partnerships
XB Net partners with Magic City Jai Alai to launch new Jai Alai service
Breakthrough streaming and data harnesses low-latency pictures and in-play pricing for the resurgent sport of Jai Alai
New sports rights deal for leading U.S. streaming, data and betting services provider and popular Florida casino venue
XB Net has partnered with Magic City Jai Alai in Miami, Florida, to broaden its burgeoning live-broadcast, data-feed and betting services, thanks to a breakthrough deal with the World Jai Alai League.
This comprehensive agreement sees Magic City Jai Alai partner with XB Net to offer live streaming, alongside precise pricing and data, for pari-mutuel Jai Alai games worldwide and H2H matches outside North America across its competitive 2022/23 calendar. This product has accordingly been licensed by Miamiâs local gaming authority, the Florida Division of Parimutuel Wagering, around video signal and data for the purposes of fixed-odds and commingled betting.
The World Jai Alai League is a governing body for professionals and amateurs, working with XB Net and Magic City Jai Alai to drive deeper fan-engagement around the sport, developing its international influence and scope in lockstep with commercializing its live pictures, commentary, odds and data.
Like horse racing, Jai Alai is a sport made for betting and fits in organically with XB Netâs existing stable of racing products, powered by its pre-eminent fixed-odds and pari-mutuel pools platform. Players can now pre-play and in-play on traditional fixed-odds winner, under-over total points, point-by-point, win place or show (based on team player numbers jai alai), or even try an exacta, trifecta, and quinella.
An engaging Jai Alai schedule is played on a weekly basis, and maintains a robust timetable and steady stream of live performances with regular Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday slates of games. Matches and their derivative markets settle quickly and optimize the player betting cycle for international operators.
These competitive games are staged and broadcast live from the Magic City Fronton, whose state-of-the-art make-up is a boon for viewing, thanks to its customized court-size, glass walls, and well-positioned cameras seamlessly tracking every aspect of the high-octane action. This tailored arena measures 37m in length by 12m in width, slightly smaller than other such facilities, increasing the speed of the ball and quickening the pace of play for this spectacular sport.
The innovative offering also combines the latest trading algorithms with low-latency pictures and deep data (head-to-head records, player profiles etc) to promote and educate around a dynamic, adrenaline-pumping sport that offers a myriad of betting opportunities for improved customer engagement.
Scott Savin, Chief Operating Officer at Magic City, said:Â âWeâre thrilled to sign this breakthrough deal with XB Net on a sport that has been largely overlooked for its international appeal and flexible benefits for retention. Magic City unveiled its innovative take on the sport of Jai-Alai by taking the best features of the âWorldâs Fastest Gameâ, combining them with a state-of-the-art Jai-Alai court, and marrying these aspects to the skill-sets of University of Miami athletes. This key collaboration means fans old and new need not miss a minute of the action!â
Simon Fraser, Senior Vice President of International at XB Net, added: âConsidering the relatable and transferable success of tennis as a betting product, and the breakthrough appeal of table-tennis during the pandemic, it was high time that Jai Alia was as well-served by recent gains in live data and automation. Magic City Jai Alai and XB Net have now achieved a step-change for fans of this sport, effortlessly blending live pictures with the live point-by-point tracking to create a seamless viewing and betting experience with far fewer market suspensions around the critical moments of any match.
âThe aim is always to deliver a best-in-breed journey for operators and their players. Our feed harnesses bespoke pricing and data-feeds to provide the fastest feeds and lowest-latency data on the market, helping our operator partners to stay ahead of the game.
âData and streaming are the spine of sportsbooks. Data is used to drive markets and add narrative to an event, while streaming remains crucial for customer engagement and retention.â
Unpacking Jai Alai
Jai alai is recognized as the fastest ball sport in the world, with ball-speed often reaching up to 170mph. Players compete against each other in both singles and doubles. Magic City Jai Alai offers two distinct formats of play. The traditional 8 player post round-robin format branded as Magic City Pelota, and their groundbreaking Head-to-head (H2H) format which features H2H Championships and Battlecourt squads competing in an intuitive format and scoring system not dissimilar to those of tennis and table tennis. The aim is to outwit your opponent by making balls difficult to catch or throw back cleanly or placing a ball where the player cannot reach.
From the opening credits and narratives of iconic Eighties TV series Miami Vice, to the marketing materials of the Basque government in Spain, and even an enduring appeal across the Philippines, Jai Alai has remained a popular sport among those international communities with a Hispanic influence. This breakthrough partnership with XB Net, Magic City Jai Alai and the World Jai Alai League now bids to bolster that audience with new fan-engagement opportunities and grow the sportâs appeal throughout LatAm, Europe and APAC, not to mention the hugely underserved Hispanic market in North America.
Underserved market for a comeback sport
As an instructive case in point, according to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau Report, 62 million people living in the U.S. identify as Hispanic or Latino. That community, 18.7% of the total U.S. population in 2021/22, is nearly equivalent to the entire population of the United Kingdom. The U.S. Hispanic demographic is already the second-largest ethnic group in America, and a superpower in economic terms, the seventh largest GDP in the world (tied with France) estimated at $2.7 trillion in 2019 per the 2021 LDC U.S. Latino GDP Report. This influential population is predicted to grow to account for over 30% of the total U.S. population, 132.8 million people, by 2050. This is a population that is fiercely loyal to their roots, their culture, their heritage, and their chosen sports, from football to Jai Alai, and it is an audience that is also currently being underserved by the international sports betting industry.
Internet Vikings, a licensed in-state hosting provider for the U.S. iGaming and online sports betting industry, is announcing that itâs supporting Plannatech, a large B2B Provider, now stepping into the B2C space, in its expansion within the United States through an agreement to provide VMware cloud hosting solutions in Arizona.
