Clay Travis profits $2 million from Super Bowl sports betting
- On Super Bowl Sunday 2021, Clay Travis and his team generated $2 million from FanDuel.
- Travis chose not to enter the competitive sportsbook market, focusing instead on partnership models.
- The partnership with Fox Sports was ultimately deemed a better fit than higher financial offers from gambling companies.
In May 2021, Clay Travis, founder of OutKick, sold his business during a time when the sports gambling industry was experiencing rapid growth, especially in the United States. This surge in sports betting began gaining momentum after pivotal Supreme Court arguments regarding states' rights to regulate sports gambling, which ultimately led to a shift in the legal landscape across the country. Travis knew his business could thrive in this new environment, and on Super Bowl Sunday of the same year, they made an impressive $2 million through their partnership with FanDuel. Despite his success, Travis opted not to create his own sportsbook, citing the overwhelming financial competition from major players like FanDuel and DraftKings, which possessed significant resources. Instead, he chose the affiliate model which, while lucrative, he anticipated would diminish over time. Travis admired the approach taken by Barstool Sports and Penn Gaming, but ultimately felt that creating a new sportsbook was beyond their capabilities due to the immense financial backing those companies had. Ultimately, the decision to partner with Fox Sports led to a transaction rumored to be around $100 million, showing his belief in forming a strong media alliance as the future of sports gambling evolved.