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CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL ‘DEAD CERTS’ SUPPLIED BY PADDY POWER EXPERTS RUBY WALSH, TONY MULLINS, LYDIA HISLOP AND FRANK HICKEY

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Panel discusses the tips and tricks when fluttering during the festival, with one horse tipped to “walk to the line” in Tuesday’s Champion Chase

Ahead of the Cheltenham Festival next week, Paddy Power brought together some of the sports’ biggest names to discuss their favourites and tips for each day during the Ultimate Cheltenham Preview Night.

The Paddy Power panel included:

  • Cheltenham’s most successful jockey, Ruby Walsh
  • Group one trainer, Tony Mullins
  • Journalist and broadcaster, Lydia Hislop
  • Paddy Power trader, Frank Hickey

With a full week of jam-packed racing on the cards, the racing experts gave a race-by-race breakdown of the ones to watch, including for main event, the Gold Cup.

CHELTENHAM DAY ONE TIPS:

Expect an open race for Tuesday’s Supreme Novice Hurdles. Tony Mullins, tips this to be “the most informative race for the next three of four years”

 

Tony Mullins says…

“This is a hell of a race, it’s the best Supreme Novices Hurdle that I’ve ever seen. Not just in a few years, but ever. You have Sir GerhardConstitution HillDysart DynamoJonbon and Kilcruit.”

“There’s five top class horses unexposed. It doesn’t get any better than that. I’ve never seen a bunch of horses like it.”

“This race is going to tell you a lot about the top-class horses for the next for the next few years.”

“I’d find better bets [to place money on] during the week, because this is a race [the Supreme Novices Hurdle] that’s going to benefit Paddy Power far more than the punters.”

“I’m most looking forward to the Supreme [Novices Hurdle]. If they [the horses] all turn up, it’s going to be the most informative race for the next three or four years.”

Ruby Walsh says…

Dysart Dynamo and Sir Gerhard are the two that are deadly split, they are the ones to ride, and they will be split.

“I believe whichever one goes to the Ballymore [Novices Hurdle] will win it. But whichever one runs here [at Cheltenham] might win. They Ballymore is much weaker race.”

“I think this is a cracking race, as people have already said.”

“I think if Dysart Dynamo were to run here, this race is made for him.”

Lydia Hislop says…

“For the Supreme Novice Hurdles, I’d also throw in Mighty Potter [as a potential winner]. In a strongly run race, I think he could be finishing off very strongly.”

Frank Hickey says…

Constitutional Hill had looked very good, and times are good. But on a heavy testing ground, it doesn’t always work out.”

“For me, Sir Gerhard will win. He blew me away, even with his sloppy jumping at Leopardstown. He is by far the most interesting of them all.”

“If he [Sir Gerhard] runs in the Supreme Novices Hurdle, he will win it and then Dysart Dynamo will win the Ballymore Novices Hurdle.”

Ruby Walsh predicts Stormy Island to take the Mares Hurdle after returning to Willie Mullins’ stable…

 

Ruby Walsh says…

It’s Stormy Island that will win it for me, she was very good at Fairyhouse last year.

“She was brought back to Willie Mullins’ stable this year then was great at Fairyhouse, won at Punchestown and she’s run well at the festival in the past. I do think this is the weakest Mares Hurdle she’s run in.”

CHELTENHAM DAY TWO TIPS:

Ruby Walsh and Tony Mullins both earmark Shishkin as the banker of the week at Wednesday’s Champions Chase…

Ruby Walsh says…

Shishkin will win this race.”

 

Tony Mullins says…

Shishkin will walk up to the line again [and win]. There’s no evidence to say that anything different could happen.”

Tiger Roll actually might not will be calling it a day at Cheltenham’s Cross Country…

 

Frank Hickey says…

“This race is probably the one to sweeten Tiger Roll up for the Grand National. That must be the thinking.”

