Influence of Nudge Dynamics in Sports Betting Platforms

The legalization of sports betting in the United States has ushered in a wave of digital platforms that offer sophisticated betting options, presenting both opportunities and challenges. This study explores the application of nudge theory within these platforms, focusing specifically on a custom-built application, BetBoard, designed to investigate the impact of behavioral nudges on sports betting behaviors, specifically european soccer. BetBoard integrates real-time betting data and utilizes nudge mechanisms that highlight a team’s winning streaks to examine their influence on the decision-making processes of users. Results from a controlled study involving 34 participants indicate that such a nudge can significantly affect betting behavior, such as increasing betting volume by 6.7% and average bet size by 13%. This study contributes to understanding how subtle digital cues can shape user behavior in the context of online sports betting.