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Longlist Revealed For The William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2023 Award – and £30,000 Top Prize
- 18 books selected for the longlist including current professional snooker player Ronnie O’Sullivan, and three-time winner Duncan Hamilton
- 13 different sports featured including two fiction books
- 100% growth for longlisted female authors
The longlist for the 35th William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award – the world’s most valuable literary sports-writing prize – has been revealed today (Thursday 28th September), featuring a diverse selection of sports from squash and snooker to swimming and surfing.
The 18-book longlist was selected from more than 150 entries following a rigorous judging process from a panel with expertise in both sports and literature including The Athletic’s Nancy Froston, sports presenter Matt Williams and William Hill’s Neil Foggin.
Books making this year’s longlist celebrate a diverse world of sports literature, covering tales and insight from 13 different sports. From gripping memoirs to thrilling narratives and insightful analysis from some of the most compelling sporting stars, the longlisted books have one common thread: a profound passion for sports and sporting literature.
Six female authors make this year’s cut, doubling the number from previous years.
Three-time William Hill Sports Book of the Year winner Duncan Hamilton is in the running for this year’s Award, alongside arguably one of the greatest snooker players of all time, Ronnie O’Sullivan.
The William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2023 Longlist (alphabetical by author surname):
- 1923: The Mystery of Lot 212 and a Tour de France Obsession by Ned Boulting
- Hope and Glory: Rugby League in Thatcher’s Britain by Anthony Broxton
- Inshallah United: A Story of Faith and Football by Nooruddean Choudry
- Unfair Play: The Battle for Women’s Sport by Sharron Davies with Craig Lord
- Good for a Girl: My Life Running in a Man’s World by Lauren Fleshman
- The Silence of the Stands: Finding the Joy in Football’s Lost Season by Daniel Gray
- Answered Prayers: England and the 1966 World Cup by Duncan Hamilton
- Tinseltown: Hollywood and the Beautiful Game – a Match Made in Wrexham by Ian Herbert
- Althea: The Life of Tennis Champion Althea Gibson by Sally H. Jacobs
- Nazaré: Life and Death with the Big Wave Surfers by Matt Majendie
- Western Lane by Chetna Maroo
- The Hard Parts: A Story of Courage and Triumph by Oksana Masters
- Unbreakable by Ronnie O’Sullivan
- Concussed: Sport’s Uncomfortable Truth by Sam Peters
- On Days Like These: The Lost Memoir of a Goalkeeper by Tim Rich
- Nowhere to Run: The Ridiculous Life of a Semi-Professional Football Club Chairman by Jonathan Sayer
- Kick The Latch by Kathryn Scanlan
- The Tour: The Story of the England Cricket Team Overseas 1877 – 2023 by Simon Wilde
Award panellist and renowned sports broadcaster, Matt Williams said: “This year’s longlist showcases the diversity of sports and the many ways in which they inspire, entertain, and unite communities.
“We received an unprecedented number of outstanding entries from talented authors this year, including a high volume of contributions from both female authors and international writers. Whittling these down was no small feat, resulting in an historic moment for the Awards as we reveal a list of 18 longlisted books, which encompasses fiction and non-fiction.
“These remarkable titles explore the depths of sportsmanship, triumphs and challenges across the sporting industry including sexism, and the devastating effects that head injuries have on sportspeople. All the longlisted books not only have a great story to tell but their writing captivates the reader and is the best in sporting literature.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading so many inspirational books from the most talented of authors and I’m excited to see which of the 18 books comes out on top.”
Now in its 35th year, the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award is dedicated to rewarding excellence in sports-writing and provides authors and publishers a platform to showcase and promote their book. The first William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award took place in 1989, earning it the title of the longest-established competition in the industry.
The shortlist for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2023 Award will be unveiled on 26th October, with the winner declared on 30th November 2023 at an official award ceremony at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly, London. The Award has a £30,000 cash prize for the winner and the shortlisted authors will each receive £3,000 and a leather-bound copy of their book.
Conferences in Europe
NEW HORIZONS FOR ZETTAONLINE AFTER SBC SUMMIT
Milena Tsankarska, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer, represented ZettaOnline at the SBC Summit, leaving the event with promising new opportunities for the company. The summit, held from September 24th to 26th, 2024, at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa, brought together some of the top global experts in the gaming industry in the Portuguese capital.
“We have the chance to exchange ideas and form promising new partnerships which faced directly our marketing strategy to expand our services to different markets by establishing and cultivating long-term partnerships with new clients,” shared Milena Tsankarska. “At Lisbon our team was actively involved in engaging with industry peers, showcasing our cutting-edge solutions, and discussing potential collaborations that could drive mutual growth and success,” she added afterwords.
More than 600 exhibitors showed their new products and services within the gaming and entertainment industry in Lisbon. There also were a variety of dynamic conference formats where 450+ speakers shared their experience, and everyone had the opportunity to connect with 25,000 industry professionals.
“We would like to thank the organizers for hosting such an outstanding event. We’d also like to extend our gratitude to our esteemed partners and clients for the opportunity to reconnect, explore new possibilities, and create memorable moments together,” said Milena after the SCB Summit. At the SBC Summit, there were several themed areas like the Casino & iGaming Zone, Sports Betting Zone, Player Protection Zone, ESI Lisbon – Esports, Gaming & Creators Zone, and two summits: Payment Expert Summit and Affiliate Leaders’ Summit.