 

Tony Mullins says…

“Could you imagine if Tiger Roll runs here, but not in the Grand National? I’ve seen crazy things, but that would have to be the craziest move of all time to do so.

“We have the next potential Red Rum. Can you imagine having the only horse [Tiger Roll] for 40 years, who could potentially win a treble Grand National not running because he has a lighter weight? It’s very funny [to think about].”

CHELTENHAM DAY THREE TIPS:

Mares Novice Hurdle splits the opinions of all four experts…

Lydia Hislop says…

“At his very best, Klassical Dream is the best horse in the Paddy Power Stayers Hurdle and he’s going to either completely blow out or run really well. He’s at a reasonable price at 4/1. If he turns up and runs a good race, he wins but there is a possibility he completely blows out.”

MARES NOVICE HURDLE – THE EXPERTS HAVE THEIR SAY…

Ruby Walsh predicts… Champ

Tony Mullins predicts… Paisley Park

Frank Hickey predicts… Sporting John

Lydia Hislop predicts… Klassical Dream

CHELTENHAM DAY FOUR TIPS:

Ruby Walsh and Tony Mullins earmark last year’s Gold Cup runner-up to win this time around…

 

Frank Hickey says…

“I don’t think A Plus Tard will turn it around. I’ve never been a fan of him to be honest and he wasn’t good enough last year.”

Lydia Hislop says…

“I don’t see why I just can’t have Protektorat. He’ll make mistakes in the early stages and he won’t be able to hold his position.”

“I like Galvin at 6/1, not so much at 7/2. In the back of my mind, I’m worried about the toll that the Gold Cup takes on horses that are coming back.”

Tony Mullins says…

“I’m going for A Plus Tard for all the reasons that Frank says he can’t win. I thought he was brilliant in Haydock, he was beaten at Shorthill by the joint favourite, he was very unlucky last year. Everything points to A Plus Tard.”

“Frank is a very good analyst but everything he says about why A Plus Tard will get beaten, is why I think he will win! One of us will be wrong.”

Ruby Walsh says…

“I agree with Tony, I’d ride A Plus Tard. Galvin had a brilliant run at Christmas and A Plus Tard was in the wrong place the whole time and it’s very easy to turn that result around.”

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Awards

Slotsoo Awards 2026 Celebrate the Best Casinos and Game Providers

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Slotsoo is proud to announce the winners of the Slotsoo Awards 2026, recognising the online casinos and game providers that have delivered the best player experiences over the past year. Now firmly established as an annual celebration of excellence, the awards continue to recognise the companies setting new standards for quality and innovation across the iGaming industry.

Spotlighting the Best Game Providers of 2026

Following last year’s successful debut, the Slotsoo Game Provider Awards returned for a second year to recognise the studios pushing online slots forward through original ideas, engaging gameplay, and consistently high-quality releases. This year’s winners are:

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Pragmatic Play retained the prestigious Machine MVP award for a second consecutive year, while every other category crowned a new winner, highlighting the emergence of fresh talent and new ideas among game providers.

Casino Awards Return for a Fourth Year

Since their debut in 2023, the Slotsoo Casino Awards have celebrated the operators raising the standard for online casino experiences. This year’s winners continue that tradition, earning recognition for excellence across bonuses, withdrawals, gamification, and overall quality. The seven winners for 2026 are:

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Recognition That Goes Beyond Popularity

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This approach ensures that both established industry leaders and ambitious newcomers have an equal opportunity to be recognised. Whether it’s a casino redefining loyalty rewards or a game studio introducing fresh mechanics, the awards highlight companies that genuinely move the industry forward.

Other News from Slotsoo.com This Summer

The Slotsoo Awards weren’t the only milestone for the company this summer. In June, the team attended the HIPTHER Baltics & Nordics Gaming Conference in Tallinn, connecting with industry professionals, exploring the latest developments in iGaming, and returning home with plenty of inspiration.

