DraftKings
Jamie Shea Urges United States Betting Brands to Embrace Player Education
Strive Gaming Chief Marketing Officer tells Xtremepush podcast Experts in the Room in-play betting has the potential to take off as it has in Europe
Sportsbooks in the United States must focus on educating bettors about the availability and benefits of in-play betting for a profitable future, according to Strive Gaming’s Chief Marketing Officer, Jamie Shea (pictured).
Speaking as a guest on a forthcoming edition of Xtremepush’s podcast series Experts in the Room, the industry leader and former VP of Sportsbook at DraftKings stressed that live betting has so far only reached a fraction of its potential in the country.
That’s despite it being more than five years since the first legal online bets in the United States outside of Nevada were placed with DraftKings in New Jersey.
Also key to profitability is a concerted push to retain expensively acquired players, Shea argues, with increased personalisation favored above expensive blanket bonusing.
“The education of the player is the best retention tool as it teaches them how to play,” said Shea, speaking to Xtremepush’s New Business Account Executive and podcast host, Will Hansen. “A lot of the time, customers just don’t even realize that certain bets exist. One of the things that’s driving me crazy right now in the United States industry is in-play. Why is that not bigger? Seventy per cent of bets should be in-play, as they are in Europe, because it’s fun and provides instant gratification.
“I would love to see that happen in the United States. We need to educate the players on how it works and where they can find it in an app and that’s where push notifications come in. Brands should be doing all they can to let the customer know that hey, there is this wager available and it’s a lot of fun. Every time that I’ve sat down with people and taught them how it works, they love it and it becomes their go-to.”
Shea also stressed that United States operators’ acquisition budgets need to be more in line with player lifetime values, a trend which is already in motion.
“After the first bet on August 1st, 2018, in New Jersey, it was a free-for-all,” she added. “Nobody knew what should be done or how it should be done, just that they wanted as many active customers as possible. And so it was a bonus here, a bonus there.
“Unfortunately, as everybody came to realize, this set the customer up with an expectation that isn’t realistic, because those offers can’t last forever. It also created a lot of promiscuity within the different brands through ‘promo hunters’ and it started to become a race to the bottom. Nobody was profitable.
“Having Strive Gaming and Xtremepush in the United States market allows for so much more targeted marketing, so that bonuses aren’t just thrown at everyone. It allows us to look at what resonates with certain player types as a targeted and measured approach.”
In line with the data-led approach to personalized offerings, Shea also stressed that detecting problematic player behavior is of paramount importance for United States-focused platform provider Strive Gaming.
“For me, it’s a very personal topic,” she said. “I grew up with my dad losing his business and that’s because gaming was not regulated. Nobody was texting him and asking him how he was doing back in 1984. One of the great things about having all of this data available is you can look to see, has someone changed their behavior dramatically?
“I’m very cognizant of player interactions with us. Our customer service team is extremely well-trained to notice when certain trigger words, for example, suggest a person might be having a problem. We can’t be their therapist. We can’t know everything they are thinking. But what we can do is provide the right tools to enable people to keep enjoying sports betting and iGaming, in a very responsible manner that isn’t going to affect their lives.”
DraftKings announced its intent to launch its online sports betting and casino products in Alberta, Canada, pending licensure and regulatory approval. If granted approval, DraftKings Sportsbook and Casino intends to be available on the province’s anticipated universal launch date of July 13, 2026, as set by the AGLC.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to expand DraftKings’ footprint in Canada and bring our online sportsbook and casino experiences to customers in Alberta. With the anticipated launch aligning with the World Cup — hosted right here in North America — it’s a particularly exciting moment for sports fans in the province to engage with our platform,” said Greg Karamitis, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Sports at DraftKings.
Alberta would represent the second province in Canada where DraftKings operates mobile sports betting and casino products, alongside Ontario. It would also mark the 34th jurisdiction in North America where DraftKings offers online sports betting, and seventh with online casino.
Eligible Alberta residents can pre-register for DraftKings Sportsbook and Casino ahead of the expected launch.
The post DraftKings Announces Intent to Launch Online Sportsbook and Casino in Alberta, Canada appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
DraftKings has launched its online sportsbook in Puerto Rico, further expanding DraftKings top-rated product to sports fans across the island. DraftKings’ online sportsbook is available to Puerto Rico residents beginning February 23, 2026, following the recent opening of the DraftKings retail sportsbook at Foxwoods El San Juan Casino in November.
DraftKings’ online sportsbook is currently only available to residents of Puerto Rico. Eligible new customers must register in person at Foxwoods El San Juan Casino before accessing the online sportsbook. Once registration is completed on-site, local customers will have full access to DraftKings’ online sportsbook features, including same-game parlays, in-game wagering, and special odds boosts, across a wide range of sporting events and leagues such as MLB, NFL, NBA, and more.
