Bitcoin has well established itself as the number one cryptocurrency online. However, the question is if it can play a role in the number one league in America. Around this time last year, scandals were the tie between the virtual tender and football. However, heading toward the new NFL season, Bitcoin will have a more diverse (and positive) integration with the game.
NFL and Bitcoin Are An interesting Mix
Last summer, former Dallas Cowboys running back Darren McFadden claimed he’s lost $3 million dollars to his manager’s Bitcoin expenditure. However, now that that soap opera is out of the way, the talking point for 2017 becomes Bitcoin sportsbooks. As we all know, Bitcoin sportsbooks have become increasingly popular these past few years. The sports betting public finds comfort using a somewhat unregulated currency to wager with unregulated oddsmakers.
For example, the TopBet sportsbook was one of the first to accept Bitcoin for NFL football wagers. Ever since, the platform has launched a wave of content to educate adopters. An estimated $4.7 billion dollars was bet, legally and illegally, on the Super Bowl last year in the state of Nevada alone. Keeping in mind that’s just for one game and one day, the number of players involved is in the thousands. Let’s also keep in mind that that was done in one state and all the legal bets were made through brick-and-mortar casino sportsbooks.
Bitcoin’s Popularity Increases Among Sportsbetting Enthusiasts
For those not interested in setting foot in a casino (or Nevada for that matter), there’s the online alternative. Given Bitcoin’s rise in popularity and the size of the sports betting community, there’s a very high chance these platforms could see a substantial increase in players. Quite a few service providers have already opted to deal exclusively in BTC, rather than the traditional tenders and methods. The NFL itself won’t begin paying out players in the currency any time soon, though. Still, there is a good chance that fans can take advantage of added incentives nearby or in the stadiums in the near future.
With the Oakland Raiders heading to Las Vegas in 2019, the league will have to open its doors to the possibility of Bitcoin payments. The Vegas Strip now has 19 active BTC ATMs, gentlemen’s clubs dealing almost exclusively with the currency. Furthermore, various hotel receptions and casino cashiers exchange Bitcoin daily. While it’s not a “touchdown” just yet, ‘taking it to the bank’ could have a whole new meaning in just a few short years.
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