Live From Sportel Monaco: Sportradar's Steve Byrd on the Sports Gambling/Sports Broadcasting Paradigm Growth in sports betting boosts demand for video services to bookmakers By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Tuesday, October 22, 2019 - 10:36 am
Print This Story
Story Highlights
Sportradar has been at the center of sports data and gambling for some time, with Betradar providing all the services required to run a bookmaker operation. The company also works closely with major sports leagues that want to provide video services to bookmakers. At Sportel, the international TV-sports-market event in Monaco this week, Sportradar CCO Steve Byrd discussed the current state of sports gambling as it relates to sports broadcasting with SVG's Ken Kerschbaumer.
Steve Byrd says state legislatures that are learning the ins and outs of legalized gambling are delaying the rollout of gambling across the U.S.
In general, what is the interest in gambling here at Sportel?
A big part of Sportradar's business that we do at this show is the streaming that we do: 45,000 live games a year to betting operators globally where you can watch either in the retail environment or online or on mobile devices. We're here meeting the rightsholders and acquiring the rights to be able to deliver that to betting, and we do that for every MLB game, every NBA game, and, starting this year, every NFL game in certain international markets. We just keep growing the portfolio, and the demand from bookmakers continues to grow for live video content as part of their marketing toolkit and to have moving pictures for the bettors to see, come in, and place a bet. It's not a viewing experience like a full game you would watch at home, but it is intended to have data and information tied into the video and gives people more information, so they are more interested in betting on what they are watching. And that is a big growth business for us.
There is a lot of potential and hope around gambling. What is your sense of the hope vs. the hype in the U.S.?
It has been slower than expected in the U.S. because of the state-by-state nature and the political process. There are state legislatures that have never dealt with a lot of the complexities of this issue. And the fact that they are all doing it a little bit differently has slowed things down significantly. But we see the trends, and, as markets open up, the volume is there. So it's just a matter of getting fully open. That's critical with mobile and multiple options for the consumer. If it's only one licensed operator, if it's only retail, or if there are other restrictions then the market is going to stay offshore and underground. But if they do it like New Jersey has done it, within a year, you're bigger than Las Vegas, which is pretty incredible if you think about it. I think they certainly were ready and did it the right way. And I think states will modify as they go along so they can see the tax revenue they expect. Hopefully, they will watch and learn and continue to accelerate.
What do you see as the opportunity for a regional sports network vs. a national network?
Given the state-by-state nature [of sports-betting legalization], the RSNs are in a particularly good spot because those RSNs in markets where betting has been regulated can be a very focused marketing platform and customer-acquisition partner for the licensed operators. I think that is easier to do than on a national basis right now. It does depend on the sport being broadcast as the leagues have different profiles around how much of the betting information and content they want in the productions, and I do think that, as the technology and OTT platforms continue to thrive, you'll see different productions aimed at different people in much the way the RSNs have tested out betting commentary and content on the screen.
What do you see as the opportunity of in-game betting vs. the traditional way of betting in the U.S., which is prior to the event?
In the U.S., traditionally and culturally, we think about going to a sports book and placing a bet before the game or maybe at halftime. That's not the way the rest of the world does it. As the [U.S.] market matures, the option to place bets in-game will be offered, and it has to be a mobile platform to make that work. But that is the majority of betting in the rest of the world, and it's what drives Sportsradar's business because one of our core competencies is live odds as the gameplay happens with the algorithms and technology we've built up. It's definitely the future, and it is where the volume is.
It's interesting because people think prop bets, like who will do the next something, when they think of in-play betting. And there certainly are prop bets that are available, but those are usually more of a marketing opportunity because people think it's interesting and fun. But the dollars are pretty low relative to the basics of who is going to win, by how much, and how many points are going to be scored. Prop bets are fun, and it does create engagement, but it is not where the majority of the betting is.
Do you think that, regardless of whether a sports network has gambling-specific programming or feeds, there will still be strong benefits because viewer engagement will go up?
That certainly is what the leagues are anticipating out of this. As their partner, we are trying to help drive betting infotainment content to our media clients and interesting markets for the bookmakers with our data and live odds so there is more fan engagement and people have a more vested interest in the game. Plus, there will be straight marketing opportunities for the networks from the licensed bookmakers who will want to reach that audience. So there is direct revenue and fan engagement.
Is there any chanc
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
09/10/2026
September 10 2026, 06:00 (PDT) Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform with New Capabilities at IBC 2026
New Sports Intelligence helps providers better unders...
08/10/2026
Modern venues have come a long way since the tinny, echoing audio of the mid 20t...
