A media company has become a sports betting company: The owner of Barstool Sports has agreed to sell the popular and controversial digital sports publisher to Penn National Gaming, a regional. All eSports & gaming accessories. Worry Free Returns. Great Customer Service.

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After nearly crapping out, Penn National Gaming appears to be back on a streak.

1. Dave Portnoy, the controversial founder of Barstool Sports, said Thursday night on Twitter the app is expected to be live around 2 or 3 p.m. Portnoy has taken to social media over the last few.
2. Penn National Gaming, Inc. Today announced that the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has approved a live, real money test period for its new Barstool Sportsbook mobile app in Pennsylvania from.
3. The app is a collaboration with Penn Interactive, risk management company Kambi, and platform provider White Hat Gaming. This is the first launch of the Barstool-branded sportsbook; the plan is to enter other states in the coming months.

Its partnership with Dave Portnoy‘s Barstool Sports at least in part fueled Penn stock’s rise, fall and resurrection from January to June.

Penn National wanted to go big

The roller coaster ride came about because Penn, a top regional gaming company headquartered in the heartland of Pennsylvania just north of Harrisburg — think small-town suburbia set among farm fields and forested small mountains — had bigger aspirations at the start of the year.

What had begun as a family horse racing business wanted to go really big.

Having made itself a presence in nearly every legal US gambling market, with 41 properties and 26,000 employees, Penn was bumping up against economic concentration regulations.

Penn wanted Barstool as an online sports brand

That meant the only way for it to really grow was to tap a new market, a market free of the geographic constraints that came with buying or building yet another property.

The booming online sports betting market — which Penn had only tapped through brick-and-mortar under a past executive team — was its ticket to the gaming stratosphere.

On Jan. 29, Penn National rolled the dice and bought a 36% share of the sports-centric, risque and sometimes raunchy blog and podcast business Barstool Sports.

The purchase was for approximately $135 million in cash and $28 million in shares of non-voting convertible preferred stock. Penn swiftly closed the deal after the announcement.

Additionally, Penn National agreed to increase its ownership of Barstool to approximately 50% through an incremental investment of approximately $62 million at the end of three years.

Barstool brings a new demographic to Penn

Jay Snowden, president and CEO of Penn National, spelled out the rationale of buying a company without an internet gambling platform on the company’s website:

“This exciting new partnership with Barstool Sports reflects our strategy to continue evolving from the nation’s largest regional gaming operator, with 41 properties in 19 states, to a best-in-class omnichannel provider of retail and online gaming and sports betting entertainment.

“With its leading digital content, well-known brand and deep roots in sports betting, Barstool Sports is the ideal partner for Penn National and will enable us to attract a new, younger demographic, which will nicely complement our existing customer database.

“In addition, with 66 million monthly unique visitors, we believe the significant reach of Barstool Sports and loyalty of its audience will lead to meaningful reductions in customer acquisition and promotional costs for our sports betting and online products, significantly enhancing profitability and driving value for our shareholders.”

Coronavirus disrupts the plan — and Penn’s stock value

And on paper, the plan worked at first.

The stock, which had hovered in the $25 to $26 range at the start of the year, hit $38.28 a share on Feb. 13.

Then came COVID-19 and an existential crisis for Penn stock, which bottomed at $4.52 on March 18.

Casinos shut down. Horse tracks shut down. Penn furloughed most employees. Two PA expansion projects, mini-casinos, stopped construction. Assets were sold. A huge stock offering followed to raise cash.

Penn casino reopenings coincide with rising stock price

But now properties are reopening. Employees are returning. But at least at least 1,900 Penn jobs at casinos are gone for good as the company pivots toward online wagering. Resuming work on the mini-casinos in Yorkand Morgantown still awaits, though.

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Meanwhile, Penn is rebranding its retail books to carry the Barstool name. Its mothership casino in PA, Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, is back up and running, and the company is working to create an online presence based on the Barstool brand.

In fact, despite recently announced permanent layoffs, the company is on a hiring tear.

On Monday, CNBC’s Jim Cramer remotely hosted Snowden of Penn, along with Portnoy and Barstool CEO Erika Nardini, on his program The Street.

And while Cramer briefly discussed Penn stock’s up, down and up record so far this year, he only spoke of Barstool and the coronavirus shutdown when laying out the context.

Penn plans August launch of Barstool online betting app

Snowden told Cramer that Penn had 70% of its propertiesoperating at 50% capacity and had called back 11,000 employees. No mention was made of the permanent job losses.

Snowden also told Cramer that the Barstool online book should launch in August. The target would put Penn ahead of the anticipated NFL start.

Nardini spoke of Barstool’s growth across platforms and the devoted audience it delivers.

Davey Day Trader moves the market again

Portnoy, uncharacteristically wearing a suit (brokers referred to as “suits” are frequent targets of his diatribes), predicted that Barstool will be the “dominant player” once sports return.

He boasted later that night on Twitter to his 1.5 million followers:

“I just sold the shit out of myself in Penn National.”

By the next day, Penn’s stock was up more than 17% at midday. Penn closed up about $5 a share, or just under 13%, at $36.82. Several market stories took note.

Two days later, the price has mostly played in the $33 range.

Since his highly publicized shift to “Davey Day Trader Global,” Portnoy has demonstrated an ability to influence stock prices, presumably through his “stoolies” who have followed him into the market. His latest national appearance is yet another example of the “Barstool effect” at work, some say.

Penn National’s imminent expansion into online sports wagering and the long-term stability of the stock price should provide a more accurate picture of the company’s position in the months to come.

