Chuck Robinson, Chief Revenue Officer at betting content and data provider BETER, writes for Esport Insider to discuss ESportsBattle, the significance of fast-paced betting content and its impact on player engagement
Fast content has become a part of our daily lives in recent years. Whether it’s watching videos on social media or listening to soundbites from news sites, the way in which people consume information has changed drastically. iGaming has been no exception to this trend.
Since the pandemic, fast content quickly became the go-to for millennial and Gen Z bettors, many of whom are motivated by instant results. Customers want to be able to place a bet quickly and see the outcome of a game in record speeds.
We at BETER noticed that many providers have been slow to respond to the growing demand for fast-paced esports betting content. Due to significant gaps in operators’ schedules, there was an opportunity to unlock additional value with our content.
BETER has been producing fast-paced content for several years now. In 2023 alone, we have produced more than 370,000 ESportsBattle events. We have also racked up more than 1bn views across disciplines such as eFootball, eBasketball, eHockey and CS2, which are available in more than 150 different countries.
These numbers resonate when it comes to deciding what content players actually enjoy. Plans are already in place to generate a greater impact in 2024, with more than 420,000 events planned — all of which will be provided with live streaming, live data and odds.
One of the key benefits of rolling out fast content to partners is the ability to create an entertainment-first product for players to enjoy 24/7/365.
This has become particularly pertinent at a time when it’s becoming increasingly difficult to engage with players. Competition among sportsbooks is continuing to heat up, and this isn’t expected to change any time soon.
Across ESportsBattle’s four disciplines, the team is made up of dedicated specialists, ranging from project managers and referees to ensure integrity to trading and risk specialists. Of course, the athletes cannot be forgotten as well, of which there are more than 300. All semi-professional athletes have successful track records, with many looking to try their hand at the next level and become full-time athletes.
It’s also important to ensure that players are getting the most out of watching ESportsBattle events. Providing the best possible content we believe is a key component to building brand loyalty with bettors and keeping them coming back to a site.
From the operator’s perspective, this type of content serves as a great new client acquisition tool and facilitates the crossover of traditional sports bettors into the esports ecosystem. Moreover, with the UEFA Euro 2024 rapidly approaching, eFootball content also acts as an excellent primer for real football events and serves as a valuable ‘filler’ during gaps in tournaments and throughout the season.
The standards which esports athletes must adhere to should be the exact same as traditional sports, across every different discipline. But in order to achieve that, there needs to be an increased education around the threats of betting manipulation. This is where BETER’s e-learning programme comes in.
In 2023, all BETER athletes completed the integrity e-learning programme and signed up to our whistleblowing platform. Every tournament was overseen by our 24/7 Integrity Operational Centre which monitors and flags any suspicious activities. Only 0.01% of all produced events were flagged for investigation or deemed suspicious in 2023.
Heading further into 2024, fast content is going to play an integral role in the development of the sports betting industry. BETER’s partners — Bet365, BetConstruct, FEG and Kaizen Gaming to name a few — are already using fast content to offer 24/7/365 content to iGaming audiences, with bettors gaining access to more than 35,000 events each month. Meanwhile, the operators are benefitting from a sustainable 7.5% margin. BETER truly believes that fast sports will continue to become a staple in any operator’s portfolio, with esports content also firmly ingrained into that offering.
This article is from our advertiser BETER