Latest News
The World’s Most Prestigious Literary Sports-Writing Competition Announces Esteemed Reading Panel
A panel of renowned industry experts has been announced for the world’s most prestigious literary sports-writing competition: The William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award.
Following their previous involvement in last year’s award, The Athletic’s Nancy Froston and Greatest Hits Radio sports presenter Matt Williams are set to rejoin Neil Foggin from William Hill, to collectively review and evaluate all the entries submitted for the 2023 sports book competition, much to the delight of the event organisers.
Each of the reading panellists is an expert in their respective field, bringing a wealth of sports knowledge and literature experience, and will be instrumental in selecting the longlist, which will be announced in September.
Last year saw a record breaking 158 books entered by athletes and authors alike including Patrice Evra, Anyika Onuora, and last year’s winner Jeremy Wilson.
Now entering its 35th year, organisers are encouraging authors, journalists, athletes and publishers to enter their sports books into the Awards, which offers a grand prize of £30,000 for the overall winner, which will be announced on 30th November 2023 at an official awards ceremony held at BAFTA, 195 Piccadilly, London. As well as the winning prize, each shortlisted author will receive a generous £3,000 in cash, and a specially produced leather-bound copy of their book.
Book review panellist and highly credited broadcaster Matt Williams shared: “It is an honour to be returning as part of this year’s Reading Panel for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award, alongside Nancy and Neil, two highly respected individuals within the sports industry.
“The William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award is the longest running competition in the industry and sets out to recognise and reward the creative talents of authors in the sporting literature world. For over three decades, the Award has provided hundreds of talented authors the platform to have their name seen and their work read, and every author gains recognition by simply putting their name forward.
“We’re all about ensuring a fair and impartial competition. It’s not about how high the author’s rank outside of the competition – it’s the content and writing talent that we’re interested in.
“We’re keen to encourage entries which cover a wide range of sports. The diversity of sporting subjects that have been covered over the last 35 years has been vast, which is testament to the variety of topics covered by our past winners, proving they are all as important as each other.
“I’m incredibly excited to start reading this year’s submissions from sports book enthusiasts and writers in the sports book genre. Once again, we’re encouraging all authors, agents, and publishers to enter their titles as early as possible as all the books are read by humans, not algorithms and therefore we urge writers to submit their book before the rush begins in the summer.”
The Reading Panel will select the longlist in September, with the shortlist being announced in late October, and the overall winner revealed at an official awards ceremony on 30th November 2023.
Industry Awards
Blask Wins Prestigious “Startup of the Year” at 2024 Starlet Awards
Blask, the pioneering AI-powered analytics ecosystem for iGaming, has been named “Startup of the Year” at the prestigious 2024 Starlet Awards. The company earned this recognition for developing a groundbreaking market intelligence platform that has redefined how gaming operators leverage data and market insights.
Award Recognition
The award confirms Blask’s revolutionary approach to market analytics and its significant impact on how iGaming companies access and utilise market intelligence. Powered by AI models including Computer Vision and Natural Language Processing, Blask analyses billions of data points across 2000+ active brands to provide unprecedented market insights.
The Starlet Awards recognition follows Blask’s recent SiGMA Asia Startup Pitch 2024 Award victory. “Winning these awards affirms our belief that innovation and bold ideas can reshape the iGaming landscape. The recognition underscores the impact of our cutting-edge AI technology and our relentless pursuit to transform data into actionable insights”, reflects Max Tesla, CEO and Co-founder of Blask
Blask provides operators with a strategic edge across multiple critical areas. Its real-time market analysis capabilities deliver instant access to crucial market metrics, while the high-granularity data available at one-hour intervals enables swift, informed decision-making. The sophisticated AI modelling system estimates GGR and FTD by analysing a comprehensive range of inputs, including historical data, third-party OSINT data, market performance, competitor metrics, historical brand performance, market reports, and public company disclosures.