Penn National Gaming Set to Launch Barstool Sportsbook Mobile App and iCasino Products in Michigan

Launch to Include Fundraiser for the Barstool Fund to Support Michigan Small Businesses Impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic

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Penn National Gaming, Inc. (Nasdaq: PENN) (“Penn National” or the “Company”) announced today that the Michigan Gaming Control Board (“MGCB”) has approved the Company’s applications to offer online sports wagering and iCasino products in Michigan. Penn National intends to officially launch its Barstool Sportsbook mobile app on iOS and android, as well as desktop at 12:00pm EST on Friday, January 22, 2021 and its iCasino products will follow shortly thereafter, subject to final regulatory approvals. This follows the opening of the Company’s retail Barstool Sportsbook at Greektown Casino Hotel (“Greektown”) in downtown Detroit on December 23, 2020.

“This is an exciting time to be launching our online Barstool Sportsbook in Michigan,” said Jay Snowden, President and CEO of Penn National. “We have been incredibly pleased with the success of the mobile app since launching in Pennsylvania in September. Our customers have thoroughly enjoyed engaging with Dave Portnoy, Dan ‘Big Cat’ Katz and other Barstool fan favorites, and we expect more of the same in Michigan. As the only gaming operator with a fully integrated sports media and entertainment partner, Penn can provide our customers the opportunity to interact with Barstool personalities online and also in-person at our new Barstool Sportsbook at Greektown.”

During the opening weekend of the Barstool Sportsbook, Penn National will be partnering with Barstool Sports on a fundraiser to support Michigan small businesses impacted by COVID-19. From the hours of 12:00pm on Friday, January 22 to 11:59pm on Sunday, January 24, Michigan residents will have their first-time deposit on the Barstool Sportsbook mobile app matched with a donation to The Barstool Fund provided they wager equal or more than their first-time deposit during the weekend. The Barstool Fund was started by Mr. Portnoy in December to raise money to sustain small businesses around the country that have been hard hit by the ongoing pandemic. In addition, visitors to the retail Barstool Sportsbook at Greektown will have their first-time rated wager matched by Greektown Casino with a donation to Fund.

“We’re proud to be able to support those small businesses impacted by COVID-19 as part of our opening plans,” said Mr. Snowden. “I also want to thank the MGCB and its staff for their time and effort in reviewing and approving our applications. In addition, I want to thank our team at Penn Interactive, our great partners at Barstool Sports, and our risk management and platform providers, Kambi and White Hat Gaming, for their many months of hard work and collaboration. We’re off to a fast start in 2021 and look forward to continuing our Company’s evolution into the leading omni-channel provider of retail and online gaming, live racing and sports betting entertainment,” concluded Mr. Snowden.

About Penn National Gaming

With the nation's largest and most diversified regional gaming footprint, including 41 properties across 19 states, Penn National continues to evolve into a highly innovative omni-channel provider of retail and online gaming, live racing and sports betting entertainment. The Company's properties feature approximately 50,000 gaming machines, 1,300 table games and 8,800 hotel rooms, and operate under various well-known brands, including Hollywood, Ameristar, and L'Auberge. Our wholly-owned interactive division, Penn Interactive, operates retail sports betting across the Company's portfolio, as well online social casino, bingo, and iCasino products. In February 2020, Penn National entered into a strategic partnership with Barstool Sports, whereby Barstool is exclusively promoting the Company's land-based and online casinos and sports betting products, including the Barstool Sportsbook mobile app, to its national audience. The Company's omni-channel approach is bolstered by the mychoice loyalty program, which rewards and recognizes its over 20 million members for their loyalty to both retail and online gaming and sports betting products with the most dynamic set of offers, experiences, and service levels in the industry.

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About Barstool Sports

Founded in 2003 by David Portnoy, Barstool Sports is a leading digital sports, entertainment and media platform that delivers original content across blogs, podcasts, radio, video and social, supported by nearly 70 dedicated personalities. It benefits from its base of loyal monthly unique visitors, including an estimated 48% of males and 44% of females in the Millennial and Generation X generations across the United States. In 2019, Barstool Sports grew by approximately 65%, delivering nearly $100 million in revenue from digital and audio advertising, ecommerce, events, licensing and subscription.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “expects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “goal,” “seeks,” “may,” “will,” “should,” or “anticipates” or the negative or other variations of these or similar words, or by discussions of future events, strategies or risks and uncertainties. Such statements are all subject to risks, uncertainties and changes in circumstances that could significantly affect the Company’s future financial results and business. Accordingly, the Company cautions that the forward-looking statements contained herein are qualified by important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected by such statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, risks related to the following: (a) the magnitude and duration of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on capital markets, general economic conditions, unemployment, consumer spending and the Company’s liquidity, financial condition, supply chain, operations and personnel; (b) the launch of the Barstool Sportsbook app is subject to regulatory approvals, which may be delayed; (c) the impact of significant competition from other companies for online sports betting; (d) the Company’s ability to achieve the expected financial returns related to its Barstool Sportsbook app; (e) the risk of failing to maintain the integrity of the Company’s information technology infrastructure and safeguard its business, employee and customer data in connection with the Company’s online sports betting; (f) the Company’s and its business partners’ ability to obtain various regulatory approvals required to own, develop and/or operate the Barstool Sportsbook app may be delayed or may not occur; and (g) other factors included in “Risk Factors” of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2020, June 30, 2020 and September 30, 2020, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, each as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company does not intend to update publicly any forward-looking statements except as required by law. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release may not occur.

Eric Schippers
Senior Vice President, Public Affairs
Penn National Gaming
610/373-2400

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Joseph N. Jaffoni, Richard Land
JCIR
212/835-8500 or penn@jcir.com

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