Getting Started with Sports Real-Time Experiences via Braze

Overview

This guide will help you get up and running quickly with Anthem’s in-session player experiences via Braze platform. By the end, you’ll be able to go live and improve player engagement in real time.

 

Requirements

• A subscription to Future Anthem’s Real-Time Experiences Sports module
• The ability to stream real time betting transactions from your gaming platform to Future Anthem’s rest API
• A Braze integration that can serve an in-app popup message
• The ability trigger an immediate reward from Braze (webhook campaign into your bonus system and a messaging campaign setup_
• Ability to authorise bonus budget
• The ability to set up bonus campaigns in your system

 

Quick Start Checklist

Step 1: Connect your real-time sports betting data stream to Future Anthem’s API

• See data integration guide (link)

Step 2: Anthem begins model training and supplies initial estimates of monthly bonus spend (by sub-brand if applicable)

• You review the estimates by brand and player group and provide feedback

Step 3: Integrate the Bonus API call via Braze — configure a bonus award webhook campaign and an in-app messaging campaign to award the bonus and notify the player in real-time

• Operator action: Provide Braze integration credentials

Step 4: The agreed budget level is configured in Anthem’s platform

• Target and control proportions are varied to conform to budgets
• Deployment is staged and rigorously tested jointly by Anthem and your team

Step 5: Agree go-live date

• Your account manager shares regular ROI reporting data, based on a robust target vs control methodology

 

Step-by-Step Setup

Step 1: Connect your real time betting transaction stream to Future Anthem’s API

Goal: Establish real-time data flow to enable training and configuration

• Follow the data integration guide (link), using the Anthem engineering team for any clarifications
• Send real-time transactional data to Anthem’s rest API
• After data validation, model and system training will begin
• The system generates bonus recommendations, each with a reason code. These reason codes provide details about the reason a recommendation is being made. This functionality allows you to configure different bonus campaigns in braze for each reason code. For each bonus campaigns multiple bonus values can be triggered depending on the user lifetime value. For example, a free bet campaign can offer a 1 USD bonus to low value players, a 2 USD bonus to mid value players and a 5 USD value to high value players.

 

Reason Codes

Reason codes are short explanations attached to each Amplifier AI real-time engagement API request that explain why the model believes a player’s engagement is at risk. They exist to make the prediction actionable for your team

Reason codes in the Real-Time Experience product are defined as as follows: 

• Reduction in frequency – Every time a bonus award API request is triggered the system detects if the player had fewer sessions compared to their usual behaviour. 
• Reduction in activity – Every time a bonus award API request is triggered the system detects if the player is less active then their historic pattern. 
• Reduction in spend – Every time a bonus award API request is triggered the system detects if the player’s spend in the last 14 days is lower than their average spend. 
• Consecutive losses – Every time a bonus award API request is triggered the system detects if the player has experienced three or more losses in a row. 
• Significant loss – Every time a bonus award API request is triggered the system detects if the player has suffered a notable individual loss. 
• Bad beat – Every time a bonus award API request is triggered the system detects if the player has lost a low-odds single bet or a large accumulator with only one losing leg.

 

Step 2: Bonus estimates and budget

Goal: Use estimates to set and agree initial bonus budget

• Anthem supplies monthly bonus spend estimates by type, value, and brand, based on your data
• You review and confirm the proposed budget, or request amendments as required
• Estimates assume full system capacity with a 10% control group (players withheld from award)
• Control proportions can be increased to reduce spend if needed

 

Important settings:

• Budget is agreed monthly but set daily (i.e. there are both monthly and daily caps)
• Budget is rolled over where the daily cap is not reached
• Budgets can be increased post go-live, especially where control groups have initially been set above 10%

 

Step 3: Configuration and test deployment

Goal: Deploy the production system for testing

• Your budget sign-off is required before bonus award testing
• Configure the bonus campaigns in Braze for each of the reason codes. The bonus campaigns should include both a webhook campaign to trigger the bonus and a messaging campaign that will trigger the user messaging.
• Models and decisioning are deployed against live data streams
• Anthem and your team run full end-to-end tests to confirm expected behaviour and player-facing accuracy

 

Step 4: Go live and performance monitoring

Goal: Deliver bonuses in real time and monitor KPIs

• Post go-live, the system is closely monitored
• Initial focus is on confirming award delivery and consumption
• After 4 weeks, the first ROI view is shared

 

Success indicators

• Increased net revenue (target vs control, after bonus costs)
• Increased bets per player (target vs control)
• ROI multiplier (revenue return per bonus spend)

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Do we need to do any integration work?
Yes. You need to supply transactional data via a feed or API,

Is this a rule-based system?
No. It is a real-time machine learning system that predicts player behaviour after a spin. A configurable decision engine handles logic and rules.

Can I track bonuses issued on my side?
Yes. Bonuses are set up as normal and given specific codes so they can be directly attributed.

How is performance monitored?
Anthem uses an advanced measurement framework. Target and control groups are applied in real time at the point of award, ensuring robust measurement of uplift.  

 

How do I get support or make a feature suggestion?

Visit our 'here to help' form and we will respond accordingly.