SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
- We put the latest football player prop products under the microscope in conjunction with Stats Perform and Degree 53
- The first in a three-part series for SBC News features Ladbrokes’ Five-a-Side game
- Click here to read part 2 of the series on Boylesports‘ Player and Team First Markets
- Click here to read part 3 of the series on Sky Bet‘s G.O.A.T Market
It is just two short years since betting on shots, passes and tackles was popularised and they’re now a core feature of almost all tier one sportsbooks. Fan interest in player performance shows no sign of abating, with ever more coverage of detailed stats on TV and engagement on social media.
22 players make for a lot of on-field betting events – far more than just who will score a goal. More granular betting events means more versatility, more ways to boost interest, and more ways to keep bettors engaged for longer.
They are a strong fit for accumulators, but creativity beyond this is rife, so in conjunction with Degree 53 and Stats Perform, we’ve examined over 25 ways operators are using shots, passes and tackles, starting with Ladbrokes’ Five-a-Side game, which launched in 2020.
We’ve also compiled a guide with all 25+ operator examples which can be downloaded from the Stats Perform website HERE.
Ladbrokes 5-A-Side: Review by Degree 53
What is it?
A player stats bet-builder recreated with a fantasy game-style interface which generates a five-fold accumulator.
How does it work?
Users build a team of five players and predict how they’ll perform, based on different categories:
1/ Keeper (to concede 1+ goals)
2/ Cruncher (to make >x tackles)
3/ Baller (to make >x passes)
4/ Sniper (to take >x shots)
5/ Finisher (to score >x goals)
6/ Hacker (to be carded)
7/ Playmaker (to make >x assists)
8/ Chancer (to take >x shots outside the box)
9/ Sharp-Shooter (to take >x shots on target)
Other features
Detailed statistics help users select their players (and formation).
Historical performance data from Opta helps bettors to decide where to set the line / price (which automatically updates as a user toggles).
Ladbrokes in-play player stats tracker and new My Bets live tracker helps bettors track their progress as the match unfolds. The nature of the game also lends itself really well to promos and storytelling to help Ladbrokes’ marketing stand out from the crowd.
Degree 53 Verdict
Ladbrokes describes 5-A-Side as “an epic new way to bet” and they should be applauded for its ambition and the new end-to-end experience they’ve created. It’s very slick and intuitive and it does change the bet-placing and bet-tracking experience, which isn’t seen often.
In common with other player prop products, it keeps user attention throughout the entire game, and keeping track of five different players is an entertaining and engaging experience.
The team selection and scoring mechanic lends itself well to incorporating useful stats and data, and has similarities with Fantasy Football selections, a weekly ritual for many fans.
These elements would seem to combine to make it easy for new bettors and seasoned bettors alike to grasp. It’s a very fun experience, whilst serving the salient problem of bettors having too much choice to be able to make a decision.
Conclusion
Given the timing of its launch, it’s likely that 5-A-Side is likely to be a key pillar in Ladbrokes’ Euro 2020 campaign. If the Euros go ahead as scheduled in June 2021, it remains one of the more innovative products, and one of the easier, more entertaining concepts for first-time player prop bettors to understand. We expect it to perform very well.
For 25+ examples of operators creating more entertaining betting experiences from player statistics, featuring Ladbrokes, BoyleSports, Sky Bet, bet365 and more, please CLICK HERE.
