When ESPN BET launched a month ago, the sports betting industry paid close attention to the operator’s every move. 

From questionable parlay rules to sports betting integrations into ESPN shows, the industry has taken note of what ESPN and PENN Entertainment have done in their early days working together. By most accounts, ESPN BET has barely scratched the surface of potential integrations between the PENN-operated sportsbook and ESPN’s media empire. 

One future possibility that intrigues some industry stakeholders is a “watch and bet” function coming to the ESPN app. While an ESPN spokesperson declined official comment on the possibility of rolling out such a feature, which would enable users to view live games within the same app in which they place wagers, industry sources told Sports Handle the function is likely on ESPN’s radar.

Currently, BetRivers, Caesars Sportsbook, and Fanatics Sportsbook offer NFL “Watch & Bet” options through partnerships with Genius Sports, an official data provider of the NFL.  

“The addition of live Watch & Bet video streaming brings the best that the NFL has to offer right into the Caesars Sportsbook app,” Eric Hession, president of Caesars Digital, said when the feature was first announced. “Delivering innovative technology like this remains a key emphasis for us, so being the first U.S. sportsbook to provide customers with in-app NFL livestreaming isn’t something we take lightly. We’re thankful to bring an industry-leading new feature to our sports wagering app through our partnership with Genius Sports and the NFL.”

Among the top concerns for live bettors is latency, a term referencing the lag time between the actual event and a streaming feed. YouTube TV, for example, is often about 30 seconds behind the actual game. That can mean a viewer is a play or two behind the action, which puts them at an informational disadvantage when live wagering. 

Should ESPN BET opt to introduce a watch and bet function at any point in the future, latency will be critical. For a bettor to want to use a watch and wager function, there needs to be low latency.

ESPN BET, if it introduces a watch and bet feature in the coming months or years, won’t be a first mover in the space. Its media rights access to numerous sporting events across the college and professional ranks, however, makes watch and bet an intriguing possibility for the company, assuming it’s able to deliver a competent, low-latency product.

“I think that this is a really interesting and potentially impactful trend and next phase of the industry, but it all comes down to is the technology and product itself going to be up to a certain standard in order to not turn people off?” a sports betting consultant, who asked to remain anonymous due to their current employment in the industry, told Sports Handle. 

The consultant told Sports Handle they’d be surprised if any form of livestream within the betting app was a top priority for ESPN or PENN only a month into ESPN BET’s existence. The primary focus is more likely delivering a quality product to users and attempting to build some level of brand loyalty. 

“Having an app that is functional with good UX and UI, fair odds, a good platter of markets, these types of things are table stakes for any new entrant,” the consultant said. 

ESPN BET’s recent parlay controversy — users discovered that the sportsbook’s house rules allow it to void parlays if one leg pushes — is the type of issue that’s more important for customer retention than advanced features. Once ESPN BET can satisfy basic customer demands, it makes sense for the operator to look into advanced functions like watch and bet that could sway customers from using other major platforms. DraftKings and FanDuel, for example, don’t offer watch and bet functions. 

ESPN’s access to niche sporting events, such as mid-major college basketball, make potential watch and bet integrations with ESPN+ unique and worth exploring in the future. In the meantime, however, ESPN and PENN appear singularly focused on gradually gaining market share through a reliable product and strategic media integrations.