Sports betting operator PointsBet announced Wednesday it has named former quarterback and football analyst Ryan Leaf as the newest addition to its talent roster.
Leaf, who joined ESPN in 2019 as a college football analyst and is a regular contributor on SportsCenter and College Football Live, will be hosting The Straight Line with Ryan Leaf, which will be broadcasted four times a week with NFL editions on Monday, Thursday, and Friday and a college football edition on Wednesday.
The Straight Line with Ryan Leaf features NFL and College Football storylines with wagering analysis targeting spreads, totals, player props, futures, and more.
We’re delighted to announce former QB & football analyst @RyanDLeaf as the newest addition to our talent roster and the launch of a state-of-the-art studio in the heart of NYC! Leaf will be hosting a new PB show, broadcasted 4 times a week.
Read more: https://t.co/Fb70MBBug5 pic.twitter.com/obMz2uK9AB
— PointsBet Communications (@PB_Comms) September 7, 2022
Ryan Leaf said: “I’m thrilled to join the PointsBet team as we work together to produce premium football content during this upcoming football season. With PointsBet’s market-leading emphasis on live betting options and their best-in-class user experience, it was an easy decision. I’m eager to use my knowledge of the game in a new and exciting way that connects me to sports fans and bettors on a regular basis.”
Leaf was selected No. 2 overall in the 1998 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers and spent four years in the league. The former quarterback’s accolades while playing at Washington State included Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year (1997), First Team All-American, Sammy Baugh Quarterback of the Year, and Heisman Trophy finalist.
1st day of school energy!! @PointsBetUSA pic.twitter.com/RS4jL7GDUT
— Ryan D Leaf (@RyanDLeaf) September 8, 2022
In addition to naming Leaf as its latest brand ambassador, in early October, the sportsbook is set to launch a multimedia studio, PointsBet Studio, serving as the central hub for content production. PointsBet USA CEO Johnny Aitken commented: “PointsBet views content as an essential component of the overall sports betting experience.”
He also stated that bettors are increasingly looking to sportsbooks to provide them with high-quality entertaining and informative content. “With the unveiling of the PointsBet Studio, we’re able to produce and curate content in-house that is tailored to the PointsBet user,” he noted. “And we couldn’t be more excited to be kicking off the NFL season with content produced alongside our newest brand ambassador, Ryan Leaf.”
Ryan Leaf
The new digital studio will be located in the heart of downtown Manhattan and will be equipped with the latest technology. The PointsBet Studio will be the home to multiple shows per week with the capabilities to live-stream, record video podcasts, create social-first content, and much more, the brand says.
Liam Roecklein, PointsBet Senior Vice President of Content, said: “We’re excited to partner with former NFL quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist Ryan Leaf for a slate of weekly original shows. We’re focusing on delivering content to bettors that highlight the biggest NFL and College Football storylines while also delivering the most in-depth betting analysis.”
The Straight Line with Ryan Leaf is the first of a slate of shows set to launch in conjunction with the upcoming opening of the PointsBet Studio, the company says.