Category Archives: Featured

Prop Bets Add To Kentucky Derby Fun

Jennifer Lawrence (credit: Gage Skidmore)

Beyond win-place-show, exactas, trifectas and other standard ways to bet on tomorrow’s Kentucky Derby, there are the prop bets, which various betting houses have set up to capture attention outside of the horse racing and sports realms and on into pop culture at large.

Some of the more fun ones that USRacing.com have posted include:

· Will Thanos (Josh Brolin) walk the red carpet at Churchill Downs?

· Do you think Louisville native Jennifer Lawrence will watch the race in person?

· President Trump is still favored (-300) to win the 2020 US Presidential election but how many tweets will President Donald Trump send on the first Saturday in May?

· And, with the 145th Kentucky Derby falling on May 4th, will Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) tweet, “May the Horse be with You”?

Over the past year, legalization of sports betting in certain portions of the United States has led to partnerships between US racing organizations and sports betting groups largely headquartered in Europe.

Almost a year ago, Paddy Power Betfair acquired Fan Duel while William Hill partnered to provide sports betting at Monmouth Park. Parx Racing has partnered with Kambi. One of the few US racing stalwarts that have not associated with a sports betting partner in Europe is BetAmerica, a racebook owned by Churchill Downs. Three months ago, BetAmerica joined forces with the Golden Nugget Casino in New Jersey in order to offer sports and casino wagering online.

Such partnerships make sense as competition will be fierce as part of what CNBC’s Alex Sherman calls a $150 Billion market.

It is the hope of racing organizations that new fans of the Sport of Kings will be created via the marketing funnels of the partnerships they have with sports betting groups. In turn, the desire is that these new fans will wager on horses. However, whether this business model will facilitate an actual improvement in the economic health of the racing industry in North America is yet to be seen.

While the handle for the Kentucky Derby race has been increasing in recent years with US Racing projecting a 10-12% growth over last year, the overall handle at tracks in North America has declined since 2003.

In 2003, the total handle was nearly $16 billion; in 2014 the handle was approximately $11 billion. However, from 2014 to date, there has been a trend of increasing handles. Perhaps the widespread legalization of sports betting will help continue this upward trend.

Speaking off the record, two gaming executives attending the recent Betting on Sports America Conference at the Meadowlands Racetrack indicated that there was, “still much work to do going forward before the horse racing industry would see benefits from offering sports wagering.”

While it will take time to determine the benefits of legalized sports betting for the racing industry’s bottom line, the casual fans of the Kentucky Derby will now have the opportunity to enjoy Kentucky Derby prop betting.

Student Betting A Topic At NCLGS July 12-14

The extent and magnitude of gambling on college campuses will be the focus of the Committee on Responsible Gaming when the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) holds its Summer Meeting, July 12-14 at the Radisson Blu Downtown. This examination comes as studies show that 18 percent of college students gamble weekly or more frequently.

“With abundant opportunities to gamble both legally and illegally, we need to examine both the extent of this activity on college campuses and whether this is just good fun or a real problem. Importantly, we need to know how the addition of legal sports betting can impact gambling behavior on campus,” said Committee Chair Keith Pickard, a Senator from Nevada and Vice President of NCLGS. “Legislators owe it to the young adults in their states to understand the implications of this activity.”

The Committee will hear from the following experts:

Christine Reilly, Senior Research Director, National Center for Responsible Gaming
Susan Sheridan Tucker, Executive Director, Northstar Problem Gambling Alliance
Ryan Martin, Associate Professor, Department of Health Education and Promotion, East Carolina University

The NCLGS Summer Meeting agenda includes:

Six legislative committee sessions: Casinos, Emerging Forms of Gaming, Indian Gaming, Lotteries, Responsible Gaming, and State-Federal Relations
Keynote Luncheon Address: “The Next Five Years of Gaming,” by Timothy Wilmott, CEO, Penn National Gaming, and Chairman, American Gaming Association
Two IMGL Masterclass panels conducted by the International Masters of Gaming Law focusing on state lottery technology and the multiple crossover regulatory and legal issues
Special general session panel examining gaming’s evolution toward entertainment
Thursday evening cocktail reception
Friday evening welcome reception
Saturday afternoon tour of Sportradar offices

To view the agenda, register, and book rooms at the host hotel at special attendee rates, visit http://www.nclgs.org/meetings.html.

For sponsorship information, contact Richard Doss at [email protected]. Legislators and others seeking NCLGS membership information should contact Wayne Marlin at [email protected].

