Sportsbooks have been supplied with a fast betting data feed during March Madness in an apparent contravention of the NCAA’s stance against the commercialization of its product for betting purposes, according to evidence seen by Betting USA.

The NCAA has a deal to provide . This betting data feed provides updates between 10-15 seconds ahead of any data that can be gleaned from the broadcasts.

According to a source who spoke with Betting USA, sportsbooks have been able to access a data feed that appears to offer data in parallel with, and sometimes faster than, this media feed.

The source pointed out that sportsbooks have also been using a fast-betting feed for games that were not broadcast, which would only be possible if that data was coming from the venue itself.

The NCAA’s Unmanageable Approach to Betting

The specifically prohibit sports wagering and, according to the FAQs on sports wagering: “There is also a prohibition on the provision of information to individuals involved in or associated with any type of sports wagering activities.”

This apparent duplication of the media feed for betting purposes suggests NCAA courtside scorers are unknowingly responsible for creating the feed for the US and global sports-betting market without the knowledge or commercial participation of the NCAA or its member institutions. 

Genius Sports acquired live scoreboard data company Sportzcast in December last year. Sportzcast’s Scorebot product links directly to the venue scoreboards. The press release accompanying the news of the acquisition said Sportzcast’s technology was “essential to over 400 U.S. Colleges and Universities.”

The revelations regarding a fast data feed for betting purposes highlight the inconsistencies in the NCAA approach to sports wagering.

Even in the new era of regulated sports-betting in many states, the NCAA remains steadfast in its opposition to involvement in betting, and despite March Madness being one of the betting highlights of the year.

According to the group’s website, the body says sports-betting “has the potential to undermine the integrity of sports contests and jeopardizes the well-being of student-athletes and the intercollegiate athletics community.”

“Sports competition should be appreciated for the inherent benefits related to participation of student-athletes, coaches and institutions in fair contests, not the amount of money wagered on the outcome of the competition.”

How those sentiments sit with the company’s sports-data provider providing a fast-feed to the global betting industry throughout the NCAA Championships is a question which has to date gone unanswered.

At the time of the Supreme Court decision over PASPA, the NCAA said it would “adjust sports wagering and championship policies to align with the direction from the court.”

The NCAA didn’t answer a media enquiry regarding this story.