Smartphones are ubiquitous now, to the extent that the availability of cheap smartphones has made it possible for people in almost every income group to own one. This has led to more people being connected to the internet as well, and thus being able to use apps and services on their phones which they would not have been able to previously. The rise of social media is a big factor as well, since most people actually access sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter through their phones and not on computers. A recent survey to gauge mobile habits during this year threw up some interesting results. While it may seem like social media apps, or even dating apps such as Tinder would be the most popular ones, in fact, it is gaming that takes top spot for most downloads on phones. 21% of Android apps and 25% of iOS apps that are downloaded are games, according to the survey, and games make up 43% of all smartphone usage. There are apparently more than 2.2 billion active mobile gamers worldwide, and the revenue from mobile gaming is expected to cross $76 billion this year. Within gaming, it is no surprise that one of the most popular genres is online casino games. Having the opportunity to play online blackjack, poker, roulette and other casino games from the comfort of your home is too enticing for many people, which is why these games have remained popular for years.
In this vein, it is no surprise to see sports organizations also turning to mobile apps to draw in more engagement from fans, as well as bring in new fans through innovative content creation. UFC, which is the biggest and most high-profile mixed martial arts competition in the world, recently jumped on this bandwagon as well with the launch of the UFC PICKS app, which has been created in partnership with Low6 Limited, a sports and gaming technology company. The app will be available for download on Android and iOS in the UK and Ireland, where fans will be able to participate for free in the UFC Pick’em contest, which has a prize of £5000. Another exciting feature is the ability for friends to go head to head against each other in custom prediction and quiz games around UFC tournaments. There are also live betting opportunities, as well as huge jackpot contests which will keep fans engaged and give them the chance to win big while following their favourite sport. Instant cash prizes mean that fans will win with every contest, while there are no bookies to deal with on the app either, making it a clean experience.
The app can serve as a second screen during live UFC matches, with statistics from IMG Arena being fully integrated into it, and fans having a real-time visualisation of the fight on their hands. The concept of UFC PICKS was created by the CEO and founder of Low6, Jamie Mitchell, who said that the idea came about from his own need to have an online betting platform for him and his friends to bet on UFC bouts, as well as being able to compete against each other in terms of trivia and predictions online. It is thus truly a fan app, having come from a fan’s needs and wants, and therefore is a must have for every UFC fan in the UK and Ireland. It will serve as the perfect companion during live bouts, and also give fans the chance to face off against each other in tests of their knowledge and prediction skills during UFC pay per views and tournaments.