July marked the publication of Slotsoo’s first book, The Casino Player’s ABC, written by Markus Björk, Head of Content. This tongue-in-cheek ABC book for adults takes a humorous look at the ups and downs in slot gaming. Markus Björk comments:

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With another successful awards season, the publication of their first book, and an active presence at industry events, 2026 has been one of Slotsoo’s busiest and most exciting years to date.

The post Slotsoo Awards 2026 Celebrate the Best Casinos and Game Providers appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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BETBY

BETBY Builds on a Strong Start to 2026 with Solid H1 Sportsbook Growth

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BETBY, the Tier 1 sportsbook supplier, has continued its strong start to 2026, delivering solid year-on-year growth across its business during the first half of the year. Building on the positive Q1 results reported in April, the supplier’s performance was supported by continued market expansion, product innovation, and strong activity across its operator partnerships.

During the first half of 2026, BETBY’s sportsbook Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) increased by 42.7% compared to H1 2025. The number of active players across the provider’s partner network grew by 47%, while the total number of bets placed rose by 21.2%, reflecting sustained growth across both new and existing operator partnerships.

The period also saw BETBY further expand its product ecosystem through several key launches and developments. Among them was BETBY Predictions, the industry’s first fixed-odds prediction markets feed, opening a new betting vertical for operators. The supplier also introduced Stories, an engagement feature built around a familiar, interactive content format and delivered directly within the sportsbook experience.

The FIFA World Cup provided an additional boost during the last three weeks of June, generating high levels of betting activity across BETBY’s partner network and demonstrating the scalability and reliability of its sportsbook during the world’s largest sporting event.

BETBY’s proprietary esports feed, Betby Games, also delivered continued growth during H1 2026, recording a 28% year-on-year increase in Gross Gaming Revenue. Active players grew by 46%, while the number of bets placed rose by 14.8%. These figures reinforce Betby Games’ importance within BETBY’s broader product portfolio.

Leonid Pertsovskiy, Chief Executive Officer at BETBY, said: “After a strong first quarter, we are pleased to see that the positive trend continued throughout the first half of the year. These results reflect the strength of our long-term strategy, combining continued market expansion with a clear focus on product innovation and helping our partners grow.

“The launch of products such as BETBY Predictions and features like Stories, alongside the continued evolution of Betby Games, demonstrate our commitment to delivering solutions and technology that create measurable value for operators. We are proud of what we have achieved so far this year and remain focused on continuing this progress throughout H2.”

The post BETBY Builds on a Strong Start to 2026 with Solid H1 Sportsbook Growth appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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GamCare

GamCare Launches Market Engagement

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GamCare has launched a market engagement exercise as part of Project Nexus, an initiative exploring how technology can best support the delivery of our services in the years ahead.

As the leading provider of support for people affected by gambling-related harm in England and Scotland, GamCare delivers a wide range of services, including the National Gambling Helpline, treatment services, education programmes and community outreach. Every year, GamCare’s services support more than 100,000 contacts through telephone, online chat, email and WhatsApp.

To ensure that GamCare’s technology continues to meet the needs of those who rely on its services, GamCare is engaging with the market to better understand emerging technologies, innovation and best practice in areas including customer communications, case management, safeguarding, reporting and data management.

Building services around people

GamCare’s ambition is to create a technology environment that supports an integrated, person-centred and data-informed service model. GamCare want to ensure that people can move smoothly through their support journey, from first contact and assessment through to treatment, onward support and aftercare.

Through this engagement, GamCare is seeking supplier insight on how technology could help to:

• Improve access to support across multiple communication channels.

• Enhance safeguarding visibility and escalation processes.

• Provide timely access to relevant service user information.

• Strengthen reporting and operational insight.

• Improve interoperability with partner organisations and healthcare systems.

• Support future innovation while maintaining high standards of information governance and service continuity.

The post GamCare Launches Market Engagement appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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