NCLGS is the only organization of state lawmakers that meets on a regular basis to discuss issues relating to gaming. Members of NCLGS serve as chairpersons or members of state legislative committees responsible for the regulation of gaming in their state legislative houses. NCLGS does not promote or oppose gaming but is primarily concerned with the regulation and economic and social impacts of the industry. The NCLGS Foundation is the educational and research arm of NCLGS. The 501(c)(3) non-profit is a source of non-partisan data on issues of gaming legislation and regulation.

Spectrum Gaming Group, which has performed advisory and consulting work for gaming operators, regulators and legislatures in 39 US states and territories and in 47 countries on six continents, serves as the Executive Director of NCLGS.

Kentucky Derby Odds – Official Odds and Post Positions Released by US Racing

US Racing (www.usracing.com), an international online horse racing service, today announced the post positions and updated odds of the 145^th Kentucky Derby to be held at Churchill Downs on Saturday.

“While Game Winner, Roadster and Omaha Beach are very strongly backed by punters— there have been some large figures on Roadster and Tacitus,” said Timothy Maxwell of US Racing. “However, Roadster drew post position 17 which has yet to produce a Kentucky Derby Winner.”

Over the past 5 years, the favorites have gone on to win the Derby but in 2019, Maxwell suggested that, “we see a lot of parity among these three year-olds.” In fact, many fans are looking forward to a match race between Roadster and Omaha Beach—which will hopefully extend over the three races of the Triple Crown.

The world will be watching the “Greatest 2 Minutes of Sports” on NBC and getting all the action with US Racing.

Full odds available here.

‘Video Poker Classic’ Gets Major Update

Tapinator, Inc. Launches Major Update to Video Poker Classic, the Top Video Poker Game on Mobile

Tapinator, Inc., a developer and publisher of category leading apps for mobile platforms, today announced that it has launched a major update to Video Poker Classic, the top video poker game on mobile.

Video Poker Classic is the most popular video poker game on iOS and is a leading video poker property on both Google Play and the Amazon Appstore. On iOS, the title maintains over 25,000 reviews with an average score of 4.7 out of 5.0. One of the reasons for the title’s success is its consistency with a real-world casino experience.

To quantify the size of the video poker market, we can look to certain gaming jurisdictions, such as Louisiana and Illinois, that have published data specifically on video poker revenue. In 2013, Louisiana’s adjusted gross video poker revenue was over $600 million and represented 20 percent of the state’s net daily gaming revenue. In Illinois in 2013, video poker revenue was about $300 million relative to about $1.5 billion in adjusted gross casino revenue. In 2018, the revenue for the social casino market reached $5.2 billion, according to Eliers & Krejcik. Based on the size of the video poker market as a percentage of the real-money gaming market, we believe there to be significant growth potential for video poker within the social casino segment. Video Poker Classic is currently ranked approximately in the Top 150 in Downloads and Top 100 in Grossing within the Casino category on iOS.

Our new 2.0 version brings multi-hand capability, a popular casino feature, to the game’s core single-hand gameplay. More specifically, we have introduced Triple Play, Five Play, and Ten Play for all of our 39 game types. With this new version, Video Poker Classic has the richest offering of any video poker title on mobile devices, in terms of game types, gameplay formats (Single Hand, Triple Play, Five play, Ten play) and overall functionality.

“We are excited that, with this major update, we have yet again raised the bar for the video poker category on mobile devices. We are looking forward to future updates later this year that will continue to refine and optimize our category-leading product,” said Tapinator CEO, Ilya Nikolayev.

Sports Betting Coming to Isleta Resort & Casino in N.M.

Isleta Resort & Casino, in Albuquerque, N.M., has announced it will bring Las Vegas-style sports gambling to its Resort. The move follows a 2017 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, which opened the door for tribes to legalize wagers on everything from college basketball to professional football. It’s a victory for those pushing for more gaming options, and Isleta Resort & Casino is thrilled to be an industry leader.

“We’re very excited to be answering the requests of our guests to bring sports gambling to New Mexico,” said Isleta Resort & Casino CEO Harold Baugus. “We look forward to unveiling all of the exciting possibilities to our patrons,” he continued.

The Supreme Court’s decision on Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, gives states like New Mexico the authority to adopt laws regulating sports betting. New Mexico is now the fifth state to follow suit. The Resort’s new Sports Betting venue is expected to open later this summer, with USBookmaking as its provider.

