Paddy Power launches Alexa skill

A virtual personal assistant is a device or application that recognises speech and responds to user requests or questions.

'Alexa, what’s my...?'

Amazon's echo device is a so-called smart speaker with speech recognition integrated. Users simply have to connect their echo device to their wifi, they can then install apps to their device that will subsequently prompt Alexa, the device's virtual personal assistant, to provide an answer.

Alexa Skills

Paddy Power has developed one such app, referred to as a 'skill' in the Amazon context. The Paddy Power feature is activated as soon as users ask “Alexa, what’s my Flash Briefing?”. As soon as the user's speech gets recognised, the user will be serviced by Paddy Power's daily news round-up.

To date, this news included information on Snoop Dogg's golfing exploits and that Juan Mata hates fish and chips. It is reasonable to assume that this is part of the Paddy Power long-term plan. Paddy Power tends to create media hype by adopting a humorous approach towards its latest innovations.

'Of course, using your voice to interact with technology is nothing new – Apple’s Siri has been around for more than five years – but people are generally too self-conscious to stroll around in public while barking orders into their smartphone,' commented Paddy Power's researcher for new products, Stephen McMeel.

Other Advantages

Not only will Paddy Power's daily news bulletin work on Amazon's echo but also Amazon's other Alexa-enabled devices, including the dot and the tap. 'Those clever sausages at Amazon have realised this, and are betting that people will feel more liberated when using devices within the comfort of their own homes – where strangers and neighbours can’t witness their deviant tendencies,' Stephen McMeel was quoted as having said in thedrum.com.

The advantages of voice-enabled personal assistants for gaming and betting companies are huge. Being able to place a bet while cooking, being able to get reminded by Alexa of the offers available at Paddy Power, and in the future surely clever odds comparison, will lead to more and more players and betting fans using such apps.
'I’m certainly a convert. Being able to set a timer with just your voice, when your hands are covered in raw chicken, is surprisingly satisfying,' noted Stephen McMeel.

Trend-setters

Being the first betting company to have embraced voice-enable devices, Paddy Power has taken up the role as the pioneer within a field that is gaining more and more fans within other areas.

As long as no other betting companies will enter the voice-enable market, Paddy Power will be able to profit from being the sole provider of voice-enabled betting solutions. Aside from advantages for the Irish bookmaker, this development could also enable gaming and betting enthusiast that suffer from poor eyesight.

Check out our Paddy Power Casino Review now!