- The NBA will only allow sports betting companies it has partnered with to have access to the league’s official data stream during the finals.
- Sportsbooks generally use the leagues’ live data in order to form any in-game betting odds.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The NBA, who has been trying to use official league data as a selling point for sports betting royalties across the US, will make a stronger case for that point this week. Any sports betting operator that has not partnered with the NBA will not have access to live data for the 2019 NBA Finals.
According to ESPN, Sportradar will shut down access to the league’s official data only two days before the start of the NBA Finals.
Sportradar is an authorized data distributor for the NBA. As part of their partnerships with the league, the only companies that will have access to Sportradar’s data feed are MGM, FanDuel, and The Stars Group.
Sportsbooks generally use this data in order to set any live betting odds and to automatically update those betting lines as a game plays out in real-time.
Live betting or in-game wagering greatly expands the amount of betting possibilities for each game well beyond just the typical money-line, over/under, and point spread bet.
The decision from the NBA means that several legal sportsbooks operating across the country will likely either have to manually produce live odds or will not offer live odds at all for the NBA Finals.
What Does This Mean For The Future Of Legal US Sportsbooks?
State legislators who have legalized sports betting within their borders have been reluctant to pay sports leagues any fee for using official data. After months of lobbying state lawmakers, the NBA has turned its focus to sportsbook operators as a means to get in on the action.
Depending on the financial impact to come from the data stream shut down, more sportsbooks could be looking to partner with the NBA next season.
Live betting is also a growing market in the US and is a big reason why certain state legislators are pushing for mobile betting. The result of this decision by the NBA could have a lasting impact on how gaming operators in the future try to lobby for legal sports betting in their state.
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News tags: basketball | NBA Finals | Sportradar
– In his career, Hasan has worked both local and state government positions—including the Attorney General’s Office in Florida. On top of being familiar with the legislative process, he has also been researching and writing on the legality of sports betting across the US. Outside of work you’ll most likely find him producing or playing music, playing sports, or working on creative writing projects. You’ll also catch him at Doak Campbell Stadium cheering on the Noles.
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