As the sports betting landscape expands beyond the mainstream, the demand for accurate, real-time data in emerging and niche sports has never been higher. At the heart of this evolution is Abelson Sports, it’s the engine behind some of the most innovative integrations in the industry.
In this interview, Talk Gambling speaks to Chief Betting Officer, Jeevan Jeyaratnam to explore how Abelson’s unique position as a technical bridge between cutting-edge third-party data suppliers and top-tier sportsbooks is helping unlock new markets, fuel the rise of women’s sports, and power the next generation of betting experiences.
What are the key challenges in delivering accurate and reliable data for emerging and niche sports, and how does Abelson Sports overcome these?
JJ: Our Third Party Partners, ALT Sports Data, Pro League Network, Rimble, SailGP and nVenue, have the task of working with data for niche or emerging sports. We simply provide a technical bridge to allow these suppliers access to our sportsbook clients.
I can say that the key to accessing accurate and reliable data for niche sports often lies in the relationship between the sport owner and the data company looking to propel its offering forward. When the “source of truth” lies with the rights holders only, building robust data frameworks with inscrutable integrity is paramount. Without the consent of the sports owner it can be very hard to find reliable data sources. At this level, partnerships are crucial. ALT Sports Data is a prime example of this. They work directly with the sport originator’s governance to build solutions that appeal not only to bettors but also to help build social media following.
You were the first to offer full goalscorer pricing for the NWSL. What did it take to bring this to market, and what does this say about the evolving demand for women’s sports in the betting space?
JJ: The addition of NWSL goalscorer pricing was led, in the same way that all of our coverage extensions are, by customer demand. The league is experiencing significant growth both in terms of actual team numbers and in interest. A new $240 million TV deal shows the media also agree that the product interest is there.
Abelson Sports has been covering women’s soccer for some time now and adding the NWSL has been a fairly simple addition. There are numerous data sources to aid the squad compilation. We were able to get the league ready in around two weeks, meaning we were in a position to offer pricing not only for week one of the new season but also for the Challenge Cup (a supercup curtain-opener featuring last year’s winners). Women’s football is experiencing growing demand and interest largely, in my opinion, due to the smart media placement. Offering a well-branded and neatly packaged product via free-to-air TV or streaming services is fantastic for exposure to audiences who want to watch sport but don’t want to shell out for numerous different media packages.
How do you identify which emerging sports or leagues are worth investing in for data coverage, and what’s next on your radar in terms of growth or new partnerships?
JJ: As mentioned, every league we add to our Football Player Markets product will have come about due to client requests. Our third-party partners may have a slightly different approach and are building libraries of sports and markets to sell to operators. Having a unique basket of sports is something that will appeal to operators, hopefully allowing them to unlock new demographics with lower CPA than traditionally expected.
On the football front we are closely monitoring events in Paraguay as motions to open up and regulate sports betting are afoot. Further expansion into Mexico is also a possibility. At the moment we cover Liga MX only but demand there is growing and we could add the second tier as well as the top tier of women’s football. Smartly, Liga MX dictates that all of its members also have a women’s team. This has helped shape an increasingly interesting women’s product.
With player props becoming increasingly popular, how is Abelson ensuring its GPS and PIPS offerings remain competitive, especially as operators demand more depth, faster settlement, and seamless integration into bet builders?
JJ: Abelson Sports is focused on delivering a premium product to sportsbooks with serious ambitions and a focus on excellence. Leveraging official partnerships with data suppliers is key to delivering a robust product with unquestionable integrity and utmost speed. We work closely with our clients to ensure we are offering markets and competition coverage that they want. This summer, for example, we expect to add a number of additional goalscorer-based markets upon request from a large customer.
Our feed includes four main pricing attributes, price with margin, raw price, player % and player expectancy. It’s the latter that allows seamless input into a bet builder algorithm. You can see our feed is designed with bet builders in mind. In fact we are just about to launch our own football bet builder that really showcases what our feed can provide; though it should be said it doesn’t require an Abelson Sports subscription, as it uses the operator’s input feeds.
As more operators push for engaging, content-rich betting experiences, how important are partnerships like yours with Match Hype and Rimble in transforming how users interact with markets in real time?
JJ: With strong competition in the sector it is vitally important to ensure that you can offer as many reasons as possible to be considered worthy of an integration. Partnerships like the ones we have with our third-party partners, Rimble, ALT Sports, PLN, SailGP and nVenue are important not just for them but also us. Aggregating their feeds into our distribution network does exactly that. Match Hype produces fantastic bet stimulation videos and they help complete the circle in terms of wraparound coverage, maximising retention for the operator.
Users have become used to working with low-latency pricing feeds and expect maximum uptime and minimal bet delay windows. Abelson Sports and our partners understand the importance of getting this balance right while at the same time educating and engaging the end user.
As the sports betting industry continues to diversify, Abelson Sports is proving that agility, precision, and smart partnerships are the keys to unlocking value in untapped markets. From women’s leagues gaining traction to niche sports building loyal followings, the future of betting isn’t just broader—it’s bolder.
