Strong Qualifying for Andretti Cape Driver & Red-and-Black Branding Turn Heads

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., May 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rising open-wheel talent Sebastian Murray made his second INDY NXT by Firestone start this weekend at the Grand Prix of Alabama, driving the No. 2 Dream Racing Dubai Dallara for Andretti Cape, backed by Lottery.com Inc. (Nasdaq: LTRY, LTRYW) and Sports.com.

Key Highlights:

• Qualified P10 – Murray’s best qualifying result of the season so far
• Climbed to P8 during the race before an incident forced a drop in pace
• Finished P16, now P17 in the championship standings (27 points)
• Next stop: Double-header at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – May 9 & 10

Murray impressed in qualifying, starting P10 on the grid at the technically demanding Barber Motorsports Park. He was running inside the top ten and pushing toward the front until a snap in the rear of the car forced him off-track in Turn 8, damaging his tires and limiting his pace over the final 26 laps.

“Our race pace was really good up until we were involved in an incident,” said Murray. “We were sitting in P8, and it was going well — we were going to collect some solid points.”

“It’s unfortunate, but I think there are a lot of positives to take from the weekend,” he added. “The team has done a great job, so thank you to everyone at Andretti Cape. We’ll move on to Indy next week, and hopefully we can get some proper points.”

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This race marked the official debut of Lottery.com and Sports.com branding on the No. 2 car and Murray’s race suit, with logos featured on the rear wing, front nose cone, and driver overalls — launching a full-season campaign that blends elite motorsport exposure with fan engagement and digital content.

Murray now prepares for a back-to-back test of endurance and precision at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, with two INDY NXT races scheduled for May 9 and May 10.

“We’re incredibly proud of Sebastian Murray’s race,” said Marc Bircham, Director of Sports.com and Head of Sporting Acquisitions. “To qualify in the top 10 was an outstanding achievement. In my career, I’ve coached many young athletes, and the first few times on the big stage is nerve-racking. Seb showed great promise and made a gallant effort to move up to 8th position before the incident. Overall, we are pleased with his performance and are looking forward to seeing Sebastian progress as the season goes on. He’s definitely a driver for the future.”

“We were also delighted with the look of the car — the red and black design with Lottery.com and Sports.com branding stood out as the most attractive car on the grid.”

Important Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements 

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This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of present or historical fact included in this press release, regarding the Company’s strategy, future operations, prospects, plans and objectives of management, are forward-looking statements. When used in this Form 8-K, the words “could,” “should,” “will,” “may,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “initiatives,” “continue,” the negative of such terms and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions about future events and are based on currently available information as to the outcome and timing of future events. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release or as of the date they are made. The Company cautions you that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the control of the Company. In addition, the Company cautions you that the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are subject to risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, any future findings from ongoing review of the Company’s internal accounting controls, additional examination of the preliminary conclusions of such review, the Company’s ability to secure additional capital resources, the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, the Company’s ability to respond in a timely and satisfactory matter to the inquiries by Nasdaq, the Company’s ability to regain compliance with the Bid Price Requirement, the Company’s ability to regain compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rules, the Company’s ability to become current with its SEC reports, and those additional risks and uncertainties discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Form 10-K/A filed by the Company with the SEC on April 22, 2025, and the other documents filed, or to be filed, by the Company with the SEC. Additional information concerning these and other factors that may impact the operations and projections discussed herein can be found in the reports that the Company has filed and will file from time to time with the SEC. These SEC filings are available publicly on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described in this press release materialize or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and plans could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statements, all of which are expressly qualified by the statements in this section, to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/724aabd4-2a8b-4de7-ae2d-600625e48439

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/32715559-f998-4b13-a748-cd122743c8be

This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.

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CONTACT: For more information, please visit www.lottery.com or contact our media relations team at [email protected].

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AC Milan Legend and world football icon Andrea Pirlo officially addressed the second annual Golden Boomerang Awards 2025 tournament participants. The organizer, Boomerang Partners, posted a video message on social media.

Pirlo was excited about the event: “The Golden Boomerang Awards 2025 is where legends and winners come together. And this year, I’ll be there, waiting to meet the top 30 at San Siro on May 20th. It’s going to be a special night. Full of energy, football, and style — in the heart of Milan.”

Andrea Pirlo is the 2006 World Champion with the Italian national team. He has twice won the Champions League with AC Milan and is a multiple winner of Serie A, the Italian Cup, the Italian Super Cup, and other notable tournaments. He is also inducted into the AC Milan Hall of Fame and the Italian Football Hall of Fame. After finishing his career as a footballer, Andrea started his coaching journey. Pirlo’s presence at the Golden Boomerang Awards ceremony links football’s legacy with the future of digital entertainment.

With the Golden Boomerang Awards 2025 concluding on May 11, the top 30 affiliate teams are now set to gather in Milan for a night of recognition, creativity, and connection. Boomerang provides this opportunity as the Official Regional Betting Partner of AC Milan. Awards will be presented in 11 categories, including the main one—the Grand Prix. Guests can expect an unforgettable evening with Andrea Pirlo. They can look forward to high-profile networking opportunities, inspiring moments, and speeches celebrating the fusion of culture, innovation, and creativity.

