After a tentative start, the NFL has fully embraced legalized sports betting — and now has an executive to oversee it.
David Highhill — previously the league’s VP of strategy and analytics — has been named the NFL’s first vice president and general manager of sports betting.
Highhill will be responsible for insulating the game’s integrity from potential gambling-related issues, building the league’s betting brand, increasing the value of the NFL’s data and intellectual property, and increasing fan engagement, per ESPN.
Though it was initially hesitant to enter the sports betting space, the league has begun leaning into the emerging market over the last year. Showing sportsbook ads during its broadcasts for the first time during the 2021 season led to a big boost in ad revenue.
“It’s a growing market, it’s grown a lot in the last three or four seasons,” said Highhill. “What’s ahead is the exciting part of the opportunity.”
However, the NFL is stopping short of taking bets themselves.
“We’re going to focus on serving fans and the games rather than becoming a sportsbook,” Highhill said.
