Even the sports betting world is getting in on honoring Jackie Robinson Day.
April 15 is a special day for Major League Baseball with every player honoring the pioneer by wearing his No. 42.
It’s a cool tribute to an icon, who broke the color barrier on April 15, 1947, by suiting up for the Brooklyn Dodgers against the Boston Braves.
DraftKings has a 42% MLB boost Thursday only
DraftKings is giving Michigan sports bettors a 42% profit boost on all MLB games on Thursday.
Sports betting is not exactly the first sector that comes to mind as a place to nod to Robinson, but it’s a fitting promotion, nonetheless.
Detroit sports fans can use it on any game, including Thursday’s four-game series opener for the Detroit Tigers at the Oakland Athletics.
It’s another move by the betting giant to signal a shift into the mainstream of sports fandom.
DraftKings also is hosting a free-to-play $42,000 guaranteed Jackie Robinson Popularity Pool in Robinson’s honor. Entrants answer 10 questions about Robinson in the way you think will be the most popular. If you are right, you win.
Through the offer, DraftKings has partnered with the Jackie Robinson Foundation for a guaranteed $100,000 donation with ad additional $10,000 donated for every 10,000 entrants in the pool. The funds will support the foundation’s mission to provide scholarships to minority students seeking higher education.
MLB commemorating Jackie Robinson Day with gear, activities
MLB also will have a ’42’ logo on uniform sleeves, in addition to team-specific uniform font and colors, along with a patch on hats.
The Players Alliance, with Nike, also designed batting practice T-shirts that players will wear before the game.
MLB Network has produced a special video, narrated by former Tigers outfielder Curtis Granderson, that will be played at MLB stadiums.
MLB.com also has printable education content about Robinson for young fans to complete.
PointsBet, William Hill, FanDuel have weekend MLB promotions
For the third straight Tigers series, PointsBet will be offering Michigan bettors some Home Run Insurance.
In Thursday’s game, fans can bet on one player to hit a home run for Oakland or Detroit at their given odds. If the home run bet doesn’t win, but that player’s team does win the game, up to $25 of the bet will be refunded as a free bet.
PointsBet also has boosted the Tigers moneyline on Thursday night to +175 from +159. Weekend insurance and moneyline possibilities will be released at a later date.
Over at William Hill Sportsbook, a weekend baseball Grand Slam deal has already been disclosed in the promotions section.
On Friday, bettors who place four moneyline wagers of $50 or more on four games that day will receive a $50 free bet.
FanDuel Sportsbook continues its free Home Run Challenge. Each day, you can draft three players and get one point for each home run they hit. If you score three points, you split a share of the $2,000 prize pool. Score six-plus home runs, and you win a share of the bonus $10,000 prize pool.
Load up on promos or play them against each other?
Of course, bettors have the option to load up on some of these promos with the same games, or maybe even play promos from different operators off each other to ensure some free bets.
With or without those betting bonuses, it should be the first weekend of the MLB season where baseball is undoubtedly the focus of the American sports scene.
And it will start Thursday and Friday, with the remembrance of an important figure in American sports.
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