The memo has gone out at theScoreBet: We must Tweet to repeat.
Based out of Toronto, the company will try to defend its coveted 2020 Battle of the Books title, as the third annual tournament between New Jersey’s 19 sportsbook apps hits the Twitter universe.
This is a March Madness-style, single-elimination contest that will unfold on Play NJ’s Twitter page.
It begins today, March 23, with a slate of three play-in games.
Here is a look at the Battle of the Books 2021 bracket:
The 2021 Battle of the Books voting starts tomorrow. This #MarchMadness bracket-style tournament was created using Twitter polls to let fans crown an Online Sportsbook Champion. A People's Champ! Each time you vote you have a chance to win FREE BETS, & you can win more than once. pic.twitter.com/IBeqyQmNHM
— Play NJ (@playnjcom) March 22, 2021
Battle of the Books play-in round schedule
So like watching NCAA Tournament games on TV, today’s play-in round will feature multiple games. Here are the lineup and official start times for the Twitter polls.
- BetAmerica vs. Resorts sportsbook, 9 a.m.
- Hard Rock sportsbook vs. Tipico, 12:30 p.m.
- Golden Nugget sportsbook vs. WynnBet, 3 p.m.
The second round begins Wednesday. But who will move on?
Twitter users vote to determine the winners of each matchup and thus who advances to the next round.
Gamblers are also eligible to vote in every match in every round and set themselves up for prizes.
Our #BattleOfTheBooks tournament was such a hit the last two years, so we brought it back, and it begins today, March 23, with a slate of three play-in games. Don't know what Battle of the Books is? Well, we're gonna tell you… #sportsbets #MarchMadness #BracketChallenge pic.twitter.com/vmebFFdwa6
— Play NJ (@playnjcom) March 23, 2021
Battle of the Books participation
Anyone who participates in the voting on Twitter will be entered into prize drawings for a chance to win free bets from several of the top NJ online sports betting apps.
The first step is to make sure you visit and follow the Play NJ Twitter page.
Check out the latest #BattleOfTheBooks poll on our feed. Some days will include multiple polls. Make sure to vote for the sportsbook you want to see move on to the next round.
But here’s the important part: LIKE the post. (If you don’t like the post, we won’t know you voted.)
And that’s it.
Follow these simple steps and you’re entered to win the prize in that specific voting matchup.
How to win Battle of the Books prizes
At the conclusion of each matchup, we will randomly select winners from the pool of voters for that round.
Each winner will then receive a direct message from us with how to claim their free bet.
You can vote on every match in every round, for the maximum chances to win.
And by following the Play NJ Twitter page, you’ll be notified each time we start a new poll.
Again, in order to enter, you must place your vote and like the post!
Time to grab a courtside seat
Bettors are right in the middle of the action and can track each match, which takes several hours to play in the later rounds. They notice the lead changes, try to start rallies, and post creative videos.
One user shared Al Michaels’ famous “Do You Believe in Miracles…YES” call from the United States Olympic Team’s monumental 1980 upset over the Soviet Union after an upset in this tournament.
Battle of the Books has drawn rave reviews, prompted impassioned tweets in the last voting moments, and produced some nail-biting finales.
One match last year ended tied and needed an overtime session.
Buzzer-beaters? OT Tweets? You gotta love it.
The tweeting between users, and their loyal books, enhance the atmosphere.
This is fun, it’s a chance to sound off on the tournament and enjoy the gambling community.
TheScore, which nipped FanDuel sportsbook in a tight finale last year. They join year-one winner PointsBet as the first two Battle of the Books champions.
LET'S GET READY TO BATTLE!
Started w/ 16 sportsbooks & only 2 remain.
Voting starts NOW!
Who will become the 2020 #BattleOfTheBooks champion?@FDSportsbook vs @theScoreBetVote, follow, &❤️ for a chance to win $25 from @DraftKings or @FanDuel. TWO voters will be chosen.
— Play NJ (@playnjcom) April 3, 2020
Being named the best in the business in the prominent Garden State wasn’t lost on company officials. A euphoric roar went up from team members when it won the back-and-forth finale. That included a taut series of lead changes overnight and into the wee hours of the morning.
There were unconfirmed reports of a team parade through downtown Toronto the following week.
What we can confirm is that the tournament provided a year’s worth of bragging rights for theScore Bet.
Battle of the Books interest rises each year
“There’s been tremendous excitement connected with the Battle of the Books,” tournament founder and coordinator Pete Amato said. “It’s one thing for the books to attract customers, but a tournament tweet goes even further. It’s a testimonial, an endorsement.”
“The books LOVE the Twitter action.”
And they need it. The field is loaded with competitors. It will take more endorsements to win every battle.
“Battle of the Books is going to be HUGE,” Amato said. “This is far more competition now, it means more. How do you think described loved saying they beat the big boys last year? You know that meant a lot to their business.”
The Big Boys believe they will have more to say this year.
DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel both have a No. 1 seed and they have beefed up their lineups. More Twitter users. More states. More promos. More odds boosts.
They’ve both invested in “free agents,” an army of impressive publicists, and an entire department dedicated to promotions.
FanDuel recently lured nearly half a million gamblers to get on board with its Spread the Love promo for the Michigan State-UCLA First Four contest.
Both books leverage impressive bankrolls to entice new players with no-brainer sign-up bonuses and existing gamblers with odds boosts.
The improvement of the industry giants has been the talk of pre-tournament media talk.
Will the money talk? Does that translate into more Twitter users and votes?
Battle of the Books will provide an answer.
Both books have more firepower than last year.
But theScore Bet has memories. It toppled both DraftKings and FanDuel last year.
Will it happen again? We will find out soon enough.
Be sure to follow Battle of the Books news on the Play NJ and NJ Betting websites.
