The sports gambling landscape has changed significantly over the past decade, and Nick Kostos has had a front-row seat to that. Kostos hosts daily 3-7 p.m. ET show You Better You Bet alongside Ken Barkley, with that show airing on Audacy’s BetQL Network (with the 4-6 p.m. hours daily on Stadium as well, and the whole show also on SiriusXM). He’s been in that role since 2019. But he’s been covering sports gambling since starting at Bleacher Report in 2013, and has also done gambling-focused coverage for Odds Shark, CBS Interactive, and Sports Illustrated.
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Kostos (who will be hosting his show from Las Vegas next week ahead of Super Bowl LVIII) spoke to AA via email this week. He said the gambling focus he’s had for the last decade of his sports media career wasn’t something he’d intended from the start.
“It was kind of a happy accident. When I started my media career as a freshman at Fordham (2001) for WFUV, betting on games wasn’t even on my radar. I didn’t start wagering on games until 2004, and didn’t consider doing betting content until I started covering the NFL for Bleacher Report.”
Kostos said at that point in 2013, he’d built up significant experience gambling, and thought covering the NFL from a betting perspective was a way to stand out.
“At the time, I was a producer for SiriusXM NFL Radio, which helped get me in the door at B/R. But the NFL media landscape is a crowded one, and I saw an opportunity to differentiate myself a bit by leaning into betting content. I had been betting on games every Sunday for nearly a decade, so this was a natural extension of my everyday life.”
He said he was appreciative of how much support Bleacher Report executives provided for the idea at a time when gambling-focused coverage was far less common.
“To B/R’s credit—and remember, this is 2013 we’re talking about, not 2023—they gave me an opportunity. I knew there were a lot of audience members like me—people who loved to bet and sweat games—and at the time, that audience wasn’t really being served. So I decided to make it my primary focus, which was awesome because I actually bet and love the space.”
Kostos said he still has fond memories of his time at Bleacher Report.
“They gave me my first shot at betting content, and the editors I worked with there—chiefly Ian Kenyon and Colin McCullough—were a pleasure to work for and with.”
Throughout Kostos’ run covering sports from a betting perspective, the landscape has shifted significantly. That includes the rise of daily fantasy and then the 2018 Supreme Court decision to strike down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PAPSA), paving the way for increased state-by-state legalization of gambling on sports (and for a lot more sports media betting content). Kostos said his approach has had to evolve a bit with that changing landscape, particularly with rising interest in betting and with more people betting regularly.
“As far as my content goes, the one difference is that it’s gotten a lot smarter,” he said. “It has *had* to get smarter. With more people than ever interested in betting on sports, we have to serve the audience by providing a high-level conversation not just about who we like in the game but why the point spread and total is what it is.”
But he said he’s still doing what’s worked for him, and the largest difference is just the increased numbers of other sports media people and outlets providing gambling-focused content.
“Other than that, while my style and delivery have evolved, and I’ve gotten a lot smarter about the space, the content is largely the same. What has changed is media outlets going much more “in” on the space, because there’s money to be made and a huge appetite for the content. A decade ago, betting was still largely frowned upon by many outlets.
“And that’s not meant to be a shot at those outlets—it’s understandable. But a lot of betting talent now will never know the struggle of a decade ago, even 5+ years ago, and how hard it was to try and get betting content incorporated into traditional media. And that’s not a shot at newer betting talent; I’m happy for them! Just that the landscape in 2024 is light years different from 2014, and for the better.”
Back to Kostos’ own career, 2015 saw him join CBS Interactive around their relaunch of SportsLine. That was his first role specifically focused on betting and fantasy. He wound up doing a lot of projects for them, and was part of the launch of FAST channel CBS Sports HQ in 2018, which he said remains one of his favorite moments from his career. And he said CBSi has had an impressive overall approach to gambling coverage.
