Sky Racing stands as a prominent entity in the horse racing content industry, serving as a premier broadcaster of Australian and international races to a vast audience both within Australia and across the globe. As a subsidiary of Tabcorp, a leading provider of wagering and gaming products and services in Australia, Sky Racing not only significantly influences the domestic landscape but also extends its impact globally through strategic partnerships, solidifying its position as a pivotal distributor of horse racing content on an international scale.
With a formidable presence, Sky Racing operates over 150 live channels concurrently, surpassing the realm of traditional satellite pay TV channels. Its influence is further manifested through dedicated satellite channels disseminated across more than 4500 venues, including sports bars and betting agencies. Moreover, Sky Racing facilitates live streaming of races via its proprietary Sky Racing website and Over-The-Top (OTT) application. The comprehensive reach extends to inclusion within Tabcorp’s wagering applications and integration with various international wagering and media partners worldwide.
The annual calendar for Sky Racing is punctuated by pinnacle events such as horse racing carnivals, notably the Melbourne Spring Carnival and the Sydney Everest Carnival, which stand as the largest spectacles in their repertoire. These high-profile occasions command attention, attracting a staggering half a million concurrent subscribers for the live-streamed horse racing content across various Tabcorp, Sky, and partner applications. Sky Racing’s multifaceted distribution channels and strategic alliances position it at the forefront of the horse racing content industry, underscoring its global significance and influence.
This case study explores how Sky Racing enhanced viewer satisfaction and extended the betting window by implementing Dolby’s real-time streaming solution, reducing video latency to approximately 1 second, and solidifying their competitive advantage.
The Challenge
The primary challenge faced by Sky Racing revolves around the importance of minimizing latency. In the realm of wagering, where the precise timing of bet placement is pivotal, latency holds unparalleled significance. In horse and greyhound racing betting, even a minor delay of a few seconds can lead to missed opportunities, particularly in Australia where betting ceases upon commencement of the race.
To address the issue of rejected bets arising from delayed video streaming, Tabcorp has proactively undertaken optimizations in Sky Racing’s video streaming technology. Notably, they have succeeded in reducing latency from an initial 12-14 seconds using standard HLS to approximately 5 seconds with LL-HLS. However, the pursuit of achieving even lower latencies has prompted Tabcorp to explore diverse video technology options.
A prerequisite for Tabcorp’s ongoing efforts to further enhance video streaming technology and attain reduced latencies is scalability and reliability. This necessity arises from the substantial fluctuations in live streaming audience sizes. Given that horse races typically span 2 to 4 minutes, there is a rapid surge in viewer numbers, reaching into the hundreds of thousands just before the race commences and tapering off immediately after its conclusion. Consequently, the implementation of a global Content Delivery Network (CDN) capable of efficiently handling these unpredictable ‘flash crowds’ is imperative.
The Solution
The Tabcorp team conducted a thorough exploration of various real-time streaming technologies for Sky Racing, ultimately identifying Dolby’s real-time streaming solution as a comprehensive solution that aligns seamlessly with their requirements.
As an end-to-end solution meticulously optimized for ultra-low latency video streaming, Dolby encompasses the entire pipeline, including video ingest, encoding, packaging, distribution across a global Content Delivery Network (CDN), and high-quality video playback. Leveraging the High Efficiency Streaming Protocol (HESP), an HTTP-based streaming protocol, Dolby’s real-time streaming solution distinguishes itself by scaling over standard CDNs while significantly reducing latencies to under 1 second. This dual capability not only ensures scalability but also fulfills the stringent reliability criteria set by Tabcorp for a real-time streaming solution.
Operating seamlessly across iOS and Android mobile devices, Tabcorp customers can exercise the option to switch between the “Standard” mode and the “Ultra-fast” mode offered by Dolby’s real-time streaming solution. This choice allows users to transition from a latency of 12-14 seconds with HLS to an impressively reduced latency of approximately 1 second with Dolby’s real-time streaming solution, providing a versatile and responsive streaming experience.
The Tabcorp team can seamlessly monitor live streaming activities through the Dolby’s viewer insights portal. These viewer insights enable real-time tracking of concurrent viewers, offering precise insights into the number of individuals engaging with the content at any given moment. Additionally, the portal furnishes valuable information regarding the devices and operating systems employed by the viewers, affording Tabcorp a comprehensive understanding of the distribution and consumption patterns during the live streaming process. This analytical depth empowers the Tabcorp team to make informed decisions and optimizations, ensuring an enhanced and tailored streaming experience for their audience.
“My favorite thing about Dolby’s real-time streaming solution is that it’s very fast, effectively addressing our organizational challenges. It not only gives us a lot more control on the configurations but also provides comprehensive real-time viewer metrics including concurrent users, and the users’ platforms and operating systems.”
The Results
The implementation of Dolby’s real-time streaming solution was seamlessly launched during the Melbourne Spring & Sydney Everest Carnivals, marking a significant milestone in the technological landscape of Sky Racing. Viewers were presented with an impressive end-to-end latency of approximately 1 second within the new Tabcorp Wagering app, eliciting satisfaction among users. This strategic innovation track not only revolutionizes the viewer experience but also establishes new benchmarks in low-latency video streaming, particularly within the domains of wagering and horse racing content.
For Tabcorp, the adoption of Dolby’s real-time streaming solution has yielded several key benefits:
Exceptional Viewer Experience
The achievement of live streaming at approximately 1 second of latency signifies a notable enhancement for viewers, surpassing traditional distribution channels. Sky Racing now stands as the swiftest digital service in Australia, providing an exceptional live streaming experience for horse and greyhound racing enthusiasts across the Sky 1 and Sky 2 channels
Extended Betting Window
The reduction in video latency from 12-14 seconds to about 1 second has significantly extended the betting window for Tabcorp. This extension translates into fewer rejected bets and increased user satisfaction, allowing viewers more time to gather pertinent information about horses and jockeys before placing their wagers.
Competitive Advantage
Tabcorp has gained a competitive edge by strategically introducing ultra-low latency, a move well-received by existing customers. Positive discussions on social media not only solidify Tabcorp’s position as a market leader but also attract new users to sign up for the app.
Enhanced Stream Control
The implementation of Dolby’s real-time streaming solution empowers the Tabcorp team with greater control over live streams. Utilizing a user-friendly console, Tabcorp can seamlessly adjust secondary services, conduct facility tests, restart infrastructure, and manage other technical configurations.
Transparency with Real-time Insights
Real-time viewer insights provided by Dolby’s real-time streaming solution enable Tabcorp to gain valuable information about users’ platforms, operating systems, and other relevant metrics, fostering a deeper understanding of viewer behavior and preferences.
Summary
Sky Racing, a leading horse racing broadcaster under Tabcorp, faced the challenge of reducing video latency to improve the betting experience. By implementing Dolby’s real-time streaming solution, they reduced latency to approximately 1 second, enhancing viewer satisfaction and extending the betting window. This innovation also provided Tabcorp with a competitive advantage, improved stream control, and real-time insights, solidifying Sky Racing’s position as the fastest digital service in Australia for horse and greyhound racing content. The seamless integration and positive impact on viewer engagement were demonstrated during major racing events like the Melbourne Spring & Sydney Everest Carnivals.
