UFC to Launch Real-Time Data for Sportsbooks

Are you a UFC fan? If you are, then this post is for you. Apparently, this renown Mixed Martial Arts promoter in partnership with IMG arena is planning to launch an event centre. UFC president Dana White announced this move, and it signifies a bold step towards improving the viewer experience. This will be UFC’s first in-betting product.

The event centre will bank on the official data feed to reach out to fans through betting. UFC fans are known for their passion for the combat sport, and this presents an option for them to enjoy an enhanced experience by betting on their favourite fighters. Amazingly, fans have an opportunity to stake during a live match which makes the UFC experience better. On the other hand, the betting operators are bound to benefit from the unique fact that UFC suffers no off-season. This means that fans and operators have lots of fun to catch up with.   

Under this deal Sportsbooks and gambling operators will receive official UFC data, logos, fighter bios and photos. However, the sports companies will be required to pay a licensing fee plus a percentage of gross gaming yields. According to UFC’s Chief Operating Officer Lawrence Epstein, the move was triggered by the accelerated growth of in-game betting.

Fans will have a huge array of options to choose from as they enjoy over 50 betting opportunities in every bout. This includes 20 new wagers which are updated in real-time. This is a huge move for UFC as the only betting was done before the fight and with limited options. The only options available were: the winning fighter, the method of winning and number of rounds for the fight.

With the new development, several wagering options are expected to be introduced. Among the potential options include takedown attempts, total strikes, knockdowns and time spent on the floor by the fighter. This deal is widely aimed at improving the viewer numbers, and the media partner on-board is ESPN. In May 2018, ESPN was awarded the broadcasting rights in a five-year deal worth $750 million. With the exposure from ESPN, UFC is bound to succeed in its drive to attract global viewership.

Betting is quite a phenomenon in other sports like basketball, football and baseball. This is because enthusiasts can place their bets even with the game at play. In sports like MMA and boxing, the growth of in-betting is expected to present betting companies and sportsbooks with numerous options due to the reliable data feed. Introduction of in-betting by UFC is expected to change the operations and revenue earning in combat sports. With this move, UFC has cemented its dominance as the global leader of MMA promotion.

The ambitious idea from UFC is certainly no easy fete to implement. The live-betting options cannot compete with other sports. For instance, only 8% of the fans in the IMG arena place bets after the fight has begun. For sports like tennis, the opening serve triggers over 70% of the bets. To attract more in-betting action, UFC ought to formulate mechanisms which will improve their traffic. Incentives will certainly come in handy in their quest to attract huge numbers of bettors. Firstly, fans are already used to only three option, thus making it difficult to conform to the new arrangements. To capture the attention of viewers, UFC ought to introduce an incentive system that will trigger betting participation. Among the incentives to offer include bonuses, rewards, free bets, or refunds.

Introduction of a range of odd options will also help improve the betting action. These options are geared at ensuring that bettors earn significant amounts and rewards without having to stake a lot of money. Also, the new odd options are not sophisticated, which improves the chances of winning handsomely. With the amount of data collected and distributed by UFC, there is bound to be numerous options for staking as sportsbooks and betting companies are expected to come up with unique ways of providing numerous options. Fortunately, an intense sport like MMA coupled with professional management presents a winning situation for the fans, UFC and betting companies. The new options will allow fans to combine several odds to increase their chances of winning hefty amounts. Moreover, the many options mean fans are assured of finding betting options that suit their appetite.

Being able to enjoy in-betting in UFC is a clear signal of the huge strides being taken to develop the sport and at the same time give fans a chance to earn as they cheer on their favourite fighters. This move will certainly impact the world of combat sports, which will translate to increased fortunes. That said, all we can do is wait and witness one of the biggest evolution of sporting history.