The London Summer Olympic Games are just about a week away, but preparations have been under way for years in the city by the Thames. Planning that far in advance is a necessity for the host city, but sportsbook affiliates who haven’t started planning still have plenty of time.
Here are some ideas to get started.
Keep Your Coverage Fluid
One of the really great things about the Olympic Games is that there’s always a breakout star and you never know where he or she is going to emerge. Don’t box yourself into an editorial plan that doesn’t allow you to cover these big stories.
Swimming events, for example, are always popular, but stars like Michael Phelps made them the centerpiece of the Beijing Games in 2008. This year, expect top swimmers like Missy Franklin and Ryan Lochte to perform similar feats.
Localize Your Coverage
If you’ve got a good sense of what countries your players are coming from, you can easily tailor coverage to fit those demographics. With practically every country on the planet represented at the Games, marketing to distinct nationalities shouldn’t be too tough. (Here’s a complete list of the countries that are definitely competing.)
Going Mainstream
While covering the breakouts and the smaller country, it’s those big time Olympic events that will be your bread and butter. Sports books and television networks bank on gymnastics; swimming and diving; soccer; basketball; and track field to bring in huge audiences.
With so many superstars competing in soccer and basketball, you’ll probably have some luck cross-promoting to your NBA and Premiere League bettors. Some of the lines on these games are so high, some punters may wind up steering clear of them.
Prop Bets
Don’t forget to include prop bets like medal counts in your Olympic content. Bettors are seriously obsessed with this category and a running count on your site and Twitter feed could help build excitement.
Looking for other Olympic content ideas? Check out Preparing for the London Summer Olympics.
Olympic Promotions
888 Affiliates – 888 Sports is a huge presence on the UK sport betting scene and they’re likely to see a lot of business during the Games. New players can take advantage of a no strings attached $20 bet with a new deposit. Affiliate partners who sign up through CAP can grab as much as $500 in bonuses if they can bring in five new players in the first 60 days.
Boyle Sports – They’re one of Ireland’s biggest sports books and have developed a very good reputation in the industry over the past couple of decades. They’re offering new affiliate partners a 40% revenue share for the first three months (which would carry you from the Opening Ceremonies right into the heart of American football season). New players get a generous match bonus with an opening deposit.
Intertops Sportsbooks – The Olympic Games are an international event and this is definitely an international site. Intertops is currently offering CAP readers a 40% revenue share for the first three months. Players can cash in on a 25% initial deposit bonus of up to $100.