SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Sportradar AG has set out to deliver an unmatched scale in global sports and betting, captured by the accelerated development of its proprietary technologies and strategic acquisitions.
The message was delivered at the Nasdaq technology group’s investor day, where the Sportradar leadership team set its vision to become “the engine of the sports world”.
In 2025, Sportradar celebrated the 25th anniversary of the launch of its first commercial services offering pre-match and livescore APIs. Its technology platform has grown to service all major technology disciplines for sports, catering to a client portfolio of 900 media firms, 800 betting operators, and 400 pro-sports leagues.
Sportradar’s growth is an outcome of 20 years of strategy which focuses on the proprietary development of technology systems and solutions to organise sports data and meet the intertwined demands of sports audiences.
For sports betting alone, the scale shows that Sportradar technologies process 87 billion bet selections, serve 65 million bettors and support 7.6 billion streaming viewing sessions.
Sportradar’s 20 year journey has led to the evolution of its business into Betting Technology & Solutions, Sports Media, Marketing Services and Sports Integrity. The company had targeted 2024 as its marquee year to achieve €1bn in corporate revenues after its Nasdaq IPO listing and new long-term vision for 2027.
2027 High Bar
Sportradar’s financial trajectory is underpinned by consistent revenue growth and strategic investment in technology. In 2024, the company reported revenues of €1.1bn, marking a significant milestone post-IPO. Sportradar expects revenue to increase to €1.7bn by 2027 as its diversified business model and continuous innovation continues to drive growth.
Profitability also remains robust, with Adjusted EBITDA for 2024 reaching €222m. The company plans to increase its EBITDA margin from 20% to 27% by 2027. CEO Carsten Koerl stated: “Our operational efficiency and our focus on AI will significantly enhance our profitability in the coming years.”
Sportradar has a significant focus on cash flow management, and the target is to get to a 60% free cash flow conversion rate by 2027. The company’s strong balance sheet, featuring a cash balance of €348m in 2024, is expected to grow to €1bn by 2027. Sportradar has a robust balance sheet that allows it to make strategic acquisitions and invest in new technologies without affecting its stability.
IMG strengths data muscles
One Sportradar’s most notable recent moves is the acquisition of IMG ARENA, expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025. The acquisition will enhance Sportradar’s content and data rights portfolio, adding around 70% of rights across the top three global betting sports.
According to CEO Koerl: “The acquisition of IMG ARENA is a strategic move to accelerate revenue growth while integrating seamlessly into our platform, enhancing our relationships with key leagues and sportsbooks.”
The acquisition is in line with the overall strategy of Sportradar to expand its core sports betting market and increase its market share of in-play betting, especially in the US, where there is significant growth potential.
AI to lead sports innovation
Innovation is at the heart of Sportradar’s strategy. The company uses artificial intelligence to enhance its offerings, including betting odds optimisation, risk management, and customer engagement.
The implementation of AI-driven trading and risk management tools enables Sportradar to offer hyper-personalised user experiences, which are vital for sustaining competitive advantage in the market today.
Product development processes are also being enhanced through the use of Generative AI and machine learning to boost efficiency. Koerl commented: “We’re improving our product suite and we’re also reducing operational costs so we can reinvest in further innovation.”
Sportradar achieved technological progress through developing modular and flexible platforms. The platforms from Sportradar allow clients to add their solutions directly to current systems thus simplifying the adoption process and enabling quick deployment.
New capital discipline…
Sportradar maintains its dominant position in sports technology because of its strong market position. Koerl stated that strategic acquisitions combined with organic growth will be essential for future development because Sportradar seeks global leadership in sports data transformation of sports consumption and monetisation.
The company will direct its future strategy toward maximising opportunities in the expanding sports betting industry through improved in-play betting solutions. The company will boost wallet share from existing clients through personalised innovative solutions which address changing sports ecosystem requirements.
The company maintains strict controls on capital usage to drive its growth plans forward. Sportradar plans to utilise its financial power to acquire valuable businesses while investing in technological development to achieve sustainable revenue growth and better profit margins.
The company marks its 25th year while maintaining absolute dedication to its mission of being the sports world’s driving force that delivers stakeholder value through innovative sports data and betting technology solutions.
According to Koerl, the company leads sports industry evolution by using technology and the strategic planning of capital instead of simply responding to market developments.