Beyond analytics, Blask offers robust brand monitoring and competitor analysis tools, alongside strategic and tactical planning capabilities particularly valuable for market entry decisions and maximising performance during major events. The recently introduced customer profile feature harnesses AI to generate detailed, country-specific user profiles, adding another layer of strategic insight for operators.
Latest News
CONCEPT: VERSATILITY AND EFFICIENCY IN SPACES
The CONCEPT cabinet line has been designed to maximize space in casinos, adapting to any configuration. Its efficient design allows for different bank arrangements, making the most of the available area. This gives operators greater flexibility in organizing their gaming floor.
Additionally, the integrated LED strips in CONCEPT eliminate the need for extra signs or wedges, creating a sleek and attractive visual at all times.
Asia
Red Bull, Nissin Cup Noodles, and Kreo Join College Rivals Season 2 as Associate Sponsors
India’s premier college esports and gaming talent hunt, College Rivals, has secured three major Associate Sponsors for its highly anticipated Season 2. Nissin Cup Noodles, Red Bull, and Kreo have all come on board to support the Ampverse DMI-conducted event, each contributing their distinct energy and enthusiasm, as the official Energy Partner, Snacking Partner, and Kreative Partner, respectively.
College Rivals Season 2, featuring participation from over 2,00,000 students across various competitions, offers a prize pool of INR 50,00,000 and a prestigious professional gaming contract. Having kicked off in July 2024, the championship will continue in the following months before culminating with a Grand Finale scheduled for the first quarter of 2025.
“We’re thrilled to welcome top brands like Nissin Cup Noodles, Red Bull, and Kreo to College Rivals Season 2, which has grown exponentially this time around and is bigger and better than ever. These incredible partners will further enhance the student experience with immersive gaming, exciting activities, and creative engagements, adding new energy and thrill as we continue to inspire college-going students to engage with esports and gaming opportunities,” said Ashwin Haryani, Country Head, Ampverse DMI.
Red Bull, returning to College Rivals after a successful first season, brings extra excitement with their racing simulators and product samples in interactive zones, giving students a taste of the fast-paced energy of Esports. Nissin Cup Noodles, the event’s Snacking Partner, is bringing a flavorful twist to the action. With wet product sampling of their instant noodles, Nissin Cup Noodles seamlessly blends snack breaks with gaming.
Meanwhile, with their branded gaming peripherals, Kreative Partner Kreo is hosting interactive activities such as typing tests and giveaways, inviting students to engage with top-tier gaming gear at the country’s biggest collegiate gaming event.
“We’re absolutely fired up to be part of College Rivals Season 2! The energy is electric, with thousands of students from all over the country bringing their A-game. The fast-paced action, intense competition, and pure thrill of gaming make this event a perfect match for Nissin Cup Noodles which is the go-to snacking option for gamers” said Varun Oberoi – Vice President, Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications, Indo Nissin Foods.
Having expanded to 20+ cities and 58+ colleges, College Rivals Season 2 is engaging 11,00,000 students across India, providing the ideal stage to connect with brands that resonate with them. Nissin Cup Noodles satisfies with its instant snacks, Red Bull keeps the energy high with its action-packed drinks, and Kreo connects creative minds with top-tier gaming gear.
-
Asia6 days ago
NODWIN Gaming partners with Japanese gaming company KONAMI for ‘eFootball Diwali Showdown’
-
Industry News7 days ago
Brazilian Ministry of Finance and IBIA sign sports betting integrity agreement
-
Australia6 days ago
Australia’s BetStop Receives International Regulatory Award
-
Latest News6 days ago
BETBY WELCOMES MAGNUS CARLSEN AS GLOBAL BRAND AMBASSADOR
-
Compliance Updates6 days ago
KSA Imposes a Fine of €675,000 on NetX Betting Limited
-
Asia5 days ago
Revenant Esports and Team XSpark Join Forces to Form Revenant XSpark, ScoutOP Revealed as Brand Ambassador
-
Central Europe6 days ago
NOVOMATIC builds the Group’s largest photovoltaic system in Lower Austria
-
Latest News6 days ago
Videoslots Launches DBET in Sweden with International Tipset Pools