TBT Signs Genius Sports To Sell Game Data To US Sportsbooks

• The Basketball Tournament (TBT) was founded in 2014 and is a single-elimination tournament with basketball players from around the world competing for a $2 million grand prize.
• Genius Sports is a global leader in sports data collection and is already partnered with professional sports leagues such as the NBA, Premier League, and PGA Tour.

BOSTON – The Basketball Tournament (TBT) just took a major step in getting their product to the US sports betting market. Earlier this week, TBT announced a partnership with Genius Sports in order to launch a real-time data-driven, fan engagement strategy.

“We’re excited to being a long-term partnership with Genius Sports this summer,” said Jon Mugar, founder and CEO of The Basketball Tournament.

“Their state-of-the-art technology will not only markedly improve the TBT experience for fans but it will also help us meet the increasing demand for TBT worldwide by enabling us the ability to distribute stats all across the world instantly.”

TBT is an annual single-elimination basketball tournament where international basketball players, along with former NBA and collegiate star athletes, compete for a top prize of $2 million dollars.

Genius Sports, on the other hand, is a global leader in sports data collection and currently serves leagues such as the English Premier League, the PGA Tour, the NCAA, and most notably the NBA.

Through this new partnership, Genius Sports will be in charge of capturing real-time statistics during the game, managing competitions, and then disburse the data collected in an engaging way to fans.

ESPN, a broadcasting partner of TBT, will also receive in-game statistics to present to those watching the tournament.

The deal most notably allows TBT to commercialize its in-game data as a means to sell to licensed and regulated US sportsbooks. Live betting is one of the most popular forms of sports betting so having this deal in place allows TBT to offer that.

“Our advanced technology and split-second distribution capabilities will provide new levels of insight, bringing TBT fans closer to the action, presenting new revenue opportunities and expanding its global audience,” said Travis Black, Head of U.S. & Emerging Sports at Genius Sports.

Whether or not fans will be more inclined to bet on TBT remains uncertain. This year’s competition is set to begin on Friday, July 19 at 3 p.m. ET, with live coverage from ESPN Networks throughout the tournament.

Overseas Elite is looking to defend their title once more, having won 25 straight games, four consecutive championships, and a total of $7 million. While other teams have featured more recognizable names such as Greg Oden, James Michael McAdoo, and Jimmer Fredette, Overseas Elite features players that are just coming out of their respective country’s season.

Even if fans don’t know the players, having real-time data allow them to make more informed bets and betting lines can be attributed to more factors than just the winner of the overall tournament.