- DraftKings launched DK Replay, which allows players to bet on the result of each pitch in historical MLB at-bats, similar to historical horse racing.
- Some have raised concerns about the potential for problem gambling due to the quick-hitting nature of the game.
- It is currently only available in Oregon but likely to expand into other states.
SALEM, Ore. – With the beginning of the MLB season, DraftKings has rolled out a new way to bet on baseball – and it has nothing to do with the games being played that day.
DK Replay is a new game similar to historical horse racing (HHR) where players can bet on the results of each pitch for up to five pitches of a random at-bat from hundreds of thousands of plate appearances in past seasons.
Batters and pitchers each earn a “rating” of bronze, silver, or gold based on their stats from that season and players can bet on the result of each pitch to be a ball / hit-by-pitch, strike / foul, or in play.
After the player reaches the fifth pitch of the at-bat or the at bat is ended by a walk, hit-by-pitch, strikeout, or ball in play, the batter, pitcher, and date of the game are revealed.
The game has drawn mixed reactions from people in the sports betting world, with some expressing excitement for the new concept while others have expressed concern about its potential to lead to problem gambling.
The fast paced nature of the game allows for players to continuously bet on pitches rapidly, making it easy to lose track of time and money spent on each pitch. Players can wager $1, $5, $10, or a custom amount on each pitch, which takes place in rapid succession of each other.
The game is only being offered at betting sites in Oregon to begin, but DraftKings intends to expand the game into other states once receiving regulatory approval.
DraftKings will be the first sports betting site to offer this form of betting, so it will be interesting to see if others follow suit, depending on the success of the game.
