DraftKings to Offer Micro-Betting on Nearly Every College Football Game

Posted on: August 25, 2022, 12:06h. 

Last updated on: August 25, 2022, 02:31h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

DraftKings bettors will not have a shortage of wagering opportunities during the upcoming college football season, which kicks off this weekend.

DraftKings micro-betting Simplebet college football odds
The mobile DraftKings Sportsbook this year will offer in-game micro-betting on nearly every college football game. DraftKings has partnered with Simplebet for the product offering. (Image: Casino.org)

Today, the sportsbook and iGaming leader announced that the platform will offer micro-betting on almost every college football game this season. Powered by Simplebet, DraftKings will allow bettors to bet on the outcome of each down and drive.

The sportsbook expects to take action on more than 100,000 plays during the 2022-23 regular NCAA football season.

DraftKings’ micro-betting lines will be available wherever the sportsbook operates online. DraftKings’ mobile operations are currently limited to Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Simplebet Expands Offering

DraftKings partnered with Simplebet a year ago this month for micro-betting. Simplebet is a business-to-business tech firm that utilizes computer learning to allow “every moment of every sports betting event” to become a betting opportunity.

Simplebet’s turnkey sportsbook add-on product seamlessly allows an online operator like DraftKings to incorporate micro-betting lines. Unlike traditional sports betting, where bettors wager on the outcome of a game either straight-up or with a points spread, micro-betting breaks things down to provide in-game betting throughout the competition.

Before micro-betting, in-game betting was limited to scenarios such as which college football team would score more points in a specific quarter or if a certain player would rush for a certain number of yards. Micro-betting takes things further to allow betting on the result of the offensive’s next play, or in baseball, whether the next pitch will be a ball or strike.

DraftKings will offer users three in-game betting opportunities for most college games this season.

  • “Next Play” allows users to bet on whether the next offensive play will be a rush or pass, whether the next play will result in a first down, and if a team will score a touchdown on the next play.
  • “Current Drive” allows bettors to gamble on whether the offensive team will score a touchdown on their current drive.
  • “Next Drive Outcome” tasks bettors with trying to predict whether the drive will result in a touchdown, field goal, punt, missed field goal, or turnover.

DraftKings’ micro-betting lines will additionally enable users to bet if a team will reach a specific yard line, such as the 50 or red zone.

Micro-Betting, Massive Revenue Projections

Sportsbooks and leagues see in-game betting as a way to increase fan engagement. Micro-betting comes with regulatory difficulties. But Simplebet claims its product is able to quickly produce in-game lines, take bets, and close the market, all in a matter of seconds. While occasional glitches should be expected, state regulators will keep close tabs on DraftKings’ debut of micro-betting this college football season.

Assuming the platform’s launch goes relatively smoothly, gaming analysts at JPMorgan believe micro-betting will quickly bypass traditional betting in terms of handle and sportsbook income. The financial services firm expects Americans to annually and legally wager more than $9 billion on sports by 2025.  That’s with nearly $7 billion coming from in-game and micro-betting lines.

Problem gambling specialists say micro-betting poses substantial risks.

“Micro-betting shortens the lag between bet and reward, increasing the speed and frequency of gambling, which increases the risk of problematic behavior and negative consequences,” said Keith Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling.