Pinoy sports fans welcome American-style tournament brackets

DigiPlus Interactive Corp. launched a P1 billion prediction giveaway Saturday, introducing a localized tournament bracket format to the Philippine digital entertainment market.

The campaign, spearheaded by the company's flagship sportsbook platform ArenaPlus, marks a significant expansion of its customer acquisition strategy. The initiative debuted 21 March at the Mall of Asia Sky Deck Amphitheater.

Central to the promotion is a free-to-play bracket challenge modeled after popular American sports traditions. While bracket games are a staple of U.S. sports culture, particularly during the NBA playoffs, ArenaPlus officials said the format is a first for the local market.

"We want to bring some excitement for the Filipino basketball fans, especially since we know that the NBA is the most popular sport here," said ArenaPlus Head Erick Su. "The bracket game is actually very common in the U.S. ... but the Philippines has never had that experience."

Su said the free-to-play nature of the giveaway allows fans to participate in the playoffs without monetary commitment. The format is designed to sustain engagement from the opening round through the finals.

The launch also served as the formal introduction of actor and host Luis Manzano as the newest ArenaPlus brand ambassador. Manzano joins a roster of endorsers that includes Gilas Pilipinas player Justin Brownlee, coach Bong Ravena, and international professional player Thirdy Ravena.

Hannah Bagui, ArenaPlus marketing head, said the company is focused on making sports "more immersive and more rewarding" for Filipino fans through accessible digital platforms.

Despite the large scale of the giveaway, company officials emphasized a continued focus on platform integrity. ArenaPlus utilizes an electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) process and offers responsible gaming tools, including customizable gaming schedules and daily loss limits.

DigiPlus Interactive Corp. is currently the leading digital entertainment provider in the Philippines. The company stated that this latest activation is part of an ongoing effort to redefine user engagement through platform innovation.