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/1 The idea that educational content is the best path forward for affiliates in the sports betting space is a sound one, but it's laden with difficulties -- difficulties that don't exist to the same degree for any other gambling affiliate market.
My own ramblings
https://twitter.com/mattprimeaux/status/1295371150449684482
My own ramblings
https://twitter.com/mattprimeaux/status/1295371150449684482
/2 The U.S. sports betting industry has made it pretty clear that -5% ROI or better players are undesirables.
This creates a conflict of interest for the affiliate focused on education, as out of the gate they're incentivized to send losing players.
This creates a conflict of interest for the affiliate focused on education, as out of the gate they're incentivized to send losing players.
/3 Notice that in the DFS and online poker industries this was never as big an issue (although still an issue) as the operator is a passive observer that provides a service in exchange for rake.
Sure, once everyone got good, revenue suffered but it was more of a slow burn.
Sure, once everyone got good, revenue suffered but it was more of a slow burn.
/4 Contrarily, with the proper guidance, an affiliate can fast-track sports bettors to become -5% ROI or better players, which is a poor outcome for the books (in their opinions, not mine), and may result in slashed CPAs for the affiliate -- a poor outcome for them.
/5 Furthermore who would be providing this education?
Those aptest to do it generally want nothing to do with the affiliate market due to its generally poor reputation, and the fact that giving away too much acts against their own financial interests.
Those aptest to do it generally want nothing to do with the affiliate market due to its generally poor reputation, and the fact that giving away too much acts against their own financial interests.
/6 Imagine how the books would react if there were public sports betting communities, solely focused on improving outcomes.
In a liquidity based/trading sports model, or DFS/poker model this is welcome.
In our current model, U.S. sports betting ops would piss their pants.
In a liquidity based/trading sports model, or DFS/poker model this is welcome.
In our current model, U.S. sports betting ops would piss their pants.
/7 Even the casino industry can get away with strong educational content, because only the highest level stuff will be of any real threat to the operator, and there is really no expectation from the average player of winning via any other means but luck.
/8 This comes back to a fundamental idea: It's the U.S. sports betting operators that are the problem.
And while the Overlord European affiliates wholeheartedly buy into the system, others want to facilitate change but are hamstrung.
And while the Overlord European affiliates wholeheartedly buy into the system, others want to facilitate change but are hamstrung.
/9 These affiliates employ solid (but not professional) bettors on staff, who provide good baseline educational content but are stopped in their tracks by the overarching U.S. sports betting paradigm -- that winners/small losers are bad, and if you cater to them, you're bad too.
/10 Pattern:
1) Good educational content.
2) Reader signs up via affiliate link
3) Reader uses skills to lose less, win more
4) Reader is limited by book
5) Operator dings affiliate for sending undesirables.
That's overly generalizing, but that's my experience.
1) Good educational content.
2) Reader signs up via affiliate link
3) Reader uses skills to lose less, win more
4) Reader is limited by book
5) Operator dings affiliate for sending undesirables.
That's overly generalizing, but that's my experience.
/11 I wish I could end with some sort of catharsis, but my solution was to just walk away from the sports betting affiliate industry.
And FWIW, I think most other industries benefit greatly from strong educational content written by affiliates. They're evolving in a positive way
And FWIW, I think most other industries benefit greatly from strong educational content written by affiliates. They're evolving in a positive way
/11 I guess the takeaway we shouldn't be pointing the finger at the affiliate trying to do good in this space.
One thing that irks me about the anti-affiliate crowd is that there's ignorance about just how few sites would be able to survive without doing affiliate.
One thing that irks me about the anti-affiliate crowd is that there's ignorance about just how few sites would be able to survive without doing affiliate.
/12 Many educational sites, regardless of industry, rely on affiliate marketing for 60-70% of their revenue.
Yes, without affiliates we'd filter out a lot of crap, but a lot of our favorite sites would be out of business too.
Yes, without affiliates we'd filter out a lot of crap, but a lot of our favorite sites would be out of business too.
/13 Due to the aforementioned, sports betting affiliates are weighted toward crap (expert picks, "tools", fluff pieces, partisan-like bias) because that's what makes for a strong relationship between the operator v. book in this industry.
Change needs to start with the books.
Change needs to start with the books.
