"Extortionist Leagues": SportRadar Cuts Off Sportsbooks to In-Play Betting
Early last month David Purdum of ESPN reported that betting data distributor Sportradar reportedly had been asking Las Vegas bookmakers for a 1.5% cut of net profits from in-game bets on the NFL in exchange for access to the league’s official data feed.
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The NFL entered into an exclusive distribution deal with SportRadar back in August to include real-time official play-by-play data to sports betting operators in the U.S. and internationally where sports betting is legal and regulated.
This week, Sportradar took drastic action.
This week, Sportradar cut off access to the NFL data feed for multiple Las Vegas sportsbooks. Books had been using the data feed to book in-game wagering.
— David Payne Purdum (@DavidPurdum) October 6, 2019
Some shops chose not to offer in-game wagering on NFL this weekend. Other shops booked in-game on select games manually.
It's not just the books in Vegas.
Robert Walker, Director of Sports Book Operations at USBookmaking, offered his take on the matter. The company he oversees runs two New Mexico sportsbooks.
This should endear them moving forward. I would only take Sportradar if there were no other option and they were threatening to steal my dogs. I should add that I don't know the full story here, other than the books do not (rightfully so) want to pay the extortionist leagues
— Robert Walker (@robertusfsports) October 7, 2019
DeckPrism sports is the answer https://t.co/Wpo86Lq6WZ
— Robert Walker (@robertusfsports) October 7, 2019
They are better manually than Sportradar (in my opinion) and probably better for the industry as you don't have to kick out every winning player.
Apples and oranges. There are other data feeds. There are no television feeds. Although I fought that back in the day as well. If a book thinks league data helps them by all means pay it. I have yet to hear anyone sing Sportradar's praise for US sports. I'll wait
— Robert Walker (@robertusfsports) October 7, 2019
Sports Wagering industry analyst Joe Brennan Jr. warns of likely legal challenges.
Would that include shops that are using Stadium Tech? Since ST holds the data contract with Sportradar, not the operators they service, if SR cut off those operators, an intervention by regulators & a trip to court for “breach of contract” will be upcoming
— Joe Brennan Jr (@joebrennanjr) October 6, 2019
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
