The most prestigious literary prize in the sporting world, the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award, has announced its esteemed judging panel for this year’s competition – with leading broadcaster Gabby Logan joining the line-up.

The William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award was established in 1989 and recognises outstanding writing across a wide range of genres within the sporting world and has earnt its reputation as one of the most coveted literary honours celebrating sports writers worldwide. Gabby joins Alyson Rudd, Dame Heather Rabbatts, Michelle Walder, Mark Lawson and Clarke Carlisle, who all return from last year’s panel and will select the William Hill Sports Book of the Year shortlist and ultimately crown the Award’s 36^th winner.

Former gymnast and esteemed television and radio presenter Gabby Logan joins as a judge for the first time. Having presented various high-profile sporting events across multiple disciplines such as the Olympics, the World Cup, the European Championship and BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year, Gabby is extremely well-versed in all things sport and, as a former athlete herself, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this year’s panel, having also released her own memoir, “The First Half”, last year.

Alyson Rudd, award-winning sports journalist at The Times, returns to lead the panel as Chair for the sixth year in a row. Alyson has authored two sports books herself alongside two novels, is a qualified football coach and referee and has extensive experience in the field to make her an ideal choice to guide the panel in their quest to identify the finest sports book of the year yet again.

Dame Heather Rabbatts returns as a judge for the second time, bringing her considerable expertise to the panel. Renowned for her groundbreaking tenure as the first female Director of the Football Association, she has been instrumental in catalysing change within the sports industry. With her deep insight into the sports landscape, she offers value and proficiency to this year’s judging panel.

Michelle Walder, a non-executive board member at Brighton and Hove Albion FC and chair of their Women’s team, resumes her role as a judge for the third consecutive year. Since 2004, she has successfully operated her own business focusing on leadership and coaching and, with extensive experience in the sporting sector, Michelle brings invaluable insight to the task of whittling down this year’s nominees into the final shortlist and ultimately the crowning of this year’s winner.

Broadcaster, writer, and journalist Mark Lawson rejoins the panel this year. As a theatre critic for The Tablet, as well as being a critic and feature writer for The Guardian, his expertise in storytelling bolsters the panel’s assets by bringing an additional facet to their existing strengths. With six books of his own, Mark has expressed his admiration for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award, describing being a judge as one of his top ambitions in sports.

Completing the lineup of judges is Clarke Carlisle, having transitioned from football to becoming a prominent broadcaster, his perspective as a former athlete-turned-commentator adds a distinctive angle to the judging panel. With nearly two decades of experience in football across all four professional English divisions, Clarke brings a profound understanding of the sport’s intricacies. As a regular football pundit and co-commentator, his insights into the sporting world are invaluable during the selection process. While Clarke made his debut as a judge back in 2012, he temporarily stepped down in 2013 to pen his autobiography, “A Footballer’s Life”, which earned a place on the 2014 longlist for the Award.

The judges will whittle down the longlist throughout the month into a final shortlist which will be announced on 31^st October. The official awards ceremony will take place on 19^th November in which the winner will be announced. The author will receive both the coveted William Hill Sports Book of the Year trophy as well as £30,000 in cash, whilst the rest of the shortlisted authors will receive a leather-bound copy of their book along with £3,000 in cash each.

Lee Phelps, spokesperson for William Hill, said: “We’re delighted to announce we’ve got a host of familiar faces returning to the judging panel for this year’s edition of the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award, the 36^th renewal of our prestigious literary prize – with brand new judge, Gabby Logan, joining the line-up.

“We’re extremely excited to welcome Gabby to the panel and we have no doubt she’ll bring her renowned sports knowledge and industry experience to the table when selecting which books make the shortlist alongside the rest of the judges. We’re also happy to confirm that Alyson Rudd returns for the sixth year running as Chair of the judging panel to guide them throughout the process.

“Dame Heather Rabbatts, Michelle Walder, Mark Lawson and Clarke Carlisle have all been confirmed as returning judges. I sat in on the judging last year and it’s a fascinating and robust process. The six-strong panel will all be putting their heads together to sift through this year’s entries in order to whittle them down into a shortlist and ultimately decide whose book is deserving of the big prize come the Awards Ceremony later this year.”