Non-residents are not currently eligible to access DraftKings’ online sportsbook in Puerto Rico. However, visitors may place wagers in person at the DraftKings retail sportsbook located at Foxwoods El San Juan Casino.
“Puerto Rico has a passionate sports community and launching our online sportsbook allows us to meet fans where they are. With retail already live at Foxwoods El San Juan Casino, mobile represents the next step in expanding the DraftKings experience across the island—giving eligible local customers a seamless, exciting, and responsible way to engage with sports,” said Gregory Karamitis, DraftKings Executive Vice President and General Manager of Sports.
Responsible gaming remains a shared priority for DraftKings, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, and Foxwoods El San Juan Casino. DraftKings offers a comprehensive suite of responsible gaming tools, including My Budget Builder and My Stat Sheet, available through the DraftKings Responsible Gaming Center to help customers play responsibly.
The post DraftKings Launches Online Sportsbook in Puerto Rico appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
DraftKings
PGA TOUR, DraftKings, ESPN launch PGA TOUR LIVE Betcast, the first all-day, watch-and-bet experience for golf fans
A new era has arrived for golf bettors, as the PGA TOUR and ESPN are doubling sports betting coverage for the 2026 PGA TOUR Season with a first-of-its-kind watch-and-bet experience from sunup to sundown.
PGA TOUR LIVE Betcast presented by DraftKings will air on ESPN during 12 marquee PGA TOUR events throughout the year, beginning with this week’s WM Phoenix Open, Feb. 5-8 at TPC Scottsdale.
The Betcast at each event will air more than eight hours during each of the four days of play on the ESPN App, alongside the Main Feed, Featured Group and Featured Hole streams. With more than 400 hours in total across the 2026 PGA TOUR Season, the Betcast will feature golf-related betting discussion, live betting analysis, upcoming previews, tournament features (tournament winner, matchups, etc.) and more.
PGA TOUR LIVE Betcast, which debuted in the 2025 season with 50 hours of coverage across six events, is now presented by DraftKings. The expanded coverage brings fans interested in betting content more of the coverage they’re looking for, complete with detailed insights and informed analysis.
Jonathan Coachman will serve as host, joined by Matt Every and Michael Collins as the show’s analysts. Graham DeLaet, Jeff Eisenband, Steve Scott and Kevin Sylvester will offer additional hosting and analyst support, while Rick Gehman will contribute across the betting feeds throughout the season. Additional talent pending on a tournament-by-tournament basis.
Set to premiere this Thursday, Feb. 5, with the first round of the WM Phoenix Open, the Betcast will be available to fans throughout the 2026 PGA TOUR Season, continuing with The Genesis Invitational at The Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades and concluding with the season-ending TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club.
Scott Warfield, PGA TOUR Vice President, Gaming, said, “The PGA TOUR is pleased to present more than 400 hours of live betting coverage in 2026 alongside our collaborators at ESPN and DraftKings. Building on the success of last year’s feed, we are excited to further expand this season with the support of DraftKings and its world-class golf product, as fans will have a host of new betting markets and storylines to follow as they watch along with the broadcast.”
“Our collaboration with the PGA TOUR and ESPN reflects a shared, forward-looking approach to fan engagement,” said Stephanie Sherman, Chief Marketing Officer, DraftKings. “For those who see betting as part of their entertainment experience, by integrating our industry-leading golf offerings into PGA TOUR LIVE Betcast, we’re creating a more immersive, real-time way to follow the action from the first tee shot to the final putt, while fostering a sense of connection and community around the sport.”
Said John Suchenski, Sr. Director, Programming & Acquisitions at ESPN: “At ESPN, we want to provide fans with more access, insight and ways to connect with sports. The Betcast gives fans another option to engage with PGA TOUR LIVE and be an attraction to those who desire alternative ways to traditional feeds. We’re always discussing new and innovative approaches to golf coverage with the PGA TOUR, and these shows are the newest evolution of those efforts.”
DraftKings, ESPN and the PGA TOUR take responsible gaming seriously by promoting educational information and tools to help players enjoy sports betting responsibly. The DraftKings Sportsbook app offers consumers a number of responsible gaming tools, including My Stat Sheet, a gaming tool that gives players the ability to assess, track and interact with their personal gaming stats as well as limit setting, cool-off periods and self-exclusion.
The post PGA TOUR, DraftKings, ESPN launch PGA TOUR LIVE Betcast, the first all-day, watch-and-bet experience for golf fans appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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