Q&A Session with ShotQuality

Earlier this summer, Huddle announced a strategic partnership with ShotQuality, a leading basketball data company that uses AI and computer vision to generate precise location data for NBA, NCAA and international basketball games. 

Read more about ShotQuality and Huddle partnership here.

We sat down with ShotQuality founder Simon Gerszberg and had a conversation around ShotQuality's product, learning how their innovative data can impact Huddle and sports betting.

Can you give us a background on ShotQuality?

Absolutely! The idea behind ShotQuality was born when I was behind the bench as part of the analytics team for Colgate University’s Mens Basketball. I spent hours manually grading every shot taken, then translating that data into actionable insights to help their coach make smart decisions about his strategy. During the offseason I built a better way to collect the data using a combination of publicly available sources and was able to scale the coverage beyond just Colgate. I had an influx of other coaches asking for and using the data. My phone started ringing off the hook from sharp bettors who wanted to use the data to power their picks and predictions. The more traction we got from both customers, the more I saw that the real game changer was in creating unique data around player location to power predictive algorithms for NCAA basketball. Fast forward to today and we have an incredible team building innovative technology which leverages the power of AI and computer vision to extract precise location data from video footage of NCAA Men's, NBA, and international basketball games. That data feeds predictive algorithms which calculate the expected value of every shot which are being used by top teams, sharps, media, and sportsbook operators to win more.  

What separates ShotQuality apart?

What really sets ShotQuality apart is our ability to generate player location data at scale for all 10 players on the court, for every game, without the installation of expensive hardware. We unlock the context behind what happens on the court by including every player, every team, and every shot taken  in one of the largest and most actionable datasets in basketball. We offer a unique lens to analyze and predict expected outcomes which is powered by over 19 million shots in our dataset. 

What is ShotQuality’s vision for impacting sports betting?

Our vision is to elevate the sports betting experience by introducing a new level of predictive power and engagement. ShotQuality's Score Center aims to be the heart of this transformation. We provide real-time predictions for live games, enhancing fan engagement and enabling bettors to make more informed decisions. Our Score Center is the only place where you can see a live picture of who’s hot (outperforming expectations) and who’s not (underperforming expectations). This adds another layer of quantifiable information to the in-game betting experience that we are really excited about. 

How do you see the ShotQuality Score Center helping to improve the user experience, and in turn reducing customer churn for operators?

With the added contextual information on both player and team shooting analytics in real-time, we can improve the experience for both bettors and operators. Users betting on basketball at Sportsbooks powered by ShotQuality will find a more engaging experience that goes beyond traditional box scores because of the unique data. From the Operator’s perspective, the added layer of quantifiable information can help generate additional turnover by giving their player’s new insights to generate more live betting opportunities.  This creates a more engaging betting experience, reducing churn in the process. 

It’s a simple concept which has a big impact: 

🔥 When the ShotQuality Score is lower than the actual in-game score, that means the team or player shot better than expected, they outperformed their ShotQuality 

🥶 When the ShotQuality Score is higher than the actual in-game score, that means the team or player did not perform as well as their ShotQuality expectations.

How do you see ShotQuality complimenting Huddle’s offering?

Huddle is all about delivering innovative solutions, and ShotQuality brings an additional layer of accuracy and predictive power to the table through it’s player location data. By integrating our data and predictive analytics into Huddle’s automated pricing and trading services, we're opening up sharper predictions for basketball. With Score Center’s unique data about live game expected performance, Huddle’s clients have a highly differentiated in-game app experience compared to the rest of the market.

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How can ShotQuality impact NBA in-play trading?

In the fast-paced world of NBA in-play trading ShotQuality's data powers advanced analytics which provide the most accurate and timely lines. We enable traders to respond to game dynamics as they happen and enable them to sharpen their lines. Knowing how players are tracking relative to expected performance elevates decision making for traders. 

What’s next for ShotQuality?

It’s showtime for us in 19 days when the NBA season starts and we can’t wait. This is our 3rd season working with top teams and premium bettors. We are excited to incorporate all of the feedback that we have received to date into our innovative products and make it a great season. 

We're continuously refining our algorithms and exploring new ways to scale. Our recent partnership with Huddle is just the tip of the iceberg. We're looking to potentially expand into other sports and markets and to keep innovating in ways that bring even more value to the game, our customers and partners.

To find out more about how ShotQuality and Huddle can improve your Sportsbook's offerings, please reach out to dylan.mitchard@huddle.tech