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NBA Conference Semis: this week’s betting market movers and shakers from Cloudbet
For all intents and purposes, it was a hell of a first round in the NBA playoffs. There were series sweeps (adios Philadelphia, adios Indiana) and a couple that went all the way (hello Houston, hello Denver).
There were buzzer-beaters and phenomenal scoring efforts heralding the emergence of the game’s next superstars (see Doncic, L., Murray, J.) as well as heart-breaking individual efforts that ultimately came to naught (see Mitchell, D.).
The game’s best-known player (see James, L.) rediscovered his imperious form, while the reigning MVP (Antetokounmpo, G.) needed a first-game scare before eventually rolling over his scrappy first-round opponents.
In the midst of all that, there was a temporary halt to protest yet another police shooting in America. Yes, there has been no shortage of drama in the NBA bubble, even without the crowd support and the home-court advantages conferred to higher seeded teams. Arguably, the games have been more dramatic precisely for those reasons.
With the first round out of the way, it’s appropriate for Cloudbet’s trading experts to look at the big movers in the outright markets, as we continue to head into the next stage – the Conference Semifinals – of the most audacious sporting experiment ever undertaken.
Celtic pride
Title odds: 7.09/+609 (from 14.7/+1374 at the start of the first round)
The Celtics have replaced Milwaukee as the favourites to take the Eastern Conference title after sweeping Philadelphia in the first round and taking a 2-1 lead over the Toronto Raptors. Jayson Tatum has been a stud in the playoffs, leading his team with 27 points per game, with solid support from Kemba Walker and Jaylen Brown. They’ve certainly stepped up and for now are more than accounting for the injured Gordon Hayward’s absence.
Meanwhile, their current opponents, the Raptors, have defied expectations this season even without star guard Kawhi Leonard, who left for the Los Angeles Clippers after leading Toronto to the NBA title last year. The Raps stellar run looked to be faltering in the face of a seriously motivated Celtics unit, even though they’ve kept their hopes alive with a Game 3 win.
Still, that win required a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from OG Anunoby, in a game where Boston looked a little too casual. Expect the Celtics to reapply themselves, and with Raps All-Star Pascal Siakam still in lacklustre form, Boston may just have the edge in talent.
The markets slightly favour Boston to win the series in six games (3.5/+250) and move on to the conference finals.
Milwaukee Falters
Title odds: 7.79/+679 (from 3.52/+252 at the start of the first round)
The Bucks, title favorites for much of this year, have had a less than stellar bubble experience, and they’ve been big drifters in the past week. They’ve won just 7 out of their 15 games since the season restarted, a far cry from their 77% win rate during the regular season – and they’ve now lost the two opening games of their series against the Miami Heat.
There are now indications in the market that Milwaukee gets put out this round. The line on a Heat series win is now 1.57 (-173), compared with 2.39 (+139) for the Bucks.
Commentators have questioned Milwaukee’s ability to defend strong 3-point shooting teams and their ability to close out tight games. They’ve suffered from sloppy ball handling, giving them the second-highest turnover rate among teams in this year’s playoffs.
Don’t discount the star power: Giannis Antetokounmpo is a clear favourite to win his second-straight league MVP award, and he’ll do everything he can to give the Bucks their first title since 1974. He’ll need much more help from the likes of Eric Bledsoe and Khris Middleton, who have been inconsistent on the offensive end.
Antetokounmpo said as much after his team’s tight Game 2 loss against the Heat: “It’s about us. It’s always gonna be about us. That’s why we practice. That’s why we go through our game plan. That’s why we’ve got to come out and play harder,” he told reporters.
Miami heats up
Title odds: 8/+700 (from 29.4/+2846 at the start of the first round)
The Heat’s line has improved significantly after they swept Indiana 4-0 in the first round and kept their streak going against the Bucks. Miami cornerstone Jimmy Butler is playing close to his All-Star best, in spite of an indifferent (and very tight) Game 2 against Milwaukee.
