Simplebet Still Growing After 3rd Successful NBA Season

Simplebet is showing that microbetting is alive and well, as it's posted yet another successful NBA season.

Sean Tomlinson

Last Updated: June 25, 2024 5:19 PM EDT • 2 minute read

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum points to the crowd with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy during the 2024 NBA Championship parade in Boston as we look at SimpleBet and it's successful NBA season. — Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum points to the crowd with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy during the 2024 NBA Championship parade in Boston. Photo by Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports.

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The instant results and potential gratification of microbetting are growing in popularity among those who make wagers at the best sportsbooks in the growing legal sports betting industry.

And many were utilizing Simplebet's microbetting products throughout the NBA season, including bettors who placed wagers at DraftKings, Caesars, bet365, and Hard Rock Bet. The company announced staggering numbers this week, leading to a third straight highly successful season.

Simplebet reports a 75% growth in microbetting during the NBA season compared to 2023, with nearly $325 million in wagers orchestrated across the best sports betting sites that the company partners with.

Rapidly growing appeal

Microbetting takes live betting to the next level while allowing bettors to place prop bets on plays within a game. For example, one of the most popular markets Simplebet facilitates is the "next field goal type," in which users try to predict the next shot type from a specific NBA player.

There were 13 million such bets placed throughout the NBA season at the best sports betting apps, showing both the popularity and accelerating growth of the practice.

Fans are able to engage with a game in a unique way, and do it all in real time.

"We were thrilled to witness the growth of fan engagement throughout this NBA season," said Simplebet CEO Chris Bevilacqua. "Our commitment to providing innovative in-play betting options has allowed users to interact with the game in real-time, predicting their favorite players' next moves on the hardwood.

“With NBA TV ratings rising this season, it's logical that in-play betting has contributed to an enhanced viewing experience."

Other microbetting markets are climbing fast

Baseball lends itself very easily to microbetting, as bettors can wager on the outcome of an at-bat, or even a single pitch.

So it makes sense that Simplebet also reports that during just the first two weeks of the 2024 MLB season, there was a 157% increase in total money wagered year-over-year.

There are clear microbetting opportunities tied to football, too, as SimpleBet also reported a 60% increase during the 2023 NFL season. One of the most popular bets is trying to predict the exact result of a drive, and that led to a betting handle over $7.7 million during Super Bowl 58 alone.

Written by:
Sean Tomlinson

Sean Tomlinson has been in the sports media wilderness since 2009, and he joined Sportsbook Review in 2021. His work has been referenced in The New York Times and Forbes. He's also made appearances on The Fan 590 and TSN 1050, where he shared his NFL experience and expertise. Sean is a regular bettor who places bets daily while using a handful of books. Most frequently, he leans on FanDuel and bet365 due to the quality experience on those apps. The NFL, MLB, and F1 are where Sean often focuses, frequently while trying to identify value in prop markets. During baseball season, he can be found scouring for the best strikeout prop opportunities every morning. Sean also holds a strong interest in politics, including the wide variety of offerings from prediction markets, especially during the buildup to elections and the primary season beforehand. He sees betting as a way to explore and engage in a deeper way, and takes that same view to his work. He plays poker periodically too, and is an avid fantasy sports player. Sean also previously spent time with Bleacher Report and theScore, all after earning his media studies degree from the University of Guelph-Humber.