One of the most under-the-radar M&A trends of 2018 was in the sports gambling space.
It slipped past the attention of many investors thanks to the rise of marijuana, cryptocurrencies, and the ever-frantic pace of consolidation in the tech sector.
But make no mistake, sports gambling is coming to a state near you, and it will be a huge profit opportunity for those who get in early.
Like cannabis, sports gambling will bring much-needed tax revenue to states and municipalities across the country. By 2023, the size of the U.S. sports betting market is expected to reach $3.1 billion.
Now, we've talked about M&A in cybersecurity and banking, industries that are more established and are seeing incredible consolidation among a few big names.
But I love when new industries pop up out of nowhere thanks to deregulation. Like the rush of marijuana deals we saw in 2018, sports gambling has seen a similar wave of dealmaking.
That's how I delivered investors a 103% gain on Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: DDE), and double-digit gains on Nevada Gold & Casinos (NYSE: UWN) in 2018.
But the wave of M&A in legal gambling is just getting started.
And today, I wanted to share one company that I expect will far surpass the gains I just mentioned...
How to Make the Most Money from the Gambling Industry in 2019
Eventually, most states will legalize sports betting, or they will be forced to watch their citizens donate money to their neighbors.
I think legalization spreads faster than many analysts currently anticipate because the tax revenue is so sorely needed.
Shocking: This $400 billion black market is going mainstream.
That's already kicked off an early round of acquisitions since the laws changed.
Scientific Games Corp. (NASDAQ: SGMS) snapped up sports data provider Don Best Sports Corp. Boyd Gaming Corp. teamed with FanDuel Sports, while Paddy Power Betfair purchased Meadowland Racetrack in New Jersey, Tioga Downs in New York, and FanDuel.
Despite all the news coverage about deals and partnerships, the mainstream media has overlooked one company that is likely to dominate a huge chunk of the market. In fact, this company is behind the technology used to make sports betting possible.
And this company has once again slipped under the radar.
But that's fine.
It just means there will be more money for us...
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This Is the Gambling Stock to Bet On
International Game Technology Plc. (NYSE: IGT) is one of the largest manufacturers of gaming and slot machines in the world.
IGT provides slot machines for most of the major casino operators here in the United States.
This not only gives it a presence in the gambling marketplace, but it also has allowed the company to establish good relationships with legislators and regulators at the state and federal level.
But wait... there's more.
British bookmaker William Hill has collaborated with the company to offer U.S. lotteries a full-service solution for sports betting. It even has a contract with the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians to provide a sports gambling platform in the casinos owned by the tribe.
By bringing sports betting to the masses, International Game Technology will see tremendous cash flow growth in the years ahead.
Hedge funds seem to think something good is going to happen with this company, as they increased their holdings in IGT by over 20% in Q3 2018.
Of course, it's been a little rocky lately for shareholders...
The IGT stock price has dropped 43.63% over the last 12 months, and it now trades at less than six times operating cash flows.
This strikes me as a ridiculously undervalued company, given that Jefferies projects the IGT stock price will climb to $33 per share in the next year.
That's a potential profit of 127%.
Wall Street doesn't see it yet, but we could be looking at a triple-digit winner.
Supreme Court Declares This $400 Billion Business Legal
And it's planting a major seed for investors across America...
... because this one tiny company could multiply your wealth by seven times.
Find out how to grab your share of profits thanks to one of the biggest legalization bonanzas we've seen in decades.
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About the Author
Garrett Baldwin is a globally recognized research economist, financial writer, consultant, and political risk analyst with decades of trading experience and degrees in economics, cybersecurity, and business from Johns Hopkins, Purdue, Indiana University, and Northwestern.