The ESPN BET sportsbook will be enhanced this summer with a new hub inside its US mobile app, designed to give users betting markets focussed on their favourite NFL teams and players.
The new feature, called FanCenter, will also allow users access to betting markets based around their ESPN Fantasy Football rosters, all within the sports betting app.
To help understand the scale of potential uptake in wagering by offering this facility, last season ESPN Fantasy Football set an all-time mark with more than 13 million people playing the game.
The impending product launch, subject to regulatory approval, was announced by PENN Entertainment, a leading name in US gaming, online casinos and sports betting, and operators of ESPN BET.
Key Features Of ESPN BET’s FanCenter
FanCenter will contain a For You page that is personalized for each user with player props, sports betting markets and parlays relating to their favorite teams, as well as access to their fantasy rosters and betting history.
A key component will be ‘Fantasy Bet Builder’ which will highlight markets relating to a user’s ESPN Fantasy rosters, so that building a series of bets around their fantasy team is available within a few taps.
While users are trying to decide what bets they would like to place, the integrated functionality of ESPN’ BET’s player insights feature will allow them access to the most recent stats for each player as well as insights and trends around them.
There will also be a quick access facility to view promotions and rewards from Mint Club, an exclusive rewards feature introduced by ESPN BET in April.
Mint Club is available to users who link their ESPN BET and ESPN accounts and provides weekly giveaways such as deposit bonuses and bet boosts.
As yet there is no launch date for FanCenter as the new features are still subject to regulatory approval.
What The Main Players Had To Say
Aaron LaBerge, Chief Technology Officer and Head of Interactive at PENN Entertainment, was keen to emphasise the importance of introducing the new FanCenter feature ahead of the NFL season.
“FanCenter introduces a completely new level of personalization for ESPN BET and represents our biggest product leap yet,” he said.
“It taps into our players’ fandom in smart, creative ways while connecting seamlessly with ESPN’s industry-leading fantasy football platform.
“This is what sets ESPN BET apart and the football season is the perfect time to show it off.”
Mike Morrison, Vice President ESPN BET and ESPN Fantasy, said: “FanCenter is the perfect combination of fandom, fantasy and personalized betting all wrapped into the ESPN BET betting experience.
“FanCenter showcases how we can serve fans across our platforms in a way that nobody else in the market can because of our industry-leading ESPN Fantasy platform and account-linking capabilities.”
Jim Munro is a betting industry and gambling expert who has been a national newspaper journalist for over 30 years, predominantly at The Sunday Times and The Sun, where he wrote a weekly soccer betting column. Jim also worked on the launch of Virgin Bet with Gamesys and was subsequently head of editorial at LiveScore, the sports media and betting group.
