Fanatics announced an exclusive, multi-year partnership with Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard, who becomes the newest addition to Fanatics’ roster of athletes housed under the organization’s memorabilia and collectibles division, Fanatics Authentic.

Under the new deal, Fanatics is now the sole distributor of Bedard’s highly sought-after officially licensed memorabilia and collectibles including authentic jerseys, pucks, sticks, helmets, gloves and photos, as well as a unique assortment of game-used equipment from games with the Blackhawks, All-Star Games and other competitions.

“I’m very excited to be working with Fanatics and join their amazing team of athletes across all sports. Getting to know their group and learn about all the work they put into creating really special memorabilia for fans has been awesome. As the season gets underway, I’m looking forward to sharing what we are releasing together,” said Bedard.

Widely regarded as hockey’s next can’t-miss prospect, Bedard was selected first overall in the 2023 NHL Draft following an illustrious career in the Western Hockey League in which he recorded 143 points in just 57 games during his final season with the Regina Pats. During the 2023-24 NHL season, his first professionally with the Blackhawks, Bedard led all first-year players in goals (22) and points (61) on his way to winning the Calder Memorial Trophy awarded to the league’s top rookie.

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“Connor Bedard is one of the NHL’s emerging superstars and Fanatics is thrilled to welcome him to our team. After a stellar rookie season, he has quickly become a fan favorite, and we look forward to providing hockey fans everywhere with unprecedented access to a premier assortment of his autographs, collectibles and game-worn products,” said Fanatics executive vice president Victor Shaffer.

Bedard joins a star-studded roster of athletes across all sports to have exclusive memorabilia partnerships with Fanatics Authentic including Tom Brady, Auston Matthews, Alex Ovechkin, Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Sabrina Ionescu, Harry Kane and Victor Wembanyama.

The most rewarding sportsbook is coming to Washington, D.C. on September 12 with an assist from the Washington Spirit, the premier professional women’s soccer team based in Washington, D.C. Fanatics Betting and Gaming has entered into a partnership agreement to become the team’s Official Sports Betting Partner and secure market access for its online sports betting platform.

This is Fanatics Sportsbook’s first team sponsorship deal with a professional women’s sports organization. The Washington Spirit is an inaugural member of the NWSL and home to some of the best players in the world who have won championships for both club and country. Currently in second place in the NWSL, the Spirit features numerous gold medalists, global award nominees, league champions and rising stars.

“As we continue to build out our sports betting business, we are excited to partner with the Washington Spirit,” said Ari Borod, Chief Business Officer, Fanatics Betting and Gaming. “We will look to grow the Fanatics Sportsbook alongside the growing popularity of women’s soccer and women’s sports generally across the country.”

“We’re excited to announce our groundbreaking partnership with Fanatics Sportsbook,” said Washington Spirit CEO Kim Stone. “This is another indication of the momentum surrounding the Spirit and women’s sports. This collaboration gives us the chance to enter the sports betting space with a trusted brand, all while staying true to our commitment to integrity, empowering women, and creating great experiences for our fans.”

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The partnership includes marketing assets such as in-stadium signage, digital marketing, Audi Field activations for soccer fans, and many other opportunities for Spirit fans and ticket holders to engage with Fanatics Sportsbook. Sports fans living in and visiting Washington, D.C. can now download the app on iOS and Android and begin their Fanatics Sportsbook experience. Fanatics Sportsbook is now 10x more rewarding than the leading sportsbooks* and has introduced some exciting product upgrades, including:

Building a better sportsbook: The design, speed and quality of the navigation experience rival the sports betting apps in the market today that were not built specifically for iOS and Android. For customers in Maryland and Virginia, a connected wallet will no longer interrupt service while in the District.
Responsible Gaming – Fanatics Sportsbook offers customers responsible gaming tools and has partnered with Birches Health Platform to provide online treatment for customers looking to manage their play.
FanCash: Customers can now earn up to 10% FanCash back on their bets, win or lose. The bigger the odds, the bigger the FanCash rewards to spend on jerseys, hats, Bonus Bets, and more.**
Discover: Get everything a customer cares about including marquee games, key stats and trending bets delivered straight to the Discover feed.
Search: Find promos, bets, and trending topics all from the advanced search functionality. Bet directly from the search results and spend time enjoying the game, not looking for a bet.
Soccer: The top professional soccer leagues, including the NWSL, are available on the Fanatics Sportsbook.
Your New Home for Parlays: Fanatics Sportsbook recently introduced the largest expansion of parlay offerings and customers can cash out live.

Governor Phil Scott and Department of Liquor and Lottery Commissioner Wendy Knight announced that online sports wagering will launch in Vermont on January 11, 2024. Through a competitive bid process, the Department of Liquor and Lottery selected DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics Sportsbook to operate mobile sports wagering platforms in Vermont.

“I first proposed Vermont legalize sports wagering several years ago, and it’s good to see it come to fruition. Vermonters and visitors alike will soon be able to access a regulated sports wagering marketplace, which will come with important consumer protections and generate revenue for the State,” said Governor Scott.

In June, Governor Scott signed a bill legalizing online sports wagering and authorizing the Department of Liquor and Lottery to contract with operators to conduct a sportsbook through a mobile platform in Vermont. The bill also provides additional resources to enhance the State’s responsible gaming services. The State will receive a percentage of each operator’s Adjusted Gross Sports Wagering Revenue, in addition to an operator fee. The new online sportsbook operation is expected to bring in up to seven million dollars in new revenue to the State during the first full year of operations.

“We are excited to offer sports enthusiasts the ability to engage in sports wagering in Vermont with three of the industry’s top companies,” said Commissioner Knight.

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