“We are proud to be selected by Isleta Resort & Casino to provide sports betting services for their casino. We offer outstanding service for our clients and our selection by Isleta validates the tremendous value that USBookmaking contributes,” stated Vic Salerno, President of USBookmaking.

As Isleta Resort & Casino steps up to the plate, details on when sports betting will be available will be released in the near future. More information on the Resort and its amenities can be found at www.isleta.com.

DraftKings, Arena Football League Launch New Fantasy Sports Game

DraftKings and the Arena Football League (AFL) have partnered to launch a new daily fantasy sports game ahead of the AFL’s 2019 season. Customers can now submit contest entries and get even closer to the fast-paced action on the turf that begins April 26^th. This AFL offering is the 12^th daily fantasy sports category for DraftKings, making the company the leader in available sports among fantasy operators.

“The fast-paced games of the AFL and zeal of its fans will enable a new customer base that loves sports just as much as we do to interact with our products,” said Greg Karamitis, SVP of Fantasy Sports at DraftKings. “The AFL is, and will continue to be, excellent partners in enhancing the entertainment experience for these dedicated fans every weekend for the 2019 season.”

With the AFL expanding its presence from four to six teams in 2019, DraftKings’ data capabilities will source game and player information at every moment of play for fans to leverage in their daily fantasy selections. Customers can enjoy special DraftKings Classic and Showdown modes for AFL contests, constructing lineups of six players while staying within a $50,000 salary cap range and designating a “captain” slot that grants one player a bonus multiplier. Classic contests will require selecting players from more than one game, while Showdown contests must include players from each team.

“We are very excited to be working with DraftKings and know our fans will love playing the fantasy football games DraftKings developed for the AFL,” said Randall Boe, AFL Commissioner. “We want the AFL to be the most innovative league in sports and working with leaders and pioneers like DraftKings is a great fit.”

As football represents the most popular sport on DraftKings, this expansion into Arena Football League daily fantasy contests helps further diversify offerings and address customer demand. Additionally, the DraftKings Sportsbook will offer fans the opportunity to wager on games throughout the AFL season. To engage with the new product, players can either head to www.draftkings.com or download the DraftKings app via iOS and Android.

‘Daily Number’ Reaches Exclusive Partnership With Floyd Mayweather

Daily fantasy sports app Daily Number, today announced its exclusive partnership with legendary boxer Floyd Mayweather. This announcement was delivered as a fight promotion “pump fake” that put the boxing world on notice and signaled the start of an exclusive partnership between the app and one of the most famous boxers in history. Daily Number is founded by successful entrepreneur Tom McAuley.

To officially announce this partnership, Daily Number worked closely with Mayweather and Connor Kroll, both of whom have joined the company as equity partners along with Co-Founder and All-Pro NFL Cornerback Richard Sherman, to covertly orchestrate a pseudo fight promotion aimed at shocking the sports world into believing one of the most successful boxers of all time was coming out of retirement. Mayweather ignited the rumor mill by posting a teaser video on his social media accounts on Monday, teasing a big announcement. Today, Mayweather made his much-anticipated big announcement with another video on social media. In the video, the global sports icon held a fake press conference to announce his exclusive partnership with Daily Number.

“I’m excited to announce to the world that The Money Team is now Team Daily Number,” said Mayweather. “You’re talking about the highest paid athlete of all time. It doesn’t take me 10 years to collect a couple hundred million like those guys playing baseball. Daily Number and my brand together is a guaranteed home run.”

The artificial fight promotion is just the beginning for Daily Number, which will be rolling out unique content over the next year featuring Mayweather, Sherman, Antonio Brown, Paul Pierce and more.

“Daily Number is just going to keep punching you in the mouth,” said McAuley. “Right when you think we’ve stretched the limits of what is possible for an early stage company, we’re going to hit you with the next thing. It truly is an exciting place to be, where the craziest idea you can imagine is executable. That’s 100% a factor of the incredible people that have bought into what we’re doing.”

Promofix Announces Partnership With BeIN Sports

Promofix has announced a partnership with BeIN Sports, becoming its sole advertising sales representative in the MENA region.

The new strategic partnerships if hoped to put Promofix, a subsidiary and digital arm of Lebanese JGroup, a holding group headed by entrepreneur and philanthropist Imad Jomaa, on the map as a global player in the sports ad industry.

Since the signing of the agreement, Promofix will be the executive advertising sales agent for BeIN Sports, in all 24 MENA countries, both online and offline.

