Latest News

Paddy Power unveils 10ft retirement card to Tiger Roll as bookie reveals he earned punters over £500m

Published

4 years ago

March 16, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Irish bookmaker Paddy Power estimates that Cheltenham Festival hero Tiger Roll has earned punters in the region of half a billion pounds over the course of his career.

The mega sum was revealed as the racehorse – owned by Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary – was primed to land one final blow against the bookies in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase (4:10pm) at Cheltenham this afternoon, ahead of his anticipated retirement from racing.

To celebrate Tiger Roll being put out to pasture, the cheeky bookie sent a special delivery to Cheltenham Racecourse in the form of a GIANT retirement card, created on behalf of all the happy punters he won money for over the course of his career.

Fans will have the opportunity to say farewell to Tiger Roll by personally signing the enormous card, which stands at 10ft in height and 14ft wide, as they make their way to the track for day two of the action in the heart of the Cotswolds.

Those who can’t be there can contribute their message via Twitter (@paddypower) using the hashtag #FarewellTigerRoll.

Having been purchased as ‘an afterthought’ for £10k by trainer Gordon Elliott, Tiger Roll went on to win the Aintree Grand National twice, earned over £1.4m in prize money over the course of his career, and secured five back-to-back wins at the Cheltenham festival.

He had been due to have a crack at equalling Red Rum’s record hattrick in the English National, but a row with the UK handicapper saw owner O’Leary pull his horse out of contention for what is considered the biggest race in the world, next month.

The upshot means that his swansong will instead occur at The Cheltenham Festival this afternoon, where he bids to equal a record set by wonder mare Quevega, who made it six-in-a-row with Ruby Walsh onboard back in 2014.

Speaking about the prospect of his achievement on Quevega being equalled, record-holding Cheltenham champion jockey and Paddy Power ambassador Ruby Walsh said: “It would be great to see it. He’s a wonderful horse.

“He’s won two Grand Nationals. He’s won a Triumph Hurdle, a National Hunt Chase and now he’s trying to win his fourth Cross Country Chase. Whatever accolades have been thrown at the horse, you’d have to say his trainer deserves them every bit as much.”

A new poll commissioned by Paddy Power revealed Tiger Roll was voted Ireland’s No.1 horse when measured against racing greats like Red Rum (17%), Hurricane Fly (14%), Desert Orchid (9%), Arkle and Kauto Star (6%) and Istabraq (5%).

UK racing fans put him in the No. 2 spot with 18% of votes, behind Grand National hattrick winning racehorse, Red Rum (28%).

Paddy Power, spokesman for the Irish betting firm of the same name, said: “He might have cost us dearly over the course of his career, but it was worth every penny to see how this horse captured the hearts and imaginations of racing fans.

“The famous Cheltenham roar we heard earlier this week will sound like a whimper compared to the cheers we expect to hear when Tiger Roll comes up the famous Cheltenham hill in front.

“But I must confess, while his retirement is a bittersweet day for most, it can’t come quick enough for us bookies. So, we sent him this supersized special delivery in the hope his connections won’t have any second thoughts!”

Tiger Roll remains the firm favourite to win the Cross Country Chase at odds of 6/4 and punters are so confident the superstar racehorse will pull it off, that Paddy is offering odds of the distance he will win by when it does.

asia-pacific

Groove shortlisted for Best Aggregator at SiGMA Asia Awards 2026

Published

12 hours ago

May 21, 2026

Wladimir P.

groove-shortlisted-for-best-aggregator-at-sigma-asia-awards-2026

Groove has been named a finalist for Best Aggregator 2026 at the SiGMA Asia Awards, with the ceremony scheduled for 2 June 2026 at the SMX Convention Centre Manila during the SiGMA Asia Summit.

The shortlist was announced by Global Gaming Insider, according to the company. Groove said its platform aggregates more than 15,000 games from over 150 providers via a single API.

