Multimedia content provider, PA Media has agreed a strategic partnership with esports statistics and odds specialist, PandaScore, in a move where the two parties have said they will allow operators to offer customers a wider range of betting options on esports competitions.
Under the agreement, PA’s Betting division will now be serving as the PandaScore’s exclusive data distribution partner in the UK and North Europe. PA will also represent PandaScore on a non-exclusive basis in the US market.
PandaScore uses propriety machine learning technology to collect esports data and also complies odds for clients, where they gather data from contests based around popular titles such as League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2 and Overwatch, among others.
PA Media managing director of racing and sports Michael Grenham said:“PandaScore’s innovative approach to using AI to collect and process real time data from esports matches, combined with PA’s unparalleled reach, provides a powerful proposition for sportsbook operators.
“This new relationship with PandaScore is a significant step in PA’s ambitions to form partnerships around predictive data with ground-breaking businesses around the world.”
PandaScore chief executive Flavien Guillocheau added that the agreement would help its customers grow by unlocking new and underserved markets.
“Esports is a rapidly growing and competitive marketplace,” Guillocheau said. “PA shares our vision that esports are a big part of the future, especially with millennial and gen-z audiences which are as interested in Fortnite as football.”
Formerly the Press Association, but now known as the PA has long provided live data, along with editorial content, form guides, images and infographics, as well as hosted solutions and statistics to a range of publications and gaming businesses via racing and betting division.
