• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, February 18, 2026

Sportsbooks Could Spend $1B on Football Ads

  • The league’s TV partners will be able to sell up to six gambling spots per game. 
  • A record 45.2 million Americans are expected to bet on the new NFL season.
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports/Design: Alex Brooks

With the NFL allowing sports betting ads for the first time, operators could spend up to $1 billion on football advertising this season.

The stigma surrounding betting is gone, according to FanDuel marketing executive Andrew Sneyd. The company launched its first national ad campaign with the aim of becoming “the next iconic sports brand in America.”

The NFL has signed deals with seven sportsbook operators: FanDuel, Caesars, DraftKings, FOX Bet, BetMGM, PointsBet, and WynnBet. The league’s TV partners will be able to sell up to six gambling spots per game.

  • Sports marketer Bob Dorfman predicts operators will spend between $500 million and $1 billion on football ads this year. 
  • FanDuel, Caesars, and DraftKings spent $314.6 million on ads last year, up from $84.1 million in 2019, according to Kantar Media.
  • Pro and college football could attract more than $20 billion in bets, per PlayUSA. 

A record 45.2 million Americans are expected to bet on the new NFL season, per the American Gaming Association, up 36% from last year.

The influx of cash is welcome for media companies that have lost billions during the pandemic. CBS sales executive Tony Taranto calls gaming the most significant new category in a generation.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Ryan Field

What’s Behind Midseason Opening of Northwestern’s New $862M Stadium 

The Wildcats will play their first game at Ryan Field on Oct. 2.
Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner (88) makes a catch against New England Patriots safety Craig Woodson (31) and cornerback Marcus Jones (25) during the first quarter in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium.

Trump’s CFTC Moves to Prevent States From Ruling on Prediction Markets

The stage is set for an eventual Supreme Court battle over sports event contracts.
Jason Robins

DraftKings CEO on Plummeting Stock: ‘We Have to Prove It’

Shares of all the online sportsbook companies are in the red.

CBS Sports Parent Gets 7 Days to Make ‘Best and Final’ Offer..

A seven-day negotiating period shows a new level of openness.

Featured Today

Max Valverde by Ron Winsett

How Ski Mountaineering’s Hype Man Went From TikTok to NBC

Max Valverde’s gushing over the niche sport vaulted him to Olympic broadcaster.
Feb 11, 2026; Livigno, Italy; Jaelin Kauf of the United States during freestyle skiing women's moguls final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Aerials & Moguls Park
February 13, 2026

The Surprise Hit of the Winter Olympics: First-Person Drone Views

Tiny drone cameras have reshaped the Olympics viewing experience.
Feb 11, 2026; Milan, Italy; Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States skate during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena.
February 13, 2026

Olympic Figure Skaters Pay Out of Pocket for $9,000 Costumes

For four minutes on ice, stakes are high—and prices even higher.
February 11, 2026

Epstein Emails Show His F1 Ties Ran Deep

The sex trafficker’s circles included many of the biggest names in F1.

DraftKings’ Profit Breakthrough Isn’t Enough for Wall Street

The stock market wasn’t impressed by DraftKings’ first ever yearly net profit.
Fanduel
February 11, 2026

FanDuel Joins DraftKings in Ditching Credit Card Deposits

Credit cards are “the most expensive forms of payment,” an analyst tells FOS.
Sponsored

Olympic Hockey Betting Preview: USA and Canada Take Center Ice

Olympic hockey betting odds shift as USA and Canada dominate early action, per BetMGM’s 2026 Winter Games preview.
Sponsored

From MLS to AUSL: Jon Patricof on Building Sports Leagues

Jon Patricof on athlete equity, fan-first strategy, and how women’s sports can reshape the future of league building.
Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Bad Bunny performs during the half time show at the game between New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium.
February 10, 2026

Cardi B Is Cautionary Tale for Prediction Markets

Whether she “performed” in the halftime show is a hotly debated topic.
February 8, 2026

Kalshi Has Big Glitches During Super Bowl Due to High Demand

Kalshi struggled with deposit delays as Super Bowl traffic overwhelmed the market.
Jason Robins
February 7, 2026

DraftKings CEO Says Calls to Ban Prop Bets Are ‘Crazy’ 

Jason Robins also thinks DraftKings can dominate the prediction-market industry.
Fanatics Matt King
February 6, 2026

Fanatics Betting CEO: Why Prediction Markets and Sportsbooks Are Not the Same

“I think they will always be two distinct services.”