DraftKings on Wednesday launched a new way for its Oregon customers to play, allowing wagers on the outcomes of historical baseball games with DK Replay.
Key Takeaways
- The experience is effectively micro-betting, only with anonymous known outcomes.
- Customers will only know the skill level of pitchers and batters, not their identities.
- DraftKings is moving toward combining nearly all of its product offerings into one “super app.”
DraftKings’ new innovation brings the constant action of micro-betting out of the live context and applies it to historical matchups across the league.
DK Replay is available only for Oregon sports betting customers. Users can access the feature by downloading the latest version of the DraftKings mobile betting app, which is the only authorized online betting platform in the state.
“DK Replay offers a new experience for our customers, allowing them to tap into the excitement of pitch-by-pitch betting in a unique historical environment,” DraftKings chief product officer Corey Gottlieb said in a statement. “With DK Replay, we’re able to offer an experience that will allow customers to enjoy their favorite sports no matter the time of year.”
DK Replay Users will be presented with a totally random and anonymous pitcher-versus-batter matchup. Players will be rated bronze, silver, or gold based on their stats from the game the plate appearance was drawn. That includes batting average, slugging percentage, ERA, and strikeouts.
Users are given an allotted amount of time to choose if they believe the next pitch will be a ball/HBP (hit by pitch), strike/foul, or put in play. Each outcome will have corresponding odds, leading to different possible payouts based on the pitch count and the ratings of the batter and pitcher.
The outcome of a pitch will be revealed once the user’s bet is placed or the pitch clock expires. The complete details of the plate appearance will be revealed once it is completed, or a user does not place any more wagers.
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New ways to experience gaming
DraftKings confirmed it is looking to add the new Replay feature to more states, pending regulatory approval.
While wagering on old baseball games is new to the sports betting industry, it draws on the framework of historical horse race betting. “Instant racing” is a form of betting that involves electronic gaming machines similar to slot machines that anonymize previous races and allow customers to predict which horse will win.
Hard Rock Bet drew on the model last year, introducing “Real Money Games powered by Past Motor Racing” in Florida in October. The feature allows customers to play games similar to slot machines that were linked to previous NASCAR races.
While Hard Rock Bet’s product was designed to closely represent casino-style gaming, DK Replay is geared toward micro-betting.
The release comes as the company plans to combine the majority of its product offerings into one “super app.” That includes its sportsbook, online casino, prediction app, and lottery offerings.
The goal of the app is to increase cross-pollination between its product lines, leading to an increase in overall engagement.