Still, that game brought home how strong his supporting cast has been during these playoffs. This is a line-up that outgunned Indiana by an average margin of 10.5 points per match, and includes Duncan Robinson, who is fifth in the league for made 3-pointers this season.
Did we mention earlier that the Bucks have trouble defending 3s? The Heat made 37.9% of their regular-season attempts from beyond the arc, the second-highest rate in the league.
They can certainly pour on the points on a good day, but so can the Bucks. The key for Miami will be how they handle Antetokounmpo defensively, while keeping half an eye on his supporting cast to make sure they don’t light up. The Bucks know firsthand that a comeback is possible: Last year, they won the first two games against Toronto in the conference finals before losing four straight. Miami would do well to take heed – this series is far from over.
We the West
Los Angeles Clippers title odds: 3.14/+214 (from 3.84/+284 before the first round)
Los Angeles Lakers title odds: 3.54/+254 (from 3.77/+277)
While not a massive improvement in their lines, it’s worth just talking about the two LAs because of their star-studded line-ups, and because they’re favoured to face each other in the Western Conference finals.
The Clippers were efficient and effective in dispatching Dallas in the first round, even through injury and Covid-related personnel issues. Kawhi Leonard is the highest scorer of all players left in the playoffs, and his Clippers have averaged more points than any other unit in the postseason.
The Clippers are well rested compared with current opponents Denver, which had to survive a bruising 7-game series against Utah. LA are boosted by the return of guard Patrick Beverley from a calf injury, who will play big defensive minutes shadowing Denver stud Jamal Murray.
With all this in mind, markets favour the Clippers to prevail over the Nuggets in the current round. LA thumped Denver by 23 points in Game 1 of their series.
Meanwhile, after early bubble yips, the Lakers rediscovered their offense in their first-round 4-1 wine over Portland. GOAT contender Lebron James lifted his game when it mattered, as he has done frequently in his career. He’s currently the playoffs’ assists leader, with 10 dimes per game, while he and running mate Anthony Davis are in the top 10 for scoring.
The Lakers averaged 117 points in the Portland series, after posting 106 per game in the 8 regular season games in the bubble. They go up against a Houston Rockets team that can also score by the truckload, but is coming off a 7-game series against Oklahoma City. Rocket guard Russell Westbrook has been struggling with form and a thigh injury. All of that means the Lakers are heavy favourites (1.15/-654) to beat Houston (5.48/+448).
Results and odds are current as of 8am UTC on Friday 4 September
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We wrote our own rules and audaciously created an industry we are highly respected in. But that’s just the beginning. As always, it’s what comes next that really excites us. We keep innovating, delivering world firsts time and time again.
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Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
This is a Syndicated News piece. Photo credits or photo sources can be found on the source article: NBA Conference Semis: this week’s betting market movers and shakers from Cloudbet
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GameplAI announces partnership with Betsson to deliver localised trading capability for global brand
GameplAI, an emerging supplier of automated trading products for global sportsbooks, has entered into a partnership with tier-one operator Betsson. This collaboration will see GameplAI provide innovative localised betting content across Betsson Group’s international brand portfolio.
GameplAI’s ability to deliver engaging pre-game and in-play player prop and micro-markets across a variety of sports will enable Betsson to supplement its global scale with localised content. GameplAI has tailored its product to specific market and customer preferences, including the broadest array of player markets available for global football leagues including Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A, German Bundesliga, English Premier League, and Brazilian Série A.
In conjunction with Opta, GameplAI has launched its innovative player prop service and contextual market offerings, both of which achieved strong engagement and robust margin performance during last summer’s Copa America and Euro 2024 tournaments, as well as across the top six European leagues this season. Betsson now plans to utilise this unique product in relevant markets to deliver highly personalised betting experiences to its customers.
GameplAI’s cross-league, head-to-head markets will allow bettors to consistently bet on the performance of star players across various leagues. As an instructive example, when the Brazilian league resumes in March, fans of Flamengo will be able to bet on Pedro to outperform the leading European attacking talent – from Erling Haaland to Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius Junior – on a weekly basis.
