How Joe Fortenbaugh Turned a Passion For Wagering Into an Expanding ESPN Career

When the calendar turns to May, sports fans have any number of unique annual events to tune into. Everything from the NFL releasing its upcoming schedule to the Indianapolis 500 and everything in between. However, for many, this time of year centers on the thrill and excitement of the fastest two minutes in sports. This year’s Kentucky Derby grabbed the attention of a country, setting viewership records not seen since the 1980s. For ESPN’s Joe Fortenbaugh, it was his first weekend not just at Churchill Downs, but covering a sport he had never tried before.

“I’m not a horse handicapper. I don’t do that by trade,” explained Fortenbaugh. “I’ve enjoyed betting horses since I was younger, but I’m not an expert horse player. The beauty of this assignment was for the first time in my life I spent one to two months preparing for this.”

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Fortenbaugh has served as ESPN’s top sports betting analyst since he joined the network in 2020. Throughout the calendar year, he has been the face of sports betting news and information while also providing educated wagers to the viewing public.

Nearly six years into his time with ESPN, the assignment at Churchill Downs presented a unique challenge. Fortenbaugh had to provide analysis and coverage of a sport in which he had little to no prior knowledge before receiving the assignment.

“I put a ton of work into this. To me, that’s the fun of this job. I’m not just offered the opportunity to talk about one sport. I get to talk and cover a bunch of different sports,” says Fortenbaugh. “The knowledge and excitement of following horse racing for a couple of months was a lot of fun.”

A Five-Tool Player

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When Fortenbaugh entered the halls in Bristol, he didn’t want to be a one-tool player. He says his dream job was becoming a multi-platform analyst at ESPN with versatility in sports betting, analysis, and hosting. Over the past five years, he has expanded his reach as a network host and correspondent, covering everything from horse racing to WWE.

He has always maintained a keen ear for feedback from fellow talent and staff to improve.

“I want to find as many no bulls**t people as I can to tell me flat out where I can improve. That’s the only way to get better. People at ESPN are very gracious and kind with their time,” said Fortenbaugh. “If your ego is going to get banged up because someone gave you constructive feedback, you’re probably not long for this industry.”

The path for Fortenbaugh to ESPN was truly unique. Despite earning degrees in law and political science, he pursued his passion for sports and betting from a very young age. His decision to move to Las Vegas in 2001 without a penny to his name was just the start.

Fortenbaugh said his goal was to network with the top handicappers and bookmakers in “Sin City” to gain a foothold in the sports betting industry. Over time, he developed relationships and an education that he still considers invaluable.

Evolving From Radio to TV

However, his passion for sports radio became his first step toward building a career in a blossoming sports media industry.

“I love radio. It’s my heart and soul,” notes Fortenbaugh. “The skillset that I gained from radio to transition to television was invaluable. Anyone who’s thinking about working in television should start a podcast and try crafting content for 45 straight minutes as reps.”

Before arriving at ESPN, Fortenbaugh was a fixture on Audacy’s 95.7 The Game in San Francisco for six years. That experience included three NBA championships for the Golden State Warriors. Which brought a spotlight to Fortenbaugh as the morning voice of the Warriors’ flagship radio station.

He believes his radio background made the transition to television easier. The reason why is it taught him how to condense content for time. However, Fortenbaugh says he wasn’t ready for how his growing network role would include hosting major studio shows like Get Up and First Take.

“The big transition was when they started to ask me to host shows. I had no experience with that on the TV side,” said Fortenbaugh. “At first there was all this terminology. I had no idea what I was doing or what to do to navigate hosting these shows. I felt like I was constantly keeping my head above water. Trying not to screw it up. Rather than being in a calm spot to let your personality shine and have fun.”

Fortenbaugh credits the consistent coaching he continues to receive from ESPN production staff and the hosts he fills in for on these programs.

“The key is to pay attention. I’ve learned more working here and watching these people apply their craft than anything I learned at Penn State or law school,” said Fortenbaugh. “The greatest gift I’ve had working for ESPN is that they’ve used me in so many different departments and shows. I’ve gotten to work with so many amazing people. All I can do is pay attention, and then figure out how to get better as a result.”

A Return to Radio?

During his tenure at ESPN, Fortenbaugh couldn’t leave his love of radio forever. Over a four-year period, he shared a timeslot on ESPN Radio with the likes of Amber Wilson, Chris Carlin, and Q Myers. However, when ESPN Radio announced the addition of The Rich Eisen Show to the weekday lineup, Fortenbaugh departed to focus more on his trajectory in television.

When asked if he could return to his love for radio, Fortenbaugh didn’t dismiss the idea.

“If there is an opportunity, absolutely. However the schedule fits. There are so many moving parts with ESPN. However I can best serve the company is where I want to be,” says Fortenbaugh. “If I really want to do radio but the company says they’d rather have me somewhere else, I’m going to get upset about that… I enjoy exploring the conversation.”

Betting on Balance

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While ESPN and other networks navigate the balance of inserting sports betting content into programming, Fortenbaugh believes ESPN currently maintains a healthy approach. He says network producers and executives have made significant strides in understanding the space, but the goal for presentation isn’t to overwhelm audiences with metrics.

For Fortenbaugh, his method relies on a unique combination when preparing selections for air.

“A combination of metrics and psychology is what I use. Then ultimately, where are you finding a good price? Is there a price that you can exploit?” said Fortenbaugh. “We were trying to strike a balance early on, and I think we’ve done a good job of this. Don’t overcomplicate it for the audience. There’s a sharp, sophisticated audience that looks at what we do and feels it might be a little rudimentary. We’re not going after that audience. We’re trying to relate to new and casual bettors to put them in a position where they might find some plus bets.”

As part of that content strategy, authenticity also plays a major role. Every wager that Fortenbaugh suggests is one he backs with his own money. Additionally, he leans on production staff to help determine which games matter most to the audience, allowing him to tailor selections accordingly.

“We’ll find the balance where the best bets are getting out there. But if we’re focusing on a big game that means a lot to the audience, we’ll do that,” explained Fortenbaugh. “We’ll find a way to get some of my best bets in, but this is a television product we’re putting out. It’s about serving the customer as best we can.”

As Fortenbaugh’s profile continues to expand with added hosting opportunities and new experiences such as his weekend at Churchill Downs, he remains excited about what lies ahead. What began as a strategic move to build connections within the sports betting space has evolved into a defining role at ESPN, meeting the demands of a growing audience for wagering content.

In many ways, Fortenbaugh’s journey mirrors the very bets he encourages viewers to make. They are informed, calculated, and rooted in a willingness to embrace uncertainty.

From arriving in Las Vegas with nothing but ambition to stepping onto the grounds of Churchill Downs with a fresh perspective, Fortenbaugh’s career has been built on preparation meeting opportunity.

And in this business, that might be the smartest bet of all.

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John Mamola

John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at [email protected].

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