The saga of YouTuber Jake Paul and his venture into the world of sports betting took another turn this weekend as the betting public got its first look at Betr. The platform, which does not have a betting license as yet, has nonetheless launched an app that has given potential customers the chance to embrace the microbetting concept around which Betr will be built.
The app launch breaks no rules, because it’s free to play as of this moment. Bettors who join up are given 2,000 “coins”, or credits, with which to bet. Using a decimal odds system, where odds of 6.00 equate to +500 in American odds or 6/1 in fractional, app users can bet on the outcomes of a situation within a match. So for example, within a Major League Baseball game, you could bet on the result of the next pitch (strike or ball), or when the NFL kicks off this weekend, you can bet on whether the next play in a game will be a run or a pass attempt.
There are potential goodies on offer, too. If you can get your coin balance as high as 20,000, you can redeem those coins for $20. Get it to 50,000 and you can claim $50. The same process can see you redeem prizes of $100 or $150. When the app launches for real money, which is expected to happen in Ohio on January 1, 2023, the basic functionality will work in much the same way.
Launching at this time means that Betr can offer its services in time for the kickoff of the 2022 NFL season. As part of its promotion, there is a prize draw with a Jeep Wrangler on offer. To be entered into this draw, you simply need to predict whether the first play from scrimmage will be a run or a pass. Both the Rams and the Bills, who open the season on Thursday night, are pass-happy teams, so that is likely where the smart money will go.
While most betting companies offer some form of microbetting, it is limited and tends to take second fiddle to moneyline betting and futures markets, such as the eventual winner of the Super Bowl or Stanley Cup. Betr will not offer those longer-term markets, aiming instead to offer all microbetting, all the time.
As of this moment, Betr will operate exclusively within US borders and, when it goes live for real money, it will only offer services in states where it can gain a betting license. As the free-play launch shows, though, it intends to be aggressive in pursuing new markets.