_____ SPORTSBOOK SEO STRATEGIES

SEO in the sportsbook world isn’t for the faint-hearted.

Between tight regulation, a saturated SERP landscape, and sports media that’s drowning in brand partnerships, the usual tricks just don’t cut it anymore. Everyone’s bidding on the same terms. Everyone’s chasing the same football fixtures. And everyone’s desperate to grab attention in a space where trust is hard-won and easily lost.

So, how do sportsbook brands build genuine authority online without shouting into the void?

The answer isn’t more blog content or throwing money at paid search. It’s smart, strategic Digital PR - backed by data, led by creativity and engineered for links that move the dial.

Here’s how to do it properly, with tips from a digital PR agency that does this day in and day out.

Understanding the unique SEO challenges that sportsbook brands face

If you’re a sportsbook marketer, you already know the drill. Google’s not playing around when it comes to gambling.

• YMYL territory means higher scrutiny on every content piece.
• Ad restrictions limit your reach on traditional PPC.
• Journalists are cautious (at best) about linking to betting brands as a general rule of thumb.

• Your competitors are spending more than ever on link acquisition.

This isn’t retail, fashion or travel. You can’t just launch a flashy product and expect organic buzz. Every link you earn, every ranking you chase, has to be intentional, authoritative and defensible.

That’s where Digital PR earns its keep as a revenue-driving channel.

Top tip

In sportsbook SEO, every link must be earned with purpose - volume alone won’t cut it.

Building brand authority beyond links

There’s a reason sportsbook SEO strategies are obsessed with Domain Rating (DR).

Because in a sector this competitive, the authority of who links to you matters more than volume alone. A handful of links from trusted news outlets or niche-relevant publishers can outperform a hundred from low-tier blogs or forums.

And unlike generic outreach or syndication spam, Digital PR earns links that search engines trust - because the stories genuinely deserve to be covered.

What about AiPR?

AiPR is on the rise, placing greater emphasis on brand mentions - not just links, and not only on high DR sites.

So instead of just chasing links, build a presence. A balance of high DR links and smart brand mentions will move the needle more than either alone.

Digital PR isn’t just about links anymore. It’s about owning the conversation and doing it with stories that genuinely deserve the spotlight.

Top tip

Focus on a blend of high DR links and brand mentions - both move the needle.

Winning media trust with campaigns founded on strong data and insights

Want journalists to cover your brand in a vertical they’re usually wary of? Give them something they can’t ignore.

Sportsbook brands have a natural advantage here: you live in the world of stats, probability and behaviour. That’s editorial gold if you frame it properly.

We’ve seen consistently that campaigns anchored in robust data perform better.

But this only works when the data tells a story that’s relevant, surprising or challenges assumptions. That’s where your creative team earns its money.
 

Top tip

Don’t just present data, tell a story with it that journalists want to publish.

Expanding campaign relevance to reach new audiences

Now, here’s the bit most sportsbook brands get wrong, they assume relevance means sports content.

Wrong.

Yes, sticking close to your product is safe. But it’s also crowded, predictable and, frankly, forgettable. Everyone’s done "top ten clubs with the most red cards" or "Premier League odds versus actual results". The internet is full of that stuff.

Smart brands think laterally, not literally. Odds and probability aren’t just sports concepts, they’re human ones.

Think about where chance, risk, and decision-making show up in everyday life:

• Love: What are the chances of matching with a soulmate on the first try?

• Music: Which one-hit wonders beat the odds to go viral?

• Lifestyle: What are the luckiest postcodes for lottery wins?

• Psychology: Why do people bet, and how do they weigh risk?

These campaigns still connect to your brand, but they open up entirely new media verticals like Lifestyle, Dating, Pop Culture, Entertainment, and even Psychology.

To create this campaign, our team analysed French marriage and divorce data, identifying regions where love seemed to beat the odds. By calculating a clear “love success” ratio and turning the results into a simple, journalist-friendly ranking, we made it easy for media outlets to pick up and share the story.

