With Gov. Chris Sununu looking on, left rear, Kate Osgood of Birch Rise Farm, holds Joanna, a turkey pardoned by the governor and Executive Council on Monday, Nov. 25, 2019, at the Statehouse in Concord, N.H. In her pardon request, the bird said she may have stolen food and "flown the coop a few times and blocked the flow of traffic." (AP Photo/Holly Ramer)

CONCORD – Thanksgiving week generally brings turkey and football together for millions of Americans, but Gov. Chris Sununu and members of the New Hampshire Executive Council took this concept to a special level during their Monday session at the State House.

In one move, officials pardoned a 2-year-old female turkey named Joanna. The vote of Executive Council members Michael Cryans, Andru Volinsky, Russell Prescott, Theodore Gatsas and Debora Pignatelli was unanimous in sparing the turkey.

During the same meeting, state officials also approved a contract with DraftKings Inc. for the Boston-based sports betting company to offer gambling services for the New Hampshire Lottery.

This means that by January, those in New Hampshire should be able to use DraftKings to bet on football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, boxing, auto racing, horse racing, UFC fighting, or just about any other athletic contest one can imagine – professional or collegiate.

“We moved fast to get this done, and the deal is a win for New Hampshire,” Sununu said of the DraftKings contract. “We are partnering with a world-class company to provide a first-rate customer service experience. With today’s vote, everyone will now be able to bet on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in time for this year’s Super Bowl.”

Officials said they selected DraftKings over the company’s chief competitor, New York City-based FanDuel, and others after a competitive bidding process. They said DraftKings offers the New Hampshire Lottery the best financial package, the most highly rated mobile sports betting app, and the fastest implementation timeline.

The contract provides that the New Hampshire Lottery will receive 50% of gaming revenue from sports betting sales, maximizing revenue for education in the Granite State. Officials said DraftKings also plans to open an office in New Hampshire.

“We look forward to collaborating further with the New Hampshire Lottery to bring the DraftKings experience to sports fans in the Granite State,” DraftKings Chief Revenue Officer and Co-Founder Matt Kalish said. “Our best-in-class mobile sportsbook and several retail locations throughout the state are sure to be a hit with all types of customers as legalized sports betting continues to expand across the country.”

Sununu signed legislation in July authorizing lottery officials to conduct sports betting, which will be allowed through as many as 10 physical sports book locations, along with mobile sports betting.

The sports betting legislation was written to provide individual communities with the option to put the question to voters as to whether to permit the operation of retail sportsbook locations within their communities. The cities of Berlin, Claremont, Franklin, Laconia, Manchester and Somersworth voted in favor of sports book locations during city elections earlier this fall.

Somewhat surprisingly, voters in the city of Nashua narrowly defeated the concept of allowing sports books at Boston Billiard Club & Casino and The River Casino and Sports Bar by a count of 4,733 “no” votes to 4,665 “yes” votes.

“The introduction of sports betting will broaden the appeal of the New Hampshire Lottery and engage new and existing customers, while generating millions of dollars in additional revenue to support education,” New Hampshire Lottery Executive Director Charlie McIntyre added on Monday. “We are working directly with DraftKings to implement a sports betting system that both engages players, while also ensuring all appropriate safeguards are in place. The New Hampshire Lottery and DraftKings expect to launch mobile sports betting this January.”

The sports betting legislation creates a Division of Sports Wagering within the New Hampshire Lottery to oversee sports betting, allows for mobile wagering and prohibits any wagering on New Hampshire college teams or any college games taking place in the Granite State. Players must be 18 or older to make wagers.

Rhode Island is currently the only New England state that has launched sports betting. The one-year anniversary of the launch is Tuesday. Revenue has fallen well short of projections in most states with legalized sports betting.

The U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 paved the way for states to allow sports betting. It is underway in 13 states.