After lengthy market speculation, William Hill US confirmed this week that it has been appointed as the Official Sportsbook and Wagering Data Provider for CBS Sports across all of the sports network’s platforms.

A statement from the bookmaker said that the deal will “…reinvent fan engagement through a unique integration of sports betting, media, product and technology”. The partnership will commence with initial integrations in March on CBS Sports digital platforms, with a full rollout scheduled for the fantasy football season.

CBS Sports will utilize William Hill’s odds, experts and more than 140 sports books to bolster its current digital offerings, delivering information and programming produced from the bookmaker’s sportsbooks across the US, and further engaging sports bettors and fans. In addition, the partnership includes opportunities to feature William Hill data, odds and markets across CBS television programming.  

Under the terms of the deal, William Hill will receive exclusive rights to promote its brand across CBS Sports’ broad range of digital properties, including through CBS Sports Fantasy, one of the largest fantasy platforms in the world. The move, said the firm, will result in highly efficient customer acquisition.

Jeffrey Gerttula, Executive Vice President and General Manager, CBS Sports Digital, commented: “We’re thrilled to launch this momentous partnership, which will allow us to deepen our investment and further extend our leadership in delivering multi-platform sports wagering content, while providing William Hill with unprecedented reach for their market-leading betting platform as they continue to grow their industry leading US business. 

“The power of our distribution, combined with the strength of our brands and the expertise of William Hill, has us well positioned to tap into the explosive growth of the legal sports betting industry in the US. Together, we will deliver even more value to this rapidly growing segment of sports fans.”

William Hill US CEO Joe Asher stated: “CBS Sports, similar to William Hill, has a longstanding history of connecting fans directly to the biggest events and most iconic moments in sports. We are excited about this partnership, with assets including mass-reach digital content products, one of the largest fantasy sports databases and platforms in the world, and leading sports television programming, which will allow us to expand the William Hill brand across America quickly and efficiently.”

Ulrik Bengtsson, CEO of William Hill PLC, added: “Becoming the official sports betting provider to CBS is another major step forward for William Hill in our US expansion. We are already a market leader with leading access, a bespoke technology platform and the most experienced US team. Now we have exclusive media, branding and promotional rights across CBS’ leading digital sports properties, to take the William Hill brand further and faster in the US.”

Commentary: This media deal with CBS Sports represents a major step forward for William Hill in realizing its US ambitions thanks to potentially vast exposure to the market place. CBS Sports Digital happens to be the second-largest sports property in the States, with more than 80 million users per month across its sites and apps as well as tens of millions of followers on social platforms. It will also give the bookie a chance to play catch up with the likes of Flutter Entertainment, partnered with Fox Sports, and GVC which has linked up with Yahoo Sports.