PA Media teams up with PandaScore to enhance esports betting

Multimedia content provider PA Media has agreed a strategic partnership with esports statistics and odds specialist PandaScore, in a move the two parties say will allow operators to offer customers a wider range of betting options on esports competitions.

Under the agreement, PA’s Betting division will now serve 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 proprietary machine learning technology to collect esports data and compiles odds for clients, gathering data from contests based around popular titles such as League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2 and Overwatch, among others.

“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,” PA Media managing director of racing and sports Michael Grenham said.

“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.”

The PA – formerly the Press Association – has long provided live data, editorial content, form guides, images and infographics, as well as hosted solutions and statistics to a range of publications and gaming businesses via its racing and betting division.