Rush Street Interactive recently announced that it would be signing popular broadcasting legend Mike Francesa as brand ambassador for both BetRivers and PlaySugarHouse.com. Francesa now has an exclusive brand and content deal with both brands, which will allow him to create and distribute network and social media content for both Rush Street Interactive brands.
Under the terms of this partnership agreement, Francesa will operate out of his hometown in New York. He will host a podcast series twice each week, as well as create a series of digital videos that will then be hosted on both PlaySugarHouse and BetRivers. As the brand ambassador, Francesa will also appear at various sporting tournaments and events on behalf of the brands.
Mike Francesa, who is also commonly referred to as the radio ‘King of New York’ is a revered Radio Hall of Famer. Michael Patrick Francesa alongside his co-host Chris Russo hosted one of the most listened-to sports talk radio programs in the country from 1989 to 2008. Francesa went on to create his own show titled Mike’s On: Francesa on the FAN on the same New York City Station (WFAN) after he left Mike and the Mad Dog.
As a Hall of Famer, Francesca has spent the better part of his career dominating the sports radio sector in the Empire State and the general Tristate region. To this day, he stands as the only sportscaster that has been awarded the coveted Marconi Award more than once. Apart from working in radio, Francesca has also enjoyed a successful career in television, having worked as a studio analyst for more than 10 years at CBS Sports.
As Rush Street’s brand ambassador, Francesa will play an important role in helping both the BetRivers and PlaySugarHouse brands grow and attract new users. As one of the most experienced sportscasters in the country, Francesa will share valuable sports betting tips and strategies to customers in New York, as well as other states in which Rush Street Interactive operates.
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The Betrivers Online Casino and Sportsbook Recently Went Live in Ontario
Just recently, Rush Street also welcomed Dan O’Toole into the Rush Street family of brand ambassadors. O’ Toole will serve as BetRiver’s brand ambassador. Over the past few years, O’ Toole has emerged as one of the most recognized sports anchors in Canada. The ex-TSN anchor is well known for his energetic personality, which has earned him a title in the BetRiver’s lineup of ambassadors.
O’ Toole will be instrumental in helping BetRivers acquire even more customers and expand its presence in the Canadian sports betting market. Like Francesa, O’Toole will help to create, as well as produce podcasts as he adds a new touch of expertise and sports betting entertainment to the Rush Street Interactive brands.
BetRivers’ partnership with O’Toole could not have been announced at a better time as single-event sports betting continues to grow in Canada. Single event sports wagering was legalized last year on August 27th and has been growing at a rapid rate in the Canadian provinces since its debut. When the federal government legalized betting on individual sporting events, it brought an end to a dark and murky industry on which residents were already spending billions of dollars each year.
Since single event betting is now legal, the provinces have been free to regulate sports wagering as they wish. More importantly, Canadians now have countless opportunities to take part in single-event sports wagering in a safe and controlled environment, at the discretion of the different territories. Before legalizing the practice, it is estimated that Canadian punters were spending approximately $10 billion each year on single sports events in the unsafe and unregulated black markets.
Now that the practice is legal, Canada is now generating revenue that is being taxed and monitored, which has consequently taken the money out of the control of organized crime. Before single event gaming was legalized, punters in Canada were only ever allowed to take part in parlay wagers that consisted of betting on the outcome of at least 3 separate events.
Thanks to legal sports betting, Canadian bettors can place wagers on single events ranging from the Grey Cup to the recently concluded March Madness. Opening up the Canadian sports betting market to individual game wagers has helped to greatly guarantee widespread adoption of sports betting, and BetRivers has been right there to take advantage of this growing demand.
To secure its place in the regulated online betting space in Canada, BetRivers also recently debuted its services in Ontario. BetRivers now operates alongside other well-known operators such as High 5 and theScore to accept online bets in Ontario. As a result of this launch, BetRivers is now availing of the same services that punters in the US have enjoyed for years.
According to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, which is the body responsible for regulating iGaming in Ontario, the province had 25 operators by April 1st. This number is expected to keep rising in the coming months. However, BetRivers is well positioned for market domination. To guarantee its place at the top of the market, Rush Street recently became the first American online casino and sports wagering brand to be awarded the RG Check iGaming Accreditation for its BetRivers and PlaySugarHouse platforms.
All iGaming operators wishing to enter the Ontario online gaming market are required by iGaming Ontario to receive this accreditation. Not only has this accreditation allowed Rush Street to proudly join the Ontario market, but it has also demonstrated Rush Street’s commitment to player safety. The RG Check is highly regarded in gambling circles as the most detailed and up-to-date responsible gaming accreditation program.
Final Thoughts
This accreditation program is already widely used by brick and mortar casinos all over the US, as well as in Canada. Rush Street Interactive is expected to grow as quickly in Canada as it did in the US when it first launched operations. At present, Rush Street is available in 13 states in the US. However, it is also available internationally in Colombia’s regulated gaming market.
