American Gambling Awards Finalists: Data Service Provider of the Year

The American Gambling Awards celebrate the outstanding work of the companies, organizations, executives and influencers working to responsibly grow regulated online American casinos and sports betting sites in the US.

The winners will be announced the week of Nov. 14. Leading up to those announcements, Gambling.com will profile the finalists.

Here are the finalists for Data Service Provider of the Year

MetaBet

At New York-based MetaBet, the software company’s leaders, Benn Burton and Mark Phillip, have complied decades of experience in sports technology.

Burton is the former head of business development for Sportradar U.S., while Phillip is founder and CEO of the sports analytics firm Are You Watching?

Together, they are at the industry’s cutting edge on technology tools such as sports betting odds tables, gambling data and more.

As MetaBet’s website states, the company believes sports betting will become “an ever increasing part of sports coverage and conversation.”

“By providing easy-to-implement technology solutions that address regulatory hurdles and other friction points, we will facilitate the seamless convergence of sports wagering and sports content for both consumers and businesses,” the company says.

This forward-thinking strategy is paying off.

As one marking executive says on the company LinkedIn page, “You have built an amazing product that solves problems and provides solutions for companies big and small alike.”

Chalkline co-founder and CEO Daniel Kustelski adds a personal touch on LinkedIn that might be useful to anyone thinking of applying for employment at MetaBet: “Good guys to work with!”

Sportradar

Founded in 2001, Sportradar is headquartered in Switzerland and has branches in 22 major cities across the globe, from Las Vegas to London and beyond. 

A leading global sports technology company, Sportradar notes on its website that it provides “sports federations, news media, consumer platforms and sports betting operators with a range of solutions to help grow their business.”

In addition to virtual sports and other popular offerings, Sportradar’s commitment to inclusivity is front and center.

During the summer, Sportradar sponsored a Women in Sports Data Symposium + Hackathon in Brooklyn, giving a special Facebook shoutout to this year’s hackathon winner, Caitlin Krasinski.

With an superb business model and commitment to inclusivity, Sportradar shows no signs of slowing down.

The company already has 2,950 full-time employees in 20 countries, working on behalf of 1,700 customers. 

That’s not all.

Sportradar is an official partner of the NBA, NHL, MLB, NASCAR, FIFA and UEFA, covering more than 890,000 events each year in more than 90 sports.

Genius Sports

London-based Genius Sports, founded in 2001, began as a betting data specialist and has grown into one of the world’s largest sports technology companies, employing 1,800 people on five continents.

On is website, the company notes that its technology connects the dots between every aspect of sports, “from leagues taking control of their official data and video, to brands creating immersive fan experiences.”

CEO and co-founder Mark Locke, regarded as a leader in sports technology, integrity and regulation, has testified before the U.S. Congress and has led sports integrity committees along with executives from the Premier League, American Gaming Association and MGM Resorts International.

Locke and his first-rate team have forged partnerships with numerous sports governing bodies, including the NFL, Premier League, NBA, NCAA, MLB, PGA Tour, Bundesliga, Serie A, FIBA and NASCAR.

The company’s growth model also comes with a commitment to its employees’ well-being.

Genius Sports has taken a leading role in issues involving mental health by supporting the Mental Health Foundation and encouraging employees to take an extra day “to rest, reset and prioritize mental health.”