ALT Sports Data: NHRA partnership displays how we can help sports enter betting scene

NHRA track
Image: NHRA

The sports betting boom in the U.S. over the last six years has been predictably successful for the major sports leagues across the country. After the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL made a U-turn to support the repeal of PASPA and reap the rewards of sports betting, each of the major leagues have penned deals with sportsbooks and built up a considerable profile in betting.

But, what about the other sports in the U.S.? While perhaps not at the same level of fanbase as the NFL, dozens of other sports leagues possess incredibly passionate and loyal fans. However, fans’ access to betting on these sports have been limited as sportsbooks focus on the big four leagues. 

That is until the emergence of ALT Sports Data, a company which aims to bridge the gap between the major sportsbooks and the adventure and lifestyle sports in the U.S. SBC Americas has previously documented how the company was formed with Chief Executive Joe Dunnigan teaming up with Chief Marketing Officer Todd Ballard, and the duo’s aim to tap into the lifestyle sports market. 

One such league that ALT Sports Data has teamed up with is the National Hot Rod Association, one of the country’s biggest governing bodies of motorsports. The NHRA, which has over 29.9 million fans and 20 national events televised on FOX Sports, has recently tapped into the sports betting boom with help from ALT Sports Data.

The NHRA’s Chief Development Officer and VP of Sales, Brad Gerber, tells SBC Americas that the league views sports betting as a valuable tool for securing an even more dedicated and loyal fanbase. 

Brad Gerber. Image: NHRA

“Ultimately, we want to engage and grow our fanbase and formalize what has been a part of drag racing since the inception of our sport,” says Gerber. “Research shows people who bet and play fantasy sports are almost 50% more likely to watch or track the sport they are wagering on.” 

Entering the sports betting space wasn’t simple, even with NHRA’s strong desire to do so. Sports betting is a challenging industry, with heavy regulations, rigorous vetting processes, and other hurdles. 

So, it was clear that the league needed support, particularly when it came to integrity, education, and monitoring any inconsistencies. Perhaps more importantly, though, was finding a partner which could facilitate betting. This is where ALT Sports Data comes in. 

Not only does ALT Sports Data provide odds and pricing for current and future NHRA events, but it has also gone back and ran the odds on historical events so that the future pricing models are as accurate as possible, while applying machine learning to the models to continually improve their accuracy. 

Having effective pricing keeps the lines fair for customers but also ensures that the sportsbooks can properly activate and engage fans through profitable betting lines. 

“ALT Sports Data has been instrumental in establishing partnerships with multiple operators as well as running millions of simulations to get accurate odds in this new marketplace,” Gerber notes. “The initial results have been successful. While it is still early, we are seeing momentum and engagement and are happy with where we are currently at – we do expect to see continual growth as we work through the 2024 season and into our 2025 season.”  

Just six weeks into the activation, the NHRA has been able to work with some of the biggest operators in the U.S. including DraftKings, Caesars, bet365 and Underdog. The league also anticipates that, with the help of ALT Sports Data, it can attract more operators to its events soon. 

Growth is a realistic expectation for the NHRA, which has a burgeoning and loyal fanbase. As ALT Sports Data has previously outlined, the fans of the lifestyle and adventure sports are ferociously passionate, with the sport often influencing other lifestyle choices such as fashion and music. 

The NHRA is no different – and one key advantage the association has is its growing younger fanbase.

“NHRA is fortunate to have the highest percentage of fans between the ages of 18-24 of major motorsports in the U.S.,” Gerber says. “That being said, we are always looking to further engage the younger adult demographic, and betting and fantasy are a perfect way to do that.” 

NHRA and ALT Sports Data have also partnered to responsibly drive education and awareness of the betting opportunity by leveraging ALT Sports Data affiliate channel, NXTbets.com, and creating PlayNHRA. The initiative provides fans with insights and content around responsible gaming, how-to/where-to place bets and delivers geographic/age appropriate access to their sportsbook partners. The PlayNHRA initiative is being actively promoted across broadcast, in-venue, digital and social channels.

So, while only in the early days of its effort, it seems like ALT Sports Data and the NHRA have a fruitful relationship that will grow as the years go on. The association certainly has lofty ambitions for its sports betting involvement and is aiming to educate its fans about betting via legal sportsbooks that it is featured on. 

Gerber notes that the sports betting venture is an exciting one for the association, and that through ALT Sports Data’s odds and marketing support, it can engage more and more fans over time.

He concludes: “We are currently looking for NHRA league partners that would help engage and grow our sport. With 1000’s of A against B matchups each weekend, we have been referred to as ‘Horse Racing on Nitromethane!’”