Golden 1 Center | Gaming Lounge

The Sacramento Kings priority is maximizing the fan experience and technology allowing guests an overall seamless experience. Kings Owner and Chairman Vivek Ranadivé previously said gaming is the “next generation of fan experience...allowing fans to further connect with their favorite sports and teams through advanced data, video, and fantasy games, as well as limited wagering. Opening gaming creates new opportunities to transform how fans are consuming the game inside and beyond the walls of the arena.”

This season, building off their work to enhance fan experience, the Kings created a demo for the NBA’s first dedicated space for free-to-play, in-arena predictive gaming for select games. Named the Sacramento Kings Skyloft Predictive Gaming Lounge, this new entertainment space is located on the suite level of Golden 1 Center and allows fans in premium spaces, including suites, lofts, and balcony boxes, to predict game results, powered by custom Swish Analytics’ BetRush software, and compete to win exclusive prizes.

The lounge features iPads with the custom Sacramento Kings BetRush software, on which fans make predictions on the current Kings game. These iPads are only available for use in the lounge, which also features large-screen televisions for visitors to keep up with the action occurring on the court. The lounge provides informational graphics to help fans place bets and ensure quick gameplay in order to return to their seats and watch their predictions unfold on the court.

Players in the Sacramento Kings Skyloft Predictive Gaming Lounge are able to make open-ended predictions and learn more about the inner-workings of player- and team-level predictive gaming within the free-to-play environment. Every game, each fan starts with free credits they can use to make predictions, with each correct choice offering a credit reward based on the true probabilities of each outcome as derived by Swish Analytics’ predictive odds-making platform.

The number of credits at the end of game determines how many raffle tickets fans win. Fans are notified of game outcomes via email at the end of each game, and the top-five total scorers are able to redeem points for virtual raffle tickets to enter a sweepstakes for five prizes after each game. Points are non-transferable, cannot be transferred from game to game, and have no monetary value. Prizes include a wide selection of autographed Kings gear and game tickets, including courtside seats.

Player education is key to engaging fans and encouraging them to play. Some fans have to be educated on the various terms associated with the game and types of predictions that can be placed. But once fans came into the lounge and understand the game, they exhibit a 90% conversion rate.

View additional submissions in the Alternative Premium Seating Product or Space category for ALSD Spotlight 2019.

Submitting Organization
Sacramento Kings
Year
2019
Category Entered
Alternative Premium Seating Product or Space