Graham Savage, Co-Founder of GameplAI, said: “Betsson represents the calibre of operator that GameplAI is designed to support, equipping them with flexible trading products that enhance both customer engagement and bottom-line performance.
“We’re excited to work with Betsson on refining their international sports product offerings for their diverse market environments. With new league coverage regularly added alongside recent new-product launches, we’re confident this partnership will validate the localised impact of GameplAI’s solutions for global operators.”
Joakim Thor, Director of Sportsbook Product at Betsson Group, said: “GameplAI has demonstrated an exceptional ability to deliver innovative trading products tailored to the needs of multi-market sportsbook operators. We are sure that their micro-market and player prop offerings will resonate strongly with local audiences across our diverse markets. Importantly, their dedicated team provide outstanding support and remain highly receptive to our feedback, further enhancing the product’s value for our customers.”
The post GameplAI announces partnership with Betsson to deliver localised trading capability for global brand appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Racing1 offers up Coldplay Concert Tickets in free-to-play Wagering Competition at its ICE Barcelona stand
Racing1, the new name for the Strategic Alliance between 1/ST CONTENT, ARC, RMG and Tabcorp, is launching a daily a free-to-enter Wagering Competition at its ICE Barcelona stand next week to bookend each day at the must-attend summit with a fun and engaging event whose prize fund includes x6 Coldplay tickets for their upcoming concert in London.
To celebrate the rollout of its much-anticipated Racing1 Markets iFrame, the definitive plug-and-play racing solution for any worldwide operator, all ICE delegates who visit Stand 5E38 are invited to enter this F2P Wagering Competition to secure an opportunity to trade their way into the daily Winner’s Circle.
After simply registering their email address with Racing1 via the new iFrame landing page, all participants will be challenged to make the most profit from a theoretical €100 bank over a half-hour slot of rapid-cycling horse and greyhound races. Each day, prizes are headlined by an exclusive set of tickets to see an upcoming Coldplay concert at Wembley in the summer of 2025 (as guests of Racing1), alongside a range of €100 / €50 Amazon vouchers for the runners-up.
By asking industry professionals to pit their betting wits against one another every day at Stand 5E38 on each afternoon’s races, this competition affords delegates a convenient venue at which to enjoy a drink with their friends and colleagues while the action unfolds, and their respective bank balances rise and fall. A live leaderboard will also be available on the stand to foster deeper engagement in this daily battle for bragging rights.
Play Racing1’s Wagering Competition:
- Register on the day by using Racing1 Markets’ iFrame entry mechanism
- Wagering Competition runs for approx 30 mins daily across 7 horse and greyhound races
- Entries can be made at any time during each day prior to that 30-min racing window
- €100 balance asks player to spin up their balance
- Winner will be the entrant with the most profit after the last race
- Live-leaderboard balances updated in real-time after every race to encourage some healthy competition!
Jack Whitaker, spokesperson for Racing1 and Commercial Manager at ARC, said: “We’re making a big splash at ICE this year, as our flagship Racing1 alliance makes its conference debut alongside its new breakthrough iFrame. Needless to say, we’re keen for as many people as possible to stop by Stand 5E38, say hi and check it out. And this Wagering Competition seems like an ideal way to complement that by creating an engaging game and a relaxed destination at which to unwind and enjoy a bit of racing at the end of each day. After all, it’s usually a hectic step-count day walking the huge halls of the Fira Barcelona Gran Via centre!
“Moreover, it’s just a fun exercise that captures the excitement and enjoyment of what our 24/7 product offers, showcasing live racing as a valuable betting proposition for both existing customers and those who may not have integrated racing before. Get in touch, or simply pop by towards the end of the day to be in with a chance of winning our star prize of a pair of Coldplay tickets every afternoon or, if you’re one of the runners-up, some Amazon vouchers!”
