Basketball’s ratings may be down, but sportsbooks are targeting the hardwood to bring it back up.
As a way of increasing eyeballs to basketball and furthering betting interest in the sport, DraftKings tells The Post that basketball is its “No. 1 priority.”
Greg Karamitis, DraftKings’ chief revenue officer, said the site is going to be unleashing a special promo for all users this Christmas Day.
The promo, which users begin opting into on Dec. 24, will divvy out $2 million in bonus bets to any bettor who wagers on the player who has the highest cumulative points + rebounds + assists (PRA) on Christmas Day.
The NBA’s quintuple-header features Spurs-Knicks, Timberwolves-Mavericks, 76ers-Celtics, Lakers-Warriors and Nuggets-Suns.
Christmas Day is historically owned by the NBA, however the NFL has scheduled games in recent years and has a doubleheader on Netflix this year.
DraftKings rolled out a similar promo for $1 million earlier in the year to tip off the NBA season’s first few weeks.
Anyone who opted in and wagered a player prop bet on Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo on Nov. 13 when he tallied 59 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists (80 combined PRA) received a $69 free bet on top of any wagers they won.
This promo comes while the NBA has come under fire for a decline in ratings as the league looks for new stars and better quality of play.
Sports Business Journal reported that ratings on the NBA Cup group play were down 10 percent compared to last year, which is actually a step up compared to regular-season figures as of Nov. 21, where ESPN ratings were reportedly down 28 percent.
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DraftKings adds that it is looking for other ways to incorporate different types of engagement to the sport, viewing basketball as a major growth spot.
During the lead-up to the NBA Cup, the league put on the “NBA Creator’s Cup,” which featured streetball legends and trick shot specialists.
Karamitis speculated that leaning into some more celebrity-style basketball games could be yet another growth opportunity.
“I would absolutely love it,” Karamitis said. “Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson was massive but also wasn’t allowed in certain jurisdictions, regulators will always choose what we can and cannot offer. But we actually love to offer free-to-play pool products as a way to engage with these events. They generate a lot of enthusiasm, and I love building on these extra events. If there’s exciting sporting content out there, we want to be a part of it.”
The Tyson-Paul bout by far the most bet-on fight in combat sports history.
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Erich Richter is a brazilian jiu-jitsu blue belt but he has a black belt in MMA betting. During the football season he’s showcased massive profits at The Post in the player prop market the last two seasons. While constantly betting long shots, his return on investment is 30.15 percent since 2022.
