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Ben Stokes (Red Bull Athlete) & Stuart Broad share thoughts ahead of Virtual Grand Prix

Published

6 years ago

April 30, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

This weekend, England teammates Ben Stokes and Stuart Broad will be rivals as they compete in the Virtual Grand Prix at the Interlagos Circuit.

Stokes will be racing for Red Bull a second time, whilst Broad is making his debut for AlphaTauri.

Ahead of Sunday’s race, both Stokes and Broad have been speaking about how they’ve been preparing along with sharing some thoughts on who is the better all-round sportsman…

Who is the better all-round sportsman?

Ben: When it comes to golf for me and Stuart – if we paid 20 times, it would be 11-9, 10 -10. We are very similar golfers, so it just depends who turns up and plays best on the day.

I think he would happily admit I have him covered on the football field, although he considers himself a tactical genius. I can see him standing on the side of the football pitch in a suit ordering people around in terms of formation and what to do. Come in tight, push out wide, and all that kind of stuff.

Stuart: With no hesitation, I have to say Stokesy is one of those mates that seems to be good at every sport he has a go at. I’m sat here trying to think of any sports I’d like to take him on 1v1 at.

Cricket- No
Rugby- Absolutely not
Athletics- No chance
Golf- We are pretty close but when it’s his day he’s unplayable
Football – let’s just say neither of us is nearing a pro contract there….

Who would you say is the better driver between you?

Ben: To be honest, Stu and I have been practicing together. Trying to give each other tips and things like that because we don’t want to embarrass ourselves when it comes to race day. This is Stuarts the first time, so I have been giving him the tips that follow Red Bull athlete Alex Albon gave me it. I think we are both going to be better prepared than I was for the last race and we are both looking forward to it.

Stuart: Better? Or Quicker? I’d suggest Stokesy gets to the cricket ground in the morning for training before me, even if he leaves after me… but you should see the state of his alloys…

Sledging can be used quite effectively in cricket – do you think they’ll be any mind games between the two of you?

Ben: Not really from us, the mind will be totally on not making fools out of ourselves!!

Stuart: It’s an interesting one as we’ve actually been training together and working on strategies to help each other out for this race weekend (makes us sound like pros- were not, we just need all the help we can get!) I can genuinely say I hope we have a competitive battle. I think we’re really close actually; we just need to avoid contact in the first few laps and control our brains.

We do have a weakness in that we think we can overtake anywhere on the track!

Be patient and pick our spots. Patient?! Ben Stokes?! This could be chaos…

Are either of you big fans of F1/ have any heroes in the sport?

Ben: Out of the both of us Stuart is definitely the bigger F1 fan. But over the last couple of months, I would say that I have taken a lot more interest in it, purely from the game and the Drive to Survive TV series. I didn’t use to give it too much thought, but now I do take an interest. I haven’t been to a race yet but will definitely go to the next race I am around for. I have always been into cricket and golf, but F1 now is one of the sports I would say I take a decent amount of interest in.

Stuart: Love it. Always have done. I used to love watching it with my Dad when I was a kid. I’ve been very fortunate to have some wonderful experiences at races. My Dad & I went to Monza and Abu Dhabi with Red Bull at the time when Vettel & Webber were in the seats and we had brilliant weekends. Being up close to the cars just grows your enthusiasm for the sport. As cricketers, we always seem to check the cricket fixtures in early July as soon as they come out to see if they clash with Silverstone! I’ve found it to be one of those sports – a bit like NFL – where the more I’ve understood the strategy behind it, the more fascinating I’ve found it. Dream career if I wasn’t a cricketer? And if I wasn’t 6ft 6? A Formula 1 Driver… I have my virtual chance now.

Free Ticket Drops

GGPoker Brings Back WSOP Super Circuit with Record $180M Guarantee

Published

3 hours ago

February 24, 2026

Wladimir P.

ggpoker-brings-back-wsop-super-circuit-with-record-$180m-guarantee

GGPoker, the world’s largest online poker platform, is set to host the highly anticipated 2026 WSOP Super Circuit online tournament series, running from March 1 to March 31.

This year’s edition features an unprecedented $180 million in guaranteed prizes, solidifying GGPoker’s reputation as the premier global poker destination.

Players will compete across 18 WSOP Gold Ring events, offering the chance to win one of poker’s most prestigious trophies and significant cash prizes.

