Sportradar Adds NBA Betting Integration To League Pass


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NBA betting

The NBA betting experience continues to evolve, though seamless integration is still something the league is working toward. 

On Tuesday, Sportradar announced NBA League Pass will feature “enhanced betting-related functionality” with the integration of emBET. The product will direct bets to DraftKings and FanDuel.

That means, according to a release, “Sports betting content, such as point spreads, over-unders, and money lines, will be seamlessly integrated into the NBA’s live streaming platform, elevating the in-play betting experience.” 

Sportradar has been the official NBA betting data partner since 2016

NBA betting experience not seamless

However, users cannot bet and watch on the same screen at the same time. 

“We’re not taking bets in League Pass by any means. That’s a bridge too far,” NBA vice president of US fantasy and betting Eric Rimsky told LSR at the iGaming Next Conference. “But it’s another step forward with respect to making sure that the operators have inventory next to League Pass. And people can click into the betting operator of choice if there’s something they’re interested in betting during the game.” 

As further explained in the release, “Where sports betting is legal, users can opt-in to have the convenience of viewing and selecting bets directly on NBA League Pass. When ready to place a bet, they are directed to FanDuel or DraftKings, the NBA’s official betting partners, through a seamlessly embedded link.”

Future of NBA betting in League Pass

So where will that simultaneous watch and bet experience be? Either through the NBA app or the actual sportsbook apps.

“It’s so complicated, it’s hard to say,” Rimsky said. “It’s definitely something we’re reviewing and looking at. But it’s too complicated and very complex, not only from the standpoint of the NBA and our rules, but also from a legislative and regulator standpoint.” 

FanDuel was offering free League Pass

At the beginning of the season, FanDuel was offering three free months of NBA League Pass for new customers who place a $5 bet (along with $200 in bonus wagers). 

“FanDuel is committed to offering the top sportsbook product on the market and elevating the entertainment experience for fans this NBA season,” FanDuel COO Mike Raffensperger said in a release at the time. “This year, we’re leveraging the power of our NBA partnership and our industry-leading platform to create an ecosystem where fans can bet on pivotal moments in a game in real-time and watch to see the results, elevating their sports betting and entertainment experience.”

NFL also working on betting stream

In September 2023, multiple sportsbooks began streaming NFL games on their apps.  

NFL VP of business development and strategic investments Brent Lawton spoke to LSR about where things stand in terms of BetVision via Genius Sports

“This year, we sort of got to the point where latency is where it needs to be. Generally around five seconds,” Lawton said. “From the operator standpoint that’s fast enough to power all the in-play or next play markets.” 

What’s next? 

“Seamless integration,” Lawson said. “Bringing the product to life a bit.”