The world of sports betting is dominated by men. But a new study suggests that sportsbook operators are missing an opportunity by not marketing to women and baby boomers.
Those two population segments, according to a study by customer-experience company Disqo, are among the most underserved and disregarded by wagering operators.
“We want to paint a picture that there are a still a lot of holdouts and an opportunity to get them in,” Patrick Egan, Disqo’s director of research and insights, told Sports Handle.
The survey, conducted May 27-29, reported that 13% of sports bettors are women and 27% are baby boomers, but that current advertising, education, and user experiences do not directly speak to those groups. Disqo polled 24,787 people Americans aged 21 and over, with a focus on sports betting advertising perceptions, “unmet needs,” and receptivity/emotional reactions to wagering ads.
The findings, Egan believes, could set the stage for new concepts in advertising designed to reach unique groups of consumers rather than the masses.
There are “more nuanced approaches to get to consumers who aren’t involved yet,” Egan said. “Rather than setting them to the side as unaddressable, the question is, ‘What’s the next stage in the evolution of sports betting advertising?’ It’s been exponential growth and now maybe it needs to be linear.”
Football season dominates ad spend
People from Massachusetts to Arizona have complained about the flood of sports betting advertising, particularly when a new state launches wagering or prior to a major sporting event. According to Disqo, 80% of all wagering advertising dollars are spent during football season, and the study revealed that the effectiveness of advertising is linked to big sporting events — particularly in the NFL.
Interestingly, the Super Bowl was not the peak for sports betting search and site visitation. That came during the start of the regular season. According to the poll, interest in wagering reached its zenith around the first month of the season, while the start of the preseason and playoffs were the second most impactful times.
From June 2022 to May 2023, engagement rose 30% compared to the previous year, including a 40% hike in search and a 20% increase in site visitation.
Massachusetts legalizing sports betting was sick until I had to watch the same 3 commercials about it for weeks
— Kendra Middleton (@KenniMiddleton) March 18, 2023
The Disqo study could get sportsbooks to tailor messaging to what Egan refers to as under-addressed consumers. For example, sportsbooks could show more female bettors in their advertising so women would feel more welcome. Or advertisements and marketing could focus more on education — not just about gambling, but specifically about how an app or website works.
“When you consider their interest in sports and fantasy sports, and the increasing popularity of women’s sports leagues, growth is unlikely to relent,” the study says in regard to women.
When it comes to baby boomers, “improved digital experiences combined with increased mobile adoption should attract more Boomers to online sports betting,” the study reads.
Time to marry education and advertising?
The study reported that overwhelming numbers of participants in all age groups are interested in learning more or want a chance to test-drive wagering platforms without risk.
More than 70% of those polled would like the opportunity to place a free bet and more than 35% are open to learning more about how to bet. Those numbers, Disqo suggests, mean that operators could try pairing free bets with education to attract more bettors. An example would be to give a “free set of trials that walks through the ins and outs,” according to the study.
Among the key takeaways:
- 13% of sports betting search, app, and website visits were made by women and 27% were made by baby boomers.
- 39% of women are neither “for nor against” sports betting, which Disqo interprets as an opportunity for sportsbooks to educate and convert that cohort into bettors.
- Nearly three times as many survey respondents said they had negative feelings about sports betting advertising as those who reported having positive feelings.
- About 40% of those polled think that sports leagues are hurting their reputations by embracing sports betting, while about 30% think the same about celebrity endorsers and television networks.
- 43% of respondents think it is OK for television commentators to discuss sports betting.
On balance, the study bears out what many stakeholders already know: Many consumers are turned off by the rise in sportsbook advertising. But Egan said the goal was to show that as sports betting grows and evolves, so too will opportunities for stakeholders to reach potential customers through new and unique methods.
“There are some idea-starters in there,” Egan said. “The idea that pivoting away from the standard and that things that are more nuanced [could work]. It’s kind of leading them to water. Sports betting companies have incredible data on customers, but are missing this plethora of information about these addressable markets.”
