Some 85% of online sports bettors report gambling on the sites at least once a week, with more than one in three active gamblers making multiple visits a day, according to survey data released by the Optimove marketing firm.

The survey was conducted in the U.S. this September and October among 396 online sportsbook and/or online casino users 21 and older, with household incomes over $75,000. It focused on what it takes to keep these bettors coming back to the sites.

Some notable takeaways from the survey:

Some 56% of respondents say they prefer live betting, compared to the 40% who prefer pre-game betting.

Single bets were preferred over parlays, 70% to 26%

“Odds and payouts” were cited as the number one reason someone chooses a sportsbook, though based on the other potential answers to the question, it seems like a better heading would have been “winning money.” The other options were “having skin in the game,” “favorite team or player playing,” and “gut feeling.”

Loyalty

While some of these bits and pieces are interesting on their own, the more interesting subject — at least if you’re an operator — was the section on loyalty.

“Competitive odds” was cited most often — at 40% — as the most important factor for bettors to keep coming back to a site. This theory will certainly be tested in the coming months and years as sportsbooks such as Circa and Prime Sports — with their objectively better odds — increase their footprint.

The second most important factor? It was a tie, at 23%, between user interface and generous promotions and bonusing. 

Rounding out the rest at 7% each were responsible gaming tools and providing a variety of games to bet on.

As to what gets a gambler to the sites in the first place? It is a deep and vast pool of options, in which gamblers were able to name as many as they wanted.

The most popular – at 53% – was fast and reliable payouts. Named the least often, but still garnering 40%, was good customer service. Nestled in-between were providing good bonuses and promos, a wide menu of options, and a user-friendly app.

Dislike button

On the flip side, there were three main items bettors pointed to in identifying what drives them away from a site: Some 58% cited slow payouts and another 58% said lousy interface, while 52% said bad customer service was a major factor.

Much further down the list were “lack of transparency in odds” (30%) and “inadequate mobile experience” (23%).

RG to the rescue

Three out of four bettors surveyed said prominent responsible gambling tools on a site help build trust and confidence for the player. “This suggests that responsible gambling initiatives not only benefit players but also enhance the reputation and customer retention of operators,” the study’s authors stated.

Furthermore, the survey found some 90% of players actively set limits for themselves on the sites, and that 56% of users said they’ve used responsible gambling resources.

Another 90% believe the operators are doing enough on the RG front.

Clearly, the report indicates gambling sites should be highlighting and promoting responsible gambling, as it both helps — and helps retain — players.

Promos and advertising

Lastly, and perhaps least surprisingly, there is ad fatigue among users.

Some 86% of those surveyed said they’ve unsubscribed from sites due to an onslaught of emails, push notifications, and texts, and over 30% of users say the constant barrage of promos and the like are “overwhelming.”