Latest News
Final Call for Entries for the World’s Most Valuable Literary Sports-Writing Prize
Authors, journalists, athletes and publishers are being urged to enter their work for the world’s most valuable literary sports writing prize as the deadline for submissions rapidly approaches. Entries for the prestigious William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2023 will close on 18th August 2023.
Writers have one last shot to submit their sports literature efforts for consideration. Whether it’s a gripping biography of an iconic athlete, an in-depth analysis of an historic sporting event, or even a captivating work of fiction with sports at its centre, The William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award welcomes a diverse range of entries that showcase the passion and dedication of authors within the sporting realm.
The first William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award took place in 1989, making it the longest-established competition in the industry. Since launching, the competition has established itself as the pinnacle of recognition for sports writing and each year the Award honours the finest works that captivate readers, unravel untold stories, and offer fresh perspectives on the world of sport.
Last year saw a record breaking 158 books entered by athletes and authors alike, including sport-stars Patrice Evra, Anyika Onuora and Claire Shine, as well as last year’s winning sportswriter, Jeremy Wilson.
Following a rigorous judging process from a panel of journalists, authors, sportspeople and industry leaders, the longlist will be announced in September 2023, with the shortlist unveiled in October. The overall winner will be revealed on 30th November 2023 at an official awards ceremony held at BAFTA, 195 Piccadilly, London. As well as the winning £30,000 cash prize, all shortlisted authors will each receive £3,000 and a leather-bound copy of their book.
Book review panellist and renowned sports broadcaster, Matt Williams said: “The William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award is dedicated to rewarding excellence in sports writing and for three decades has provided authors and publishers a platform to showcase and promote their book and reach a wider audience.
“We have already received a large number of fantastic entries this year and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading each and every book that has been submitted so far – it’s going to be a hard year to whittle them down to a longlist.
“With only a few weeks left to enter we urge any author or publisher who has launched their sports book since 2nd September 2022 – and that includes book due for release before 1st September this year – to consider entering this year’s Award to be in with the chance of being crowned our 2023 winner.
“We’re not necessarily looking for best-sellers, we’re interested in rewarding authors based on their writing and whether their book captivates the reader, providing a platform to celebrate those who spend time and effort creating great sporting literature.”
Entries close on 18 August 2023.
BOYLE Sports
BOYLE Sports deploys automated acca technology as bookmakers accelerate shift to pre-configured betting
BOYLE Sports has become the latest major bookmaker to deploy automated accumulator technology, following a new two-year agreement with Checkd Dev that will see the operator roll out pre-configured, one-click acca products across football and horse racing.
The partnership sees BOYLE Sports integrate Checkd Dev’s Automated Betting System (ABS) into its sportsbook, enabling the automated creation and presentation of pre-match football and UK and Irish horse racing accumulator bets. The deployment forms part of a broader update to BOYLE Sports’ betting proposition, aimed at delivering scalable, consistent acca products while retaining full control over pricing and risk.
Through the integration, BOYLE Sports has launched two carousels containing packaged accumulator bets, generated using predefined logic and historical performance data. All pricing remains aligned with BOYLE Sports’ internal trading models, with probabilities informed by historic form rather than external odds feeds.
From an operational standpoint, ABS provides BOYLE Sports’ trading team with backend tooling to automate bet creation, updates, and settlement, significantly reducing manual intervention while supporting a consistent pre-match offering across key markets. The solution also integrates BOYLE Sports’ existing Acca Boost mechanics, available to customers from launch.
ABS is built on Checkd Dev’s proprietary BRUNO platform and has evolved over a two-year development cycle. Initially designed as a statistics-led conversion tool, the system has expanded into a fully automated betting solution in response to growing operator demand for scalable, pre-configured wagering products within regulated markets. The product is integrated with the operator’s front end and bet slip, resulting in a frictionless experience for end users.
