SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Fincore is sponsoring Betting on Football 2017, the fourth edition of the largest international football and betting trade conference at Chelsea FC’s Stamford Bridge.
Ahead of the 3-5 May event, we spoke to Director Predrag Popovic about why football is such an attractive sport for betting, how the market is changing from a consumer perspective and how betting and football stakeholders can work more effectively together.
SBC: Why is football such an attractive sport for betting?
PP: It is the world’s most popular sport which offers many questions, often in real-time, that one can have an opinion about. People who bet are used to putting their money either where their heart is, or where their mouth is. Both motives lead to more fun and – more betting.
SBC: From a consumer perspective, how is football betting changing?
PP: It’s becoming much more interesting! Consider that 15 years ago we had none (or next to nothing) of:
- Live betting
- Mobile betting
- Live streaming
- Global coverage of live games on TV (live football is now shown nearly every night)
- Cash-out and other innovations
SBC: How can betting & football stakeholders work better and more effectively together?
PP: A good start would be sport-wide recognition that football and betting can work together for the joint benefit. This goes beyond the already established forms of cooperation (data sharing, sponsorship, integrity issues etc.) and could include joint investments in talent development, sports facilities improvement etc.
SBC: What new technology do you feel will have the biggest impact on football betting?
PP: Goal-line and wearable technologies would first change the game on the pitch, as well as our common perception and enjoyment of it, whereas up in the trading room and in the IT cloud, it will be the wide adoption of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning techniques that will redefine the sports betting offering we know today.
SBC: What key agenda, debate or discussion do you want to hear at BOFCON 2017?
PP: The debate on the future of retail, focusing on FOBTs and SSBTs – I guess I will get to hear it, as I am participating!
