The Evolution of In-Play and Micro-Betting

The evolution of sports betting from pre-match wagers to **In-Play** and **Micro-Betting** represents a shift from static prediction to high-frequency, algorithmic trading. Pioneered by **bet365** in the early 2000s, In-Play betting capitalized on the internet's ability to offer continuous pricing, eventually accounting for over 70% of handle in mature markets. **Key Evolutionary Stages:** * **The Latency Arbitrage Era:** Early live betting relied on "courtsiders" sending data faster than TV broadcasts, necessitating the rise of data aggregators like **Sportradar** and **Genius Sports** to industrialize real-time odds. * **The Micro-Betting Shift:** Driven by the US market post-2018, technology moved beyond game outcomes to discrete events (e.g., "Next Pitch Result"). This required fully automated **Machine Learning** models (e.g., Simplebet) capable of opening and settling markets in seconds, removing human traders entirely. * **Infrastructure Integration:** The sector now relies on **Official League Data** mandates and **WebRTC** low-latency streaming to synchronize video feeds with betting markets, turning sports apps into immersive, second-screen gaming platforms.