Behind the partnership lie plans of further collaboration between the two parties, which have plans on combining their global experience and networks on several fronts.

BeIN Sports, the region’s, and one of the world’s, biggest sports broadcaster. The network owns exclusive rights to some of the plant’s biggest sporting events, including the UEFA Champions League, FIFA World Cup and La Liga.

As for Promofix, this is a great addition to their very diverse and impressive portfolio. The media group has represented several key players in the region, including Lebanese popular Al Jadeed TV, Shazam, Snapchat, Sizmek, Bucksense, Sharkiya and Summaria.

This new addition can bolster their dominance in the ad sales market both regionally and internationally.

Wynn, Scientific Games To Launch Sports Betting, iGaming In U.S.

Scientific Games Corporation has announced that it will partner with Wynn Resorts, Ltd. to support the launch of Wynn Resorts’ unique digital sports betting and iGaming applications in the U.S. Wynn Resorts intends to initially launch in New Jersey and utilize several Scientific Games products and services including: a sports betting and iGaming system; a managed sports trading service and Scientific Games’ market-leading content aggregation system that is home to more than 2,000 digital games such as 88 Fortunes®, Raging Rhino®, Zeus® and more.

Woods Masters Win Yield William Hill US Bettor James Adducci $1,275,000 Check

(Photo by David Becker/Getty Images for William Hill US)

William Hill US today announced James Adducci, 39, of Wisconsin, as the winning bettor of the massive $1.19 million payout after Tiger Woods’s 2019 Masters Victory. Mr. Adducci placed an $85,000 bet on Tiger to win the 2019 Masters Tournament on Tuesday, April 9, 2019, at 14/1 (+1400) odds, at the William Hill Sports Book at SLS Casino which resulted in the largest golf payout in William Hill history.

To celebrate the win, Joe Asher, CEO of William Hill US, and Paul Hobson, General Manager of SLS, presented Mr. Adducci with a check for $1,275,000 (inclusive of the 1,190,00 payout plus the original 85,000 stake) at the William Hill Sports Book at SLS Casino on Monday, April 15.

“This is a story for the ages,” said Asher. “Tiger climbs back to the top, and a guy from Wisconsin, on his first sports bet ever, wins over a $1 million betting on him. We congratulate both James and Tiger on their epic wins.”

“Golf was so special for my dad and I,” said Adducci. “To see Tiger win a major tournament for the first time in front of his kids meant a lot to me.”

Adducci flew to Vegas on the morning of Tuesday, April 9, to make the wager on Tiger, his first sports bet ever, before flying right back home.

March Madness Pushes New Jersey Sportsbooks to Record Month, According to PlayNJ.com

U.S. Air Force photo by Michelle Gigante

New Jersey’s online and retail sportsbooks scored a record win and near-record monthly handle in March as the industry crossed the $2 billion mark in bets since legalization. The spike was fueled overwhelmingly by the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, according to PlayNJ.com analysts.

“The first week of March Madness generated more action than the Super Bowl, and even the First Four games attracted enough betting to rival a busy weekend of NFL regular season football,” said Dustin Gouker, lead sports betting analyst for PlayNJ.com. “That is unquestionably a massive success and shows clearly the importance of college basketball to the Northeast’s legal sports betting markets.”

New Jersey’s online and retail sportsbooks accepted $372.5 million in March bets, just shy of the record $385.3 million in January, according to official reporting. New Jersey’s online and retail sportsbooks have now accepted $2.3 billion in bets since legalization in June 2018.

March revenue was $31.7 million, up 150 percent from $12.7 million in February. The win and a high-water gross revenue mark for the state’s online casinos combined in March to generate more than $70 million in monthly revenue.

“$2 billion in bets in nine months shows just how much pent-up demand for legal sports betting existed in New Jersey,” Gouker said. “As quickly as the industry has ramped up, though, the next milestone should come more quickly. $3 billion is certainly within reach by the industry’s first anniversary in June.”

New Jersey’s online sportsbook brands accounted for $298,3 million, or 80.8 percent, of total March bets. That’s even with the 80.8 percent of bets that flowed through online sportsbooks in February.

FanDuel Sportsbook/Pointsbet was the dominant online sportsbook, beating rival DraftKings Sportsbook, with $13.3 million in gross revenue, up from $6.59 million in February. DraftKings fueled Resorts’ $7.3 million in March, up from $3.7 million in February.

