Live streaming powers the next generation of sports betting
Live streaming sports has grown steadily over the past few years following legislative changes in the US sports betting market, unlocking the enormous potential to enhance the interactive live experience. For sports viewers, video quality has long been a sacred condition that cannot be compromised. Things are different now, all because of the advent of in-game betting, or rather, its speed.
Live sports have long relied on linear TV for broadcasting, which is probably the main reason some audiences still haven't cut the cord. Latencies of 20-60 seconds are also uncommon, but so far this has not been a big issue as the need for high quality has been met. Besides, all bets, or at least most bets are placed before the start of each game. Now, as more of the betting takes place in-game, attention is shifting instead to minimizing wait times while maintaining high-quality playouts. At the same time, multiple camera angles will become one of the most sought-after features in the future, making synchronized playback a prerequisite.
A Game of Imbalances and Tradeoffs
Unfortunately, the Achilles' heel of live streaming is the latency associated with the video quality. The too-boring reality is that you can't have it all. Real-time solutions like WebRTC are great at reducing latency to a minimum, but doing so while maintaining high-quality playback has proven difficult. , if not impossible. Especially on congested networks. WebRTC is optimized for instantaneous delivery, so there is no playback buffer to help compensate for network congestion. So even a brief network glitch can result in dropped frames or poor video quality. Moreover, WebRTC incurs significant costs at scale.
At the other end of the spectrum is HLS, which offers solid stability and high quality. However, the result is high latency and a lack of synchronized playback. Orchestrating the transition from traditional linear broadcasting to live streaming is therefore somewhat complex. Previously, video quality was the only concern. Now, latency is added to the equation, and as a result, live sports providers have no viable options at all.
Market forecast
Despite the technological challenges, the field is accelerating. The legalization of sports betting in the United States is on the rise. Two-thirds of states made it legal in 2018 after the Supreme Court gave each state the power to decide the matter individually. Since then, US citizens have bet an astounding total of $125 billion, and market predictions going forward have grown stronger. Similarly, Asia has long been difficult to penetrate due to widespread gambling restrictions. However, Asia is a potential market with close to 60% of the world's population. Given the maturing economy and potential tax revenue streams, there has been a noticeable shift in the approach to gambling. Sports and other forms of gambling are the most popular categories of online gambling in Europe. It is also the category with the highest revenue share. And,
Closer to the action
Traditional pre-game betting offers opportunities for in-depth analysis, but its glory seems to be a part of the past. Live betting means more timely information on what's happening every moment, allowing bettors to immerse themselves in the action and guess what's going to happen next. The opportunities for in-play betting are numerous, especially so-called micro-bets, ie betting on which team will take the most corners and the number of red cards or throw-ins in a football match. In sports such as tennis or volleyball, there is also the possibility of betting by points. This represents a change that is quite different than before, and in this fast-paced operation, every second counts.
Transforming experiences at scale requires solutions that go beyond current real-time standards.
Introducing in-depth statistics and data, even in-game, allows bettors to make more informed decisions. Mobile apps and fast transactions add value, enabling players to bet on the go, increasing accessibility, and improving digital infrastructure with internet penetration and 5G support. Reducing wait times while maintaining high-quality playouts further amplifies the better experience. A full-featured value proposition of this kind will differentiate sports vendors and accommodate bettors on their terms. In-game betting increases the amount you bet, the average amount you bet, and the amount of time you spend on the sportsbook site. In other words, increasing the betting window not only resonates with bettors' new desires, but the business incentives are amazing. So, to solve this problem, the industry needs innovative technology that prioritizes the entire viewing experience. So it goes beyond the current real-time solution imbalance. WebRTC usually champions latency as the only consideration when creating a top-notch live sports experience. However, replicating the experience of attending a 스포츠중계 event goes beyond these types of siled wait times alone. And in that respect, the odds are against current real-time solutions.
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