Tipico Sees Value In Educating U.S. Sports Bettors
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Tipico is a new entrant in the U.S. online gambling space. A well know entity in European markets, the Tipico sportsbook is looking for ways to boost its brand recognition in the U.S. and demonstrate to the U.S. audience why the company is a significant player in Europe, with a 60% market share in Germany.
One initiative the operator has introduced is Better Bettor, which aims to educate the influx of new bettors on sports betting terms and betting basics to help them understand some of the terminologies in the industry.
Gambling.com recently spoke with Brian Becker, the vice president of marketing, to get his thoughts on the Better Bettor initiative and their entry into the crowded U.S. sports betting market.
Tip of the Education Iceberg
The first phase of the Better Bettors initiative is a 10-part series of videos that Tipico calls betting basics 101. The series was launched with four videos, hosted by Kaylee Griffin, a host at Valley Sports Ohio and part of the Cavaliers Live team. The choice was not by chance, as Ohio is one of four states the operator is live in and their primary focus at the moment.
“What you see is just the beginning,” Becker said. “There’s a lot more that we have planned. I came from outside the industry, so I’m still learning some of the terminology used in the industry. We’re trying to educate people on the basic architecture of placing a bet. Helping to inform and educate will build trust with our customers.
“In Ohio specifically, we’ve seen a lot of people that are new at betting and betting in smaller amounts than what we see in a mature state like New Jersey. Education is a way for us to drive engagement and trust to earn a higher share of a customer’s wallet.”
Education and Responsible Gaming: Two Sides of the Same Coin
Becker was also clear that the brand’s education efforts are a spoke in the company’s responsible gambling strategy.
“The industry should help the consumer fully understand sports betting more effectively,” Becker said. “And it’s also about adopting a responsible gambling philosophy and having controls in the app to help people to play within their means and not go over their heads."
Demystifying the House
Education efforts of this sort build trust and help “demystify the house,” as Becker put it.
“Understanding how the markets are set and how odds work, especially on the casino side, is important,” Becker said. “That’s why I think you see increased interest around live dealer games and betting products that feel more real to people.
“As adoption takes hold, and people become more avid players, as there’s increasingly more responsible gambling regulation. Tutorials and how-to content will be integrated into the app as the industry matures, and companies that help the consumer will benefit.”
As Becker put it, an engaged consumer will be a better customer. “It’s a development of trust that you have their best interest in mind.”
A Hyper-Local Approach
The operator's goal is to be hyper-local and, by extension, more helpful.
Becker sees the initiative as a way to drive retention, which he believes is the most challenging part of this industry.
“Educational content is just one component of building our brand and differentiating in a way that will retain customers,” Becker said. “With a smaller audience and a budget, that’s a way for us to differentiate and build trust.
“In Ohio, it’s been about becoming hyper-local and connecting with Ohioans on an emotional level. The relationship with the Columbus Crew, the partnerships and activations we do on the ground Have helped to build a database and build customer relationships.
“Because we are smaller, we need to be more innovative and creative and try to introduce Tipico at different moments, such as our pre-launch activities that began in November and before the January 1st launch."
Still, Becker is optimistic, noting the company’s early success gives them a reason to be excited.
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