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World Pool contribution to British and Irish racecourses hits £50 million
The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s (HKJC) contribution to British and Irish racecourses generated by World Pool since its inception in 2019 has surpassed £50 million.
A total of 580 races across nine different tracks in the UK and Ireland have been globally commingled by the HKJC since the World Pool’s inaugural fixture at Royal Ascot in 2019, with the Curragh, Epsom Downs, Goodwood, Leopardstown, Newbury, Newmarket, Sandown Park and York all hosting World Pool racedays.
Since its inauguration, the number of World Pool races has increased dramatically, from 30 races held at Royal Ascot in 2019, to 135 races, held across the nine different racecourses this year.
In 2024, the English and Irish 1000 Guineas were added as World Pool races for the first time, along with the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup. The landmark £50 million figure comes as World Pool builds towards its final fixture of the 2024 UK and Irish Flat season at Ascot this Saturday on QIPCO British Champions Day.
World Pool commits over £300,000 to Moment of the Day and Jockeys’ Championship
In addition, the Hong Kong Jockey Club and partners have helped fund the exciting World Pool Moment of the Day initiative for the past three seasons, which supports racing’s grassroots by giving back to grooms, who are often the unsung heroes behind great equine champions. Each Moment of the Day winning groom receives a £4,000 cash prize and is also in with a chance of a VIP trip to Hong Kong.
The inaugural World Pool UK & Ireland Jockeys’ Championship was launched this year with the winning rider receiving £50,000 to donate to a charity of his or her choice, underlining the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s continued commitment to supporting the community through charitable donations. Points are awarded based on the World Pool win dividend for every World Pool race in the UK and Ireland, offering a level playing field for all jockeys with their chances of winning being dictated by the public as reflected by their World Pool odds.
With one meeting left to go, Billy Loughnane has a commanding lead of over 90 points, after three incredible big-odds victories, during Royal Ascot aboard Rashabar (129.90) on Queen Anne Stakes Day and Soprano (19.65) on Commonwealth Cup Day, and then aboard Canoodled (37.95) on Nunthorpe Stakes Day during York’s Ebor Festival. Those three successes leave Loughnane on a total of 187.50 points, clear of his nearest pursuer Oisin Murphy (97.25).
Michael Fitzsimons, Executive Director, Wagering Products at the HKJC, said: “World Pool has come such a long way since we first launched at Royal Ascot in 2019. It’s been incredibly rewarding to see how much it has grown over the past six years and everyone at the Hong Kong Jockey Club is thrilled to see so much money going back into racing in so many different ways.
“As World Pool continues to grow its presence and popularity, further investment will flow back into the sport, continuing to boost prize money, which in turn should have a positive impact on the size and quality of fields. Healthy field sizes and high-quality racing is what grabs the attention and interest of punters across the globe.”
Alex Frost, Chief Executive, UK Tote Group, said: “In only six years, World Pool has moved from a concept to an initiative that is having a significant impact on supporting the financial ecosystem of racing in the UK and Ireland. It is testament to the vision and leadership of the Hong Kong Jockey Club that we have all been able to make this much progress together.
“Under our long-term contract, everyone at the Tote is very excited to continue our work with the Hong Kong Jockey Club and all our partners to grow World Pool, both for the benefit of racing fans who want an exciting and competitive betting options and to help support the future financial sustainability of the sport.”
World Pool in the UK & Ireland:
Year | UK/IRE Races | UK/IRE host tracks | Non-UK/IRE Races | Non-UK/IRE host tracks |
2019 | 30 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
2020 | 42 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
2021 | 121 | 7 | 32 | 2 |
2022 | 121 | 6 | 33 | 3 |
2023 | 131 | 8 | 91 | 12 |
2024 | 135 | 9 | 94 | 15 |
World Pool in 2024 by country:
Country | Races | Racecourses |
Australia | 35 | 5 |
Germany | 17 | 5 |
Ireland | 24 | 2 |
Saudi Arabia | 7 | 1 |
South Africa | 27 | 3 |
UAE | 8 | 1 |
UK | 111 | 7 |
The final World Pool fixture of the 2024 British & Irish Flat season takes place at Ascot for QIPCO British Champions Day this Saturday.
For all World Pool fixtures, please visit: worldpool.hkjc.com/full-fixture.aspx
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SUPERSCALE RAISES $1.2 MILLION FOR GAME BUSINESS ANALYTICS ‘SUPERPLATFORM’
SuperScale, the game business analytics company, announces it has secured an investment round of $1.2 million to support the launch and rapid expansion of SuperPlatform, the ultimate game business analytics platform.
SuperPlatform solves a critical industry challenge: aligning changes in game business strategy from top to bottom with consistent and trustable data that is always up-to-date. The platform provides executives with a single source of reliable, standardized business insights from across the organization in order to execute data-backed strategies with coherence and confidence. After a soft launch in August 2024, 60 studios are already using SuperPlatform to understand their entire business in one integrated platform.
The fresh funding round was led by existing investors including Across Private Investments, LevelUp Ventures, Zero One Hundred, and Venture to Future Fund, along with new investor Strecko Investments. Following the successful soft launch and strong market adoption of SuperPlatform, SuperScale has already become cashflow positive and is extending the current funding round by a further $2.15 million by the end of 2024, positioning the company for sustained success.
