FanDuel partners with Opta for August launch in UK

Daily fantasy sports (DFS) operator FanDuel has linked up with sports data firm Opta to support the launch of its services in the UK next month.

Perform Group-owned Opta will supply live performance statistics for FanDuel’s new UK-facing fantasy football platform, which is due to launch in August ahead of the 2016-17 English Premier League season.

Players will be able to access games via desktop and mobile devices, with the platform having been developed by the same team that created FanDuel’s US product.

FanDuel will launch in the UK after DFS competitor DraftKings rolled out its own fantasy football offering in the region last season

“Opta’s stats also play a critical role in our unique scoring system, which considers the contribution of every player on the pitch, not just those who score goals – ensuring a more realistic and compelling reflection of the on-field action,” FanDuel’s director of international marketing, Karol Corcoran, said.

“Our team has spent a lot of time on developing the right product for the UK’s football fans and we’ve already had a lot of positive feedback from users during our beta contest phase, which was rolled out during the 2016 Euros.”

Angus McNab, executive vice-president Perform content, North America, added: “The growth of football as an offering in the DFS Sports world is fantastic, as it gives fans a great way to test their skill in analysing player performance and making every game matter.

“Football also offers a global calendar with so many different and varied competitions, which we think will make FanDuel’s offering really popular with fans across the globe.”

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