The lottery courier app, Jackpocket, is now Barstool Sports’ exclusive and official lottery partner. Through the partnership, Jackpocket will feature within Barstool’s content, following a similar deal that Jackpocket’s parent company, DraftKings, made with Barstool in February.
The partnership was kicked off on November 12 during the Jerry After Dark livestream. Jersey Jerry and the crew went on a search to find a winning lottery ticket among thousands of tickets. Jackpocket and Barstool will work together to bring fans fresh content, activations, and opportunities to win cash and credits.
Barstool followers can participate in lottery events featuring Barstool personalities Dave Portnoy, Big Cat, PFT from Pardon My Take, Wallo, and Gillie from Million Dollaz Worth of Game.
Peter Sullivan, Senior Vice President of Lottery at DraftKings, shared his excitement about the partnership:
Barstool is an American entertainment powerhouse that Jackpocket fans know and love. This collaboration allows us to reach our players directly and bring Jackpocket’s easy, convenient lottery experience to more like-minded Americans. We’re excited to bring fans opportunities to have fun and potentially win big with the best in the business.
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Expansion of Barstool and DraftKings Partnership
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy also praised the Jackpocket deal, emphasizing its potential to enhance Barstool’s fan engagement:
Everyone knows we’re teamed up with DraftKings, and now we’re excited to be bringing Jackpocket into the mix. Our relationship is all about making it super easy for our fans to get in on the action, no matter where they are. What’s better than being able to play the lottery, and potentially win the jackpot, straight from your phone. Jackpocket makes it simple and fun.
The partnership became the second collaboration between Barstool and DraftKings, which acquired Jackpocket for $750 million earlier this year. In February, minutes after the Super Bowl, Portnoy announced that DraftKings would become Barstool’s exclusive sports betting partner through a “multi-year monster deal.” Barstool integrates DraftKings odds into its content through the deal and refers users to the sportsbook. Meanwhile, DraftKings offers Barstool merchandise in their DK Shop and runs similar Barstool content promotions like the Jackpocket deal.
That’s the second time DraftKings has become Barstool’s sports betting partner. The two worked together from 2014 until Barstool’s deal with Penn Entertainment. In 2020, Penn purchased a minority stake in the digital media and launched Barstool Sportsbook (and casino in some states) in 2021. The same year, Penn gained 100% ownership of Barstool, suggesting the company believed the sportsbook would resonate with players.
After Penn, Barstool Returns to Its Roots
The renewed partnership with DraftKings and now Jackpocket brings Barstool back into the gambling space but with a different approach. In August 2023, months after speculations, Penn cut ties with Barstool to team up with ESPN and launch ESPN Bet. While it paid around half a billion for Barstool, Penn wrote off its losses and sold Barstool back to Portnoy for only $1.
According to some, a big part of Barstool Sportsbook’s failure to gain a significant market share is that it failed to distance itself from Portnoy. The brand’s founder is a controversial figure whose antics arguably damaged Barstool’s ability to expand its customer base.
As part of the agreement to regain Barstool’s control, Portnoy agreed to a non-compete clause. That meant he couldn’t partner with another sports betting operator until the end of the NFL season. Penn would also receive a percentage of a future Barstool sale. However, Portnoy said he would not sell. By partnering again with DraftKings, he says Barstool is going back to its roots. Rather than trying to get back into the sports betting space as an operator, the brand is focusing on marketing.
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