One of the more versatile players that the Padres ever had, Phil Nevin played a bounty of Games for San Diego at Third, First, Rightfield, and at Catcher, but it looked for a while like Nevin would never become an everyday player in the Majors.

Nevin was a former Number One Pick, taken by the Astros in 1992, but they soured on him, and he was traded to Detroit in 1995, and two years later to Anaheim, with neither place seeing Nevin ascend to an everyday player.  The Angels sent him south to San Diego, and finally, he began to meet expectations.

Nevin had 24 Home Runs in 1999 and increased it to 31 in 2000, where he also had his first .300 season, with a .303 Batting Average.  He followed that with the best season of his career, with career highs in Hits (167), Home Runs (41), RBIs (126), and the three Slash Line components (.306/.388/.588).  Bevin was an All-Star that year, was 21^st in MVP voting, and had his third consecutive year with a Slugging Percentage over .500.

Nevin was injured through most of the 2002 and 2003 seasons, and he had a nice comeback year in 2004 (26 HR, 105 RBI, .289 BA), but he was getting older and was deemed expendable.  He was traded to Texas during the 2005 Season, leaving San Diego with 156 Home Runs, 573 RBIs, and had a Slash Line of .288/.359/.503.

As of this writing, Fernando Tatis Jr. has only been with the San Diego Padres for four seasons, but he is one of the most exciting players in the game and has so much more ahead of him.

The Chicago White Sox first signed the son of a 14-Year veteran, Fernando Tatis, Tatis Jr. as an Amateur Free Agent in 2015, but before he played an organized game in the ChiSox organization, he was traded to the Padres in a move that will haunt White Sox for years to come.  Tatis Jr. climbed up the Padres organization, making the Friars in 2019, finishing third in Rookie of the Year, voting off a .317, 22 HR year.  

COVID-19 ravaged 2020, but not Tatis Jr., who emerged as one of the best players in the NL.  He finished fourth in MVP voting, won the Silver Slugger, and the Shortstop batted .277 with 17 Home Runs in 59 Games.  2021 was better, as Tatis Jr. led the NL in Home Runs (42) with 97 RBIs and a Slash Line of .282/.364/.611.  Tatis Jr. won his second Silver Slugger, was third in MVP voting, and, as he did in 2020, was named to the All-MLB 1 Team.  The sky should have been what Tatis reached in 2022, but that was not to be, as he started the season on the disabled list and ended it with a drug suspension, leaving him with zero Games Played in 2022.  He began 2023 serving the rest of his suspension, and a lot of question marks were ahead of him, but he returned as San Diego's best player and an All-Star snub.  Tatis had 25 Home Runs, and had his best defensive year to date, winning a Gold Glove with a 2.3 Defensive bWAR.

What will 2024 bring for Tatis Jr?

All rise!

Aaron Judge is as of this writing the most exciting player on the New York Yankees, and since his rookie year, the team’s best offensive player.

Judge played in 27 Games in 2016, maintaining his rookie eligibility for 2017.  The First Baseman was named the Rookie of the Year, leasing the AL in Home Runs (52), Runs Scored (128), Walks (127), while winning the Silver Slugger and coming in second for the MVP.  An All-Star as a rookie, Judge was also named an All-Star in 2018 (27 HR, .278 BA), and had 27 Home Runs again in only 102 Games in 2019.  

In 2021, Judge had another great year, where he was fourth in MVP voting off a 39 Home Run year, but it was in 2022, where he made a claim for Yankee immortality, winning the MVP, and the Home Run Title with a 62-Home Run season, now making him the single-season leader Home Run leader for the Yankees, the most important team to have a claim on.

Judge should be able to climb up this list if he continues, but there is no other all-time top 50 to move up on.

Many online sportsbooks in the U.S. today are marketing to recreational bettors. Offers like welcome bonuses and loyalty rewards may entice more people to consider betting online.

This strategy appears to be aimed at increasing the sportsbooks’ customer base. These offers may also affect the customers’ decision-making and betting behavior more than the pricing can.

With its legalization in the U.S. in 2018, sports betting has become more accessible to more people. Furthermore, the recent COVID-19 pandemic has driven more people to stay at home and spend more time and money on online betting.

In 2020, sports betting generated a $1 billion revenue in the U.S. At the beginning of 2021, 23.2 million Americans expressed interest in betting $4.3 billion on the Super Bowl alone, and 7.6 million people said they would bet online.

