Daily fantasy sports staple PrizePicks is once again making inroads into the world of Major League Baseball, this time with top teams in the NL West.
Key Takeaways
- PrizePicks and the San Diego Padres have announced a partnership naming PrizePicks the club’s official daily fantasy sports partner.
- The deal marks a first for PrizePicks in the state of California, where online sports betting remains illegal.
- With the potential for online sports betting to be legalized in 2026, the deal positions PrizePicks to build their market presence ahead of any potential market changes.
PrizePicks and the San Diego Padres announced on Wednesday a partnership that makes PrizePicks the official daily fantasy sports partner of the ballclub. It also marks the first deal in the state, as sports betting in California remains in something of a gray area.
“The Padres are one of the most dynamic franchises in Major League Baseball, and we’re proud to be part of their journey,” Mike Quigley, chief marketing officer at PrizePicks said via a release. “PrizePicks players and Padres fans share a deep passion for the game, and we look forward to creating new ways to engage and connect with fans both in San Diego and across the country.”
The news comes just a few short weeks after PrizePicks formally partnered with the Atlanta Braves in a similar deal that sees them become their official DFS partner as well.
As for the Padres deal, PrizePicks and its users will be provided with a host of unique opportunities and experiences both within the ballpark and streamed on the Padres official broadcast on Padres.TV. Those will include prominent in-venue branding at Petco Park, home of the Padres, as well as banner advertising on Padres.com and pregame commercial reads during broadcasts.
PrizePicks will also be launching in-game promotions, including a promotion that will see fans invited to participate in a text-to-enter context for the chance to win a $10,000 free PrizePicks lineup and tickets to a future Padres game.
“We are excited to partner with PrizePicks to bring Padres fans even closer to the game of baseball,” Sergio del Prado, Padres executive VP of business affairs outlined. “Together, we are creating unique opportunities for fans to follow and connect with the team and are giving them even more reason to celebrate when the Padres score.”
On Thursday, PrizePicks announced a similar partnership with the San Francisco Giants.
“The Giants are always looking for innovative ways to enhance the fan experience,” said Jason Pearl, chief revenue officer for the Giants. “Partnering with PrizePicks provides our fans with new ways to engage with us and deepen their connection to both the Giants and baseball.”
Sports betting in California still a work in progress
Notably, legal online sports betting is not available in California, with the state previously voting against it back in 2022. It does appear, however, that the path to legalization may not be entirely done after all, as reports from major outlets indicate that sports betting could return to the ballot in 2026.
Additionally, earlier this month, The Sports Betting Alliance, which includes BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics Sportsbook, unveiled a plan that would see California create a single tribal entity that would contract out licenses to national operators. As part of the plan, the operators would pay out a uniform revenue share to the tribal entity each month, with a percentage of revenue provided to California and defined by the location of the bet, rather than a direct state fund.
As for how this may impact PrizePicks, it’s notable that their entrance into the California market could be coming with change on the horizon. As the largest DFS operator in the United States, PrizePicks will look to gain a strong foothold in the state in the years to come, especially if things suddenly change concerning the legality of betting.
