During the SBC Summit in Lisbon, Giovanni Bertoli, Co-Founder and CEO of WSF Odds, discussed the growing significance of player prop bets in the European betting market, emphasizing that they are not just a future trend but already gaining traction. At the recent European Championship, more than 4.1% of the total betting turnover involved player prop bets, whether pre-match or live, signaling this trend’s potential for further growth.
Bertoli explained to Christian Lee, a Business Journalist at GamblingTV, that the adoption of player props in soccer mirrors the evolution seen in other sports like basketball. In basketball, player prop bets began at a modest 3-4% of total turnover six or seven years ago and have now surged to account for 40% of the turnover in American sports. He anticipates a similar trajectory for soccer, predicting a substantial increase that could eventually match the 40% seen in the U.S.
### Instant Gratification
A prevalent pattern across many industries is the consumer’s desire for instant gratification, and Bertoli demonstrated how player props cater to this need. He noted, “As a football fan, one might find the game less exciting compared to others because goals, which determine the match result, are infrequent. However, by shifting focus to more frequent occurrences like passes, shots, or shots on target, fans have continuous engagement and feel more involved.”
Additionally, Bertoli highlighted the tendencies of younger audiences who prefer brief interactions and enjoy snippets of action, aligning perfectly with the short bursts of activity found in player props.
### Competing with Instagram
Looking forward, Bertoli emphasized the imperative for the industry to elevate user experience and innovate content, given that bookmakers now compete not only among themselves but also with social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, which excel in content delivery and user engagement.
This enhancement involves rethinking how markets are presented to allow users to navigate seamlessly. Bertoli explained, “Our markets should have dedicated pages rather than blending them with the usual offerings, which can be confusing for non-professionals. Each page should be streamlined, offering a limited but engaging amount of information that links player stats with potential bets. This creates a balanced mix of informative content and an invitation to engage.”
To gain deeper insights into the evolution of player props and future plans for WSF Odds, watch the full presentation by Giovanni Bertoli [HERE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYYmi4F1hIA&t=2s).