Giannis Antetokounmpo Becomes First NBA Star to Sign with Sportsbook

Greek-born international sports betting brand Betano has taken a significant step to improve the reputation, legitimacy, and exposure of its goods globally. It accomplished this by appointing Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo as its first-ever global brand ambassador. On many levels, the collaboration makes sense. Betano and Giannis both have Greek ancestry, are well-known internationally, and aspire to be the biggest and finest in their respective fields.

Both parties stand to win from the worldwide ambassador agreement, with Antetokounmpo receiving additional media exposure in the international sports market and earning the distinction of being the first NBA player to ever enter into a collaboration with a bookmaker. And Betano gets to cover its global branding in pictures of arguably the most dominant player in the NBA right now. Only a select few strategies are guaranteed to overnight dramatically increase a sportsbook’s exposure. One of them is hiring a living sports legend with a highly identifiable visage to serve as your spokesperson.

Betano, a business that was founded less than ten years ago, has definitely acquired traction in the world of sports betting. Currently, the business operates in 12 nations in Europe, Latin America, and North America. The “Greek Freak” Antetokounmpo provides Betano with international fame, a reputation for hard effort, and a blue collar, lunch pail identity. The two-time NBA MVP and 2021 NBA champion will be widely featured on everything Betano, from print to TV to all of Betano’s social media campaigns, as well as in branded content, promotional features, and as the sportsbook’s face.

Each organization’s drive to advance their profession and become the world’s finest at what they do is highlighted in Betano’s global ambassador association with Antetokounmpo. Antetokounmpo was extremely complimentary of Betano’s dedication to greatness. “In Betano, I have discovered a perfect fit, not just in our common enthusiasm for sports but also in our drive and dedication to continual progress,” he stated in remarks made after the collaboration announcement.

Giannis was lauded for being the ideal spokesperson for their brand by George Daskalakis, co-founder and CEO of Kaizen Gaming, the parent business of the Betano brand. “Giannis exemplifies all that we value at Kaizen Gaming, and that is hard work, devotion, ongoing progress, and above all, humility.” Daskalakis said to the media.

Betano is the first sportsbook in the world to partner with an NBA player, but now that the sponsorship barrier has been broken, it is likely not to be the last. The global ambassador agreement may also signal the beginning of a wave of professional athletes joining one of the numerous sportsbooks present, especially in the North American markets. There aren’t many current, active sports stars who have contracts in place with companies like FanDuel, DraftKings, and Caesars, among others, aside from Edmonton Oilers mega-star Connor McDavid, who signed up with BetMGM last year.

Betano may soon have access to a wealth of sponsorship opportunities, though it’s possible that none of them will ever match the significance of the Giannis signing.