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DATA.BET Reflects on 2024 Milestones, Growth, and Achievements
With the start of the year behind, the company reflects on the key milestones.
Business Development
In 2024, the company experienced significant expansion, reflecting the increasing demand for progressive esports betting solutions. The total volume of bets processed grew by 74.2%, aided by the efficiency and dynamic scalability of the company’s trading team, alongside new collaborations from partners and clients. Otto Bonning, Head of Sales, said: “Our new partnerships with companies such as Altenar, NuBet, Airhead Ventures, and TurboStars have significantly strengthened the portfolio. These collaborations demonstrate our expanding influence and commitment to delivering exceptional solutions in the esports betting industry”. Clients also experienced an improvement in GGR, demonstrating the impact of the solutions on profitability.
The company’s user engagement rates also reflected the sizable uplift seen in 2024, with active users rising by 97.3% and average bet size increasing by 7%. Meanwhile, DATA.BET continued to broaden its presence in key markets, including Canada, Brazil, Finland, and Poland, further strengthening its global reach.
Esports Trading and Content Coverage
DATA.BET focused on strategic growth, enhancing its esports content to offer prosperous and dynamic opportunities for clients and their users.
Making focused improvements in popular markets resulted in growth. “We’ve expanded our offerings by adding 38 new markets, creating more opportunities for bettors and driving engagement,” said Thomas Donson, Head of Trading. “Our event coverage has also grown by 11%, adding over 10,000 events to ensure a more diverse and comprehensive experience. Ensuring 24/7 trading process, DATA.BET offers the highest quality market availability.”
The trust earned through high-quality product features, including the new Scoreboard and Pitch Tracker widgets, as well as the Bet Builder based on official data, all launched in 2024, has been instrumental in enhancing the customers betting experience. Scoreboards deliver detailed statistics, interactive visualizations, and comprehensive insights, helping users make informed decisions while boosting engagement through features like live betting, analysis, and availability for LoL, CS2, Valorant, and Dota 2.
Pitch Tracker, supporting our top tier titles, offers a 2D map as a visual representation with advanced tools for data analysis and in-game tracking, delivering detailed insights that enhance user engagement and decision-making. Additionally, the Bet Builder enables personalized betting by allowing users to combine multiple selections into a single wager, meeting the demand for tailored and dynamic betting experiences.
DATA.BET also broadened the scope of disciplines, adding 6 new games, such as Deadlock, Street Fighter 6, GeoGuessr, Teamfight Tactics, Hearthstone, Apex Legends, complementing client content with distinctive choices that amplified diversity and engagement.
Customer Support & Risk Management
The company provides a seamless customer experience and robust Risk Management, continuing to deliver swift and practical assistance.
With an average response time of up to 5 minutes, the dedicated team remains extremely efficient, addressing client concerns promptly while maintaining the highest quality standards. Between Q2 and Q4, handled around 1,500 client requests and completed more than 150 technical tasks effectively and precisely, ensuring high-quality 24/7 support and maintaining consistent service standards.
This is due to our proprietary trading platform that enables the generation and customization of content – specifically, markets – to align precisely with each partner’s distinctive requirements while accommodating their existing settlement rules. This approach ensures a seamless transition to the solution, eliminating the need for adjustments or reconfiguration after working with a previous data provider.
DATA.BET’s Risk Management team efficiently handled over 1,700 client requests. Over time, the number of requests from long-term clients noticeably decreased. The team’s familiarity with clients’ audiences and operations reduces risks through proactive measures. By identifying patterns early, the team prevents issues, ensures smooth operations, reduces reactive interventions, and builds client trust while improving system efficiency.
In 2024, DATA.BET strengthened its presence in the esports betting industry by showcasing its solutions and engaging with audiences at premier exhibitions, immersing attendees into the vibrant world of esports. Moving into 2025, DATA.BET remains focused on leveraging this momentum to drive further success and prospects for everyone involved in esports betting.
The post DATA.BET Reflects on 2024 Milestones, Growth, and Achievements appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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