The BOYLE Sports deployment follows a series of recent commercial agreements for Checkd Dev, including partnerships with Betfred, William Hill, and OpenBet. Collectively, these integrations reflect a wider trend among established bookmakers toward automation-led betting products designed to improve efficiency, consistency, and user experience across football betting.
Adam Matues, Head of Sportsbook at BOYLE Sports, commented: “Pre-configured accas continue to play an important role in how customers engage with football and racing, but they need to be delivered in a way that is both scalable and commercially robust. Checkd Dev’s automated approach allows us to expand our acca offering efficiently, while maintaining full control over pricing, performance, and risk.”
Andrew Grimshaw, Commercial Director at Checkd Dev, added: “We’re seeing increasing demand from tier-one and tier-two operators for automated betting products that enhance UX while remaining fully aligned with existing trading frameworks. BOYLE Sports’ decision to deploy our ABS reflects that shift, and we’re looking forward to supporting the team on both sports as the product scales over the coming seasons.”
The post BOYLE Sports deploys automated acca technology as bookmakers accelerate shift to pre-configured betting appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Knockout Poker League
Stretch Network Announces the Return of the Knockout Poker League with a €910,000 Prize Pool
Stretch Network is bringing back the Knockout Poker League (KPL), offering players an expanded schedule and a wide variety of tournaments designed to drive engagement. Following the strong performance and positive feedback from last year’s edition, the series features popular knockout formats to keep players active throughout the campaign.
The Knockout Poker League series will run across two separate seasons:
- Season 1: February 6 – March 1
- Season 2: March 13 – April 5
Tournament details
- Total guarantee: Over €910,000
- Leaderboards: Two tournament leaderboards with a combined prize pool of €10,000
Headliners
- Two Main Events with €50,000 prize pools each
- Two Mini Main Events with €8,000 prize pools each
- Two Omaha Main Events with €5,000 prize pools each
- Daily headliners with guarantees of up to €20,000
- Mystery Bounty and Mini Mystery Bounty tournaments, combining PKO and Mystery Bounty mechanics familiar to players
- Weekend Centroll tournaments with a €0.01 buy-in and a €2,000 guarantee, offering near-freeroll accessibility
With the latest platform releases and updates now live, KPL provides players with the opportunity to enjoy their favorite poker formats within a structured, long-running series. Stretch Network expects that this combination of proven formats and solid guarantees will support sustained engagement across its partner network.
The post Stretch Network Announces the Return of the Knockout Poker League with a €910,000 Prize Pool appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Carl Gatt Baldacchino Head of Account Management SlotMatrix
SlotMatrix Unleashes Fiesta-Fueled Thrills with Muertos Fortune
SlotMatrix, the leading global casino content aggregator, has incorporated Muertos Fortune into its unique collection, a vibrant slot drawing inspiration from the lively energy and festivities of Day of the Dead customs.
Muertos Fortune welcomes players to a vibrant realm filled with music and color, where each spin leads to grander moments and more exciting rewards.
The Money Collector function centers on the Muertos symbol that shows up on reel five, serving as the chief collector by retrieving cash values from piñata prizes positioned throughout the reels to enhance winnings and enable extra rewards.
A significant feature of the gameplay is its Perceived Persistence mechanic, enabling piñata rewards that fall uncollected to fill the giant skull above the reels.
As the skull fills up, it explodes, activating the Free Spins feature filled with Muertos’ collections, greater piñata values, and opportunities for several retriggers, transforming growing excitement into massive payout possibilities.
Muertos Fortune can only be accessed via SlotMatrix and is upgraded by EveryMatrix’s sophisticated gamification features, such as free spins, tournaments, and leaderboards. It can additionally be combined with EngageSuite, the all-in-one player loyalty solution.
Carl Gatt Baldacchino, Head of Account Management, SlotMatrix, said: “Muertos Fortune is all about the renowned Mexican tradition. It’s a vibrant, high-energy title that fits perfectly in our growing portfolio.”
The post SlotMatrix Unleashes Fiesta-Fueled Thrills with Muertos Fortune appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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