Sep 19, 2026
Prediction markets are booming but sportsbooks still dominate NFL betting
Read Article Betr's response to HBO shows how hard prediction markets are fighting for attention
Updated: | First published:
Written by Damien Souness, Chief Experience Officer
Reviewed by Nick Slade
Betr says HBO does not own Jeremy Piven or Adrian Grenier and is standing by its viral campaign despite the network's legal threat.
Betr says it will not pull its Jeremy Piven and Adrian Grenier campaign after receiving a cease and desist from HBO over its resemblance to Entourage.
"HBO owns Entourage. It does not own Jeremy Piven and Adrian Grenier," Betr said in a statement issued to Variety.
"When HBO was sued over Ballers and Six Feet Under, it told the courts that Miami parties, celebrity lifestyles, and fast-talking characters belong to everyone. It won that argument.
"Now that it is the one complaining, those same elements have become HBO's sole and exclusive property. HBO cannot have it both ways, and it should not expect anyone to take its letter seriously when it is arguing against itself."
It is a very Betr response.
But for bettors, the campaign is perhaps more interesting for what it says about how brands compete for their attention.
I found my boy… @adriangrenier @betr pic.twitter.com/aL2yudb8MG
— Jeremy Piven (@jeremypiven) September 8, 2026
Betr is selling familiarity before it sells the product
The campaign promotes Betr 2.0, the company's "super app" combining prediction markets, social casino games, and other products.
Rather than leading with how those products work, Betr reunited Piven and Grenier and leaned heavily into Entourage nostalgia.
According to Betr, the campaign generated nearly 10 million organic social views in less than 24 hours. Entourage creator Doug Ellin later described it as "trash and theft. Period."
The HBO dispute has only created more attention.
Prediction-market brands are fighting for attention
Betr is not alone.
Polymarket has used LeBron James, Derek Jeter, Eli Manning, and other major sports figures in its marketing, while Novig has leaned on Sydney Sweeney.
The tactics are different, but the goal is similar: make prediction markets feel familiar, mainstream, and hard to ignore.
What bettors should take from it
Celebrity marketing can tell you how aggressively a company wants your attention.
It tells you much less about whether the product itself offers good value.
Once the nostalgia and controversy have done their job, bettors still need to look at the basics:
- What markets are available
- How pricing and payouts work
- What fees may apply
- What promotions are available
- How the product compares with alternatives
Dimers has a full review of Betr, which carried a 3.9 out of 5 rating at the time of publication. You can also see the latest Betr offers available through Dimers.
The ad can win your attention. The product still has to earn your money.
To give you the most accurate and helpful information, this article has been reviewed and edited by Nick Slade through our fact-checking process.
Damien Souness is Chief Experience Officer at Cipher Sports Technology Group, helping lead sports media brands such as Dimers. He specializes in creating trustworthy and data-driven content for sports fans, with experience working for globally recognized sports and media organizations.
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