KonekTV brings sportsbook information to bars and taverns in sports betting states

Tuesday, December 24, 2019 11:05 AM

The rapid legalization of sports betting has given rise to several associated businesses.

Las Vegas casino operator Seth Schorr has found a vehicle to help sports bars and taverns in states where sports betting has launched.

Through KonekTV, bars and taverns have the ability to offer customers up-to-the-minute sports wagering information, such as betting lines, over-under totals and other gambling statistics. KonekTV works with licensed sportsbook operators in states with mobile wagering regulations to provide the information on television screens inside the locations.

The running stream offers the information on all contests that are legal to wager on in a particular state. KonekTV provides a streaming sports platform that is easily installed via an HDMI device to any existing TV screen.

The focus has been on states with mobile sports wagering, which often allows a customer to download and register with mobile sports application without having to physically visit a casino.

Since launching, KonekTV is utilized in more than 100 locations in Indiana, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. KonekTV also has agreements with Caesars Entertainment casinos in Indiana and the casino giant’s Linq in Las Vegas. The company is planning to bring the system, which is located the casinos’ sportsbooks, to Mississippi.

Schorr, who cofounded the company, says the information is a “mini betting board,” that allows bar and tavern owners to provide a benefit for their customers in states with new sports betting laws and regulations.

“The locations already have televisions and are showing games,” Schorr said. “We’re working with our sportsbook partners to bring the information to bars and taverns, allowing the locations to offer special promotions.”

KonekTV in a tavern location

KonekTV has agreements with sports betting providers SportsRadar, Wynn Resorts, Caesars, William Hill US, and Rush Street Gaming to provide sports wagering information in states where the companies are licensed.

Sports betting currently taking place in 13 states – 14 when New Hampshire launches mobile sports betting next week. Another six states could come online in 2020.

“We see a lot of potential for this business,” Schorr said.

KonekTV said in a statement it received initial investments from Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment’s Sixers Innovation Lab, Pipeline Capital and The New York Angels. KonekTV will use the funding to continue to expand its platform nationwide.

“Our mission is to bridge the physical-and-digital divide at venues,” said KonekTV co-founder Sameer Gupta. He said the technology allows the bars to “leapfrog into the digital age. We use artificial intelligence to make sure the right content is on sports bar TVs, translating to more engagement.”

Schorr said he talks with the bar and tavern owners from experience – he is a partner in Parkway Tavern, which operates several locations in the Las Vegas Valley. As president of Fifth Street Gaming, Schorr operates the Downtown Grand Casino in downtown Las Vegas.

“A bar and tavern operator understands the certain relationships you build with your customers,” Schorr said. “KonekTV was born out of my frustration as a sports bar owner and casino operator. The ‘living room’ experience kept getting better, while the content options at our sports bars and books stayed the same. Our goal is to give bar owners an innovative solution to drive visitation, encouraging guests to stay longer and spend more.”

In a statement provided by KonekTV, Caesars Senior Vice President of Strategic Development called the technology “cutting edge. “Our guests enjoy KonekTV’s stats and analytics that give them more insight about the games they are betting on.”

KonekTV has partnered with Joe Hand Promotions, a distributor of sports content to sports bars, casual-dining restaurants, casinos, and universities, to distribute the KonekTV technology throughout the United States. Joe Hand has relationships with more than 8,000 venues.

Howard Stutz is the executive editor of CDC Gaming. He can be reached at hstutz@cdcgaming.com. Follow @howardstutz on Twitter.