Latest News
Conor Niland’s The Racket Wins William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2024
Former Irish tennis professional Conor Niland has won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2024 with his memoir The Racket: On Tour with Tennis’s Golden Generation.
The Racket becomes the first tennis book to clinch the world’s longest established and most valuable literary sports-writing prize in its history and Niland is the first author from the Republic of Ireland to win since Paul Kimmage’s Rough Ride: Behind the Wheel with a Pro Cyclist in 1990.
Niland’s autobiography describes the highs and lows of his career on the ATP Tour, revealing the hardships of the majority of players struggling to balance the books as they seek to breakthrough against the game’s best.
The Racket is an underdog story that lifts the lid on the perils of match-fixing and doping in tennis, while also sharing light-hearted tales of Niland’s seven years on the road.
The debut release from the 43-year-old was one of six books shortlisted for this year’s award, which was decided by a six-person judging panel, with Niland beating off competition from the likes of double Olympic champion Kelly Holmes and Afghanistan women’s football captain Khalida Popal.
Niland’s memoir was crowned the winner by a judging panel comprising chair Alyson Rudd, Clarke Carlisle, Gabby Logan, Dame Heather Rabbatts, Mark Lawson and Michelle Walder. In addition to the prestigious trophy, Niland also claims the winning £30,000 prize.
Alyson Rudd, Chair of the judging panel, said: “We are delighted to present Conor Niland with the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2024 for his astonishing autobiography, The Racket.
“This prize seeks to highlight the best in sports writing and there is no doubting the fact that Conor’s work is of the highest calibre, offering a fascinating insight into his career as a tennis professional.
“The book brings the reader into the world of elite sport, but also emphasises the relatable underdog story of an everyman fighting against the odds to fulfil their dreams.
“The panel wishes to praise all six nominated authors and another year of stunning releases, showcasing the rich diversity of perspectives and experiences.”
Winning author Niland said: “I accept this award with a lot of humility. The other shortlisted books are incredible stories so I feel very fortunate to have won and so grateful.
“This is all pretty improbable. My brother told me I would win the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award when he read this last Christmas, I took that with a pretty large pinch of salt, but he was right. It’s amazing.
“The pro tennis tour is a little bit of a misunderstood sport, we were able to show what the world is really like, for the guys a little bit further down the rankings.”
The post Conor Niland’s The Racket Wins William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2024 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
BetPlay
EGT Digital’s top-performing titles are live on the leading Colombian betting site Betplay
EGT Digital is expanding its presence in Colombia. The Bulgarian provider’s casino content is now available to visitors of Betplay, one of the leading betting sites in the country. The slot titles made a very strong debut, immediately capturing the attention of players, according to representatives of the operator.
They added: “We are very happy to collaborate with a world-class company like EGT Digital. The thematic diversity, high winning chances, and attractive bonus options of their games have won the hearts of our customers. I believe that the provider’s gaming solutions will continue to unleash their potential and contribute to increasing our platform’s popularity among the local audience.”
Silviya Marinova, Director of EGT Colombia, also gave a positive comment regarding the partnership: “The collaboration with Betplay is a great success for us, as it gives us the opportunity to reach even more players in Colombia and to strengthen our status as one of the top iGaming providers not only in the country but also in the LatAm region. I am confident that we have laid the foundations of a very fruitful cooperation, which will bring many benefits to both parties and the players themselves.”
Brazil
WA.Technology makes its debut in Brazil’s regulated market
WA.Technology, the award-winning B2B iGaming solutions provider, has announced it will power leading authorised operators in Brazil after the company received technical standards certification from GLI (Gaming Laboratories International), an approved testing house, against the technical standards outlined by Brazil’s regulator.
GLI’s technical standards certification ensures that WA.Technology complies with the Brazilian regulatory requirements, demonstrating its position as the go-to B2B partner for licensed operators looking to excel in the Brazilian market.
WA.Technology’s authorised partners will gain access to WA.Technology’s cutting-edge platform and innovative technology, enabling them to deliver highly personalised, localised, and exciting experiences to bettors across Brazil.
As well as working alongside GLI to obtain the necessary certifications, WA.Technology has a fully operational team based in Brazil in preparation for its future market expansion. This allows the platform provider to remain in tune with ongoing market needs and regulatory developments, as well as enhancing its capabilities to deliver real-time support to operators in Portuguese – adding an additional layer of localisation to its product suite.
Brazil is anticipated to be one of the largest gambling markets in the world. Reports from H2 Gambling Capital suggest that Brazil’s sports betting and gaming market is projected to reach US$10bn (R$47.2bn) in GGR by 2029.
Waldir Marques, Director of Regulatory Affairs LatAm at WA.Technology, celebrated the company’s entry into Brazil: “Receiving the platform certification from GLI is an incredibly important milestone for WA.Technology; this is a testament to our commitment and determination to meet even the highest standards of regulatory compliance as required by the Brazilian market.”
“WA.Technology has unmatched levels of local expertise, enabling us to become one of the market’s most prominent platform providers – with a reputation for excellence. WA.Technology is here to support our partners in navigating regulations and pursuing new growth across Brazil, ensuring they have all the tools they need for long-term success.”
ACR Poker
VENOM FEVER SATELLITES GUARANTEE HUNDREDS OF SEATS TO ACR POKER’S $10 MILLION GTD MYSTERY BOUNTY VENOM EVENTS
ACR Poker is kicking off the new year with two massive Mystery Bounty Venom events, boasting $10 million in total guarantees. And now the popular worldwide poker site’s Venom Fever promotion is giving players an easier, more affordable way to lock in their $2,650 seats to these major tournaments.
The Venom Fever satellites, available until Sunday, February 2nd, are awarding over 800 seats, each worth $2,650, for the $8 million NLH and $2 million PLO Venom events that both begin with Day1A on Sunday, January 19th. Included are the Beast, Venom Madness, Mega Satellites, and Direct Satellites.
“Our Venom Fever satellites are the perfect way to secure your $2,650 Venom seat for much less or even free,” said ACR Pro Chris Moneymaker. “Packed with substantial prize money, exciting bounties, and tons of chances to qualify, January’s Mystery Bounty Venom events are going to be huge—don’t miss your chance to be part of the action.”
For the $8 million NLH Venom event, players can join ACR Poker’s weekly Beast tournament taking place on Sunday, January 12th, 19th and 26th at 5:05pm ET—with 95 total seats up for grabs. The next tourney guarantees 25 seats, and players can buy-in for $95 or qualify for free by climbing the weekly Beast leaderboard.
In addition, Mega Satellites will guarantee a whopping 262 seats from Saturday, January 18th to Sunday, February 2nd, with pathways starting as low as $0. The Venom Madness satellite offers a chance to enter for $16.50 from Sunday, January 12th to Saturday, February 1st, with 10 total seats guaranteed. Players can also take part in daily Direct Satellites that guarantee 369 total seats, with buy-ins from $33.
For those looking to join the $2 million PLO Venom, players can participate in daily Direct Satellites, guaranteeing 42 seats with buy-ins starting at $207.50. To top it off, $290 buy-in Mega Satellites will guarantee 30 total seats, with opportunities to qualify for free.
Although the Dual Mystery Bounty Venoms take center stage, there’s still plenty of action this January with ACR Poker’s $500,000 guaranteed Venom Warmup. It has flights running Sunday, January 12th through Sunday, February 2nd, with a buy-in of just $55. Players can also take advantage of the Venom Vault promotion for a chance to win a free $2,650 seat to the Mystery Bounty Venom tourneys.
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