FanDuel Sportsbook at The Meadowlands remained tops in the retail market with $4.3 million in March gross revenue, up from $1.5 million in February. Monmouth Park followed FanDuel with $986,251.

“Online sports betting will continue to drive the market, and product innovations will likely bear much more fruit in the near future,” Gouker said. “New Jersey’s sportsbooks already offer the most advanced online product of any legal sports betting jurisdiction, and bettors have continually responded.”

theScore Supports Proposals to Legalize Online Gambling in Ontario

theScore, Inc. (TSX Venture: SCR) (“theScore”) today welcomed proposals by Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government to legalize online gambling in the province. The plans, presented in the provincial government’s budget, also included support for the legalization of single event sports wagering at the federal level.

With one of the most popular sports apps in North America, theScore is set to become the first media company in North America to launch a sportsbook in the United States after federal legislation prohibiting sports betting was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in May 2018. theScore’s sports betting platform is scheduled to launch in New Jersey mid-2019.*

Late Thursday, in the Progressive Conservative Government’s “A Plan for the People” provincial budget, proposals were advanced to “establish a competitive market for online legal gambling that will reflect consumer choice while protecting consumers who play on these websites.” The provincial government will now consult with key stakeholders over its plans. In addition, the province confirmed it had already asked the federal government to take action to legalize single event sports wagering. Its full announcement can be read here.

John Levy, Founder and CEO of theScore, said he fully supported proposals to finally modernize outdated prohibition laws in the country and said the Company would be prepared to offer online sports betting to Ontarians when legislation permitted.

“theScore has always embraced the fact that sports betting is part of the overall fan experience, and it is finally time for jurisdictions across Canada to adopt common sense sports betting regulation,” he said. “We applaud the Ontario government for taking this very significant first step. As we prepare for the launch of our sportsbook in the United States, we intend to actively participate in the Ontario government’s consultation process.

“theScore is already a highly-recognized brand in Canadian mobile sports, and the most popular mobile sports app in the country. We’ll be ready to provide Canadian fans with a best-in-class mobile sports betting experience when the opportunity arises.”

theScore app, which is used by more than four million sports fans a month and is one of the leading multisport news and data apps in North America, is available in the App Store and on Google Play and offers news, scores, alerts and stats for every major league and competition, including betting line movements for leagues including NBA Basketball, NFL Football, NHL Hockey and MLB Baseball.

*Subject to receiving all required approvals and licenses from the State of New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) and the New Jersey Racing Commission (NJRC).

Americans Are Set To Make Record-Breaking Bets On 2019 Triple Crown Races This Year

With this year’s Triple Crown races just around the corner, online bookies are set to make the most profit from derby horse races they have ever seen. PayPerHead.com, the leading online sportsbook software in the industry, states that online bookies will have over $145 million up for grabs from the Kentucky Derby alone.

“Triple Crown races are one of the most busiest and profitable times for online bookies.” explained Nate Johnson, Product Manager of PayPerHead.com. “Online bookies had a total of $139.2 million up for grabs last year. With recent legalization and an increased betting wave from across the country, online bookies are expected to make a record-breaking profit this year.”

The Triple Crown races are comprised of three races within the U.S, the Kentucky Derby, the Princess Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. In order to win the Triple Crown, a horse and jockey must win all three races. This makes the Triple Crown one of the most prestigious trophies in thoroughbred racing.

“Placing bets on the speculated Triple Crown trophy winner is one of the longest betting traditions in the U.S.” explained Johnson. “Last year, the sports betting industry saw hundreds of millions of dollars in bets placed on the Kentucky Derby alone. This year, we anticipate another record-breaking number due to factors like sports betting legalization.”

Throughout recent years, sports betting legalization has played a significant role in the growth of the sports betting industry. Even though placing bets on horse races has been legal for quite some time in the U.S, PayPerHead.com states that more Americans are becoming online bookies and starting their own businesses.

PayPerHead‘s online bookies can make up to $10,000 in their first month. As the stigma of online sports betting begins to disappear, PayPerHead sees an influx of new users from across the country. With the Triple Crown races being one of the largest sports betting events of the year, PayPerHead online bookies have great potential to grow their current books and profit.

“The last horse to win the Triple Crown was American Pharoah in 2015. Currently, online bookies are predicting that Game Winner, War of Will, Signalman and Improbable have the closest chance to winning Triple Crown in 2019. If one of these top four thoroughbreds wins two of the three Triple Crown races, we can expect hundreds of millions in bets across the online bookie industry.”

