Mystic Zach Drives Views With Sports Betting Podcast
Mystic Zach's podcast Double Coverage has 200 million short-form views, he partners with licensed vendors to avoid content issues. His approach may set a standard for other creators
Original reporting · digiday.com
Original: “How a sports betting creator drove 200 million short-form views of his podcast”
Read “How a sports betting creator drove 200 million short-form views of his podcast” at Digiday →
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Key points from Digiday’s report
- Mystic Zach's podcast Double Coverage has 200 million short-form views across YouTube and TikTok.
- He partners with licensed vendors, such as DraftKings, to avoid content issues.
- Experts stress the importance of partnering with regulated vendors to ensure brand safety.
Mystic Zach, a sports betting analyst and commentator, has nearly 2 million Instagram followers and a DraftKings-sponsored podcast, Double Coverage, with millions of views across YouTube and TikTok. He has found success by partnering with licensed vendors, according to Digiday.
However, his content approach was previously put to the test when one of his biggest videos was taken off YouTube due to a sponsorship with an offshore betting company. This experience forced him to re-evaluate his strategy and find new partners.
Mystic Zach has since partnered with DraftKings, which he calls an 'anchor sponsor', and has also found other partners, including direct-to-consumer telehealth and online pharmacy brand Hims. He did not disclose the value of these partnerships or their duration.
Experts, such as Mat Micheli, co-CEO and co-founder of Viral Nation, stress the importance of partnering with licensed, regulated vendors to avoid content issues. Micheli notes that betting is now deeply ingrained in the culture of many brands, but creators must be careful to promote only lawful and regulated vendors.
Mystic Zach's creator career is deeply entwined with the world of sports betting, and he has learned to navigate its complexities. He has leveraged his connections in the professional sports and entertainment worlds to ensure Double Coverage has an impressive slate of guests, including WWE wrestler Cody Rhodes and boxing legend Mike Tyson.
He has also focused on creating short-form content, which has driven significant growth for the podcast. Since July, Double Coverage has seen 151 million cumulative views on TikTok and 43.7 million on YouTube, according to platform statistics shared with Digiday. Mystic Zach plans to continue this approach and expand into experiential programming and in-person events.
Questions and answers
What happened to Mystic Zach's video on YouTube?
It was taken off due to a sponsorship with an offshore betting company, which is not a licensed vendor.
Who are some of the guests on Double Coverage?
The podcast has featured guests such as WWE wrestler Cody Rhodes, boxing legend Mike Tyson, and NFL players.
What is Mystic Zach's approach to creating content?
He focuses on creating short-form content and has plans to expand into experiential programming and in-person events.
