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 ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
18/05/2026
Despite a bumpy start to the year, the provider of event-production support and ...
18/05/2026
Daktronics has partnered with the University of North Carolina to manufacture and install 11 LED displays totaling more than 10,000 square feet and more than 14...
18/05/2026
CBS LA has announced a multi-year partnership with the Los Angeles Rams, covering exclusive local broadcasts of Rams preseason games, weekly year-round programm...
18/05/2026
Skyline Communications has announced an integration between its DataMiner xOps p...
18/05/2026
eCLUTCH, the hybrid esports platform powered by iKOMG, has announced an expansion of its distribution across Europe, MENA, Africa, and Asia, along with new cont...
18/05/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/05/2026
With 22 games this season, the production team looks forward to tweaking and enhancing the coverage
After 8,660 days off the air, the WNBA returned to NBC yest...
18/05/2026
(L-R) Midori Francis and Natalie Erika James attend the Saccharine premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 22, 2026, in ...
18/05/2026
Last night, the Spotify Podcast Awards in Mexico returned to the country's capital. Now in its second year, the evening honors creators whose voices are hel...
18/05/2026
ZEN-Core synth goes mobile
Roland's powerful ZEN-Core software synthesizer has just been introduced to the iPad, offering a convenient entry point into ...
18/05/2026
Versatile new limiter plug-in announced
Based in Sheffield, UK, fedDSP offer a range of plug-ins that span the music production, live sound and high-end med...
18/05/2026
A new use for convolution?
Viiri Audio's debut plug-in aims to do something a little different with convolution processing, allowing users to adjust all...
18/05/2026
Delta Goodrem shines for SBS as more than 3.27 million Australians tune in for E...
18/05/2026
The Australian Defence Force uses L3Harris T4 and T7 robots for explosive ordnan...
18/05/2026
Continued investment across Europe and Germany is expanding local teams and improving access to stock, regional expertise, and specialist broadcast support.
CV...
18/05/2026
18 May 2026
Dubai and New York, May 18, 2026 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON), a glob...
18/05/2026
Monday 18 May 2026
Sky News offers ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes for just...
18/05/2026
Comscore March 2026 Consumer AI Chatbot Usage Rankings Show Claude Gaining Share OpenAI's ChatGPT maintains lead while Anthropic's Claude continues to c...
17/05/2026
Delta Goodrem's Eurovision Eclipse marks end of a stellar run
17 May, 2026
Media releases
Bulgaria wins Eurovision 2026
Relive every spellbinding mome...
17/05/2026
Back to All News
Oasis Premieres on Netflix June 19
Entertainment
17 May 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Summer, sunshine, the beach, parties. T...
16/05/2026
Helps to deliver a clean, balanced midrange
Developed alongside Newfangled Audio, the latest plug-in in Eventide's software collection has been designed...
16/05/2026
Brings onboard stem rendering to RANE System One
Engine DJ have just released Engine DJ 5.0, a free update for their Engine DJ OS embedded hardware and Engi...
16/05/2026
Boris FX Continuum Pairs AI Precision and Advanced Creative Controls
Jessie Electa Petrov May 16, 2026
0 Comments
The 2026.5 release adds automatic de...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Reign FC, in partnership with RAVE Foundation an...
15/05/2026
Dan Brumm has served as sound designer on Bluey, the Australian children's t...
15/05/2026
The Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance (PAMA) and Shure Incorporated are accepting applications for the 6th annual Mark Brunner Professional Audio Schola...
15/05/2026
Netflix has announced an expanded NFL schedule for 2026 and beyond under a four-year partnership extension with the NFL through the 2029-30 season. Each season,...
15/05/2026
Ateme is supporting TVRI (Televisi Republik Indonesia) with a contribution and d...
15/05/2026
Concacaf has announced the launch of a new website and mobile app built on Deltatre's FORGE platform. Concacaf.com and the mobile app, available on iOS and ...
15/05/2026
Eutelsat has announced the launch of QBC Business Economic Channel by Qatar Media Corporation, broadcasting in 4K/UHD via Eutelsat's 7/8 West video neighbo...
15/05/2026
Major League Soccer has announced four original content series timed to the 2026...
15/05/2026
The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) has announced it will exhibit and present at InfoComm 2026, taking place June 13-19 at the Las Vegas Convention Cente...
15/05/2026
InfoComm 2026 will take place June 13-19 (exhibits June 17-19) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The show will include sessions and exhibits covering broadcas...
15/05/2026
Tracy McGrady's Ones Basketball League (OBL) and FuboTV Inc. have announced ...
15/05/2026
Disguise has partnered with Creative Technology (CT) to deliver visual playback ...
15/05/2026
Sony Electronics has announced two new products for professional imaging: the Alpha 7R VI full-frame mirrorless camera and the FE 100-400mm F4.5 GM OSS super-te...
15/05/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
15/05/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...
15/05/2026
For sports organizations, the most valuable assets are often the most sensitive:...
15/05/2026
The NFL's broadcast partners released their 2026 regular season schedules ye...
15/05/2026
Besides drawing on experience with boxing, the production integrates specialty c...
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 
