PointsBet reaps Nellie Analytics benefits with NFL 'Lightning Bets' feature
Operator hails 108% week on week rise in handle and 184% increase in unique customers as content and tech focus pay dividends
PointsBet has unveiled a new NFL ‘Lightning Bets’ feature on its app, an addition which has already delivered triple-digit week on week (WoW) gains, the operator has confirmed.
The Australia-founded business has reported a 108% WoW increase in Lightning Bets handle, coupled with a 184% increase in unique customers using the PointsBet app.
During week 5 of Sunday Night Football, NFL Lightning Bets were the most popular live markets on the PointsBet app and the third highest in terms of handle.
The growth comes just days after PointsBet unveiled its new content-based hub PointsBet+ within the app, enhancements inclusive of clips on betting events with individualized feeds.
PointsBet has committed to building out its live betting offering to differentiate itself from its main US rivals such as DraftKings, BetMGM and FanDuel.
“Placing an emphasis on live betting has become a key objective for PointsBet in its mission to disrupt the sports betting status quo in the North American market.
“Since its entrance in the US, the sportsbook has focused on carving out space where bettors are showing a hunger for them to show up,” the firm said in a statement.
A central spur in this process is the firm’s partnership with Nellie Analytics, a deal clinched as part of the A$94m investment made by SIG Sports Investment Corporation in June.
In the agreement between the two, Nellie Analytics provides extensive sports analytics and modeling to PointsBet on a cost-free basis for an initial period of time but with a view to a longer-term agreement.
PointsBet USA CEO Johnny Aitken welcomed the early results, reiterating the firm’s focus on in-play.
“Live, in-game betting is not only the future of the American sports market, but it’s what the sports bettor wants right now,” he explained.
“We recognize that, and we’ve upped our investment in our product. Lightning bets are a continued development in our strategy to own the future of sports betting.
“Just this week at the 2022 World Congress of Sport, NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum predicted that live betting will soon rise to over 70% of all bets placed,” Aitken added.
Currently, PointsBet offers Lightning Bets to users for NFL, NBA, and college basketball matchups – with additional markets set to be rolled out in the near future for MLB, as well as soccer, ahead of the World Cup.
Over the course of the 2022 NBA Playoffs, Lightning Bets were the second most popular market for customers to bet on with an average stake size of over $100.