In a detailed interview with Gaming Eminence, Tony Ryan, Co-Founder & CEO of Bet Caddy, explores the impact of technology on the sports betting and fantasy gaming industries. Ryan reflects on his evolution from a casual bettor to the helm of a tech-driven company, emphasising the need for improved integration and personalisation to enhance user experiences. He outlines the challenges posed by current technology setups and discusses Bet Caddy's strategic use of AI to streamline operations and safeguard user data. The conversation also touches on regulatory landscapes and the future of sports betting interfaces, giving readers insight into the technological advancements driving the industry forward.
GE) Tony, reflecting on your transition from a sports betting enthusiast reading box scores in the Chicago Sun-Times to co-founding Bet Caddy, how do you see the evolution of technology impacting the sports betting and fantasy gaming industries, particularly in terms of user experience and engagement?
TR) I remember the days of handing my high school bookie a piece of paper with my NBA plays on it at the lunch table. Those days are long gone with advancement of technology in the sports betting and fantasy sports industries. While those advancements have made it easier than ever to have action on a game, technology has gone backwards when it comes to actually watching the moments that matter to your action.
Take me for example. I personally pay for a cable subscription, ESPN+, NBA League Pass, and MLB.TV. There is no NBA app on my Samsung Smart TV, so I need to use a laptop or phone to watch my NBA bets on League Pass. If I want to watch my Chicago Cubs, I need to use my Xfinity remote because of blackout restrictions on MLB.TV. If I want to switch to a different game on ESPN+, I need to use my smart TV remote to switch to the ESPN+ app, find that specific game, and load the stream.
Crazy right? I believe creating a better fan experience through technology starts with combatting the fragmentation of sports betting, fantasy sports, and live sports content. Sports bettors like myself are statistically the most engaged fans. We don’t lean back on the couch to watch games, we lean forward, and we welcome new technology that makes it easier to connect those dots. Every individual sports bettor and fantasy player cares about something different in the game and the evolution of technology needs to embrace that. In my opinion, technology can make the biggest impact through hyper personalisation of content to every individual fan.
GE) The seamless integration between Bet Caddy and users' sportsbook accounts is a key feature of your platform. Can you discuss the technical intricacies involved in this process and how you ensure user data remains secure while facilitating these integrations?
TR) We’ve established a number of strategic partnerships that allow users to sync data from their sportsbook accounts. Some sportsbooks definitely make it more of a technical challenge than others, but it’s something we won’t need to worry about soon. We’re currently developing a feature that leverages artificial intelligence to make a more streamlined syncing experience for Bet Caddy users. It will allow them to seamlessly add their wagers and fantasy lineups from any app on the market directly into their Bet Caddy account.
We have robust security measures in place to protect our users’ data, but we also want to give them the option to share it. For example, I constantly receive ads from sportsbooks for new customer sign up bonuses even though I signed up 4 years ago. Ad fatigue is a very real thing and as consumers, we much rather be shown an ad for a profit boost than a bonus we can’t even use. Bet Caddy will give our customers the option to share their data in exchange for receiving personalised and exclusive offers from sportsbooks, streaming providers, and advertisers that truly provide them value.
GE) The regulatory landscape for online betting and fantasy sports is complex and varies widely between jurisdictions. How does Bet Caddy navigate these regulations, and what role does technology play in ensuring compliance across different markets?
TR) Bet Caddy is not a sportsbook, we just make it feel like you’re sitting at one in Las Vegas. We do not allow for real money wagering on the platform as of today. While I won’t close the door on that being a possibility in the future, our current focus is to use our technology to help connect users to the moments that matter to them. That doesn't apply to just bettors or fantasy players, but also to those die hard fans who want to watch their favorite players or teams.
While we may not currently abide by the same compliance and regulations as sportsbooks, we aim to work with them to create a better user experience.
GE) To what extent does Bet Caddy utilize artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to enhance user experiences, such as predicting user preferences or optimizing bet tracking and alerts?
TR) While the current beta version of Bet Caddy doesn’t include any features leveraging AI, our use of artificial intelligence and machine learning is expanding exponentially. We’ve spent the past year talking to our target audience about what they imagine a 'Bet Caddy' to be. From these discussions, it became clear that the insight and experience of our user community in betting and fantasy sports should form the foundation of our AI models. Consequently, we are actively developing a personalized sports betting and fantasy assistant that will learn from and address the needs of each user, enhancing our platform's capabilities in real time.
A few examples of how we plan to incorporate these technologies include giving users insights on live hedging opportunities, advanced analytics for research, and even offer predictive notifications of events that will impact their stakes. We are just scratching the surface of how we will leverage these evolving technologies, but Bet Caddy will utilize every new innovation at our disposal to craft the ultimate experience for our customers.
GE) Looking ahead, how do you envision the future of user interfaces and experiences in sports betting apps? What innovations do you believe will shape the next generation of sports betting platforms?
TR) Personalisation. Interfaces shouldn’t look or feel the same because no two bettors are the same. The future I envision is where advancements in AI are leveraged to learn the habits and preferences of individual bettors, then craft unique user experiences around them. That includes connecting the betting and fantasy experience to sports news, content, and live entertainment.
We’re already seeing the sports betting and entertainment worlds collide with the NBA’s recent announcement that Draftkings and FanDuel odds will be displayed directly in the NBA app. New ways to watch are also being introduced with consumer products like the Apple Vision Pro headset, which will only improve with time.
Bet Caddy aims to be at the forefront of innovation in all areas of the game. The beta version we recently launched is just a fraction of our grand vision, but will let our users' opinions and ideas help shape our technological roadmap. The evolution of technology in our industry should now and always address the needs of the consumers who built this industry - the fans.
About our contributor
Tony Ryan is the co-founder and CEO of Bet Caddy, a Chicago-based startup transforming the sports tech industry through the integration of betting and fantasy sports with consumer entertainment. Prior to launching Bet Caddy in 2023 with his old college roommate Braden Gebavi, Tony started his career in advertising with stints at Edelman and Google. His deep connection to the consumer is rooted in his own experiences growing up in Chicago, where he immersed himself in the local sports culture, bartending at a sports betting themed bar while his brother Zach worked at the sportsbook. This personal and professional background has given Tony a unique insight into the needs and passions of sports bettors and enthusiasts, shaping his vision for Bet Caddy.