FlowPlay has launched an innovative new game called Ready Set Go that allows users to make in-play bets during football and baseball games in a Daily Fantasy Sports style.
When I was a lad, there was something about the blackened out windows of brick and mortar bookmakers that would have made me climb over 50 naked ladies to get a look inside.
Things have changed quite rapidly in the betting game. The blackened windows have gone, and nobody is interested anymore because they can make a bet with a few swipes of a mobile phone, and the win/loss/draw has become 90+ different options due to the introduction of in-play betting.
These days you can bet on almost anything, and that includes the emergence of Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS). Until recently DFS was missing one vital element to make the dish even tastier – a decent in-play offering.
I did say recently…
Derrick Morton and his team over at FlowPlay have broken the mould with a new free to play DFS game called Ready Set Bet. Released bang on time for the new NFL season, Ready Set Bet, allows punters the opportunity to make in-play bets on any drive or upcoming play in both football and baseball.
All bets are made and paid in virtual currency.
The new game has a feature called Lightning Bets where players will be able to make in-play bets in a variety of situations ranging from a short ruling or an on the field challenge.
Want to know more about this innovative little beauty?
Over to you Derrick Morton.
As a former gambler myself I cannot see the value in betting for virtual currency, why do you believe free to play gambling is so successful, and why will people choose to play Ready Set Bet?
“There are tens of millions of sports fans that are not interested in real-money gambling, or are unable to do so because it is illegal in their home state – industry data shows more than 50 million North Americans plan to play some form of fantasy sports this year. Similarly, there are tons of casual gamers that also enjoy sports spectatorship and are looking for a way to tie their enjoyment of both into one experience. These factors leave a significant gap in the daily fantasy sports and season-long fantasy sports markets – a gap that our games are filling for fans that want to legally and casually interact with their favourite professional sporting events in real-time.”
How is it possible for FlowPlay to keep tabs on the action in every single game, or will gamers only be able to place bets on certain games?
“Players will be able to place bets on all professional sports games as they happen. We have developed a proprietary algorithm that determines scoring based on hundreds of thousands of situational data points for each sport. This back-end design makes it possible for Ready Set Bet to provide players with an accurate, up-to-the-moment fantasy sports experience previously unavailable in other games.”
Where did the inspiration come from to create Ready Set Bet?
“At FlowPlay, we’ve been building out a suite of social sports wagering games including Sportsbook, virtual currency-based DFS game, and other titles like 5 Card Draft, since 2015. When looking at other industry offerings, we immediately recognised the lack of betting game offerings that meet what consumers are looking for. Leveraging our platform for a free-to-play, casual DFS game felt like a perfect fit.”
Do you have plans to introduce this into other sports?
“Yes. Ready Set Bet currently includes baseball and football, and we will add sports as professional seasons kick off in the U.S. Players can look forward to basketball, soccer and others in the coming months.”
Do players compete against themselves, or the house? How does gameplay work?
“A key tenet of FlowPlay’s games is the social and community element, giving our users the experience of playing alongside friends and other players. In Ready Set Bet, there are lines set by the house, but the real fun is the ability for players to engage in their favourite sporting event and bet against other fans. Players are invited to join at any point during a live game, and bets are based on the current drive or play. Each bet is paid out in virtual currency with points determined throughout the game. The player with the most points at the end of the game is declared the winner.”
Explain in more detail how ‘lightning bets’ work. Are you saying that I will be watching the game, and there is a decision to be made by the official, a prompt will show on my screen for me to bet on the outcome? Or in soccer, there is a penalty awarded and the prompt will give you the opportunity to bet on whether he will score?
“That is exactly right. Rapid gameplay situations happen all the time across a variety of sports, so we wanted to offer our players the opportunity to really get in on the action and bet on those situations. Depending on the sport, players will see a one-off betting opportunity pop up on their screen offering them a chance to bet on the current play as it happens. NFL examples include such questions as “Will the Defense complete a pass on this down?” or “Will the Offense commit a penalty during this possession?”
