BVGroup launches ‘Lucky Dip’ random bet selector

BVGroup has rolled out a lucky wheel-style auto-selection generator across its portfolio of brands, including BetVictor, aimed at ‘pinstickers’ and low-staking recreational punters.

The product, which is called Lucky Dip, was developed entirely in-house by the Gibraltar-based bookmaker and released in time for this week’s Masters golf tournament in Augusta, Georgia, which started on Thursday, 11 April.

The company has been working on Lucky Dip since the start of the year, having trialled a prototype version in late 2023.

The product works by customers entering their stake and spinning a digital wheel, with their selection governed by a random number generator. Each selection has an equal chance of being chosen, according to the firm.

For the Masters, every one of the 89 players taking part in the four-day event was priced up 75/1 on the Lucky Dip wheel, meaning you could have backed favourite and world number one Scottie Scheffler at 75/1 instead of his true odds of around 5/1.

On the flipside, Lucky Dip could have spat out a three-figure longshot on Zach Johnson at 1,000/1 but you’d have only received 75/1.

As well as being available for European football and the Premier League Darts earier this week, the product is also live for Saturday’s Grand National at Aintree, where all 34 runners are priced up at 30/1 on the wheel.

At the time of writing, 18 horses can be backed with BetVictor’s sportsbook at under 30/1, yet it’s important to note that Lucky Dip markets are ‘win only’.

The product also only involves single bets while cash-out is not available, the privately owned operator states in its rules. Customers aren’t limited to one spin, though.

With around £150m bet on the 2023 Grand National, making it the highest-turnover UK race of the year, BVGroup hopes Lucky Dip can appeal to casual and once-a-year-punters.

Eoin Ryan, director of sportsbook and egaming at BVGroup, told EGR that Lucky Dip will “open some really interesting angles for us to be innovative and produce a highly compelling and engaging user experience”.

He said: “It’s quite different from the traditional betting experience. We wanted it to look and feel different. We’re very happy with the initial version we’ve launched but equally excited about some of the features we can now develop on top of this version.

“We’re confident that, over time, this will evolve into a completely new sports betting experience, and we’re determined to be leaders in this space.”

As for the target audience, Ryan said the product appeals to a wide section of customers but is of most appeal to low-staking customers. “That is what we are seeing already in terms of early trends,” he noted.

Ryan added: “As we head into a busy summer with the Euros, horseracing festivals as well as, of course, the Olympics, we believe Lucky Dip will help us to stand out in the market with a fun, engaging and slick product that can provide customers with a unique way of enjoying some brilliant sporting events.”

Last week, BVGroup announced it is launching Kaizen Gaming’s Betano brand in the UK through a white-label deal.