With every set of results from the major sports betting operators, the evidence mounts as to the importance of in-play betting.

Take for instance the comments from Richard Glynn, chief executive at Ladbrokes, who emphasised in its company's third-quarter trading statement that as part of the company's organic growth strategy the extension of in-play betting on football was a vital element.

The OpenBet platform and LiveOdds technology plays an integral part in its in-play propositions, working closely with customers to help provide the scaffolding upon which the consumer-facing elements can be built.

Three of our customers - William Hill, Ladbrokes and Paddy Power - were featured in a recent in-play tracker report from GamblingData, which looked at the in-play offerings of some of the top sportsbooks. The report found that William Hill came top of the lists when it came to the number of events available and the number of markets open on those events.

Ever-expanding in-play is a developing trend and is sure to lead to more innovation. In-play was born out of the creative challenge thrown up by online gambling and the momentum has only just started.