Penn Entertainment said it will upgrade the ESPN BET Sportsbook experience with the launch of FanCenter, a major new product feature. The personalized hub will make it easier for users to “find wagering markets” based on their favorite teams, players and ESPN fantasy football rosters, the companies reported.
The dedicated hub, which is powered by ESPN and ESPN BET’s account-linking technology, will launch this summer.
ESPN BET Sportsbook is a partnership between ESPN and Penn Entertainment, which operates the Sportsbook. As part of the 10-year deal, Penn paid ESPN $1.5 billion.
“FanCenter introduces a completely new level of personalization for ESPN BET and represents our biggest product leap yet,” said Aaron LaBerge, chief technology officer and head of interactive at Penn Entertainment. “It taps into our players’ fandom in smart, creative ways while connecting seamlessly with ESPN’s industry-leading fantasy football platform. This is what sets ESPN BET apart and football season is the perfect time to show it off.”
“FanCenter is the perfect combination of fandom, fantasy and personalized betting all wrapped into the ESPN BET betting experience,” said Mike Morrison, vice president of ESPN BET and ESPN Fantasy. “FanCenter showcases how we can serve fans across our platforms in a way that nobody else in the market can because of our industry-leading ESPN Fantasy platform and account-linking capabilities.”
Penn Entertainment described the key features of the new FanCenter hub as follows:
- "A ‘For You’ page of curated player props, game markets, and custom parlay offerings to help fans quickly find bets related to their favorite teams, fantasy rosters and wagering history.
- "The ‘Fantasy Bet Builder’, which highlights markets correlated to a user’s ESPN Fantasy roster, allowing them to back their squad in just a few taps.
- "Integrated functionality with ESPN BET’s player insights feature, enabling users to quickly browse recent player stats and trends to inform their prop betting selections.
- "Quick access to view current Mint Club promos and rewards.
- "In addition to fantasy-related markets within FanCenter, a new ‘Find a Bet’ icon on the ESPN Fantasy app will allow players to view markets related to their roster and add selections directly to their ESPN BET bet slip. Last year, ESPN Fantasy Football set an all-time mark with more than 13 million people playing the game."
The betting platform said that some of the new features will require regulatory approval.