08/10/2026
ESPN's first Super Bowl production will stream in English and Spanish on Disney+, while the ESPN App carries the full slate of game, ManningCast, studio, an...
08/10/2026
From high-school videoboards to War Eagle Productions, the Opelika native is learning how to lead shows and capture big moments
The future of live sports produ...
08/10/2026
The Television Academy and Prime Video have announced a six-year agreement making Prime Video the exclusive global home of the Emmy Awards beginning with the 20...
08/10/2026
Techex will exhibit at NAB Show New York 2026 (Booth 623, Javits Center, October...
08/10/2026
X Games has announced the appointment of Steve Rogers as Chief Operating Officer. Rogers previously served as COO of World Supercross and spent nearly a decade ...
08/10/2026
Fonn Group has appointed Trevor Spielmann as Sales Director for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Spielmann joins from EVS, where he held sales and business de...
08/10/2026
The flagship program will originate from major PG events with a four-camera production, live distribution across PGTV, social platforms
Perfect Game is bringin...
08/10/2026
Innovation rarely happens in a vacuum. More often, it happens at the point of collision: when worlds that have run on separate tracks begin to converge. That is...
08/10/2026
For decades, the production and broadcast services business has run on a familia...
08/10/2026
Uplynk, Zixi, BroadView Software, and Grass Valley have published The IP Converg...
08/10/2026
The NFL has announced the return of the Big Data Bowl, the league's analytics competition, now in its ninth year and again powered by AWS. Registration is o...
08/10/2026
Eutelsat has renewed its partnership with T l diffusion d'Alg rie (TDA), Algeria's national broadcasting network operator, for continued distribution of...
08/10/2026
Disney will livestream Super Bowl LXI on February 14, 2027, alongside the game's broadcast on ESPN and ABC. All Disney subscribers in the United States wi...
08/10/2026
RHStv and Red House Streaming have announced an expansion of their partnership w...
08/10/2026
Gray Media has announced a distribution agreement with TEGNA and DAZN to simulca...
08/10/2026
SVG readers can save 10% on registration and receive a complimentary Solutions H...
08/10/2026
PROTON Camera Innovations GmbH has been named a recipient of a 2026 Technology a...
08/10/2026
Industry leaders discuss real-world cloud workflows for live game production, pl...
08/10/2026
The next-gen audio technology joins Dolby Vision as part of Apple TV's immersive F1 experience...
08/10/2026
David France, Jesse Short Bull, Mato Wayuhi, N. Bird Runningwater, Jodi Archambau, Jhane Myers, Paul McGuire, Amber Morning Star Byars, Holly Macarro, Nick Tils...
08/10/2026
Dynamic panning plug-ins get an upgrade
Sound Particles have just announced major updates for two of their popular dynamic panning plug-ins. Energy Panner 2...
08/10/2026
New expandable instrument boasts full DMNO engine
UDO Audio have just announced the upcoming release of a new, expandable synth that packs the power of the ...
08/10/2026
Two new subwoofers added to monitoring line-up
ADAM Audio's monitoring range has just been expanded with two new DSP-equipped subwoofers, the Sub8 PRO a...
08/10/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
08/10/2026
Calrec gives broadcasters freedom of choice at NAB Show New York We're looking forward to meeting up with you all at NAB New York on 21st-22nd October.
Cal...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Globecast, a leading provider of broadcast, media and entertainment managed services, will showcase its next generation of media orchestration services at NAB S...
08/10/2026
Clear-Com played a critical role in the production communications infrastructure for Rock in Rio 2026, one of the world's largest and most recognized music...
08/10/2026
Sohonet Launches ClearView Rush: A Leap Forward in Studio Review, Built for Crea...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Ikegami announces a major expansion to its range of broadcast-quality live production cameras. Scheduled for introduction on Ikegami booth 708 at NAB New York, ...
08/10/2026
Calrec will be located at Booth 444.
Freedom to choose
The media landscape is evolving quickly, and the broadcasters best placed for what comes next will be...
08/10/2026
LiveU has announced that CRD Audiovisuel relied on LiveUs LU900Q intelligent production unit, with built-in native LiveU IQ (LIQ ) connectivity, to deliver live...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Marshall Electronics, a globally recognized provider of high-performance video solutions for broadcast, streaming, AV and professional production, will exhibit ...
08/10/2026
14-hour package also includes A Remarkable Place to Die season 2 as well as libr...
Live From Sportel Monaco: Sportradar's Steve Byrd on the Sports Gambling/Sports Broadcasting Paradigm Growth in sports betting boosts demand for video services to bookmakers By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director 