Alyson Rudd, Chair of the judging panel, said: “I am excited as ever to return as the Chair of Judging for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2024. This is my sixth year being the Chair of the panel and I can’t wait to explore more of what the world of sports books has to offer. I love literary awards and because I work in sport, this competition is perfect.

“The Award celebrates the power of storytelling and, whilst sport is a huge field, entries are quite intimate and stories very personal so to be leading our diverse panel of judges as we read these exceptional stories yet again is a huge honour.

“I keep coming back year after year because the standard has improved. In this competition we want to see good writing, writing that stirs the soul and, regardless of the subject matter, would stand in competition with any other genre. I keep coming back because it keeps getting better.”

Kaizen Gaming, one of the biggest GameTech companies in the world, has been crowned ‘Operator of the Year – Large’ and, for the second year running, ‘Casino Operator of the Year’ at the prestigious SBC Awards 2024 held in Lisbon on Thursday 26^th September.

Winning the ‘Operator of the Year – Large’ award recognises Kaizen Gaming’s unwavering commitment to responsible gaming in regulated markets, celebrating twelve years of remarkable success and growth. Driven by its ambitious “2626” vision to operate in 26 markets by 2026, the award also commends the company’s focus on corporate social responsibility and excellence in securing landmark sponsorships with leagues, top-tier clubs and athletes across the globe, including CONMEBOL Copa America™️ 2024 and the UEFA EURO 2024™.

Also declared ‘Casino Operator of the Year’ for the second year in a row reaffirms Kaizen Gaming’s continuing perseverance to provide highly engaging, innovative experiences using advanced technology, and commitment to responsible gaming.

Julio Iglesias Hernando, Chief Commercial Officer, Kaizen Gaming, said: “Awards serve as good reminders to celebrate and recognise the passion of our Kaizen One Team. Our people work very hard to bring to our customers the most innovative products in gaming today. As we grow, facing our vision of successfully operating in 26 countries by 2026, sometimes it is important to stop and celebrate. Our team strives to deliver the most trusted, safe and exciting experiences for our customers worldwide. The past 12 months have been exhausting, challenging and incredibly rewarding, with milestones and record-breaking achievements, such as our partnership with UEFA’s EURO 2024 and CONMEBOL’s Copa America 2024. This award is dedicated to our people. Thanks for always going the extra mile. Rest assured this is just the beginning. We owe it to our customers and to ourselves to keep pushing forward.”

Now in their eleventh year of rewarding and celebrating the very best in the betting & gaming industry, the coveted SBC Awards recognise the achievements of operators, affiliates, as well as suppliers from across all the major disciplines, including payments, marketing, platform providers and data.

The SBC Awards took place at the MEO Arena on the final day of SBC Summit, with 25,000 industry professionals and 600 exhibitors gathering to showcase the latest innovations in gaming and betting. The awards were hosted by TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher and football legend Peter Schmeichel.

BETBY, a leading provider of premium sports betting solutions, solidified its industry presence with a standout appearance at this year’s SBC Summit in Lisbon.

Featuring a strikingly redesigned stand, BETBY showcased the full capabilities of its innovative sportsbook solutions and services throughout the event. A key focus was on the rapidly expanding Latin American market, particularly Brazil, where the company continues to strengthen its footprint.

The event concluded on a high note with BETBY securing the SBC Award for Esports Supplier of the Year. This accolade follows several major product launches throughout the year, including the debut of the advanced AI Labs sportsbook tools, continuous updates to BETBY Games’ proprietary esports content, and an enhanced Bet Builder feature, designed to elevate the sports betting experience for users globally.

Leonid Pertsovskiy, BETBY’s Chief Executive Officer, commented: “We believe that this recognition from the SBC Summit Lisbon is a reflection of our ongoing commitment at BETBY to advancing the sports betting industry, setting new benchmarks for innovation and operational excellence. Winning the Esports Supplier of the Year award was the perfect ending for us. It reflects the dedication of our entire team, each of whom has played a crucial role in our success. As we look ahead to next year, we are well-positioned to set new records and continue our growth trajectory.”