The sports world is returning to normal – finally. All major sports leagues are back in action, minus the NFL, which kicks off tomorrow. Just in time for the season, ESPN has brought back its Daily Wager broadcast, airing from a new home inside the LINQ Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. After being on a forced hiatus since March due to the coronavirus, the sports gambling-focused show is ready to make up for the lost time.
The first episode of the Daily Wager reboot aired last night, also marking the first show held at LINQ. Previously, it was broadcast from the ESPN studios in Connecticut, and the sports media company had been working on moving to the Caesars property since May of last year, soon after it began, before being forced to halt its plans because of COVID-19. Going forward, the 6,000-square-foot studio will broadcast the show from Tuesday through Friday, as well as on Sunday, as long as the NFL action continues.
The increased interest in sports gambling across the US has opened the doors to a number of broadcasts dedicated to sports wagers. With 18 states now offering legal sportsbooks, and another four almost ready, there is no shortage of fans to attract. In addition to these 22 states, another seven are working on their own versions of sports gambling legislation and, within a year, it’s possible that over half of the country will have some type of regulated market.
The Vegas Stats and Information Network (VSiN), a Las Vegas-based sports network, recently expanded and opened a studio in Illinois, another up-and-coming gambling hotspot. It signed on with Rush Street Interactive to host the Rush Hour sports broadcast, which focuses almost exclusively on sports gambling, and additional moves are likely to come in the future. As much as gambling opponents try to resist, the activity is becoming a standard element across the U.S., and trying to stop the momentum has the same results as hitting one’s head against a brick wall – and about the same outcome.
Daily Wager can be found on ESPN2 on its scheduled weekdays at 6 PM Eastern Time (ET). On Sunday, football fans can tune in at 9 AM ET. The show is hosted by Doug Kezirian, a former sports director and reporter for Las Vegas media outlet KTNV-TV, as well as an anchor for ESPN since 2012. His contract was just recently renewed with the company and he said at the time, “On a personal level, I’m thrilled that I’m able to stay with ESPN and continue what we started in the betting space. I’ve been along for the ride for many years, including hosting Daily Wager and I think this move to Las Vegas is just the latest step in the overall vision that ESPN has for sports betting. I’m incredibly fortunate and grateful that the team believes in me to help launch this in Las Vegas.”
