From Sports Fan to Sports Bettor: Driving Engagement Through Data-Driven Content
Due to the inherent nature of our industry, sports betting operators have been blessed with an almost infinite amount of player data points. However, the true value these statistics offer has yet to be effectively realised across our sector.
We caught up with Kelly Brooks, CEO of Quarter4 to get a better understanding of how innovative AI-based technology can be leveraged to create fresh content and data that will empower sportsbooks and affiliates to promote their brands and experiences in previously undiscovered ways.
US sports fans are well known for their love of statistics, especially for sports such as the NFL. As online betting continues to grow in popularity, how can sportsbooks or affiliates leverage these statistics to create the most engaging content for their players?
“US sports fans are used to an overwhelming number of statistics. The issue being that these statistics are presented in the same way across many properties. There is no differentiation. Engagement will be the result of transforming traditional statistics into content that educates or excites, in a brand-new way. Technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, can produce new unique data including athlete trends, market advantages or in-game insight discovery. New content and data will empower books and affiliates to promote their brands and experiences in previously undiscovered ways, resulting in brand awareness and retention.”
For many, especially the younger generation, ticket prices for games can be very expensive, limiting their ability to attend these events. Is it possible for operators to still provide their players with the buzzing experience of a live game from the comfort of their homes?
“You can never exactly replicate the live buzz of in-arena attendance. It is an event that possesses truly unique experiences and emotions. What leagues and media and operators can do, is leverage the from-device experience with interactivity, loyalty awards, prizes and in-game content that brings the bettor and fan closer to the stadium seat.”
Traditional sports such as the NFL cover a wide range of audience demographic. How important is it to provide customised and unique data-driven content? How easy is it to implement on a large scale?
“Many other industries have been providing end-users with curated content for years. Personalizing a user journey via relevant data and content delivers multiple benefits. It provides the end customer with a direct pathway to the funnel, and it provides organizations with intimate and powerful knowledge. To implement, there does need to be a continuous analytical approach that reveals what data your users are resonating with. As that is determined, content can be customized to heighten engagement. Whether it is article content or favourite bets, teams or athletes, using technology to curate experience is more critical now than ever.”
How easy is it to convert a sports fan into a sports bettor? What sort of content-related tools are needed for this?
“Awareness and education are very important. To present an unfamiliar bettor with statistics that are based on traditional lines and betting numbers is not personalizing an experience. The user has to educate themselves and navigate a new experience that can potentially be overwhelming. Data simplification and user guides can support them as they learn. If they are more familiar with player statistics and certain sports, then perhaps engaging them with a free-to-play over/under picker is a starting point. They learn the experience and what they are good at.”
You’re speaking at the SBC event very soon. What will your session be about and what will be the key takeaways?
“I am on a panel that is discussing emerging companies in the gaming and betting space and the challenges they are facing when raising capital and establishing themselves as valid and differentiated businesses in the marketplace. The economy is challenging right now, for all companies, but start-ups and scale-ups have unique hurdles to navigate. We need to remain aggressive and adaptable while becoming revenue-positive for our employees and investors.”
Editor’s Note:
After catching up with Kelly, it’s clear that, outside of gaming, developing curated content has been leveraged for years. But this has only really started to be properly deployed in our industry recently, driven by the emergence of new technology, enabling this to be done at scale. Especially with events such as the NFL, which has such a wide and varied viewership, now is the perfect time to be able to turn fans into engaged bettors, enjoying a truly personalised betting experience.