IDSCA Offers Action on the 2019 NBA Playoffs, Beginning Saturday

IDSCA, a pay per head site, will offer players the opportunity to bet on the 2019 NBA Playoffs starting April 13. That is the start date for the playoffs, when the post-season tournament will begin, eventually ending with the crowning of a new champion.

In 2018, IDSCA online bookie software also allowed players to bet on the NBA playoffs. Many players, as well as bookies, made quite a bit of money when the Golden State Warriors won another championship. Compared to last year, the field this year is more wide open. While some teams have separated themselves from the pack in terms of wins, there does not seem to be the clear, consensus favorite that there was a year ago.

“Anything can happen in the NBA this year. Sure, Golden State has to be a favorite, but that record says they aren’t as dominant as they used to be. This makes for a great opportunity for bookies and players. We’re excited to see the kind of money that our bookies are going to make during this playoff season,” said Julio Vargas, marketing manager of IDSCA.

In addition to the NBA playoffs, IDSCA also offers betting on the NHL playoffs, college basketball tournament, baseball season and more. The site also includes online casino games as well as the option to bet on horse racing.

For more information about the 2019 NBA playoffs, betting on basketball or to make a press inquiry, visit https://www.idsca.com/ or contact IDSCA at (866) 225-5437.

Pokerstars Launches UFC Spin & Go as Part of Partnership With UFC

The exclusive global partnership will give fans the chance to get involved in UFC-themed PokerStars promotions and products featuring cash prizes and exclusive UFC experiences

PokerStars, the undisputed champion of the online poker world and flagship poker brand of The Stars Group, today announced the launch of UFC-branded Spin & Go’s as part of PokerStars’ exclusive global partnership with UFC^®, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization.

PokerStars became UFC’s first-ever “Official Poker Partner” at the end of last year, which is a new sponsorship category for UFC. The famous red-spade will be present on the canvas of UFC’s world-famous Octagon^® at UFC^® 236: HOLLOWAY vs. POIRIER 2 in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday, April 13 and at UFC^® 237: NAMAJUNAS vs. ANDRADE in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Saturday, May 11, as well as all Pay-Per-View events throughout the remainder of the year.

The PokerStars brand will also be broadcast around the world on exclusive digital advertising real-estate and across social media channels. UFC fans are welcomed into the fold with UFC-themed PokerStars promotions and products featuring cash prizes and exclusive UFC experiences to be won in 2019.

Poker fans will see UFC branding emblazon newly relaunched Spin & Go’s, fast-paced, three-player poker tournaments with randomly assigned prize pools and big cash prizes for the taking. The UFC-branded Spin & Go is now live on PokerStars where, for the first time, players can play poker inside the UFC’s world famous Octagon^®, feel the thrill of an arena atmosphere, and win millions. But the fun won’t stop there. More special UFC and PokerStars products and rewards are still to come and select UFC athletes will be announced as sponsors in the future.

“It’s been great to work on exciting, new and innovative ideas alongside PokerStars since our exclusive partnership went live,” said Paul Asencio, UFC Senior Vice President, Global Partnerships. “UFC Spin & Go is a great example of how PokerStars are integrating our brand into their world and bringing exciting new products to our fans.”

“UFC is the perfect pick for PokerStars,” said Christopher Coyne, Chief Marketing Officer, Stars Interactive. “UFC fans have a high propensity to engage in gaming and many of our players are fans of UFC. Our plan is to thrill as far and wide as possible with games, promotions, content and competitions that trigger passions and enhance the overall experience at PokerStars. We’ve so much in store. This is just the beginning.”

Read more about PokerStars’ exclusive global partnership with UFC^®at PokerStars Blog.

UFC branded Spin & Go’s will be available on all licenses, other than PokerStars.pt and .cz.

Hard Rock International Reveals Next Gaming Property: Cincinnati

With a presence spanning more than 75 countries, Hard Rock International is expanding its global gaming portfolio, announcing a collaboration with VICI Properties Inc. (VICI) to acquire the JACK Cincinnati Casino. Through the joint purchase, Hard Rock will acquire the operating assets of the casino, rebranding it Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati, while VICI will own the land and real estate assets.