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About Boomerang

Boomerang Partners is a rapidly growing global brand offering a wide range of services. Boomerang is the Official Regional Betting Partner of AC Milan and collaborates with women’s football star and influencer Alisha Lehmann. In 2024, it launched the inaugural Golden Boomerang Awards 2024, the first annual global affiliate tournament. Boomerang Partners’ betting segment surged 5x, and gambling — 2x in 2024. Its affiliate program demonstrated a 120% increase in partners, and the number of sports betting offers surged more than 6 times. Six new products were launched by Boomerang in 2024, which contributed to an almost 1.5-fold increase in product users.

Boomerang’s portfolio contains 15+ gambling brands, including sportsbooks. They cover over 35 GEOs and offer a wide range of betting options with favorable odds. These products provide personalized bonuses and 24/7 multilingual support.

The post AC Milan Legend Andrea Pirlo will be the star of the Golden Boomerang Awards 2025 Ceremony appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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For the first time in the history of the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG), esports will be stepping into the spotlight as a demonstration event. Scheduled to be held in Bihar from May 4 to 14, KIYG 2025 will host its esports competitions from May 6 to 7 at the Patliputra Sports Complex, featuring popular titles such as Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Street Fighter 6, Chess, and eFootball on both mobile and console.

Featuring titles that span mobile, console, and strategy-based formats like chess, the esports lineup at KIYG 2025 reflects a deliberate effort to cater to diverse gaming audiences. This move also signals a broader national recognition of esports as a legitimate sporting pursuit, on par with traditional disciplines, a direction that India has been moving toward with increased pace.

While BGMI remains the most popular esports title in India, Chess stands out as a particularly noteworthy addition to KIYG 2025. Once considered a purely traditional sport, Chess has increasingly found a home in the esports world, most recently as part of the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025, which boasts a prize pool of $1.5 million (INR 12.6 crore) for the title. NODWIN Gaming, a leader in South Asia’s esports and gaming ecosystem, has been one of the pioneers of this shift in India. In 2021, the company organised the Chess Super League, featuring national and international stars and also hosted Chess tournaments at DreamHack India 2024 across rapid and blitz formats.

“The inclusion of titles like BGMI, Street Fighter 6, Chess, and eFootball in the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 signals a big step forward for grassroots esports in India,” says Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming. “It’s encouraging to see esports standing shoulder to shoulder with traditional sports, and the addition of Chess – bridging classical and digital strategy shows how in tune this initiative is with global trends. But this isn’t just about tournaments. It’s about creating real opportunities to discover talent from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, places that have been overlooked for too long, thus building the foundation for a future where Indian gamers don’t just participate, they dominate on the world stage.”

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Further underscoring the growing stature of Indian Chess in esports, S8UL, a global force in esports and gaming content, has signed Grandmasters Aravindh Chithambaram and Nihal Sarin to compete at the EWC 2025. In addition to Chess, S8UL will also field players in Street Fighter 6, as well as EAFC25, Call of Duty Warzone, Tekken 8, and Apex Legends at the prestigious tournament.

Animesh Agarwal, Co-founder and CEO of S8UL believes that the inclusion of titles like Street Fighter 6, Chess, and eFootball console in KIYG 2025 reflects a thoughtful push to diversify beyond mobile gaming and build a more well-rounded competitive ecosystem. “It is especially encouraging to see Street Fighter 6 and Chess recognised through a government-led initiative, at a time when S8UL will be representing India in these very titles at the upcoming Esports World Cup. This development is crucial for identifying and nurturing talent across a range of platforms and genres from the grassroots level.  Such proactive support from the authorities is a strong indicator of the growing legitimacy of esports in India and a positive sign for the industry’s future,” he adds.

The roots of esports entering the mainstream have already been visible across various states. Before its inclusion in KIYG 2025, the state of Bihar actively embraced the esports movement by organising the Bihar State Esports Open Championship and the Bihar Inter School and College Esports Championship over the past year. States like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Nagaland have also taken proactive steps to support and formalise grassroots esports programs.

Mikhail Bhuta, Co-Founder & Tech Lead, Dirtcube Interactive LLP remarked, “Including esports in the Khelo India Youth Games is a practical step toward building a grassroots ecosystem for new-age sports. We believe that through this program, we’ll soon see national esports heroes rise from across the country and bolster India’s representation on the global stage. With this being the inaugural season, we envision having Made-in-India esports-based games be part of KIYG’s future seasons.”

With S8UL participating in Chess and Street Fighter at the EWC 2025, India has already been making waves on the international stage in eFootball, with Pavan Kampelli winning the bronze medal at the 2024 Asian Esports Games in Bangkok.

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Esports will be an official medal sport at the 2026 Asian Games, and the first-ever Olympic Esports Games is scheduled to debut in 2027. These developments mark a global shift toward legitimising esports within mainstream sporting culture.

KIYG 2025 featuring esports will help identify, nurture, and empower gaming talent from the ground up. With both state and national bodies supporting the push, the future of Indian esports looks brighter than ever.

The post Esports to make its mark at Khelo India Youth Games 2025 with BGMI, Street Fighter 6, Chess, and eFootball appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.