Sportradar launches Virtual NBA, an AI-driven betting solution in alliance with the NBA

As part of its multi-year partnership with the NBA, Sportradar announced Tuesday the launch of Virtual NBA, a computer-generated betting solution that uses the latest artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to enable gaming operators to increase engagement with the world's estimated 2.2 billion basketball fans. 

The addition of Virtual NBA provides operators with 3,000 games per day, with each contest featuring 12 betting markets. Eight games are available to watch at any one time, meaning gaming operators can offer their customers "significant choice and create multiple engagement opportunities", the company explained.

Using actual NBA data to simulate a ‘real game’ basketball experience, the solution is available to gaming operators globally in jurisdictions licenced for virtual sports betting.

Frank Wenzig, Managing Director, Gaming at Sportradar said in an official press release: “Virtual sports betting is growing in popularity with more than 200 million betting tickets accepted across Sportradar’s portfolio of virtual betting products so far this year".

"Through the introduction of Virtual NBA, featuring the names and logos of NBA teams, Sportradar is providing operators with dynamic new basketball content to drive engagement with the sport and provide fans with access to NBA betting markets, even in the off season,” Wenzig concluded.   

According to the company, Virtual NBA "leverages the full power of Sportradar’s historic database, with a team of engineers having processed millions of data points from previously played NBA contests to generate 480,000 real game basketball simulations".

Data points from half-a-million games and events, including player positioning and movement, have then been analyzed using artificial intelligence and integrated to create the dynamic moves and shots featured in the Virtual NBA product.

Virtual NBA is available to gaming operators via Sportradar’s eWallet Remote Game Server, or via the Betradar Unified Odds Feed, allowing for straightforward integration into a client’s current operations. It follows Virtual Baseball In-Play featuring Major League Baseball (MLB) and Virtual Sports Bundesliga, as well as the recently announced Virtual Cricket In-Play within Sportradar’s portfolio of virtual sports offerings.