As the sports betting industry gets more competitive, every little advantage is important to help an operator onboard and keep new customers. The first sports panel at the SBC Summit Barcelona Digital looked at what’s been working, and what they expect to be the next big edge in the market.
Player props have been huge, and new innovations like RequestABet from Sky have pushed the market towards more granular offerings, Joe Lee, Head of Great Britain & Ireland – Sportsbook Trading, Paddy Power said. “The key aspect is data, and people to interpret that data,” Lee said.
But the markets have yet to spread to all sports, and Philippe Joos, Head of Product & Innovation at Napoleon Sports & Casino, as well as moderator Andrew Dagnall, CEO of Bettorlogic, noted that ground could still be gained by expanding into cycling, in the case of Belgium, and golf, both of which could offer great live betting opportunities. Lee noted though that when they’ve expanded markets, they’ve seen a lack of consistent interest.
The danger of expanding the number of markets offered is that players may get confused, and not find the bet they most want to make. That’s where a great UX becomes mandatory. “We have to present to the audience the 5, 6, 7 most popular markets and then an easy navigation to get to the rest,” said Dimos Stranomitis, COO Altenar. The other panelists agreed. “It’s indeed crucial for the player to not lose the oversight,” said Joos, while Lee provided U.S. sportsbooks as an exemplary option.