Scientific Games launches new Legends Racing virtual sports offering

New York-listed Scientific Games has expanded its OpenMarket sports content platform with Quantum Leap Solutions’ new virtual sports offering.

The Legends Racing Series has been developed in partnership with Racecourse Media Group (RMG) and brings together flat-racing stars from the last 50 years into a single database of 9,000 top-class horses, plus jockeys such as Lester Piggott, Willie Carson and Pat Eddery.

The daily virtual product will use real horses, in-depth form, jockeys and silks, with commentary provided by renowned racing commentator Mike Cattermole.

“With OpenMarket, gone are the days of multiple supplier integrations that are both costly and time-consuming,” said Keith O’Loughlin, senior vice president of sportsbook, digital for Scientific Games. “We’re bringing the very best the sports world has to offer in to one single solution that creates real competitive advantage in terms of speed to market and player engagement.

“Since we launched OpenMarket in April, we’ve seen a surge in demand from forward-thinking operators looking to add next-level player experiences to their offering at speed.”

The first Legends Racing virtual race took place earlier today with the Legends Sussex Stakes, featuring leading horses such as Kris, Rock Of Gibraltar, Brigadier Gerard and Frankel.

Currently, UK racecourses including Goodwood, York, Newbury, Salisbury and Ayr, have been integrated on Legends Racing, with more racecourses set to follow in the near future.

“Racing is about opinions. Are you with Nijinsky or Sea The Stars, Ouija Board or Snow Fairy? We’ve tried to build something that simulates what might have happened had the great horses from different generations been able to race against each other,” said Quantum Leap Solutions business development director Mark Fellows.

“Partnering with Scientific Games and its OpenMarket content aggregation platform will allow us to offer this exciting new product to operators and racing fans across the globe.”

Racecourse Media Group commercial director Nick Mills added: “OpenMarket is a perfect home for Legends Racing. Having a sports content aggregation platform that we can integrate with and distribute from at speed was critical for us.

“Legends Racing is the first daily virtual product aimed at real racing fans, who can form a genuine opinion on a race using previous form and ratings. We’re excited to be involved in this project with Quantum Leap and Scientific Games and look to working with them closely going forward.”

Legends Racing is currently available on GVC’s Coral and Ladbrokes digital platforms, and will be fully integrated with other betting operators in the coming weeks.