In a case of casual eating meets casual sports betting, a startup streaming information service is now playing on TVs at the Hooters of America restaurant chain in three states, including Pennsylvania.
The sports betting information service from KonekTV is also available at Hooters locations in New Jersey and Indiana, and all states where BetRivers.com operates online sportsbooks.
BetRivers is prominently a part of the KonekTV display, as is a Hooters’ promo code for an enhanced $300 deposit bonus.
KonekTV has strong ties to the Philadelphia area
KonekTV has direct ties to the Philly region and one area sports team.
Founders Seth Schorr and Sameer Gupta went to the University of Pennsylvania.
Also, part of its $3.1 million startup bankroll comes from the Sixers Innovation Lab.
The lab is a business incubator that the NBA team houses at its corporate office in Camden, New Jersey. That’s adjacent to the Philadelphia 76ers practice facility across the Delaware River from Philly.
The executive director of the lab, Seth Berger, is also an alumnus of Penn. Berger has a seat on KonekTV’s Board.
KonekTV makes sports data digestible
KonekTV’s streaming display features a rotating carousel of sports betting information, many with a tie-in to teams connected to the region. By contrast to the arcane presentations of typical online sportsbooks, simplified data with graphics streams on KonekTV.
Gupta, one of the founders, explained the screen presentation to PlayPennsylvania:
“KonekTV showcases sports stats, analytics and odds in the most user-friendly fashion in the market. The KonkeTV experience starts with the teams on top, their expected win probabilities below, and continues to the easy-to-read odds. For new sports bettors, an explanation of what each ‘odd’ means, with a simple explanation, is listed below each betting option. Below the main betting window is a ticker-tape of upcoming games and odds.”
Schorr, his partner, said the display enhances the sport watching experience for customers of host venues while also helping sportsbooks acquire new customers.
“KonekTV simplifies the betting experience for those looking to try their hand at sports betting,” Schorr stated in the press release. In addition to serving as KonekTV’s CEO, Schorr is also chairman of Downtown Grand in Las Vegas and the CEO of Fifth Street Gaming in Nevada.
An integrated sports watching experience for guests
Hooters CEO Terry Marks explained that the screens help customers place bets at BetRivers in real-time on their phones while watching games at the restaurant. He said in the press release:
“Partnering with KonekTV allows us to bring a whole new world of opportunities to our guests and creates another reason as to why Hooters is the ultimate hangout spot.”
Matt Stetz, COO at Rush Street Interactive, the parent company of Rivers, spoke to the added value of partnering with KonekTV:
“BetRivers is excited to partner with KonekTV to promote our brand, odds, and betting experience to sports fans visiting Hooters locations across the three states where our mobile sports betting service is legal.”
For KonekTV, partnerships such as that with Hooters are critical to their growth, as is promoting engagement with their products.
“We have a range of innovation planned for how to drive activations and engagement at retail locations such as Hooters,” said Schorr.
In time for March Madness in PA
Ben Lashbrook, assistant manager of a Hooters in Concordville, PA, has three screens for KonekTV out of his 21 TVs.
The first was connected just two weeks ago, so after the Super Bowl, but before March Madness. So his experience with the service is limited so far.
Set up was easy, with a Firestick plug-in, he added.
New server Cece Brumaire (pictured) has yet to see the KonekTV streaming during a big sports event. But she knows tips are more substantial, and food and drink sales grow when big games air.
If PA bettors take kindly to the screens during those upcoming big games, the betting and dining experience at Hooters will be enhanced for all. BetRivers could also get a nice customer acquisition boost in the process – at least, that is the hope.
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