The no-SDK SuperPlatform integration ensures consistency of business data from over 40 sources across marketing, product, and finance, providing an all-in-one, AI-powered view of games business performance. It brings games studios and publishers all the flexibility and data ownership of an internal solution at a fraction of the cost of today’s fragmented tools. SuperPlatform includes advanced features such as predictive modeling, automated data health monitoring, and hundreds of standardized use cases—all tailored to the unique needs of individual decision makers inside game organizations of all sizes.
A standout feature of SuperPlatform is its ‘Command Center’ which enables gaming executives and investors to model shifts in strategy, and execute them across their organizations. Whether a CEO of an indie studio focused on maximizing short-term cash flow or a Portfolio GM aiming to boost first-year profits in a larger gaming organization, SuperPlatform provides decision-makers with the accurate success criteria needed to align their teams with the organization’s goals.
Ivan Trančík, Founder and CEO of SuperScale, commented:
“Apple’s privacy changes and the post-pandemic slump rocked the games industry. CEOs, CFOs and investors have been kept up at night, scrambling to implement radically different business strategies across their organizations. By consolidating essential tools and analytics into one platform, we give studios of all sizes the peace of mind to trust their business data again, while reducing the need for multiple platform tools or costly internal solutions.”
He added:
“SuperPlatform is our flagship SaaS offering and is the culmination of eight years of internal development, encompassing all the tools and models developed by SuperScale. It has already delivered record profits to our partners as part of our existing complementary solutions and, by offering it as a unified platform, we can empower a much broader range of studios to achieve unprecedented results.”
Michal Csonga, partner at Zero One Hundred, said:
“SuperScale has executed a stellar corporate and product transformation during the most turbulent period in the history of the gaming industry. They have consolidated years of expertise into one software platform. SuperPlatform saves game studios and developers significant time and costs and increases profits drastically. We are thrilled to support this success story that is reshaping this global industry.”
Founded in 2015, SuperScale has long been known for offering a suite of solutions to game developers and publishers, powered by the proprietary analytics technology that now underpins SuperPlatform. By making it available to all on a subscription basis, SuperScale completes its transition from a service-based to a SaaS (software-as-a-service) model. To find out how SuperPlatform can unlock your game’s true potential, simply copy the link of your game in the Google Play or App Store into the platform’s Revenue Uplift calculator.
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GR8 Tech Closes the Year at SiGMA Europe 2024 with Industry Success
SiGMA Europe 2024 closed the year with a bang, and GR8 Tech seized the spotlight, leaving a lasting impression on industry leaders and professionals. The event proved pivotal for GR8 Tech, with nearly 300 meetings showcasing robust interest in its offerings. Of these, 15 discussions are already progressing toward long-term agreements, laying the groundwork for expanded partnerships and future business launches. The event highlighted the demand for customizable iGaming solutions and GR8 Tech’s impactful presence at the year’s grand finale.
Kiril Nestorovski, Sales Director at GR8 Tech: “What’s really grabbed attention in SiGMA Europe is our openness to discuss and be flexible, but what truly surprises people is the quality of our products. I’ve had clients react with phrases like, “Can I touch the screen to see if it’s real?” when they saw our demos. That kind of response speaks volumes about the impact our products have, especially in the sportsbook area.”
Sharing Expertise: Panel Discussion Takeaways
At the “Trends and Predictions for 2025” panel, GR8 Tech CEO Evgen Belousov and other industry leaders shared insights into esports and sportsbooks’ future, spotlighting AI-driven personalization, opinion-based betting, and esports as key disruptors.
The panelists drew a fascinating parallel between sportsbooks and streaming platforms. As competition intensifies, operators are now juggling multiple feed suppliers to deliver exclusive, tailored content. Much like streaming services fighting for exclusive rights, sportsbooks are investing in diverse and unique betting experiences to stand out. Diversification is now becoming essential for staying relevant in the market.
Belousov explored how sportsbooks are evolving from casino add-ons to profitable standalone ventures, redefining their role within the iGaming ecosystem. The panel underscored AI’s transformative impact on player acquisition, gamification, CRM, and risk management – all the areas where GR8 Tech leads the way with practical innovations aimed at increasing operators’ profitability.
Opinion-based betting – wagering on elections or entertainment outcomes – emerged as a rising trend, appealing to younger, tech-savvy players seeking interactive experiences. Esports also increased its role as a game-changer, with younger generations gravitating toward familiar titles like Dota 2 and Counter-Strike over traditional sports.
Focus for 2025: Driving Innovation
Yevhen Krazhan, CBDO at GR8 Tech: “As we wrap up 2024, I’m proud to say that GR8 Tech has exceeded expectations, performing at 150% of our initial goals. The demand and interest in our solutions have been overwhelming, and we’re excited to see how the trends of reactivation and investment growth continue into 2025. With strong momentum from events like SiGMA and the upcoming ICE, we are poised for another successful year. Our strategic focus remains clear – leading the charge as a global sportsbook platform. We’re ready for what lies ahead, and we’re confident that 2025 will be another great year for GR8 Tech.”
As the year comes to a close, the partnerships forged at SiGMA Europe 2024 have paved the way for GR8 Tech’s next major event: ICE 2025. Building on this year’s success, GR8 Tech will showcase its cutting-edge solutions and push iGaming boundaries, solidifying its industry leadership. Stay tuned for exciting developments and join us at ICE 2025!
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