With this current landscape, online gambling may be expected to grow into a $100 billion industry by 2026.

As more sports betting sites appear, the need to offer competitive prices to bettors becomes paramount. In this case, will adjusting prices be enough to increase the demand for online betting?

This article discusses price elasticity in sports betting and the factors that affect sports betting demand in the U.S.

Price Elasticity in Online Sports Betting

Theoretically, if online sports betting prices were elastic, demand should change significantly with only a slight price change.

For example, a slight reduction in a bookmaker’s vig can narrow their profit margin. However, that reduction may significantly increase the number of bets. In this case, the bookmaker’s prices may be relatively elastic.

However, are price changes sufficient to significantly change the demand for sports betting in real-world scenarios? Put another way, do price changes even matter when sportsbooks try to market their products?

Below are some factors that can influence bettors’ preferences when it comes to online sports betting.

Factors Affecting Sports Betting Demand in the U.S.

Price

Historically, Las Vegas and U.S.-facing offshore sportsbooks significantly influenced how line prices were set.

Nowadays, because of U.S. market regulations, operators and sportsbook suppliers in large states are now playing a role in providing competitive prices.

In addition, the regulations ensure that the operators are pricing their lines competitively.

A sportsbook with a high price elasticity should experience a high surge in demand with just a slight reduction to its vig. Alternatively, bettors may shy away from the sportsbook if it were to increase its house take.

However, that scenario is only theoretical, and pricing is not the only factor influencing demand for online sports betting.

Brand Association

Bettors also look into an online sportsbook’s brand reputation and association. Most legally operating sportsbooks have partnerships with physical and online casinos, big sports betting brands, or other gambling entities that give the sportsbook more credibility.

This credibility is likely to increase the sportsbook’s value and make bettors trust the sportsbook more. This trust may influence the bettor’s behavior in favor of the sportsbook, dictated not only by the price but also by the brand.

For example, partnerships with major sports leagues mean the sportsbook is reliable enough to be recognized by those leagues.

Other betting sites may receive backing from big brands. If bettors prefer those brands, the sponsorship may increase the chances of the bettor favoring the sportsbook.

On-Par Product and Experience Delivery

Competitive pricing and reputable brand association may not be enough to influence demand. Bettors may also ask for products and services of equal or higher value to the sportsbooks’ prices.

One way for this strategy to work is to ensure that bettors experience the convenience worth their money. This way, pricing may matter less as long as the bettor experiences quality service.

For example, the bookmaker’s online platform must be user-friendly and navigable. Sportsbooks may also provide welcome bonuses and rewards for bettors to maximize their deposits.

If the sportsbook has a mobile app, that feature may be considered a plus for accessibility. Mobile apps allow bettors to place bets, even when traveling or watching a live game in a stadium.

Additional payment options other than credit cards can also favor both the bookmaker and the customer.

More options to fund betting accounts, like online payment gateways, provide more convenience to bettors, increasing customer demand for the bookmaker’s services.

Other features that can add to a sportsbook’s ability to deliver quality services include moderating a bettor’s gambling habits and protecting their personal information.

Bettors must know that their private data is safe or that the sportsbook cares enough to help them curb developing gambling problems. These efforts may help them associate a positive experience with the sportsbook.

Bookmakers can further improve customer experience if they have a connection with advocacy groups promoting responsible gambling. This connection shows that the sportsbook encourages bettors to have a healthy gambling lifestyle.

Legal vs. Offshore Operators

The issue between offshore and U.S.-based legal sportsbook operators is that the U.S. sportsbooks are regulated while the offshore ones are not. This situation puts the U.S. sportsbooks in a challenging position against their offshore counterparts.

U.S. operators may think of offering products and services at par with the offshore operators to remain competitive. However, bettors may see no incentive to prefer U.S. sportsbooks if this were the case.

Instead, U.S. operators need to offer better products and services than offshore sportsbooks’ to stay on top of the game.

Conclusion

Demand for online sports betting is unlikely to change by simply adjusting the prices offered by the bookmakers. For some people, this situation may be indicative of price inelasticity.

That said, other factors have to be considered, including brand association, product and experience delivery, and the choice between offshore and legal operators.

These factors may affect the bettors’ outlook toward the sportsbook and influence demand more than just price changes alone can do.

Individuals interested in online sports betting should check their local state laws if sports betting is legal in their area.