“Hard Rock has been the number one operator in Ohio since opening in the greater Cleveland market in 2013,” said Jim Allen, chairman and CEO of Hard Rock International. “And now, we look forward to introducing our unique brand of casino entertainment to Cincinnati. On behalf of the 40,000 Hard Rock team members worldwide, I am pleased to welcome the more than 1,000 JACK Cincinnati employees into the Hard Rock family.”

JACK Cincinnati is situated on 22 acres in the Broadway Commons area of downtown Cincinnati. The property features 100,000 square feet of gaming space with approximately 1,800 gaming machines and 100 table games. Additionally, the property contains 33,000 square feet of meeting space, six high-quality restaurants and two bars. New property improvements will be announced by Hard Rock later this year.

“We are proud to partner with Hard Rock, further diversifying our tenant roster with an international leader in gaming, entertainment and hospitality experiences and a renowned global platform of 245 hospitality venues across 75 countries,” said John Payne, president and chief operating officer of VICI Properties.

The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions and is expected to close in late 2019. The acquisition is expected to be accretive immediately upon closing.

Jones Day served as legal advisor to Hard Rock together with Fox Rothschild LLP, as special gaming counsel.

For more information or to book a stay at any of the Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos, please visit hardrockhotels.com.

AGS Names Adam Whitehurst Vice President Of Strategic Accounts

AGS today announced that Adam Whitehurst is joining the Company as Vice President of Strategic Accounts. Whitehurst joins AGS with 24 years of experience in gaming, technology, and pharmaceuticals.

Whitehurst is an accomplished sales leader and business development executive with more than two decades of experience in Gaming, where he led sales teams to high levels of performance, successfully integrated sales teams after mergers and acquisitions, negotiated complex, multi-year, enterprise-wide deals, and established a strong track record of customer success and building high-performance teams.

He most recently worked at Scientific Games, where he was the Vice President of Game Sales for five years, with responsibility for the eastern U.S. Prior to that, he served with Bally Technologies, which was later acquired by Scientific Games, ending his tenure there as Vice President of Games Sales – Central Region. Whitehurst earned a Masters of Business Administration from Florida Atlantic University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from University of Florida.

AGS Senior Vice President of Sales Robert Perry said, “Adam is an exceptional addition to the AGS team and will help drive further penetration of our slot products across the U.S., with a laser-focus on leveraging his strong relationships with strategic and corporate accounts. He has an impressive track record of establishing and maintaining longstanding, trusted partnerships with casino operators, and his experience will play a major role in taking AGS to the next level of growth. I’m thrilled to have him join our team.”

Whitehurst said, “I can’t think of a better time to join AGS. The Company is on fire with a fast-growing library of slot content and cabinets consistently ranked among the highest-performing games. The senior leadership is top-notch and focused on doing all the right things to grow the business, and the AGS culture is unmatched in our industry for its focus on transparency, leader accessibility, communication, diversity, teamwork, and ownership. I’m honored and excited to join a company that truly makes customers and employees feel valued, heard, and recognized.”

Better Collective Ambassador Morten Andersen to Speak at Betting on Sports America

Morten Andersen (Wikimedia Commons/Samjudge. from UK)

Morten Andersen, who holds the all-time record for most games played in the NFL, will be delivering a keynote speech at this month’s Betting on Sports America conference, held from 23-25 April at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in New Jersey.

Andersen is attending #bosamerica as an ambassador for the Denmark-based igaming affiliate Better Collective – a key sponsor of the event whose US-facing brands include Betoclock.com, the us-bookies.com hub and a fast-growing bet-state network already featuring bet-nj.com, bet-wv.com and bet-pa.com.

The “Great Dane” will be talking about the NFL’s unique ability to connect with its fan base – and particularly those with an affinity for sports betting – as part of the “Sports and Betting”‘ track on Thursday 25 April, the second full day of the conference.

At the age of 17, Andersen did an exchange in the USA from his native Denmark. As there was no European football available at his school, he applied his skills to American football.

What followed was an illustrious career in the NFL, where he retired in 2008 as the all-time leader for games played and points scored in NFL history, as well as being the all-time leading scorer for both the New Orleans Saints – where he spent 13 seasons – and the Atlanta Falcons, for whom he spent a combined eight seasons.

Better Collective CEO Jesper Søgaard said: “It is exciting for us to be joined by Morten Andersen, an undisputed legend of the NFL. Andersen’s journey from starting in Denmark and obtaining such success in the USA is an obvious source of inspiration for us and our US strategy, and we are proud to have him as an ambassador for Better Collective.

