Tuesday, September 15, 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.”

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Senators Stage Effort to Pass the Protect College Sports Act

An opposition coalition has formed to block the bill.
Sam Porter

Private Equity Giant Apollo Taking ‘Hard Look’ at NFL Investment

Apollo isn’t on the NFL’s approved PE list—yet.
Jason Robins Front Office Sports

DraftKings CEO Fires Back at Headline Calling Company ‘Struggling’

“We’re doing great,” Jason Robins said in response to the article.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

9/15/26 – NFL Kickoff Ratings Dip, Ballmer Accepts Punishment, Sweeney Ad Backlash

0:00

Featured Today

Oct 4, 2025; Tempe, AZ, USA; General action during the first period of the game between the Arizona State Sun Devils and the Penn State Nittany Lions at Mullett Arena

How Military-Style Workouts in College Sports Get Dangerous

For elite athletes, high-intensity training can be “very appealing.”
September 6, 2026

Is Carolyn Tisch Blodgett the Future Face of Giants Ownership?

Amid changes at top of Giants ownership, eyes are on Tisch Blodgett.
September 4, 2026

Wild Transfer Window Shows How Premier League Towers Over Soccer

Spending in England vastly outstripped the rest of Europe.
September 3, 2026

Teams Are Spending Millions to Build Luxury Locker Rooms

It’s a recruiting pitch, a retention tool, and a seven-figure line item.
September 1, 2026

High School Football Sidelines Are Clogged With Content Creators

Administrators call these amateur newcomers the “pajama paparazzi.”
First at FOS

WNBA Union Rips NBA for Exclusion From Betting Letter

Five men’s sports leagues sent a memo to regulators about betting-related harassment.
September 10, 2026

Novig CEO: Sydney Sweeney Ad Puts Us in ‘National Discourse’

Sweeney got equity in the company, and the racy ad went viral.
September 14, 2026

Female Athletes Rail Against Sydney Sweeney Nude Novig Ad

Pro and amateur female athletes say the spot sexualizes women in sports.
Sponsored

Drew Weatherford’s Bet on the Youth Sports Economy

Drew Weatherford discusses investing across the youth, college and professional levels.
September 9, 2026

Prediction Market Ad Blitz Gets Backlash

Platforms are trying to capitalize on the start of the NFL season.
LeBron James acknowledges the crowd's reaction as he takes the stage for the I PROMISE Family Reunion event to welcome him home on Friday at InfoCision Stadium in Akron. The event was hosted by the LeBron James Family Foundation.
September 5, 2026

LeBron James Jumps to Polymarket From DraftKings

His endorsement deal with DraftKings expired earlier this summer.
First at FOS
September 3, 2026

Three Big Tennis Tournaments Are in Prediction-Market Talks

Players are not allowed to partner with betting operators.
Aug 13, 2026; Metairie, LA, USA; Detailed view of the NFL logo on the football during a joint scrimmage between the New Orleans Saints and the Jacksonville Jaguars during at Ochsner Sports Performance Center
August 27, 2026

NFL Won’t Reach Prediction-Market Deals Before Start of Season

“I would be incredibly shocked if anything at all happens this season.”