Super Bowl – how have providers approached the 2024 edition?
Super Bowl LVIII is upon us and will undoubtedly be one of the biggest betting events of the year. Operators and their third party vendors are sure to have been busy preparing for the Big Game, so we caught up with Callum Broxton, Head of Operations at Checkd Group, Kevin Nunn, Head of Trading – Americas at OpenBet and Mark Nerenberg, COO at Simplebet, to find out how they’ve approached the 2024 edition.
How does the Super Bowl differ from other US sports betting events?
Callum Broxton: There is no event quite like the Super Bowl in the US. Over half of the country will be tuned in to watch the game. Every other sporting fixture pales in comparison and not only does betting on the game attract great interest, but it is the only event in the US where novelty props can catch attention from bettors.
Only during the Super Bowl will fans be betting on whether the national anthem will go over or under a certain length, or on what song Usher will be performing first during his half-time performance. The 49ers are favorites with the spread currently sat at -1.5. The Super Bowl is such a unique event compared to any other due to the intersection it causes between the dedicated and casual sporting fan, many of whom will be placing a bet for the first time.
Kevin Nunn: The Super Bowl is the single largest and most wagered-on betting event in the United States. It combines the pinnacle matchup of the most popular sport with a plethora of side bets that keep fans of all interests engaged. It is not just a football game – it is a massive entertainment event.
This year, we’re elevating our content with 500+ markets, which appeal to existing bettors and those who simply want to enjoy the fun of Super Bowl wagering with limited knowledge of the game.
Compared to other US sports betting events, the Super Bowl means planning year-round to ensure we can guarantee a robust, scalable product that withstands the huge increase in load. Last year, we processed 65,000 bets per second, marking 145% growth in volumes.
Mark Nerenberg: The Super Bowl is far and away the biggest betting event of the year in the U.S. It is an American tradition to go to a Super Bowl party and most likely gamble on squares or prop sheets, so while betting volume is substantial, the larger opportunity is user acquisition and activation.
The Super Bowl presents a chance to attract and engage a large portion of the U.S. population that otherwise is more difficult to reach. Sportsbooks not only look to maximize exposure leading up to the Super Bowl, they also want to maximize the value of these new users by converting them to engage more often.
Similar to the Sportsbooks as a whole, the Super Bowl is a chance for Simplebet to expose a wider audience to micro betting.
Have betting trends evolved from last year’s event and over the course of the regular season? What are the most popular bet types right now?
KN: Betting trends have evolved over the years. In the past, bets were overwhelmingly on the main outcomes of the game, but we have seen a marked increase on player-based markets. Super Bowl will be no exception to this trend.
The main game lines for the outcome of the game are still the most popular, but there is a large uptick in betting on touchdowns, scorers and other player statistical categories, such as how many passing yards.
MN: I think we are still in the early stages here with new states opening up each year, so the trends that are somewhat unique to the U.S. have continued to accelerate. Specifically, Same Game Parlays (SGPs) continue to be the primary focus for operators and thus continue to grow faster than any other form of sports betting.
The majority of SGPs include player props as predicting and following individual athlete performance has been a significant aspect of sports consumption in the U.S. for decades. Unsurprisingly, player prop micro markets have seen the most growth in the micro betting category over the past year.
CB: One trend we will be keying in on during this year’s game is the advancement of in-play betting. While in-play betting has been a staple during the Super Bowl for the past decade, with improved technology and more available betting markets, this is an area that will see great growth this year.
Those bets might be focused on a team that is down making a comeback to win, whether an exact drive for a team will result in a touchdown, or even if a player will catch a pass on a certain drive. We have also seen the rapid growth of same-game parlays and this is a trend that will continue for this year’s game for casual bettors. Despite the margin being weighted more favorably towards the operator, these bets add an extra incentive to watch for the neutral and often younger bettor, who sees an opportunity to win big from a small stake as being particularly attractive.
What markets are you providing for your own operator partners to help differentiate their offering?
MN: In addition to the micro player props mentioned earlier, “Same Drive Parlays” are a unique offering where we see big potential. This combines the SGP experience with micro timeframes, allowing users to predict multiple outcomes in a singular drive. For example, “Purdy will get sacked, Kittle will catch a pass and McCaffrey will score a Touchdown” is a bet that fans can make for any 49ers drive this Super Bowl.
CB: Our SmartPicks technology, found on both the FlashPicks website and app, provides bettors with a reason to place a bet at a partner site. It’s based on the highly successful Smart Acca product we have both rolled out within our own Betting Hub app and licensed to operators in the UK. SmartPicks uses historical statistics and betting data to indicate which teams have been performing well – or poorly – allowing users to make more informed betting decisions across moneyline, spread and total markets.
It is a product that has developed quickly since launch and we have big plans to increase its scope in the coming months and years, providing further value for operators by engaging with a demographic of bettor that understands sport while not necessarily being familiar with online betting. Smart Picks makes the process of betting simple, empowering the end user to use their own judgment. The benefit to the operator is clear, too. 11,000 SmartPicks searches were made during December with users then able to click out directly to their favorite sportsbook, with the margin on these bets compounded with every additional leg a customer includes in their selection.
KN: We provide our operators with as much content as possible to appease a bettor of any interest. Whether they demand a bet that has instant gratification, player-based bets, novelties, or game outcome bets, we will make them available. One element that differentiates the Super Bowl from other events is that we will also offer large odds on outcomes that are difficult to achieve. This way, if history is made in the game, bettors have a chance to claim they bet on that certain historic moment and won, providing even more satisfaction.