Giusy Campo, Business Development Director at Groove, said: “This shortlist is external recognition of a truth we already feel internally: Groove is moving at a different pace. Asia is not a single market, it is a collection of distinct regulatory environments, player behaviours, and partnership opportunities”

Campo added: “Our platform is built to respect that complexity, not smooth it over. Being named a finalist for Best Aggregator tells us that our approach; deep integration, localised content strategies, and commercial precision; is resonating with the operators who matter most in this region. We are not just bringing games to Asia. We are bringing a roadmap for sustainable growth.”

Yahale Meltzer, Co-Founder and CEO of Groove, said: “The aggregation space is crowded. Differentiation is everything. This nomination confirms that our vision, transforming aggregation from a commodity into a strategic growth discipline, is taking hold.” He added: “Operators across Asia are no longer asking for just volume or speed. They are asking for structural resilience, data intelligence, and a partner who can execute across fragmented regulatory landscapes with precision. Groove delivers that. To be recognised alongside the best in Asia is a privilege, but the real work continues in Manila and beyond. We are here to win, not just awards, but the trust of the operators who build their businesses on our platform.”

The post Groove shortlisted for Best Aggregator at SiGMA Asia Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

data providers

DATA.BET reports 168% turnover growth from virtual content in Q1 2025–Q1 2026

Published

12 hours ago

May 21, 2026

Wladimir P.

data.bet-reports-168%-turnover-growth-from-virtual-content-in-q1-2025–q1-2026

DATA.BET says turnover from its virtual content grew 168% between Q1 2025 and Q1 2026, with the supplier reporting the product accounted for 39% of total virtual sports turnover and 45% of profits over the period.

The company said the content is developed fully in-house and delivered through automated bot-vs-bot matches that run 24/7 without dependence on real-world fixture schedules. DATA.BET positioned the format as a way to provide continuous events and reduce operational overhead for operators.

Across the same period, DATA.BET reported +299% active users, +129% across clients GGR, +246% events per quarter, and +218% bets placed.

DATA.BET also said the audience profile overlaps with live football bettors, which it believes supports retention during seasonal breaks. The supplier added that the algorithm-driven format “carries no fraud exposure,” supports In-Stream Betting overlays, and provides near-zero latency between broadcast and market updates.

“Over the past year, our bot-vs-bot virtual content has delivered consistent, measurable results across every operator deployment. Building e-Football in-house gives us the flexibility to configure it to what each operator actually needs — whether that is a specific league structure, a particular mix of bot and player content, or a branded competition format,” mentioned Rostyslav Likhtin, Head of Product at DATA.BET.

The post DATA.BET reports 168% turnover growth from virtual content in Q1 2025–Q1 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

content studios

155.io makes fintech debut with Coverd partnership

Published

12 hours ago

May 21, 2026

Wladimir P.

155.io-makes-fintech-debut-with-coverd-partnership

155.io has signed a partnership with US-based fintech platform Coverd, marking the content studio’s first move into fintech. The deal was announced Thursday 21st May 2026.

Under the agreement, 155.io’s real-world games will be integrated into Coverd’s platform. Coverd said the integration is designed to turn everyday transactions into interactive experiences where users can win the chance to have purchases covered through 155.io gameplay.

Sam Jones, Founder & CEO of 155.io, said: “This partnership gives us the opportunity to bring our content to a completely new audience. We share a philosophy with Coverd around disrupting and modernising industries through more interactive experiences. They understand that younger audiences expect entertainment and engagement across every digital touchpoint, including finance, which is exactly how we think about design.”

Albert Wang, Coverd co-founder, added: “Today’s consumer is actively embracing gamified products across every category, so there’s no reason personal finance should stay in the stone age. We’re excited to work with 155.io to make financial experiences more interactive and give everyone a chance to live big by winning back their purchases. 155.io’s next-gen content fits perfectly with what we’re building at Coverd.”

155.io said the integration will bring its interactive content—built around live-action footage and real-time mechanics—to Coverd users. The studio’s portfolio includes Rush Hour from its CCTV Game library, alongside Ducks.io and Snow Run.