Bettormetrics data shows sportsbooks diverging on NFL and NCAA trading strategies

Bettormetrics, a competitive trading intelligence provider for the sports betting industry, has published research examining how rival sportsbooks are adjusting their pricing strategies in NFL and NCAA football markets as they attempt to challenge DraftKings and FanDuel.

The study, released on 12 September 2025, compared sportsbook trading performance across the 2024 and 2025 seasons, including preseason data, using four metrics: Uptime (the proportion of a game for which odds are live), Overround (built-in margin), Shading Time (periods when odds diverge from the market) and Green Time (periods when odds are live and not unprofitable).

NFL: tighter margins, rising challengers

According to the research, Caesars reduced its Overround to just over 5.0 percent, the largest margin cut among operators tracked, though this coincided with a rise in Shading Time to 21.5 percent, pointing to increased risk exposure. Hard Rock and Fanatics both recorded notable gains in Uptime, with Fanatics moving into second place behind DraftKings and Hard Rock continuing to narrow the gap on the leading operators.

BetRivers stood out for the opposite reason, posting an Overround of 7.9 percent in 2025, half a point higher than the previous year. Bet365 maintained an aggressive approach, combining the lowest Green Time with high Shading Time, which Bettormetrics said reflects confidence in its in-play trading across multiple markets. DraftKings retained its position as market benchmark, leading on both Uptime and Green Time.

NCAA: DraftKings extends lead, BetRivers rebounds

In NCAA football, DraftKings again led the field for Uptime and Green Time. BetRivers was highlighted as the most improved operator, increasing Uptime by 17 percent and recording the second-lowest Shading Time, though its Overround widened to 8.2 percent. Bet365 continued its contrarian pricing, with Shading Time accounting for close to a quarter of total market availability.

Fanatics increased Uptime but saw a corresponding rise in Shading Time, while Hard Rock managed to raise Uptime while reducing Shading Time. Bettormetrics noted that NCAA trading generally lags the NFL, with Uptime more than 10 percent lower on average across operators, though an expanded playoff format and more high-profile fixtures could offer scope for challenger brands to close that gap.

Margins versus availability

Bettormetrics said the data confirms DraftKings and FanDuel’s consistency as market leaders, while noting that Caesars has sharpened pricing through lower Overrounds, BetRivers has improved Uptime, and BetMGM has shown steady gains, aided by cross-sell into casino products.

Sabin Brooks, chief revenue officer at Bettormetrics, said DraftKings remains unmatched on Uptime and pricing integrity, while FanDuel has built success around a solid margin profile, with challenger brands adjusting tactics to close the gap beneath the two leaders.

Alfie Arrand, sports trading analyst at Bettormetrics, said improvements in one metric often come with trade-offs elsewhere, pointing to Caesars’ lower Overround alongside higher Shading Time, and BetRivers’ improved availability alongside wider margins.

Bettormetrics said its platform monitors thousands of live in-play sports betting events weekly to help trading desks identify performance issues affecting sportsbook revenue.