Analysis: Sportsbooks must embrace âapp-ificationâ
Metric head of product Martin De Knijff on why mobile sports betting operators still need to escape the desktop mentality
Cramming a desktop interface onto a mobile phone is an inevitably doomed proposition. A recent study of Millennials (the coveted demographic typically defined as those born between 1980 and the early 2000âs) indicates that over 80% have their smartphones with them 24 hours a day â behaviour that likely holds true for both younger and older demographics as well.
It is accordingly imperative that mobile operators understand not only the mobile interface itself, but the context in which that interface is being used â namely, while the user is on-the-go, distracted and engaged in other activities (such as traveling, socializing, or watching sports).
While most of todayâs mobile sportsbooks have embraced native applications, they have generally adopted the desktop mentality, where navigation still relies heavily on menus and sub-menus. Bettors must specify sport, league, date, game, bet type (straight wager, teaser, pleaser, parlay, future, proposition, pre-game, live, etc.) and bet amount, not to mention numerous additional possible features such as wager cash outs, point buying or even the purchase of pre-game âoptions.â
This approach is largely unnecessary, and even counterproductive, as the vast majority of punters already know what sport or even game they wish to bet when logging in â meaning valuable real estate is being wasted, and the user experience frustrated, by presenting information and options in which the punter has no interest. Instead, it is time to embrace the âapp-ificationâ of content that the broader mobile sector is experiencing.
Customised approach
Specialised sports-betting apps would help resolve many of these issues, allowing punters effectively to enjoy a user experience that is fully customised to their preferences at any given moment. This strategy provides advantages not only in terms of space-saving efficiency, it would also allow the flexibility to architect apps that are uniquely optimized for the particular wagering activity selected.
For example, while conventional pre-game wagering interfaces might be the same or similar across all sports, a specialised, point-by-point tennis betting app might look completely different, with only two large buttons (each representing the opposing players), a visualization tool (providing live match updates), and intuitive betting options (where bet amounts are either pre-designated for one-click betting, or selected among pre-populated options).
While such highly-specialised wagering interfaces would have been unnecessary only a few years ago, with the recent emergence of truly instant gratification betting markets, a need has arisen for mobile interfaces that complement this type of constant punter interaction â previously unseen in the sports betting industry.
Read the full analysis in the upcoming issue 21 of eGR Mobile Intelligence