“I remember being thrilled when CBSi wanted to hire me in 2015 to do betting and fantasy content in a full-time capacity, a watershed moment for my life and career,” Kostos said. “The executives there all believe in betting content and fantasy content, and our visions overlapped in an awesome way. Helping to launch CBS Sports HQ remains a highlight of my career, and they continue to do outstanding work in the space with shows and podcasts. HQ has betting odds and analysis everywhere, which is really smart. As CBS’ digital properties become more and more intertwined with CBS’ traditional media, I expect their betting content to only grow.”
Another media role for Kostos came at Sports Illustrated. That was for around nine months in 2019, and with the publication facing a lot of uncertainty (there had been rumors that owner Meredith would sell off SI since their late-2017 purchase of parent Time Inc., and those came true in May 2019 with a sale to current owner Authentic). But Kostos said the people he worked with at SI were excellent, and supportive of gambling coverage.
“I can’t speak to anything that has happened since, but they had the presence of mind to feature betting content then, even allowing me creative license to do things like the Board of Spreads, which I now do for BetMGM. Ben Teitelbaum and Andrew Hershkowitz were outstanding to work for and with.”
Along the way, Kostos also did some work for Odds Shark, and he said he’s excited to see that they’re doing more content again these days.
“Odds Shark is starting to get back into the content game now, which is awesome. They were one of the first outlets that really pushed hard to normalize betting content, sponsoring myself and other media members in the Westgate SuperContest. I will always be fond of OS.”
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“As for my current employer, Audacy, I cannot say enough good things. In 2019, Audacy knew it wanted to be “in” on the betting space. 2019! Mike Dee had a vision, and when Mike, my agent, and I first met, it was clear we were on the same page. Since then, Audacy has shown an incredible commitment to betting content.”
And he said Audacy’s only expanded their support for him and for betting coverage despite economic challenges, including around the pandemic.
“The pandemic provided existential moments of dread for me (as it did for everyone). But coming out of the pandemic, not only did Audacy give me a new contract, but they added another betting show. And it’s all since grown into a full-fledged betting network, BetQL, sponsored by BetMGM, and BetRivers before them. As a talent, all you can ask for is an opportunity—and Audacy has provided me (and others) with opportunity. They were prescient with their thoughts on how betting content would unfold and now reap the benefits.”
He said the company’s been great to work with both from their prioritization of betting and from the support they give their talent.
“Audacy is firmly committed to betting content and is always looking for ways to expand our reach. My bosses—from Mitch Rosen and Andrew Williams—all the way to Jeff Sottolano — have been unwavering in that mindset. As a talent, it means the world to know I have the full support, confidence, and trust of my superiors. That’s the most important thing.
“Another important thing is the creative freedom and latitude given to me and my co-host, Ken Barkley. Both Ken and I come from producer backgrounds, and we are trusted to put together great shows. That creative freedom means a lot.”
Kostos said he appreciates how Audacy wants to continue growing their work in the betting space as well.
“There are also their ideas for expansion. This is a company that is looking to push things forward. And as a talent, how could you not be excited about that?”
And Kostos said that working at Audacy has provided him opportunities with Westwood One, BetMGM, and WFAN as well.
“Also, because of my association with Audacy and the success of YBYB, I’ve had the opportunity to work for Westwood One and BetMGM. WW1 is a legacy brand that I respect so much, and being a part of their national NFL broadcasts this year (sponsored by BetMGM) was a career highlight. Bruce Gilbert and his team are a pleasure to work for and with.
“And BetMGM has been an incredible partner, both for YBYB and me personally. Matt Prevost, Mike Manzo, Alex Tavernier, and others have been instrumental in a lot of our and my success. None of these things would happen without Audacy.
“And lastly, the opportunity to host a Sunday morning NFL show on WFAN is something I will never take for granted. I am a lifelong New Yorker who grew up on WFAN, and now I get to host for them on NFL Sundays! For me, it’s the coolest thing.”
Read on for more from Kostos on You Better You Bet, the guests they’ve been able to land, and what makes their show stand out.