Key Events & Highlights:

#5: $525 Mystery Millions [Final Stage] – March 9, $525 buy-in, $10M GTD ($1M Top Bounty)
#13: WSOP Super Circuit MAIN EVENT [Day 2] – March 23, $1,700 buy-in, $15M GTD
#18: GGMillion$ High Roller [Day 2] – March 30, $10K buy-in, $10M GTD

Exclusive Champion Perks
Winners of all 18 Gold Ring events receive:

A $5K WSOP Paradise package
Recognition on the official WSOP Rankings leaderboard

$3 Million in Free Ticket Drops
Participants in any WSOP Super Circuit event can win WSOP Express tickets, $5K Ring Passes, or $10K Bracelet Passes. Tickets will be awarded randomly throughout the series, totaling $3 million in free prizes.

Live Coverage
Final tables for the Main Event (#13) and High Roller (#18) will be streamed live on GGPoker.TV and YouTube, hosted by Jeff Gross, with commentary by Daniel Negreanu for the High Roller.

Player and Ambassador Excitement
Daniel Negreanu said: “The 2026 WSOP Super Circuit at GGPoker is absolutely massive. With $180M in total guarantees, including $15M Main Event and $10M Mystery Millions, it’s the perfect time to compete for record-breaking prizes.”

The post GGPoker Brings Back WSOP Super Circuit with Record $180M Guarantee appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Casino Bonus Features

PopOK Gaming Unveils Macaco Millionario Dual-Grid Slot

Published

4 hours ago

February 24, 2026

Wladimir P.

popok-gaming-unveils-macaco-millionario-dual-grid-slot

PopOK Gaming has launched Macaco Millionario, a vibrant online slot inspired by Chinese symbolism and designed with an innovative double-grid bonus feature.

Rich red and gold visuals, lucky symbols, and a playful Macaco character combine to deliver a visually engaging and rewarding gaming experience.

The game features a 5×3 layout with 30 fixed paylines and two types of Wilds, including Double Wilds that count as two symbols for higher winning potential. The Double Fortune Free Spins round introduces an extra 5×3 reel set, allowing players to spin two grids simultaneously. Wins across both grids trigger multipliers up to x20, and retriggers extend the bonus for bigger payouts.

With a maximum multiplier of x1,732, Macaco Millionario delivers exciting bonus features, including Free Spins, Double Free Spins, Double Win Multipliers, Extra Spins, and a jackpot option. The game offers an RTP of 96.56% and supports bets from EUR 0.02 to EUR 100, fully optimized for web and mobile play. Multi-language support includes English, Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese, and Hindi.

“Macaco Millionario blends cultural familiarity with a unique bonus structure that delivers thrilling moments in every spin,” said Tsovinar Elchyan, Head of Partnerships at PopOK Gaming. “The double-grid feature sets it apart from traditional slots, offering operators and players something truly innovative.”

The slot is now live and available for integration across all platforms supporting PopOK Gaming content. Operators interested in adding Macaco Millionario to their portfolios can contact PopOK Gaming directly.

The post PopOK Gaming Unveils Macaco Millionario Dual-Grid Slot appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

AI in lottery

Scientific Games Appoints Rich Wasserman as Senior Vice President of Product Engineering

Published

4 hours ago

February 24, 2026

Wladimir P.

scientific-games-appoints-rich-wasserman-as-senior-vice-president-of-product-engineering

Scientific Games has appointed Rich Wasserman as Senior Vice President of Product Engineering, reinforcing its commitment to advancing lottery systems technology and digital innovation.

Based in Atlanta, the global lottery provider continues to expand its technology leadership as one of the fastest-growing suppliers of retail and digital lottery solutions worldwide.

Leadership Experience from Amazon, Facebook and Stitch Fix

Wasserman brings more than 20 years of experience leading engineering, data science and product teams across high-performance technology platforms.

He previously held senior leadership roles at:

Amazon
Facebook
Stitch Fix

At Stitch Fix, he served as Vice President of Engineering and Data Science, leading automation, AI-driven systems and platform optimization initiatives. Wasserman holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and a Computer Science degree from the University at Buffalo.

Driving Innovation Across Global Lottery Platforms

In his new role, Wasserman will oversee Product Engineering across Scientific Games’ global portfolio serving more than 150 government-regulated lotteries. His responsibilities include advancing:

Retail lottery systems
Digital lottery platforms
Hardware and software innovation
Data analytics and AI capabilities
Consumer engagement technologies

CEO Pat McHugh stated that Wasserman’s experience scaling AI-powered platforms at world-class technology firms will help accelerate innovation and deliver next-generation lottery solutions focused on sustainable growth.

Strengthening Lottery Technology Leadership

Scientific Games continues to invest in technology, analytics and digital transformation to enhance consumer experiences across retail and online lottery channels. The appointment underscores the company’s strategy to integrate advanced analytics and machine learning into its global lottery ecosystem.

The post Scientific Games Appoints Rich Wasserman as Senior Vice President of Product Engineering appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.