Genius Sports has launched an updated version of its product, BetVision, which promises to take the sports streaming and in-game betting experience to new levels.
Vice President of Product at Genius Sports Glen Herold is enamoured with his company’s latest creation and enthusiastically showed this new iteration at a recent demonstration event.
This new technology is poised to make waves in several key markets including Michigan in the United States and the Republic of Ireland.
FanDuel, which is owned by Irish gaming giants Flutter Entertainment, is among the US sportsbooks considering utilising the new technology.
A link-up between the two organisations could have a knock-on effect in the Irish market, where operators of betting sites often use innovations championed by Flutter brands.
Herold recently demonstrated to betting operators guests how the technology works using last season’s NFC Championship clash between the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions.
The sleek interface drew excitement from onlookers. Most streaming apps have clunky interfaces, but it was clear that plenty of work had gone into creating a visually appealing look.
BetVision avoids creating an overloaded mobile screen for viewers when they want to toggle between data and betting options.
The landscape mode screen features a seamless data overlay down the right-hand side and across the bottom that accentuates the experience, whether betting or watching.
Users can see odds and lines including points spread, odds-to-win, and over/under for each team. There are also several player and game props that punters can wager on.
During the demonstration, Herold placed a bet on Detroit’s Amon-Ra St Brown to record more than 83.5 receiving yards.
After placing the bet, a St Brown tile appeared at the bottom of the screen. It tracked his progress throughout the match and relayed information to the users.
The app provided details about every catch St Brown made to ensure users knew how their wagers were progressing. Odds on different outcomes were updated immediately after possession changed hands.
However, the most impressive feature is the Prime Video player tracking system. It highlights the players most likely to impact the game.
When the 49ers had possession, the app immediately singled out Christian McCaffery, Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk as potential playmakers. Herold tapped on these players to see prop odds.
BetVision has set out to perfect the watch-and-bet experience, which the NFL and other sports leagues are exploring to boost engagement.
Despite the general positivity about the new innovation, some sceptics have argued that the return on investment does not warrant its utilisation.
Integrating low latency and user-friendly features would undoubtedly improve the experience, but it remains unclear whether it would pull in more viewers than traditional broadcast outlets.
Fans love their big screens and watching the games with fellow fans, and this mobile experience is quite different from the norm. However, the early signs are promising.
Genius Sports will now focus on refining BetVision and its latest features to deliver a final product that thoroughly engages users. They plan to include tools such as display odds, real-time notifications for betting opportunities and player highlights.
As the 2024 NFL season draws tantalisingly closer, users who sign up will likely start with the older version of the app, but the new features will become available in due course.
Adding the new features in phases allows BetVision to adapt while giving users access to their latest improvements.
Sports fans in Michigan, Ireland and other jurisdictions worldwide can look forward to a more immersive and engaging way to enjoy NFL games and place their bets.
