Sportsbooks like DraftKings are delighted that the English Premier League (EPL) is ready to get players back onto the field, with the season expected to resume in full force this coming Wednesday. As with all sports leagues that want to get back to action, EPL teams will be adhering to a long list of guidelines established by the league and health officials in the UK, and there’s little doubt that the whole world will be intently watching to see how things go.
Games are going to be played in front of empty stadiums, but broadcasters have come up with some unique solutions to make up for the lack of a live audience. It’s been a difficult couple of months, and fans are excited about seeing all sports come back to life.
DraftKings To Offer EPL Specials
The return of EPL brings a host of betting and Daily Fantasy play options back to the table. To help celebrate the return, DraftKings will be offering several promotional EPL offers. Among them include:
100% Bonus up to $1,000 + $25 Token
T&C APPLY | NJ, MI ONLY Join Now100% Bonus up to $1,000 + $25 Token
T&C APPLY | PA ONLY Join Now$1000 Risk Free Bet
T&C APPLY | NJ, PA, IN, CO, NJ, MI, IA, LA, MS, OH ONLY Join NowFree Live Soccer Bet:
— Place $10 in Live bets and get a $10 Free Live Bet on any soccer matches
— Following Opt-in, place $10+ of live bets on soccer each day and receive a $10 Free Live Bet to use on live soccer for that day
— Users can place multiple bets to reach their qualifying total
— Users can qualify once per day for this promotion
— Bets require minimum odds of -250 or longer (e.g. -200, +150, etc.)
— Once you have placed $10+ in qualifying bets, you will receive a $10 Free Bet to use that day, Free Live bet will expire at 11:59 PM ET that day
— Includes live bets and parlays; excludes free bets, cash out bets, voided bets, and odds boosts
— Bet must be placed in the State of CO, PA, NJ, IA, IN, or WV
EPL 1st Goal Scorer Bonus
100% Bonus up to $1,000 + $25 Token
T&C APPLY | NJ, MI ONLY Join Now100% Bonus up to $1,000 + $25 Token
T&C APPLY | PA ONLY Join Now$1000 Risk Free Bet
T&C APPLY | NJ, PA, IN, CO, NJ, MI, IA, LA, MS, OH ONLY Join Now— Bet with Draftkings on a 1st goal scorer on the best EPL games and get $10 towards a Free Bet for each goal your team scores
– Eligible games: Manchester City vs Arsenal 6/17; Tottenham – Manchester United 6/19; Everton – Liverpool 6/21
– Opt-In and place a $20+ pre-game paid single bet on the ‘First Goal Scorer’ market under ‘Player Props’
– Get $10 towards a Free Bet for each goal your team scores
100% Bonus up to $1,000 + $25 Token
T&C APPLY | NJ, MI ONLY Join Now100% Bonus up to $1,000 + $25 Token
T&C APPLY | PA ONLY Join Now$1000 Risk Free Bet
T&C APPLY | NJ, PA, IN, CO, NJ, MI, IA, LA, MS, OH ONLY Join Now– One qualifying bet per user per game
– Excludes live bets, parlays, cash out bets, free bets, voided bets and odds boosts
– Free Bet issued by 11:59 PM ET the next business day following each game
– Must be in the State of CO, PA, IA, IN, NJ, or WV
The EPL Offers A Unique Soccer Viewing Experience
Not only to bettors have these great EPL specials from Draftkings, but the EPL has turned to a logical, but perhaps unthought of, source to make league games appear more real. For a number of years, FIFA video games, developed by EA Sports, have used live stadium sounds in their Premier League games, as well as others, so the EPL is taking advantage of those recordings. According to the Associated Press, the league will pipe in over 800 different sound clips during the matches, which will give fans at home authentic crowd noise in the background.
According to Andrew Vance, a producer with EA Sports, “The simple way to look at it is the sound operator will be like a DJ. He will have a mix board and sound board where he can hit the button for reaction from a tackle from an away player or a shot from the home team. There is nothing simulated or generic. It is all club-specific content.”
Not everyone likes the idea. Aidan Magee, who covers soccer news for Sky Sports, believes it will leave clubs “open to ridicule,” according to Fox Sports’ Martin Rogers, even though it has already been successfully trialed elsewhere, including with Spain’s La Liga soccer league. Given the global state of affairs, those who would hang onto tradition for tradition’s sake will end getting the short end of the stick.
EPL Fans Can Expect Jersey Alterations
In the US, there have been non-stop riots – some peaceful, some violent – stemming from the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers in Minnesota. The backlash of the incident has reverberated around the world, and similar protests have been seen in major cities across the globe. The UK has not been immune from the demonstrations, some of which have turned ugly, and the EPL is hoping it can help bring attention to racial discrimination without people feeling like they need to resort to violence. The league has something special planned for the first series of games.
Across the first 12 games in the EPL, players’ jerseys are not going to feature their names. Instead, what fans will see is “Black Lives Matter,” as well as the movement’s logo. That logo will continue after the first 12 matches, found in other locations on the players’ jerseys until the end of the season.
The league is unified in the matter, and players agreed to make the changes. Announcing the support last Friday, EPL teams asserted, “We, the players, stand together with the singular objective of eradicating racial prejudice wherever it exists, to bring about a global society of inclusion, respect, and equal opportunities for all, regardless of their colour or creed. This symbol is a sign of unity from all players, all staff, all clubs, all match officials and the Premier League #blacklivesmatter #playerstogether.”
