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 ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
22/07/2026
Among other tweaks to coverage, the broadcaster added announce positions in the ...
22/07/2026
The Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN) has reported a sharp acceleration in Australia's sportstech sector, with revenue growth rising from 10% in...
22/07/2026
From a retrofitted broadcast bus to packed Match Day Live! events, Bennett detai...
22/07/2026
TMRW Sports has named Brendan Donohue as President, Flag Football, where he will lead the company's professional flag football business in partnership with ...
22/07/2026
Stephen Arnold Music (SAM) designed and produced soundtracks for nine projection...
22/07/2026
Harmonic has announced a $25,000 donation to Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) fo...
22/07/2026
Telemundo has announced it has acquired from UC3 exclusive U.S. Spanish-language...
22/07/2026
The Rest Is Football, hosted by Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, and Micah Richards, ...
22/07/2026
Sports Studio has announced a partnership with TheSoul Group to distribute Free ...
22/07/2026
Daktronics has concluded its 2026 High School Video Summit, a two-day hybrid event combining virtual sessions with hands-on host school visits across the countr...
22/07/2026
FOR-A America will exhibit at the MMCA Show in Pensacola, Florida (July 21-24), marking the company's first appearance at the house of worship AV event. FOR...
22/07/2026
The New York Yankees have selected Lumen Technologies (NYSE: LUMN) to connect Ya...
22/07/2026
Calrec will exhibit at IBC 2026 (Stand 8.C47) with demonstrations of its IP-native audio ecosystem built around the Argo console range, and will announce two ne...
22/07/2026
Solid State Logic has announced the appointment of Algam EKO as its distributor for SSL large format consoles in Italy, covering the Live, Broadcast, and Studio...
22/07/2026
FloSports has announced the launch of the FloSports Channel, a free ad-supported streaming channel premiering on Prime Video in the U.S. on July 21. The channel...
22/07/2026
Banana Ball TV (BTV), the broadcast operation of the Savannah Bananas, has insta...
22/07/2026
SiriusXM and Audacy have announced an agreement bringing 42 Audacy sports, news, and talk stations from 29 U.S. markets to SiriusXM. Twenty-three Audacy sports ...
22/07/2026
The collaboration produced more than 500 short-form videos across four cities th...
22/07/2026
At 2,600 sq. ft., the new home of digital content houses a main studio, podcast space, and an auxiliary control room
NFL franchises are accelerating their prod...
22/07/2026
Library now available in Engine Player
Another of Eduardo Tarilonte's popular sample libraries has just been moved over to Engine Audio's Engine Pla...
22/07/2026
All-in-one mic & DSP interface overhauled
Cloudvocal have just refreshed the design of their all-in-one mic, audio interface and DSP processor, introducing ...
22/07/2026
The final boss of the lost dual-op-amp circuit
Electro-Harmonix have just introduced the Deluxe Big Muff Pi 2, which they say offers their latest take on t...
22/07/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
22/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/07/2026
Proven managed IP solution helps broadcasters confidently navigate the future of broadcast distribution
LTN announces it has completed successful satellite-to-...
22/07/2026
Today, Chaos announced V-Ray 7, update 4, eliminating the need for asset conversions and tool switching, which slow down media and entertainment pipelines. Arti...
22/07/2026
An AI playground for the Project Indigo camera app
Marc Levoy July 22, 2026
0 Comments
At left is the user interface of our Playground, running on an ...
22/07/2026
Custom Consoles announces the completion of a large technical furniture project for Radio T l vision Suisse (RTS) at the networks recently inaugurated productio...
22/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/07/2026
Culver City, CA, July 21, 2026 3D streaming infrastructure provider Miris today announced glTF intake, including the binary .glb form, to its spatial streamin...
22/07/2026
Documentary Lo Invisible Captured with Blackmagic PYXIS 6K
Brie Clayton July 21, 2026
0 Comments
Camera's versatile design allowed filmmakers to c...
22/07/2026
AAF Bridge converts AAF and XML Timelines to Ableton Live - and back
Jerome Gardier July 21, 2026
0 Comments
A two-way converter for macOS and Windows...
22/07/2026
From Class to Concert: Explore a Student-Led Production of David Bowies Work Thr...
22/07/2026
A poisoned spy, a secret war, and a small English city contaminated by a deadly chemical weapon. Available on Sky Documentaries from 4 AugustWednesday 22 July 2...
22/07/2026
Audio at Parity: Comscore Launches Transcript-Level Targeting and Measurement wi...
22/07/2026
Arvato Systems and Lobster Enter into a Partnership and Combine the Integration Platform and Managed Services
Flexible integration solutions for cloud, hybrid...
22/07/2026
RT REPORTS NET SURPLUS OF 22.5 MILLION IN 2025...
22/07/2026
In the Opinion of the Censor airs Monday 27 July at 9.35pm on RT One and RT Player
In the Opinion of the Censor looks at how films for theatrical release wer...
22/07/2026
Before a healthcare robot can be useful in the real world, it has to learn how the physical world pushes back. Anatomy varies. Instruments bend, press, slip and...
21/07/2026
New research involving a cross-section of Mongolias independent media landscape finds enthusiasm for AI as a tool to improve efficiency, sustainability and resi...
21/07/2026
With winners Spain having already paraded the World Cup trophy through Madrid in front of millions of fans and the dust now settling on an epic tournament of th...
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 