Plannatech, leveraging the well-established Betcris brand from the America’s sports betting industry, has selected Internet Vikings for its structured setup processes, stable hosting environment, and technical expertise. This agreement ensures that the B2C iGaming and sportsbook operator benefits from a highly secure and reliable infrastructure, with Internet Vikingsâ responsive support playing a crucial role in maintaining smooth operations.
âThis is our 2nd state with Internet Vikings, who has been an absolute pleasure working with in providing the solid hosting infrastructure we need as we now expand into Arizona this time as the Operator,â said Adam Bjorn, CEO at Plannatech.
âWe value our partnership with Plannatech and extending our VMware cloud hosting solutions to Arizona was the perfect next step as they bring new strategic offerings to the U.S. market,â said Rickard Vikström, CEO and Founder of Internet Vikings.
The Arizona sports betting market has seen impressive growth rates, with total handle reaching $791.2M in October 2024. While several operators have struggled to gain traction, Plannatech, utilizing the Betcris brand, is taking a strategic approach and leveraging its extensive experience in competitive markets. By choosing Internet Vikings as their hosting partner, Plannatech ensures a strong, compliant, and resilient digital presence as they expand their U.S. operations.
The National Football League and WePlay Studios are teaming up to launch NFL Offsides, a first-of-its-kind weekly game show where NFL players, Legends, and well-known gaming creators compete in high-energy, video game-inspired challenges. Packed with larger-than-life personalities in a first-of-a-kind format, this is where content meets the gridiron in the most unexpected ways. NFL Offsides will debut on April 15, 2025, at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT and stream live on Tuesdays during the 2025 offseason on the NFLâs official YouTube channel, with co-streams on featured creatorsâ channels.Â
The series will be hosted by Cameron Dicker, nicknamed âDicker the Kicker,â the Los Angeles Chargers Placekicker and the first NFL player born in Hong Kong, and popular streamer, Ovilee May. She is known for her prominent hosting for esports teams, major game publishers, and professional sports league productions. The premiere will feature NFL player, Daiyan Henley of the Los Angeles Chargers and Todd Gurley, NFL Legend and 2017 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, teaming up with top gaming creators Xaryu and Pikaboo for an exciting episode inspired by classic âBrawlâ games.
âNFL Offsides promises to deliver a dynamic mix of sports and gaming content that will strengthen our connection to Gen-Z fan communities,â said Ed Kiang, vice president of video gaming at the NFL. âWeâre excited to partner with WePlay Studios to bring this game show to life with NFL players and Legends alongside top gaming creators.â
Each episode of NFL Offsides will be divided into three segments, with unique opportunities for viewers to engage with the talent throughout the show:Â
- Physical Challenge: A real-life recreation of video game-inspired sets and challenges that will test participantsâ physical and strategic skills.
- Mystery Segment: An unpredictable twist where participants could face puzzles, quizzes, or surprise challenges led by the production team or their community in chat.
- Gaming Showdown: The ultimate test of reflexes and teamwork as participants go head-to-head in a leading video game title, pushing their competitive skills to the limit.
The show will be produced by WePlay Studios, a content production team specializing in creating entertainment shows and gaming formats worldwide. Â
âSports and video games are united by passion. Inspired by iconic â90s game shows, we wanted to bring that nostalgic energy into a fresh format for todayâs generation,â said Maksym Bilonogov, chief visionary officer and executive producer at WePlay Studios. âAfter a decade of refining audience engagement, weâre applying that expertise to NFL Offsides. Partnering with the biggest sports league in America, the NFL is an incredible opportunity.âÂ
Future episodes will feature NFL players, Legends, and top gaming creators, including Terrell Owens, Jeffery Simmons, the Botez sisters, MMG, Repullze, Esfand, and more.Â
This new series is part of the broader NFL strategy aiming to attract the next generation of fans.Â
NexTide Media, a creator-first media agency and ad tech solutions partner of WePlay Studios, is driving brand integrations for NFL Offsides â connecting advertisers with this one-of-a-kind gaming-meets-sports experience.Â
BetVictor Canada has launched its new out-of-home advertising campaign across the streets of Toronto to promote NBA legend Tracy McGrady as its Safer Gambling Ambassador.
Two mobile digital trucks strategically targeting high-traffic areas near Scotiabank Arena, Rogers Centre, and major sporting events will provide prime audience exposure for the campaign, scheduled around Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, and Toronto Blue Jays home games.
To further enhance the campaignâs reach, BetVictor Canada has partnered with Clear Media Group to leverage digital taxi tops across Toronto, providing city-wide exposure with 100 taxis displaying key brand messaging. These digital taxi tops will run during peak evening hours (5:00pm â 9:00pm) on select dates until April 5th, 2025.
The campaign coincides with Problem Gambling Awareness Month, a nationwide grassroots campaign held each March that seeks to increase public awareness of problem gambling and promote prevention, treatment, and recovery services.
BetVictor Canada offers an array of tools and services to help its Canadian customers bet and play safely and responsibly, across a host of sports betting markets and online casino games.
Mark Harper, Head of Emerging Markets at BV Group, said: âBetVictor is delighted to be participating in the National Council of Problem Gambling campaign in March, to help increase public awareness of problem gambling and the need to promote prevention, treatment and recovery services.
âIn using our Safer Gambling Ambassador, Tracy McGrady, to raise awareness about BetVictor’s safer gambling tools such as loss limits, time alerts and product restrictions we are dedicated to ensuring all players have a safe gambling experience. #PGAM2025.â
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