Playtech BGT Sports breaks Grand National records

SSBTs continue to secure a greater proportion of bets placed due to their convenience and ease-of-use, attracting a new generation of customer to horseracing as well as other sports.

Following a 300 per cent year-on-year increase in turnover during last month’s Cheltenham Festival, PBS again delivered record breaking figures on the 180-year-old race, more than doubling the number of bets taken compared to the previous year’s Grand National.

Between 2017 and 2018 the number of bets taken on the Grand National increased by 49%, with turnover jumping 75% year on year. The average amount bet on the race has also increased from £5.46 to £7.94 since 2014.

This year, turnover jumped by 135% compared to 2018 – highlighting the increasing popularity of SSBTs compared to over-the-counter sales.

Playtech BGT Sports’ Senior Commercial Director, Lee Drabwell, said: “We are finding that an increasing number of customers both old and new are enjoying horseracing on our SSBTs.

“Having good quality data at their fingertips, particularly the Racing Post content we have on an exclusive basis, and a quick transaction means they don’t have to worry about queues or missing the start of the race.

“As we’ve seen over the weekend, the Grand National is steeped in tradition and history, but new SSBT technology is ensuring it is just as relevant today and will have a bright future as a betting event.”

Playtech BGT Sports has continued to introduce a wide range of new products and innovative features in recent months that boost both customer engagement and revenues for retail operators, particularly around in-shop in-play functionality.

This includes a new contactless payment functionality on its self-service betting terminals, which is currently being trialed by Paddy Power, and in-play golf wagering ahead of the forthcoming U.S. Masters.

It has also developed a state-of-the-art content engine, which uses artificial intelligence to suggest relevant selections and interesting content by harnessing millions of previous calculations and comparisons.