NBC Incorporates Sports Predictions During Live NBA Matches

This week’s NBA basketball game between the Washington Wizards and Milwaukee Bucks will be quite special, because NBC sports will integrate a predictions game in live broadcast for the first time ever.

The sports match will take place on January 11th in Washington and the game will be completely free-to-play for all the fans that would like to try out their luck.

This is just one more of the few amazing NBA’s sports betting deals that took place in the past few months. Let’s not forget that the league signed its first Latin American deal ever with Spanish company Codere in Mexico.

How NBC’s Sports Game Works

Thanks to NBC Sports Washington, a regional of US sports broadcaster, this predictive game contest will appear on the screen during live broadcast and it will look similar to a classic sports betting environment, such as win-probability data, moving money line and spread.

Fans can participate in this game by answering around 30 questions appearing on the screen during television broadcast and will even earn points for each correct response. The top-scorer can earn a special prize of $500, or, in case there is more than one winner, the prize will be split between them.

In order to enter this game, viewers should on the NBC Sports Washington website prior to the game and submit their predictions. During the game, the leaderboard will appear on screen from time to time and the winner will be announced after the game.

The Beginning of Interactive Sports Betting

NBC Sports Washington vice president and general manager, Damon Phillips, said during an interview that he is very excited to launch this type of predictive gaming:

“Combining the excitement of live Wizards games with engaging predictive gaming and data feeds will deliver a very entertaining experience for viewers, from first-time gaming players to savvy sports bettors.

The level of interest from fans, partners and sponsors in this area continues to increase, so we are pleased to offer this compelling product this season.”

After its grand debut, this game, simply named “Predict the Game,” will be incorporated in several more NBA games during the 2018-19 season, including the Washington Wizards’ regular seasonal games against the San Antonio Spurs, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, Charlotte Hornets, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Utah Jazz.

This interesting contest appears in quite the right time, because just last month Washington D.C. became the seventh jurisdiction to legalize sports betting.

The City Council of Washington DC has canceled the amendment that includes “royalty fees” for professional sports leagues, as part of the measures to advance a bill that could legalize sports betting within the district. Thanks to this decision, retail and digital sports betting is now permitted in the capital of the United States of America.

Source:

“NBC Sports to integrate predictions game in NBA broadcast”, igamingbusiness.com, January 8, 2019.