We also tailored the narrative to regional audiences, offering localised angles that made the insights feel relevant and engaging. This data-led, lifestyle-focused approach helped strengthen the brand authority in the iGaming space while generating coverage that went beyond traditional football-focused content.

If all your Digital PR is football-focused, you’re playing with a restricted playbook. You need variability in your strategy, and creative brains who know how to stretch the theme without snapping relevance.

If all your Digital PR is football-focused, you’re playing with a restricted playbook. You need variability in your strategy, and creative brains who know how to stretch the theme without snapping relevance.

Top tip

Don’t restrict your ideas to sport. Go where the story (and audience) is.

Increasing your odds of coverage with proper pitching and timing

There’s a sweet spot for sportsbook PR timing - and it’s not always when you think.

Yes, seasonality plays a role (Cheltenham, Euros, Premier League openers), but reactive spikes aren’t the only lever. You want to think about cultural timing, too:

• Are there regulatory shifts you can speak to?
• Does the news cycle favour commentary on risk-taking or public sentiment?

• Are there trending formats you can hijack with original data?

Being early is better than being perfect. This isn’t about jumping on every bandwagon - it’s about knowing which wagons to drive.

Top tip

Align your campaigns with cultural moments, not just the sporting calendar.

However, no amount of good timing can save a poor pitch.

In betting PR, your outreach needs to be sharper, faster and way more tailored than most sectors. Journalists have inboxes full of templated "just wanted to share this" emails. If your subject line or intro sounds like everyone else’s, you’ve already lost.

To gain positive journalist responses, give them something to write about:

 

A standout headline that grabs attention

 

 

One killer stat or hook in the first three lines

 

 

Zero jargon

 

 

A clear reason why it’s relevant now

 

Lastly, don’t overbrand. If you’re trying to sneak in spammy anchor text or sales copy, your link’s already dead.

Top tip

Journalists want relevance and value, not a rehashed press release.

Leveraging digital PR for long-term SEO gains

Digital PR isn’t just about coverage, it’s about strategy.

Every piece of PR should support your wider SEO game:

 

Internal links to priority pages

 

 

Topic clusters that reinforce E-E-A-T

 

 

Landing pages that house your PR assets long-term

 

 

Anchor text that feeds your commercial goals

 

That’s how you turn a campaign into a compound asset - one that ranks, earns links and builds trust at the same time.

Top tip

Treat every campaign as a long-term SEO asset, not a one-hit wonder.

Turning iGaming data into stories that stick

iGaming platforms hold a goldmine of data - betting patterns, favourite games, popular sports, player behaviour and win/loss trends. The trick is turning these numbers into stories that grab attention and showcase real expertise.

There are plenty of ways to make it work: highlight surprising favourites during big tournaments, tie betting trends to trending news or cultural moments, reveal shifts in player preferences, or spotlight seasonal spikes around major events. Even quirky or unexpected bets can become curiosity - driven features that journalists love.

The key? Use data creatively.

When done right, it’s not just insight - it’s a powerful way to stand out, spark conversation, and cement your brand as a thought leader in iGaming.

Make it make sense

Digital PR for sportsbook brands isn’t about chasing the same headlines. It’s about finding angles that surprise, data that demands attention and links that move the needle.

It’s not easy, but the upside is huge. Because when you do it right, you don’t just earn coverage, you build a reputation.

Top tip

Don’t just do PR. Do PR that drives rankings, reputation and real ROI.

 

We’ll be at SiGMA in September

Between 1-3 September, we’ll also be digging into how we approach link building for sportsbook brands - and what’s next for iGaming SEO - at SiGMA Euro-Med. We’re proud sponsors of the Sportsbook Award and will be joining the expert panel.

If you’re attending, we’d love to hear from you. Schedule some time with us to discuss how we can help you build a sportsbook strategy that actually works.