All the ‘Bettor’ for It

FOR YEARS, THE NHL – LIKE OTHER PRO SPORTS LEAGUES IN NORTH AMERICA – WAS STEADFAST IN ITS OPPOSITION TO GAMBLING. BUT THE LEGALIZATION OF SPORTS BETTING SPURRED CHANGE, AND THE LEAGUE’S SUBSEQUENT EMBRACING OF WAGERING IS PAYING OFF

BY STEVE MCALLISTER

WHEN ADAM Greenblatt arrived in the United States as the new CEO of BetMGM in October 2018, the extent of the South African’s exposure to the NHL amounted to watching the “televised hockey product” while working in the United Kingdom. “Frankly, it was hard to engage with the speed of the game and the visibility of the puck,” Greenblatt said during a virtual interview in early December. “When I got to New York, I had the good fortune of being looked after by the good folks at (Madison Square Garden), and I started watching some Rangers games. And honestly, from the first game, it was breathtaking to see the athleticism, the physicality, the skill, the skill on skates and the spatial awareness as well. “When you put it all together, it…

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The Hockey News (Digital) - 1 Issue, Money & Power 2024

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