Can live scores/statistics shake up African sports betting?
The sports betting market in Africa is experiencing an upward tick, with bookmakers reporting new members every day. Thanks to mobile services becoming accessible in most countries, sports betting has turned into a daily ritual, especially for those who follow football.
Eagle Predict is one of Africa’s top sports prediction websites. It was recently surveyed to understand the sentiments of bettors across the continent. The April 2025 survey received 788 responses and showed that 26.3% of users today needed live data. This stat highlights a bettor’s need for real-time information.
While APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) and AI Algorithms are the heartbeat of live score updates, real-time scores are the backbone of live betting.
So, can real-time updates shake up the African sports betting market for good? Let us analyse the report and determine what else the bettors in Africa expect from bookmakers.
African Bettors Demand Real-Time Data
Making informed decisions in online betting is critical, and it can be achieved by having real-time information. The Eagle Predict survey shows that 70.9% of bettors use its services daily, many of whom are from Nigeria (33.2%), Ghana (9.1%), and Kenya (8.5%). They valued speediness, especially regarding tracking match scores as they unfold. These regions have also seen a steep rise in smartphone usage, with mobile money services like MTN Group, M-Pesa, and Airtel Money partnering with various bookmakers.
Over time, people’s reliance on instincts has taken a back seat. When information is readily available, why not use it to get a competitive edge over others, seems to be the consensus.
Indeed, good odds alone cannot help win bets, as they change with the in-game scenarios, often affecting the bet outcomes. With real-time data, individuals can explore hidden patterns, which in turn enables them to place informed bets. When one can place confident bets, their overall experience improves substantially.
Real-Time Data Ensures Player Retention and Engagement
The Eagle Predict survey showed that 64.8% of users found the platform easy to use. However, 35.2% still faced issues in some way. Bookmakers entering the online betting business aim to find a loyal customer base, and combining live data with their existing betting metrics could be the answer. If they can help a bettor in Nigeria watching the Premier League use real-time data to place bets, they will have succeeded in keeping the individual engaged throughout the match.
When the betting platform is interactive, chances are that a bettor will return for future games, too. Bookmakers that provide seamless match updates keep users on their app for extended durations. Most bettors today do not want to toggle between apps to check statistics and scores; having data appear on the same platform facilitates an immersive betting experience.
Under the “other features on Eagle Predict” section, surveyors also demanded correct score prediction. Integrating live data with accurate predictions can potentially convert the 12.1% weekly users into daily members.
Challenges of Implementing Real-Time Data in Online Sports Betting
There are various challenges to implementing real-time data in online sports betting, starting with technological infrastructure. Many regions in the African continent are known to be inconsistent as far as technological infrastructure goes. Countries like Uganda and Tanzania regularly face connectivity issues. To be able to deliver live data with minimal lag will still require significant investment on the part of the bookmaker.
Secondly, over-reliance on data can spring up as an issue. Eagle Predict’s survey notes that 19.4% of bettors preferred to remain neutral with their predictions, with some even stating, “most of the predictions are wrong”. So, if bookmakers were to compromise and deliver low-latency data, that could dissolve their trust among bettors. The fast-paced nature of live betting could further aggravate gambling addiction, which remains a growing concern among youths in the African continent.
The Future of Sports Betting Across Africa
Despite the challenges, platforms like Eagle Predict can address 26.3% of users’ live data demand. Another way to improve user satisfaction is to offer live data for previously untapped markets like, say, basketball. In a region like Ghana, basketball appears to be gaining popularity, so providing AI-driven statistics can win the trust of more bettors. Quality integration can catch the eye of lucrative sponsorship deals to further boost the African economy.
Implementation of Real-Time Scores Comes with a Catch
Integration of live scores and real-time data has changed the face of online betting for many countries. There is no reason why its implementation cannot shake up the African iGaming industry, too. However, overcoming infrastructural, regulatory, and ethical challenges is one thing, whereas dealing with their implications is another. Bookmakers must understand that when they lead the change to transform online betting in Africa, they must prioritise trustworthiness and encourage responsible gaming practices. The industry will continue to evolve with live data as a pivotal requirement, but careful implementation is the need of the hour.
