In an unusual arrangement, the Associated Press will now exclusively cite gambling odds provided by FanDuel in its sports coverage, in exchange for payments from the online wagering company.
The companies did not say how long the agreement runs (except that it’s a multiyear pact) or how much FanDuel is paying the AP. For the 175-year-old independent news org, the commercial agreement is atypical; it’s not clear how often the AP has entered into such exclusive deals to feature paid-for content in its news reporting. Reps for the AP did not respond to requests for additional information.
Under the terms of the agreement, FanDuel-provided odds will appear in AP’s daily sports odds features, game previews and other sports stories. In addition, the companies also will integrate FanDuel widgets across the sports pages of APNews and distribute “select FanDuel content” across the AP wire.
AP execs emphasized that the news service will retain editorial control of all content, with the exception of being contractually obligated to solely use FanDuel’s wagering data. The news service also pointed out that exclusively using FanDuel betting odds will provide consistency across its coverage.
“As sports betting becomes more commonplace, our customers are increasingly asking for this kind of information,” Barry Bedlan, AP’s global director of text and new markets products, said in announcing the deal. “It makes sense to work with one of the largest, reputable sportsbooks in the United States to provide a consistent, credible reference point for AP and its customers.”
FanDuel sees the AP as “the ideal source for us to disseminate our industry-leading sportsbook’s proprietary odds and content,” according to a statement from Adam Kaplan, the company’s GM and VP of content.
FanDuel’s primary competitor is DraftKings. The two companies launched an unsuccessful attempt to merge four years ago.
Earlier this month, FanDuel’s parent company, Ireland-based Flutter Entertainment, said that FanDuel CEOMatt King is leaving the post after more than three years leading the company. Flutter said King’s departure could delay IPO plans for FanDuel Group.
FanDuel Group’s brands include FanDuel, Betfair US and TVG. FanDuel has inked numerous partnerships including with Turner Sports, CBS, the NFL, Audacy (formerly known as Entercom Communications), Hulu and NBC.
