A shift in sports culture is reshaping the foundation of betting markets. As fans increasingly identify with athletes instead of clubs, sportsbooks are embracing player-centric betting options to meet demand and capitalize on the evolving nature of fandom. This trend has transformed what was once a marginal segment—player props—into a central element of betting strategy, engagement, and revenue generation.
Karl Danzer, SVP of Odds Services at Sportradar, says the focus on individuals is a fundamental change in both how fans consume sports and how they bet. “Sport is now more people-focused,” he states. “Team sports are more personality-led. Not all organisations like that – it hands players the power – but it plays a big role in how people bet.”
This growing emphasis on individual athletes is mirrored by increased interest in player-specific wagering options, such as bet builders and same game parlays (SGPs). Sportsbooks are responding by tailoring products to cater to those who follow athletes more than franchises.
Loyalty Shifts Fuel Demand for Player Markets
Danzer draws attention to how generational differences shape fan behavior. In Europe, many older fans were raised to support teams, particularly in football. However, in the U.S., the nature of the draft system often means players change teams frequently, prompting fans to stay loyal to athletes instead of clubs.
“Now the players have the platform to promote themselves over the team,” Danzer notes. “This is now not only the superstars of the team but a much wider proportion of the players.”
The rise of social media has accelerated this transition. Direct engagement between athletes and fans has encouraged a deeper personal connection, which Danzer believes naturally transitions to more bets placed on individual performance.
Micro Markets and Custom Betting Experiences
In response to the shifting demand, Sportradar has made strategic investments in micro player markets. These offerings allow real-time, player-specific bets, creating dynamic, personalized wagering opportunities.
“We are definitely seeing the growth of player markets, particularly within bet builders and SGPs,” Danzer confirms. “One of our key strategies is that we are investing in micro player markets to help our clients meet increased consumer demand.”
He emphasizes the business opportunity this represents: “It is easier to convert someone to sports betting if they are following a player.”
SGP Popularity and the Influence of DFS
Tom Daniel, SVP of trading at Huddle, agrees with the player-centric shift. U.S. sports, with their measurable, discrete events—like plays, pitches, and possessions—are particularly well-suited to prop-based wagering.
“Our data reinforces the dominance of player props,” Daniel says. “Six of the top seven most popular SGP markets are focused on individual performances. Player props represent approximately 70%–75% of all bets placed in this category.”
Daniel also attributes this trend to the data-driven culture of American sports fans. “Take baseball, for instance. Sabermetrics has been around since the 1970s,” he says.
Many bettors also come from the daily fantasy sports (DFS) world, where evaluating players statistically is second nature. “Many of today’s sports bettors will have played DFS and so will be extremely familiar with assessing and taking an opinion on player performances,” he adds.
Growth of Player Props in Europe
Though the movement began in the U.S., European markets are catching up quickly. Daniel notes an increasing demand for player-based betting in European football. “Players are becoming brands in their own right, with massive social media followings and influence,” he says.
Marc Thomas, managing director at Algosport, concurs. “The trend is clear in European football and has certainly accelerated over recent years,” he explains. Thomas highlights the 2024 Euros and Copa America as turning points. “These tournaments were almost perfect for in-play bet builders. We see no reason why the proportion of bet builders struck in-play versus pre-match will not continue further, becoming the dominant revenue driver in the near future.”
Thomas adds that Algosport’s platform enables fans to express their football insights as tailored bets. “We allow end-users to truly turn their opinions on a particular match or player into a bet that can test their knowledge and opinion against the bookmakers’ odds.”
AI-Driven Betting: A Glimpse Into the Future
Innovation in this area is ongoing. Kero Sports CEO Tomash Devenishek envisions real-time, contextual markets driven by AI. “Imagine a scenario where a player goes on a scoring streak, and the betting platform instantly offers and elevates a prop like ‘Player X has scored 14 points in four minutes – will he score over 25 in the half?’” Devenishek says.
At Kero, the goal is to automate and personalize these micro-markets, providing relevant and timely wagers. “It makes the popular offering more relevant and contextual while reducing the search effort on the user’s part,” he says. Scalability, he believes, depends on automation and artificial intelligence.
Barriers to Scalability and Data Challenges
However, not all hurdles have been cleared. Daniel points to the complexity of offering accurate pricing at scale: “It’s not good enough to try and fudge the pricing with a priori guesses at correlations anymore.” He stresses that modern platforms must simulate hundreds of thousands of game outcomes to support SGP demand.
Additionally, while personalization and targeting younger demographics make intuitive sense, Danzer cautions that more data is needed to confirm assumptions. “It seems logical that younger people are playing more on player props,” he says. “But whether it is true, we will find out.”
He also questions how effective player props are for attracting new bettors. “I’m not sure whether it is more efficient than other ways,” Danzer concedes. “Advertising in the right environment, understanding the fans and giving them corresponding offers has a significant uptick in terms of performance – that again is logical.”
The Future of Sports Betting Is Player-First
If the current pace continues, player props are poised to become the cornerstone of modern betting. Danzer emphasizes one reason why sportsbooks favor this approach: “Operators like parlays; margins are better for a start. And this is where player props are interesting.”
The convergence of fan engagement, athlete branding, and technological innovation is transforming the way people bet on sports—one player at a time.
Source:
‘’Personality-driven sports are shaping the future of betting products’’, igamingbusiness.com, July 14, 2025.
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