Posted on: August 30, 2023, 07:54h.
Last updated on: August 30, 2023, 07:54h.
ESPN’s “Daily Wager” betting program is relocating from Las Vegas to Bristol, Connecticut. The program, which airs on ESPN2, will begin broadcasting from ESPN’s headquarters on Thursday, September 7.
The move was announced by ESPN, and it signifies a shift in the program’s location after three years of broadcasting from a studio at The LINQ Hotel in Las Vegas.
ESPN created some great content and incredible memories during our time at the Las Vegas studio,” said Scott Clark, vice president of fantasy & sports betting content, in a statement. “With our new ESPN BET deal set to launch this fall, we felt it was best to return to our headquarters. We cannot thank everyone we worked with at Caesars Entertainment over the past few years, and we wish them the best into the future.”
Caesars Entertainment (NASDAQ: CZR) operates The LINQ, while ESPN is a part of Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS).
Speaking of Caesars…
The relocation of “Daily Wager” from the LINQ is believed to be a consequence of ESPN’s recent $1.5 billion agreement with Penn Entertainment (NASDAQ: PENN). Under the deal, Penn Entertainment has rights to use the ESPN Bet brand for its sportsbooks. This development led to speculation that ESPN would end its partnerships with Caesars (NASDAQ: CZR) and DraftKings (NASDAQ: DKNG), and the move of “Daily Wager” to Connecticut seems to validate those assumptions.
The agreement with Penn Entertainment was revealed almost three years after ESPN established groundbreaking deals with Caesars (NASDAQ: CZR) and DraftKings (NASDAQ: DKNG). The deal grants the regional casino operator the rights to use the ESPN Bet brand for its mobile and retail sportsbooks.
The news of “Daily Wager” leaving Las Vegas is just one of several recent changes for the show. Despite strong ratings, former Las Vegas sportscaster Doug Kezirian was recently let go by ESPN. Additionally, a Saturday edition of the show has been introduced to provide insights for college and NFL betting. This edition airs at 11 a.m. Eastern time on ESPN2.
“Daily Wager” also airs on Sundays at 9 a.m. Eastern, Mondays at 4 p.m., and Thursdays and Fridays at 6 p.m. The show does not broadcast on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.