A Content Analysis of Advertising by Popular Online Sports Betting Companies

Abstract

This study applies McCraken’s (1986) Meaning Transfer Model (MTM) to analyze popular metaphors used in sports betting advertisements. It examines four dominant metaphors and how some attributes from sport can be transferred to sports betting advertisements. The four metaphors that will inform this study are Betting is Loving, Betting as a Sport, Betting as a Natural Environment, and Betting as a Market which come from Lopez-Gonzalez et al. (2017). By examining the way these metaphors frame sports betting as a source of income, competitive, emotional, and instinctual activity, this study highlights how sports betting advertisements use popular narratives to shape consumer perceptions and behaviors. The MTM provides a lens to understand how these metaphors not only influence attitudes towards sports betting, but also strengthen the association between sports and gambling. This is further complicated by the rise in sports betting advertisements, persuasive roles of the media, and celebrity endorsements. The findings suggest that while these metaphors enhance engagement, they also raise concerns about the normalization and potential risks associated with gambling behavior.