See Kevin Hart host a house party in DraftKings’ Super Bowl commercial

DraftKings is taking viewers to Kevin Hart’s Super Bowl party in its Big Game ad.

The 30-second spot, titled “Kevin's Bet,” will run in the first quarter and promotes a free $5 bet for customers in states where the platform is active. It marks DraftKings' third consecutive appearance in the game and is a continuation of the sports betting platform’s work with the comedian.

“The work we did with Kevin at the beginning of the season got a great response from consumers, so we wanted to build on that success,” said Michael Shonkoff, DraftKings’ VP of brand and agency. 

During the party, Hart is shown interacting with multiple celebrities who speculate what Hart's Super Bowl wager will be. The ad features baseball legend David Ortiz, rapper Ludacris, wrestler The Undertaker, skateboarder Tony Hawk, Basketball Hall of Famers Julius Irving and Lisa Leslie, as well as Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith.

“When we got to set, the chemistry was infectious,” Shonkoff said. “They had a great time together. I think some of the best stuff came from trying things and ad-libbing on set.”

DraftKings' internal team came up with the creative and worked with Hartbeat, Hart’s production company, to produce the spot. Max Gutierrez directed the commercial.

DraftKings is also teaming up with Molson Coors for the Super Bowl, allowing its users to make predictions for the brewer's Big Game ad featuring Miller Lite and Coors Light, for the chance to win part of a $500,000 prize pool. The predictions game is free to play and available for those ages 21 and up—but they must participate via the DraftKings app or at a special website. DraftKings is looking to drive sign-ups with the Molson partnership and its own ad.

“We are definitely looking at new users and engagement among existing users who are eligible for the offer,” Shonkoff said. “In addition to that, the opportunity during the Super Bowl is to reinforce affinity for the brand and leadership in the space.”

In the 2022 game, DraftKings featured the Goddess of Fortune, a leather-clad risk-taker who’s shown in the ad taking physical gambles from jumping out of a DraftKings-branded blimp to riding on the back of Evel Knievel’s motorcycle. In 2021, DraftKing made its Super Bowl debut when it aired two 15-second ads which offered Super Bowl viewers the chance to bet for free on fourth-quarter action, such as who will score the last touchdown or whether there will be a 20-yard gain. 

DraftKings’ competitor, FanDuel, is also in the game with its own commercial—a live ad showing  Rob Gronkowski attempting a 25-yard field goal. If Gronk makes the kick, those who bet at least $5 on the Super Bowl using FanDuel will win a share of $10 million in free bets.