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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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N1 SEO Traffic Cup: One Month to Unlock Rewards

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N1 SEO Traffic Cup — the first tournament for SEO teams in the global N1 Traffic Cups series by N1 Partners — is entering its final stage. Halfway through the competition, this is now the key period that will ultimately determine which teams secure positions in the prize levels.

At the same time, it’s still not too late to enter the race and compete for rewards. The tournament is not only about FTD volume — the number of active brands also plays a crucial role. Thanks to the built-in multipliers, teams can significantly accelerate their N1 Cup Score and quickly strengthen their position on the leaderboard.

Results depend entirely on each team’s performance: prize levels are not limited by the number of participants, and any team that reaches the required number of points secures its place. This means you’re not competing for fixed spots but focusing on scaling your own result and hitting the next level.

Progress of the race

More than 250 teams continue to actively drive FTDs to N1 Partners brands, striving to earn points and moving up through the levels.

Working across multiple products gives teams a clear scaling advantage, especially in the final stage. At the same time, the level-based structure allows both large and smaller teams to compete and earn rewards based on their performance — with 5 teams already reaching prize tiers and continuing to push for higher levels, where rewards become even more valuable. Current interim results are published weekly in a private channel available exclusively to tournament participants.

As Alexa Bond, Head of Affiliates at N1 Partners, notes:

“We’re seeing strong engagement from partners — more teams are reaching out, exploring new brands from our portfolio, and actively looking for ways to strengthen their results. If you’re working with SEO traffic, now is the right time to connect with your affiliate manager, discuss your strategy, and explore how to scale and get the most out of the tournament.”

Prize tiers and rewards

The prize pool of N1 SEO Traffic Cup is one of the most extensive and flexible on the market. Teams are distributed across tiers based on their score and can choose either a specific reward or its cash equivalent.

Level 1 (7,000+ points) – €25,000 per team

  • VIP experience at the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix
  • Trip to a FIFA World Cup 2026 match in the USA
  • 7 nights in the Maldives with business class flights
  • Rolex Cosmograph Daytona
  • BMW S 1000 XR motorbike
  • Hublot Unico Titanium

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  • One week of golf at Monte Rei with a private villa stay
  • Private island getaway in the Seychelles (Four Seasons Desroches Island)
  • Ducati Monster motorbike
  • Bottega Veneta travel kit

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  • Zero-gravity flight (90 minutes)
  • Custom Luxury ski or snowboard gear set of your choice
  • Balenciaga Snowboard
  • Cartier Juste un Clou bracelet
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  • Apple Vision Pro
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  • Cartier LOVE ring
  • Pioneer OPUS-QUAD DJ system
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  • Dior beauty set

Extra rewards for participants

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Brand Index: a mechanic built for scaling results

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The multiplier depends on the number of active brands:

  • 1 brand — x1
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  • 4+ brands — x5

Join the N1 SEO Traffic Cup

Period: March 1 – April 30, 2026
Results announcement: by May 10
Entry: from 20 FTD per brand

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    Be number one with N1.
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Diego Van Meerbeke

Diego Van Meerbeke Named Commercial Director at InsightPlay.ai

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InsightPlay.ai has named Diego Van Meerbeke as Commercial Director as the firm speeds up its growth in Latin America and important regulated markets.

InsightPlay.ai is an AI-driven engagement platform that assists businesses in handling real-time customer interactions on a large scale, with significant momentum in the iGaming sector.

Van Meerbeke arrives from Better Collective, where he spearheaded commercial initiatives in Spanish-speaking LATAM, collaborating closely with operators and boosting revenue in a highly competitive affiliate landscape. He has held positions at The Walt Disney Company and ESPN, developing a solid foundation in media sales and collaborations.

His appointment coincides with InsightPlay’s transition from initial traction to commercial scale after its recent seed funding and implementation of AI-powered engagement solutions in various markets.

“Diego understands how this industry actually works, from both the media and operator side,” said Javier Troncoso, CEO of InsightPlay.ai. “We’re building the layer that manages real-time interaction between brands and their customers.”

InsightPlay’s platform allows operators to connect with users through voice, messaging, and digital channels, managing thousands of interactions each day and creating significant effects in reactivation, onboarding, and retention.

Although the company’s early expansion has been fueled by iGaming, the existing framework is currently being investigated in various sectors where immediate customer engagement directly influences earnings.

Most of the industry is still focused on acquisition,” said Diego Van Meerbeke. “The real opportunity is what happens after that.”

The post Diego Van Meerbeke Named Commercial Director at InsightPlay.ai appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Alea

Alea Returns to SiGMA South America as Brazil’s iGaming Market Enters a More Demanding Stage

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Alea, the leading aggregator with the largest portfolio of certified games in Brazil, is returning to SiGMA South America 2026, held from April 7–10 in São Paulo, as the country’s regulated landscape continues to settle into a more structured and competitive phase.

After the initial excitement of market entry, operators are now focusing on the everyday realities of running in a formalized environment: keeping systems stable, ensuring games and platforms are certified, and meeting the expectations of a maturing player base. The conversation has shifted from launch milestones toward long-term growth and sustainable operations.

Alea CEO Jordi Sendra is attending the event alongside teams from partnerships, account management, business development, and marketing. The group will be based at Booth N145 throughout the week, meeting with operators and studios to discuss ongoing projects and the practical challenges they are facing in Brazil.

Bridging the Gap: The Future of Land-Based and Digital Gaming

On Wednesday, 8 April at 12:45, Jordi Sendra will join the panel “Physical or Digital? Between Boundaries and Convergences in the Casino Industry.” Alongside representatives from ANCASSINOS, Sportradar, Zitro Digital, Amusnet, and Maia Yoshiyasu Advogados, the session explores how operators can stay competitive as the lines between land-based and online gaming continue to blur.

Oxygen Bar and Award Recognition

Alea will once again host its signature oxygen bar on the exhibition floor, offering a space to recharge and have focused conversations. The event also marks a milestone for the company, as Alea is shortlisted for Best Aggregator at the SiGMA South America Awards on 6 April.

“Being nominated in Brazil this year carries a lot of weight for us,” says Jordi Sendra. “The market has raised the bar for everyone. It’s pushed us to be more disciplined, more present, and more focused on what the local player actually needs. For our team, this is a great recognition of the miles we’ve put in on the ground and the relationships we’ve built with our partners across the region.”

Supporting Growth in a Maturing Landscape

Between the panel session and the meetings at the booth, the week is centered on providing the practical guidance and technical support that operators now need to grow with confidence. As the aggregator with the largest portfolio of certified games and game providers in the territory, Alea’s focus remains on helping its partners navigate the complexities of a more structured environment, ensuring both studios and operators stay competitive as the landscape continues to mature.

The post Alea Returns to SiGMA South America as Brazil’s iGaming Market Enters a More Demanding Stage appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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