iGaming and sports betting operator BetMGM achieved record growth and industry-first milestones in 2024, cementing itself as a major force in iGaming and sports betting.
The year saw milestones such as the full integration of Angstrom, Entain’s sports modeling and analytics company, along with the launch of exclusive league-branded casino games like NBA Gold and MLB Rising Rewards, and the record-setting $6.5 million jackpot—the largest in the history of legalized online casinos in the U.S.
In an interview with Yogonet, Matt Prevost, Chief Revenue Officer of BetMGM, reflects on the company's key achievements, major industry trends, and plans for 2025. He outlines BetMGM's focus on expanding into new markets like Alberta and Missouri, furthering its presence in integrated online casino, poker, and sports betting, and adapting to the rapidly evolving landscape of live betting and real-time engagement.
Looking back at 2024, it seems like the year was full of milestones for BetMGM. What are the main takeaways of the past 12 months?
BetMGM designated 2024 as an investment and growth year, where we focused on enhancing our product and highlighting the heart of what truly sets our brand apart. We were able to do just that, working from a strategy of listening to customers; delivering a better, more frictionless experience for our customers; and making memorable experiences for our customers through our unique omnichannel offerings.
We fully integrated Angstrom – Entain’s sports modeling and analytics company – in 2024. Angstrom fueled the expansion of our betting options, enabling almost infinite combinability of bets, and improved market availability for our sportsbook app. In fact, we offered more than 1,000 futures markets and about 450 ways to bet on each game for NFL and college football this season.
The year was also highlighted by record-breaking BetMGM jackpots that simply dominated the industry. At the end of August, a player at BetMGM in New Jersey won a $6.5 million jackpot -- the largest jackpot in the history of legalized online casinos in the United States up to that point.
In 2024, BetMGM built on its strong foundation of exclusive games and first-to-market launches. Through a partnership with Atlantic Digital, BetMGM Casino is home to TV and movies that are now slots like Cheers and Ace Ventura. BetMGM also launched league-branded games like NBA Gold and MLB Rising Rewards.
The year was especially memorable for our poker product. In early November, BetMGM combined player pools with its New Jersey and Michigan poker markets. The merger brought more players, tournaments and bigger prize pools. It’s propelled BetMGM Poker to the top of the online poker market in the U.S.
As the app, “Born in Vegas”, we succeeded in unlocking Nevada to create a more seamless customer journey with single wallet functionality, which allows users to sign up once in person in Nevada and then carry their funds with them to other BetMGM states. We also expanded into North Carolina, further expanding our leadership position in North American iGaming and sports betting.
In 2024, BetMGM joined forces with some of the most visible, significant brands in the world. We entered into the first-of-its-kind partnership between a premier social media brand and a sports betting operator through our strategic partnership with X, becoming the social media platform’s exclusive Live Odds Sports Betting partner.
In addition, our partnership with Marriott Bonvoy unlocked an unprecedented collaboration between sports betting/iGaming and hospitality leaders that offers millions of customers real-world rewards and the opportunity to earn points for valuable experiences including future stays.
Perhaps most important for BetMGM in 2024 was our continued, steadfast commitment to responsible gambling as a founding member of ROGA, the Responsible Online Gaming Association. ROGA’s work promoting responsible online gaming by supporting independent research, sharing best practices, and driving consumer and industry education and awareness represents one of the most significant achievements of the year.
Which industry issues and trends would you say dominated the conversation this year?
The past year was peppered with innovation and creative approaches to product. BetMGM’s live dealer product popularity reflects a move towards more interactivity and the expectation from players to feel truly connected to games.
We heard a lot about jackpots and expanded pools—BetMGM started combining player pools between our New Jersey and Michigan poker markets in November, which marked a significant milestone and offers players an enhanced poker app, larger promotions, and more online poker action.
Another trend this past year was the conversation about what constitutes legal online gaming. Legislation and oversight, along with tax revenue, were discussed repeatedly as unregulated contests grew in popularity and visibility in the market. Responsible gaming, age verification, and other best practices dominated that conversation and will continue to do so.
What can we expect from the company in 2025? What are the main challenges and opportunities you see in the gaming industry in the upcoming 12-month period?
Just like the industry as a whole, BetMGM is primed for a year of significant change in 2025.
In the coming year, we will continue to build out our integrated gambling experience that spans online sports betting, online casino, and poker. New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania are the powerhouses of the U.S. online casino industry and generate significant tax revenue. They will undoubtedly serve as models for other states looking to offer legal, regulated online gaming and poker in the coming year.
Of course, we already know that Alberta is set to launch sports betting and iGaming in 2025. BetMGM is well-positioned as a leader in Ontario with extremely strong brand recognition and product offerings, so we are looking forward to capitalizing on the expansion opportunity. The recent legalization of sports betting in Missouri represents another new market with a passionate, engaged fan base supporting the likes of the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and the MLB’s Royals, among others.
Growing the total addressable market as we deliver legalized, regulated sports betting to new players is truly exciting. They know the BetMGM brand, and now they will get to experience our gaming ecosystem of sports betting, iGaming and a world of rewards.
In terms of technology, 2025 will be all about how operators adapt and implement—and how quickly. Live betting continues to gain popularity, which requires optimized uptime. Ensuring products evolve to meet player needs will be paramount.