Dish teams with DraftKings to enable sports betting on Hopper STBs

Dish Network is kicking off a strategic agreement with DraftKings by integrating the company’s sportsbook and fantasy sports app on the Hopper platform.

Dish TV customers with an internet-connected Hopper receiver will soon be able to access the DraftKings app to view betting odds and fantasy contests. They can initiate bets or contest entries with DraftKings directly from their TV and subsequently set recordings and watch the live sports that correspond with those bets or fantasy teams.

Once a bet or fantasy contest entry is initiated, customers will be prompted via text message to complete the transaction within the DraftKings app on their mobile device. Dish TV said its customers will soon be able to initiate bets for NCAA basketball, the NBA and the NHL from the app via Hopper, with additional features to come.

The companies said they will also pursue subsequent DraftKings experiences on Sling TV, Dish’s live streaming TV service, and Boost Mobile in the future.

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"The integration with DraftKings is an exciting enhancement for our customers and a great addition to the growing Dish TV Hopper platform — a one-stop entertainment hub," said Brian Neylon, group president at Dish TV, in a statement. "We're thrilled to work with DraftKings to amplify the sports-fan experience and extend the DraftKings footprint across our unique suite of services, including Sling TV and Boost Mobile, with potential applications across our 5G wireless buildout in the future."

"Our deal with Dish TV and the technology behind it immerses customers within a next-generation viewership experience and reaches these fanbases in a completely new way," said Paul Liberman, president of product and technology and co-founder at DraftKings, in a statement. "This is a unique opportunity for fans to watch games and engage with our real-money products while the technology also allows for further innovation ahead."

Dish is the latest pay TV provider or broadcaster to pursue sports betting as an avenue toward further platform monetization. Sinclair is working with Bally’s on an app for its regional sports networks that will include free-to-play contests, rewards, and the ability to engage and interact with other fans. Virtual MVPD fuboTV is planning to launch its own sportsbook later this year. Fox launched an app named Fox Bet that lets users in states with legal betting place real wagers on different sporting events.