If you have ever placed a bet on a football match, it’s more than likely your bet has failed due to a player being subbed off. Right? It’s a familiar tale, every part of your bet builder has come through... you just need the last one! Then, the manager takes your player off – and it’s all over. Well, Paddy Power may have re-written the script in a bid to afford its bettors a greater level of control. Indeed, the brand’s new Super Sub feature allows you to transfer your bet onto the substitute, keeping the wager.
alive for the full 90 minutes. In typical Paddy Power fashion, the operator recently ran an advertisement (pictured) featuring a particularly lazy Ronaldo Nazario (R9 – or Dave, if he gets booked) being brought on for a Sunday League side to (very) little effect. Bettors will certainly hope their super sub feature will pay more dividends than it did for the unfortunate Pheonix FC – which lost its game 7-0.
GREATER CHOICE, GREATER ENGAGEMENT
And this move is no outlier, really. Online betting platforms are constantly looking for ways to keep their customers interested, especially within a UK market that was, for some time, devoid of true innovation. Paddy Power’s Super Sub is another recent move that falls within the list of promotional features offered by a range of providers and markets. Every indicator point towards operators putting the power back into the player’s hands. It’s not just Paddy Power, of course. Bet365 introduced its ‘bore draw’ feature which, when applied, refunds your stake if a game finishes 0-0. The offer is available pre-match on every game for half-time and full-time. What’s more, Betfred has its Racing Post In-Play insight, which gives the player live analysis through the 90 minutes. There are plenty of other examples.
But why would operators want to continue improving the odds for the player? When SkyBet released its AccaFreeze feature – which allows players to freeze a leg of their accumulator, to keep one of five scores the same (in case they were worried that team would go on to lose) – we spoke to Michael Shinners, who runs press and marketing for the operator. He said ‘the customer experience and their enjoyment of our product is the most important to us at SkyBet.’
In typical Paddy Power fashion, the operator recently ran an advertisement (pictured) featuring a particularly lazy Ronaldo Nazario (R9 – or Dave, if he gets booked) being brought on for a Sunday League side to (very) little effect
Indeed, giving players more control over the outcome of their bet makes them more likely to play. So, even though it gives the operator less chance of winning – it’s a surefire way of attracting more players. From a consumer’s perspective, the Super Sub is a great way to make your bet last as long as possible, thus improving your chances of winning. But this can also keep a player in play longer, perhaps encouraging other side bets, and still not necessarily guaranteeing a winning wager. Worth the risk (and Paddy Power clearly thought so).
The Super Sub feature is available in the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, the FA Cup and Euro 2024. Another Paddy Power innovation: let’s see how it affects results. But one thing’s for sure: it will no doubt be popular with players, carving out a genuine differentiator that makes it worth placing a bet with Paddy Power versus the rest of the field. Ultimately, that’s what this all comes down to, when there is such a homogenous field of play.
