, exposure and, naturally, dollars.

How we got here: From taboo to touchdown

Ten years ago, it would have been unthinkable, or at least highly controversial, that NFL teams would be coming close to gambling companies. The league has traditionally shied away from anything that even smelled like gambling. But all that changed in 2018 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the federal ban on sports wagering, and the floodgates opened for states to legalize betting.

They were ready. And they didn't just dip a toe in, their style was more of a cannonball into the world of American Football.

Nowadays, almost every NFL broadcast has some kind of betting integration. Odds scroll along the bottom of the screen. Pre-game shows analyze betting lines in addition to injury reports. The once-sinister world of sports betting is as much a part of football Sundays as fantasy lineups and chicken wings.

The app dominance of sportsbooks

With supporters embracing mobile gambling, apps have emerged as the prime battleground. Clutter-free, user-friendly platforms are the ticket to drawing and keeping gamblers. And with football the most bet-on sport in the country, such apps are launching themselves all guns blazing.

One of the apps making waves in the space is Betway app, a one-stop shop for betting with everything from game lines and prop bets to live dealer casinos and poker rooms. With its clean design and live updates, it's for today's soccer fan who wants more than just the final score.

Apps such as those of Betway are not just offering betting, taking it to bettors, they're offering entertainment. You can monitor matches, bet during the game and join a blackjack session at halftime. It's making passive fans playing participants in the event.

Who's sponsoring who: A closer look at the deals

These days, leading online sportsbooks are entering into high-profile sponsorship deals with NFL teams, stadiums and even players. Let's take a look at some of the most significant moves:

Team sponsorships and naming rights

High-profile teams like the Denver Broncos and the Arizona Cardinals all inked multi-million dollar deals with wagering operators. Caesars Sportsbook, for example, became the Colts' official sports betting partner, including the activation of a branded lounge at Lucas Oil Stadium. Not to be left behind in short order, BetMGM inked similar deals with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Tennessee Titans.

What does it do for viewers? Besides more ads, these partnerships also incorporate exclusive offers, in-stadium sports betting lounges and team-related sports betting content.

Player sponsorships and brand endorsements

While the NFL's player betting rules are still strict, some sportsbook operators have discovered a loophole: Place the players on their face, but not inside their product.

Highlight retired stars like Marshawn Lynch or current players in less overt roles, they've appeared in commercials, sportsbook and social media sponsorships for podcasts. The connections enable companies to connect with committed fan bases while staying under league rules.

Fantasy sports as a gateway

Before flat-out betting was legalized, fantasy sports sites such as DraftKings and FanDuel broke the ice. Their "daily fantasy sports" model habituated fans to risking real money in a sporting context. When things eased up with laws, these providers hard-shifted into mass sports betting and brought their enormous user bases along for the ride.

They're no longer just offering fantasy games now. They're running sportsbooks on a level with Vegas, and sponsoring teams and leagues to boot.

The controversy: Are we crossing a line?

Naturally, not everyone is clapping in the stands. Critics argue that the NFL's close alignment with gambling companies sends the wrong message, especially in light of the league's lengthy history of suspending players for breaking gambling policies.

There's also concern about how readily available betting is. With teams sponsored by sportsbooks, featuring flashy commercials and inserting themselves into telecasts, some feel the league is prioritizing profits over responsibility.

The NFL has responded by launching voluntary responsible betting initiatives and placing some restrictions. But tension remains and is bound to keep escalating as the lines between sports and gambling become more blurred.

A new era for football

Whether you're a football hard-liner or someone who wagers before every kickoff, one thing's sure: The gambling world isn't knocking on the door of football but rather it's already in there.

Online sports books are a mainstay of NFL existence, influencing everything from how games are broadcast to how the fans participate in the game. Sponsorships grow bigger, the partnerships become bolder and the difference between being a fan and a bet gets smaller every day.

The future of football? It’s not just on the field, it’s also in the app. And like it or not, sportsbooks are calling some of the plays.