Opinion: Sky Bet's fearless approach continues to reap dividends
Bettingpro.com managing editor Matthew Glazier looks at the rise and rise of Sky Bet thanks to an aggressive welcome bonus and a ground-breaking sponsorship deal
There was a fair degree of cynicism when the UK’s fourth-largest online bookmaker announced they would be giving new players a free £10 bet without any deposit required, a bonus more previous in keeping with casino operators who would also impose a strict wagering requirement before any withdrawal could be made by the customer.
However, in the case of Sky Bet, there are no catches with this offer which is still going strong two years after initial launch. This suggests that the new title sponsor of the Football League are happy to be a loss leader when it comes to a welcome bonus, having the product and CRM measures in place to turn an initial negative into a profit.
Other sportsbook operators are now dipping their toe into the water when it comes to offering no deposit bonuses, although there is a fear from the majority that this type of offer will simply attract bonus hunters and Sky Bet have conceded that a significant percentage of new customers don’t go on to place a real money bet.
Invention of Free Bet Club increases loyalty to the brand
However, the £10 completely free bet is highly marketable compared to other bookmaker offers and has been supplemented by the newly-formed Free Bet Club which allows customers to enjoy a free fiver every week when they do part with their hard-earned cash. You’ve probably seen the television ads, regurgitated from last season but with a brand new compelling proposition to lure in the punters.
The Free Bet Club taps into the long-lasting tradition of placing a weekend accumulator football bet, with customers needing to place a multiple at 5/1 or bigger in order to claim their free fiver every week. There’s also the chance to get back into the Club by placing a £10 accumulator at any stage of the season.
Naturally, Sky Bet have the clout of the British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC behind them, with Sky Sports figureheads such as Jamie Redknapp, Jeff Stelling and Alex Hammond used to promote the latest betting markets, while Soccer Saturday’s Super 6 competition also drives new and existing customers back to the betting arm of the company.
A million people can’t be wrong
Over 1 million UK residents have now placed a bet with Sky Bet in the last twelve months thanks in part to their market-leading welcome bonus which differs a great deal from rivals who offer a matched first deposit or first bet.
The deal with the Football League now gives the operator a bigger UK brand presence than ever before, with a five-year agreement indicating Sky Bet’s commitment to the sport. This partnership represents Sky Bet’s first ever off-screen football sponsorship and is aimed at building even greater awareness of Sky Bet’s growing range of online and mobile betting services.
Indeed, the mobile side of the business is currently booming thanks to the rapid advance of technology and consumers becoming increasingly trusting and familiar when it comes to wagering through a remote device. It also helps when your mobile app is highly-rated in the Apple App store, although the latest figures are still quite staggering when it comes to the proportion of new players registering through a smartphone.
Such revelations have led affiliate partners to sharpen their act when it comes to creating a mobile-friendly version of their website(s), with acquisition very much the name of the game when it comes to generating new business and reinforced revenue streams.
Sky Bet are also facilitating mobile conversion with their creation of a new Affiliate Hub Tool, with the development of a Mobile Traffic Detection Script which means that mobile traffic will be instantly recognised and a promotional panel will be served up in the process.
By 2014, it is estimated that there will be more mobile traffic pouring into this operator than web and it’s a safe bet to assume that new Sky Bet players will still be able to enjoy their no deposit tenner and a place in the Free Bet Club.
Matthew Glazier is the managing director of www.bettingpro.com, an award-winning sports, news and betting website.