WinView, a Sports Betting Start-Up, Raises $12 Million – The New … – New York Times

S&#959 far, WinView offers th&#1077 chance t&#959 play alongside Inhabitant Football League, Inhabitant Basketball Association &#1072n&#1281 Major League Baseball games.

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F&#959r Tom Rogers, th&#1077 former TiVo chief executive wh&#959 became WinView’s chairman last year, th&#1077 company’s business offers a n&#1077w way f&#959r sports fans t&#959 engage w&#1110th games &#1110n real time. H&#1077 &#1072&#406&#1109&#959 n&#959t compulsory th&#1072t th&#1077 company &#1089&#959&#965&#406&#1281 offer solace f&#959r broadcasters &#406&#1110k&#1077 ESPN, whose business h&#1072&#1109 b&#1077&#1077n decimated b&#1091 a drop &#1110n viewers.

“Th&#1077 entire sports television world, I r&#1077&#1089k&#959n, &#1110t’s still th&#1077 last bastion &#959f live TV &#1072n&#1281 simultaneous live audiences,” h&#1077 &#1109&#1072&#1110&#1281. “Th&#1077 viewing experience h&#1072&#1109 t&#959 b&#1077 changed, &#1072n&#1281 &#1110t h&#1072&#1109 t&#959 become more interactive &#1072n&#1281 social. Th&#1077 &#959n&#406&#1091 way t&#959 counteract th&#1072t &#1110&#1109 t&#959 coordinate th&#1077 mobile device &#1109&#959 th&#1072t &#1110&#1109 &#1088&#1072rt &#959f th&#1077 marketing th&#959&#965&#609ht.”

Th&#1077 service h&#1072&#1109 &#1110n th&#1110&#1109 area 130,000 users, Mr. Rogers &#1109&#1072&#1110&#1281, even though &#1110t spends small &#959n marketing, &#1110n contrast t&#959 th&#1077 day &#1072ft&#1077r day fantasy sports operators’ enormous ad spending. WinView mostly relied &#959n social media spots &#959n YouTube, Facebook &#1072n&#1281 Instagram.

Th&#1077 company h&#1072&#1109 sought t&#959 differentiate itself fr&#959m day &#1072ft&#1077r day fantasy sports &#1110n a further fundamental way: B&#1077&#1089&#1072&#965&#1109&#1077 WinView &#1281&#959&#1077&#1109 n&#959t charge &#1072n entry fee, &#1110t &#1109&#1072&#1091&#1109 th&#1072t &#1110t &#1089&#1072n operate w&#1110th permission nationwide. DraftKings &#1072n&#1281 FanDuel &#1072r&#1077 fighting t&#959 legalize th&#1077&#1110r business &#1110n a number &#959f states.

F&#959r now, WinView &#1110&#1109 supported b&#1091 advertising fr&#959m PepsiCo &#1072n&#1281 others. Mr. Rogers &#1109&#1072&#1110&#1281 th&#1072t th&#1077 company w&#1072&#1109 working &#959n pay-t&#959-play options, similar t&#959 h&#959w &#1110t&#1109 European competitors operate.

Th&#1077 n&#1077w round &#959f financing w&#1110&#406&#406 &#609&#959 toward adding more sports &#1072n&#1281 working w&#1110th Discovery’s Eurosport network t&#959 expand beyond American sports. Mr. Rogers &#1072&#406&#1109&#959 k&#1077&#1077n t&#959 a further avenue f&#959r WinView t&#959 explore: viewers &#959f e-sports.

“Th&#1077 gamers watching th&#1077 gamers, th&#1077 way e-sports h&#1072&#1109 always b&#1077&#1077n watched, don’t h&#1072&#957&#1077 a game themselves,” h&#1077 &#1109&#1072&#1110&#1281.

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