5 Reasons a Live Betting Watchalong Works

It all starts with a question. What do sportsbooks do once customers have placed their bets and the sport begins?

If you look around when sport is live, for example, at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon, what do sportsbooks do to engage and retain customers?

The answer is seemingly not a great deal.

It is for this reason that S:B:M produce and present a live betting watchalong that keeps customers engaged, informed, entertained and more importantly, retained when sport is live. We believe the in-play bettor is under serviced when sport is live and we consider this to have huge market potential.

It has been proven that customers who watch a live betting service stay on a sportsbook for 70% longer, and the number of bets placed is 82% higher than non-viewers.

Here are 5 reasons why a live betting watchalong works.

1 - Real-time data.

In any live sport, from the EPL to the NHL, Formula 1 to golf, tennis to cricket, there is a huge amount of data that can guide people to a particular bet at a particular time.

The magic of a live betting watchalong is this data is presented to bettors in real-time to create compelling call to actions. Bettors are kept informed of the relevant game and betting data. They have no need to leave the sportsbook to find this data, it is presented to them in a fun and engaging way. Here is the bet and here is the reason why.

2 - It Helps Build a Community.

Sport provides an opportunity to connect with others who share similar interests. The social aspect can enhance the enjoyment.

The ability to bet online is mainly a solitary experience. It is you and the device you use to place the bet. A live betting watchalong allows you, from the comfort of your own home, to feel part of a community and share the highs, and lows, of betting and sport with fellow fans, enhancing your experience.

A live betting watchalong is fully interactive, allowing bettors to communicate with each other and with the presenting team. This helps build a community which in turn will create brand loyalty to your sportsbook.

Bettors who feel part of a community will keep coming back which will build a core fan base.

It's this loyal fan base that forms the bedrock of an entire ecosystem, driving engagement with your sportsbook, participating in promotions, entering competitions, and even purchasing tickets to live events and buying exclusive merchandise.

3 - Have fun.

Sport is unpredictable and anything can happen at any moment. This natural drama is precisely what makes our live betting watchalongs so compelling and uniquely engaging. It also makes it fun. Fun is the glue that keeps bettors engaged and watching.

We believe the best way to engage with a bettor is to entertain them.

Unlike traditional broadcasts, our live betting watchalong isn't about providing full match commentary. Instead, it's designed to be the ultimate second-screen experience. This is precisely how most modern sports fans consume live events – with over 80% already using a second device during broadcasts (as estimated by Data Sports Group).

Our live betting watchalong reacts in real-time to the action, tapping into the fun, and passion, of the viewers.

And you can elevate the engagement with "gamification". Include quizzes, fun challenges and competitions, all designed to increase the interaction and improve retention on your site.

4 - Promote responsible gambling.

A live betting watchalong offers you a platform to promote responsible gambling at the precise time bets are being placed.

We constantly promote responsible gambling, always reminding customers that betting is a form of entertainment and not a means to make money and winning is not guaranteed. We understand the social responsibility of a live betting watchalong and avoid betting language such as "bankers".

5 - It makes you stand out.

We have already touched on the point regarding what sportsbooks offer bettors at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon that encourages their customers to stay on their site when football has kicked off. The answer is not a great deal.

Several surveys, particularly in the UK, have consistently found that online bettors hold an average of about three accounts. Research has also shown that younger demographics (18-34 year olds) tend to have more accounts with five or more.

It is vital for a sportsbook to have a greater share of a bettor's "wallet" than their competitors. One way to achieve this is to offer them a unique service that is designed to not just grab their attention, but to keep it when sport is live.

This is another reason a live betting watchalong works. It grabs your customer and gives them a reason to stay.

If you give your customers a reason to stay on your sportsbook when sport is live, they will stay.

If you are interested in a live betting service to retain your customers, contact us here or email info@sportsbroadcastmedia.co.uk