Curling, F1 and Bare-Knuckle Fighting Eye Betting Growth

_{Bare knuckle boxing is coming to the fore in betting markets. (Image: Image Source Limited/Alamy)}

Executives from bare-knuckle boxing, Formula One, and professional curling say sports betting, streaming distribution, and global fan engagement are key to their next stage of growth. Speaking during a panel at the NEXT Summit in New York on emerging sports and wagering opportunities, industry leaders said these sports are gaining traction but still face hurdles before they can compete with established leagues.

The panel discussion highlighted how sports outside the traditional North American “big six”, football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, and college sports, are finding new ways to build audiences and revenue streams.

Formula 1 Uses Data to Build New Betting Products

Formula 1 already has a massive global fan base, but betting markets around the sport are still developing.

Mark Wrigley, head of betting at Formula 1, said the league has spent the past year working with data providers and sportsbooks to create more engaging betting options.

“It is an emerging sports league in sports betting,” Wrigley said.

The challenge lies in translating the vast amount of data generated during races into meaningful wagering opportunities.

“We have 700 data points per second coming off the car and 22 cars going around the track,” Wrigley said.

Rather than focusing only on race winners or podium finishes, the league is experimenting with new in-race betting markets. These include predictions on overtakes, pit stops, and position battles throughout a race.

“It’s really about giving them what they want to really engage with it,” Wrigley said.

Those in-race betting options mirror the type of micro-markets that have become popular in other forms of gambling. Similar mechanics already drive engagement in online casino products, where rapid-fire outcomes in games such as slots or roulette keep players interacting with the platform.

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship Eyes Betting Expansion

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), a rapidly growing combat sports promotion, believes its fast-paced format makes it a natural fit for sports betting.

Chief Business Officer Steve Souhrada said the promotion has grown significantly in recent years. What started with small events in regional venues now draws arena-scale crowds and millions of viewers.

“Bare knuckle fighting, something everyone in the world can understand. There’s no wrestling, there’s no kicking, there’s no hitting a defenceless fighter. It’s straight up boxing with no gloves,” Souhrada said.

The promotion has grown quickly. Souhrada said a recent event in Philadelphia drew 18,000 spectators, with millions more watching online.

“Just most recently, on February 7th, we had 18,000 people at the Xfinity Mobile Centre in Philadelphia. We had 3.3 million live viewers and over 100 million social media views,” he said.

But integrating the sport into sportsbooks has not been easy. Operators focus most of their resources on major leagues, leaving emerging sports competing for attention.

Souhrada said partnerships with data and integrity providers have helped build the foundation for betting markets. A recent event partnered with FanDuel produced strong results, suggesting interest among bettors is growing.

Modern bare-knuckle boxing is considered legal in the UK, with professional, regulated events taking place, such as those promoted by UBBAD.

You can legally gamble on BKB in the UK Some sportsbooks, such as NetBet Sport, offer betting markets for Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) events.

Curling League Sees Gambling as an Engagement Tool

Professional curling may seem like an unlikely sports betting candidate, but entrepreneur Nick Sulsky Co-Founder and CEO of The Curling Group believes the sport’s global audience makes it a strong long-term opportunity.

Sulsky, who previously worked in the gaming industry, said he initially entered the sport through sponsorship deals tied to a sports betting brand in Canada.

“I’m not a curler. I got into it as some of you guys know, I’ve been a gaming operator for pretty much my entire career,” Sulsky said.

His company later acquired the Grand Slam of Curling and launched a new professional league. One major hurdle was building the technology infrastructure needed to support betting.

Until recently, curling lacked live data feeds required by sportsbooks to offer in-game wagers.

“Let’s face it, gambling is an engagement tool for emerging sports,” Sulsky said. “We want more audiences engaging longer.”

The sport gained additional attention during the Winter Olympics, where curling often ranks among the most-watched events globally. Industry executives say that exposure helped introduce new audiences to the sport and increased betting interest.

Still, Sulsky said emerging sports must convince operators to invest time and development resources before betting markets become widespread.

Streaming and Global Distribution Are Key

Panelists also emphasised that emerging sports must control how their content reaches fans.

John Albright, a partner at Relay Ventures, said many smaller leagues rely on digital streaming platforms because traditional broadcasters are often too expensive.

“I think it’s a must,” Albright said, referring to streaming distribution.

Many emerging sports have passionate international audiences but relatively small domestic fan bases. Streaming allows those leagues to reach global viewers while maintaining control over their data and media rights.

Sulsky said his curling organisation built its own distribution platform to ensure fans worldwide can watch events.

“If you have an audience around the world and they can’t watch it, what’s the point?” he said.

The strategy also creates opportunities for sportsbooks, which increasingly offer live streams directly within their betting platforms to encourage longer user engagement.

Betting Growth Will Take Time

Despite optimism, panellists agreed the biggest barrier remains convincing sportsbooks to invest resources in emerging sports.

Operators rely heavily on large data providers and established markets. Integrating new leagues requires technical work and dedicated trading teams, which many operators reserve for the biggest sports.

Still, executives believe betting will become a core part of their ecosystems over time.

“It’s going to take time,” Wrigley said.

Just as online casinos have used fast-paced games and streaming technology to keep players engaged, emerging sports hope betting and digital distribution will help convert curious viewers into long-term fans.