Hubris & Humor:

Unlocking the language of sports betting

content marketing

Dr. Brian Petrotta & Alek Timm

University of Nebraska-Lincoln
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Brief Background
RQs/Method
Findings
Discussion
Conclusion/Future Research
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1. SPORTS BETTING
• Largely illegal in U.S. (except Nevada) until 2018
• Now legal in 33 states (and counting)

2. CONTENT MARKETING
• Informs, educates, or entertains
• Relevant/valuable information
• Tells story on interactive or owned media
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Lou and Chie (2021) found that certain

perceived consumption values (functional,
entertainment, and informative) of branded
content marketing influenced consumers’
brand loyalty.

The sports betting industry is unique in that

it achieves its most profitable outcome when
the customer - i.e., sports bettor - loses.
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RQs:
RQ1: To what extent does sportsbooks’ branded content marketing convey functional value?

RQ2: To what extent does sportsbooks’ branded content marketing convey entertainment

value?

RQ3: To what extent does sportsbooks’ branded content marketing convey informative value?

RQ4: What differences, if any, exist in content produced by the three distinct categories of

relationship with media (media-first, sportsbook-first, sponsorship-only)?

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1. METHOD
1. Media-first: Sports Illustrated, Barstool
2. Sportsbook-first: FanDuel, DraftKings
3. Direct sponsorship: The Athletic, ESPN

4. January 26, 2022 - March 21, 2022 (Super Bowl & opening weekend of
NCAA Men’s Basketball)
5. 575 total articles
6. Grounded theory approach – “clarity and order” to the data
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RQ1: Functional value

✔ Authors rarely provided evidence

✔ Reader must assume info has utility

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RQ2: Entertainment value

✔ “Humor”
✔ Celebrity “experts”
✔ More bets = more fun
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RQ3: Informative value

✔ Advanced statistics/analytics
✔ Links to external resources
✔ Emphasis on “skill” vs. “luck”
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RQ4: Differences
Sports Barstool
ESPN The Athletic FanDuel DraftKings Totals
Illustrated Sports
Direct
17.9% 93.2% 100.0% 95.1% 100.0% 76.5% 80.5%
Marketing

Transparency 13.5% 17.8% 0.0% 2.0% 33.3% 17.7% 14.1%

Profit 59.5% 50.7% 11.0% 25.7% 66.7% 64.7% 46.4%

Illusion of
43.2% 19.2% 46.1% 15.8% 26.3% 29.4% 30.0%
Control
Advanced
67.6% 54.8% 63.4% 32.7% 8.8% 2.9% 38.4%
Statistics
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DISCUSSION

• Deliberate appeals to functional, entertainment and informative values

• Few attempts at transparency

• Little-to-no effort at urging caution

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CONCLUSION

• Findings consistent with previous research (advertising)

• Emphasize fun or skill over potential danger
• Need greater efforts at transparency
• Need more explicit
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FUTURE RESEARCH

• Deliberate appeals to functional, entertainment and informative values

• Few attempts at transparency

• Little-to-no effort at urging caution

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THANK YOU!

Brian Petrotta

bpetrotta2@unl.edu