Next stop for Zettaonline’s team is BEGE/EEGS, which are two of the premier events in the gaming and entertainment industry. The Balkan Entertainment and Gaming Expo (BEGE) will showcase the latest innovative technologies and trends from across the sector. The Eastern European Gaming Summit (EEGS) is an annual gaming conference, just parallel to BEGE, with more than 400 industry representatives from 25 countries. For more information about our participation and to book a meeting with us, please contact [email protected].
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MIRACL partners with Continent 8 to offer its single-step passwordless MFA solution to simplify the login experience
MIRACL’s passwordless multi-factor authentication (MFA) service adds to Continent 8’s multi-layered cybersecurity and regulatory compliance suite of solutions, providing secure, frictionless logins on any browser or device.
MIRACL, a provider of passwordless multi-factor authentication (MFA), today announces a new partnership with Continent 8 Technologies, a leading provider of global managed hosting, connectivity, cloud and cybersecurity solutions to the iGaming and online sports betting industry.
This collaboration has enabled Continent 8 to enhance their regulated cybersecurity product portfolio with MIRACL’s secure, single-step MFA solution, offering the most secure and efficient authentication experience possible.
MIRACL’s MFA service streamlines the authentication process with a single personal identification number (PIN) code or device-based biometric. This allows players to access an online service via browser or app in under two seconds – 20 times faster than traditional multi-step MFA methods. Crucially, this means MIRACL enjoys the highest Login Success Rate, 99.9% on average, which leads to increased traffic and conversions, boosting revenue and enhancing user experience.
The solution also saves cost by preventing account takeovers and minimising account resets, allowing gaming operators and suppliers to reduce IT helpdesk and infrastructure support costs.
The MIRACL MFA solution delivers banking-grade security through a zero-knowledge framework, ensuring that no security-related information is stored or shared. By eliminating credential exchanges, the service is fully resistant to all remote and brute-force attacks, including credential stuffing, man-in-the-middle, password spraying, phishing, replay and SMS fatigue, thereby offering zero vulnerabilities. The MFA solution complies with the most stringent security and privacy regulations, including MFA legislation requirements for the regulated iGaming and online sports betting industry.
Rob Griffin, CEO at MIRACL said “The shift to mandated MFA by regulators is set to be a massive change in the industry with requirements changing quickly across the globe. MIRACL meets 100% of these requirements for 100% of users while also massively improving their experience.
Over the last 25 years, Continent 8 has become a trusted authority within iGaming in respect of cybersecurity, regulatory adherence and the art of provisioning gaming services that delight their customers. MIRACL’s innovative solutions exceed customers’ expectations in all three of these realms so for us, Continent 8 is the perfect partner. We look forward to bringing our passwordless, single-step MFA to their global client base.
While operators can understand conceptually the potential for passwordless authentication to increase revenues and save costs, they need a trusted and expert partner to help navigate the path. Working closely in tandem, MIRACL and Continent 8 can meet that sizable customer need to ensure customers realise the massive ROI that MIRACL’s passwordless MFA enables.”
MIRACL’s passwordless MFA solution will be part of Continent 8 and C8 Secure’s (a Continent 8 company specialised in cybersecurity) comprehensive suite of multi-layered cybersecurity solutions. The current portfolio includes VAPT, Compliance Audit, DDoS, EDR & MDR, Mobile Protect, SafeBait, SIEM & SOC, V-Scan, Backup and WAAP services, among others.
David Brace, Principal, Innovation & Technology at Continent 8, said: “Speed, uptime, compliance and security are the pillars of our business, whether it be infrastructure, connectivity or the protection of digital assets. By partnering with MIRACL, we add an MFA service that protects players from fraud and cyber attacks, meets regulatory compliance and offers operators a swift, password-less MFA experience.
“This strategic alliance is a significant step forward in our ongoing mission to be the trusted cybersecurity and infrastructure partner for the regulated iGaming and online sports betting industry.”
Latest News
7777 gaming signs strategic agreement with R. Franco Digital, expanding reach in Spain and Latin America
7777 gaming signs a strategic agreement with R. Franco Digital, a prominent player in the gaming sector and part of the Orenes Group. This partnership sees 7777 gaming’s extensive portfolio of casino content distributed across Spain and key markets in Latin America, where R. Franco Digital has a significant presence.
Through this agreement, players in these regions will gain access to 7777 gaming’s popular and diverse titles, including Devil’s Deal Soul for Sale, Cash 100, Crazy 100 Bucks, Thracian Treasures, Crazy 20 Bucks, Barbarian, Candy Anyways, Club Mr. Luck, Jinn, Sea of Treasures, and many more. Known for their innovative features and captivating gameplay, these games are set to bring a fresh wave of excitement to players across Spain and Latin America.
Zhana Aleksandrova, Business Development Manager for Spain & Latin America at 7777 gaming, commented: “The signed agreement with R. Franco Digital gives us another level of motivation and dedication to two very important markets for us – Spain and Latin America. R. Franco Digital has a strong presence, a wide network of partners, and an audience that loves exciting and innovative casino games. We are confident in our mutual success and are looking forward to receiving feedback from the players’ community.”
Guillermo Ruipérez, Head of Sales at R. Franco Digital, added: “We always strive to adapt our offerings to the requirements of our clients and their players. Our partnership with 7777 gaming aligns with our mission to offer the latest and most innovative gaming concepts available on the market right now. We are constantly upgrading and expanding our portfolio of providers to ensure that our clients are satisfied with what we can offer.”
This collaboration represents a significant step forward for both companies, as they work together to bring high-quality, engaging casino games to new and existing players in these vibrant markets.
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