“Betting on Sports America was already a key part of the 2019 agenda for Better Collective, as a prime opportunity to increase our knowledge of where affiliates sit in the new marketplace.”

Morten “The Great Dane” Andersen from his inauguration into the NFL Hall of Fame

Andersen added: “I am very honoured to be joining Better Collective at Betting on Sports America. Danish values are something that I have always adhered to throughout my career in the US, and I’m happy to see Better Collective is applying those same values to the betting industry.

“I hope to draw upon my experience from over 25 years in the NFL to deliver some useful insight to betting industry leaders, particularly those focused on making a mark in the newly liberalised US market.”

Rasmus Sojmark, SBC Founder and CEO, commented: “The so-called European betting ‘invasion’ – led by software providers, front-end operators and affiliates – has been a major talking point post-PASPA repeal, and something that will form a key part of the discussion at the inaugural Betting on Sports America conference.

“Therefore it is fitting that we can present Morten Andersen – one of the finest European exports across the top four US sports – as part of the stacked up agenda. We’d like to thank our friends at Better Collective for making this happen.”

FantasySpin, STATS Extend Player Projections Partnership

STATS, the revolutionary leader in sports AI, announced today the extension of work with FantasySpin, a patented fantasy sports game, to provide player-specific projections and game data to the platform.

FantasySpin offers a unique fantasy application, allowing users to create a lineup with a “spin” or “spins,” rather than drafting, bringing luck and strategy to who a user will pick. By extending with STATS, FantasySpin customers can connect with the latest scores, while using STATS’ fantasy projections to make an educated decision on how a player is expected to perform. The agreement extends a longstanding partnership between FantasySpin and STATS, which includes data and projections for NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL games.

“Fantasy games have become a major part of the second-screen experience for sports fans, and FantasySpin offers a unique competition through random spin and skilled drawing,” said Steve Xeller, Chief Revenue Officer at STATS. “STATS continues to invest in the latest artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to scour through our immense database faster, making fantasy predictions more accurate. We couldn’t be more thrilled to extend our agreement with FantasySpin.”

FantasySpin has already begun development of a new PGA golf fantasy game using STATS’ data. As part of the agreement, FantasySpin and STATS will explore expanding their offerings into even more leagues.

“As a fantasy sports app, we want to connect with all ranges of fantasy players—from daily fantasy sports experts, to novices,” said Steve “Dakota” Happas, CEO and Co-Founder of FantasySpin. “By using STATS data, we can connect our users with all the games going on and provide updates on how their players are performing. The player projections make this a true game-changer, allowing fans to pick their team based on AI-driven suggestions.”

Fans looking to test their luck and fantasy skill can download the FantasySpin app in the Apple Store, Google Play, or at https://www.fantasyspin.com/.

Monkey Knife Fight Launches MLB Prop Gaming

Monkey Knife Fight, which bills itself as North America’s fastest-growing sports gaming platform, confirmed today its plan to redefine the baseball experience with the debut of hundreds of daily prop contests for every Major League Baseball game.

Monkey Knife Fight launched with last fall’s NFL season, and has already registered more than 10 million entries on football, basketball, hockey, and golf contests, with projections to top more than $100 million in gaming through the upcoming baseball season.

Sports fans play against the house with contests such as, “Will Bryce Harper have more than 2.5 total bases?”, “Who will have more RBIs and home runs on Thursday night: Mike Trout or Khris Davis?”, and “Will Chris Sale have more or less than 9.5 strikeouts?”.

Industry’s Fastest-Growing Sports Gaming platform
Since its launch in Fall 2018, Monkey Knife Fight’s dynamic new prop contests have quickly become the go-to destination for sports fans. With Monkey Knife Fight, fans avoid annoying salary caps, position quotas, and, best of all, having to play against the sharks that dominate traditional Daily Fantasy Sports sites. Real sports fans actually have a chance to win real money since they’re playing against the house – not ringers.

The Monkey Knife Fight platform is the brainchild of owner Bill Asher and President Nic Sulsky – two sports fans who have been frustrated with Daily Fantasy Sports sites because of how hard they are to play and how difficult it is to win.

“The fan reaction to Monkey Knife Fight has been overwhelming. We’ve had more than a few Holy Sh#t moments. We hit a million plays almost overnight and have had fans flocking to us at an amazing rate ever since,” says Asher. “Playing prop games always makes watching sports so much more entertaining. I mean, drinking beer is still the top thing to do when watching sports, but playing Monkey Knife Fight is definitely second.”

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