The Indianapolis Colts and sports betting partner FanDuel this week launched what’s believed to be a first-of-its-kind ticket package aimed at sports bettors.

The Colts FanDuel Pass costs $200 and includes tickets to four preselected regular season home games, along with $25 per game in gaming credit for FanDuel’s sports book app.

The package has two variations: The first includes home games against Seattle, Tennessee, the New York Jets and New England. The second features contests against the Los Angeles Rams, Houston, Jacksonville and Las Vegas.

The Tampa Bay game—which Colts executives expect to be a sell-out—is not available with either package.

Roger VanDerSnick, chief sales and marketing officer for the Colts, said the move to offer free betting credits is likely to draw a younger, more bet-friendly crowd than those who typically invest hundreds of dollars in season ticket packages.

“FanDuel is a sizable partner of ours, so we’re routinely looking for activation ideas that work for them. Data shows that legal sports betting folks generally skew younger.” he said. “This is an idea that been percolating on for a while in other forms, but this is how it materialized. We pitched it to FanDuel and they liked it—our ticketing group loves it.”

The promotional packages are open for anyone 21 years and older, although new bettors will have to create a FanDuel account to claim their credit.

That credit - deposited in $25 installments the week of each game - is also limited to $100 per account, meaning if someone buys two sets of tickets they won’t receive double the betting credit, VanDerSnick said. Terrace level seats will be assigned to the tickets 48 hours before each game.

The move to provide a partnership is a win for both the Colts and FanDuel, he said, because “as we continue to fill the stadium back up with season ticket holders, generally those are the last seats that sell.”

The partnership also gives exposure to FanDuel to bring in new customers, who will be able to use the betting credit however they wish.

“FanDuel knows what happens when people bet and what the take rate is,” VanDerSnick said. “They’ve done the math … and they’ve decided that it makes sense for them to provide $100 credit in this situation, as a way to drive their business through incremental signups.”

Colts FanDuel Fan Pass members are also expected to have priority access to 2021 playoff tickets—after current season ticket holders—and location preference for 2022 season tickets.

This article excerpt is a reprint from the Indianapolis Business Journal. To view the complete story, comment and share, click here.