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N1 Partners puts Deputy Head Vlad Chernov in the spotlight in N1 Faces
Why do some teams scale and grow consistently, while others start losing money as soon as they increase volume — even when working with the same offers and traffic sources? The difference rarely comes down to tools. More often, it’s about how the system is managed: how decisions are made, how responsibility is distributed, and how the team works with partners when performance starts to decline.
In the new episode of N1 Faces, the N1 Partners team introduces Vlad Chernov, Deputy Head of Affiliates. In this interview, Vlad shares how he entered affiliate marketing, what managing a team really means in a fast-moving environment, where money is most often lost during scaling, and what principles help build teams that actually drive growth.
How did you get into affiliate marketing, and when did you realize this was the field you wanted to grow in?
I entered the industry in 2020. Before fully moving into affiliate marketing, I worked in a range of roles — from Customer Support Manager to Operations Director. That gave me a broad understanding of processes, team management, and how the business operates from the inside.
Over time, I became more interested in the affiliate side: how deals are structured, how traffic is driven to casino products, and which sources partners rely on. When the opportunity came to move into affiliate marketing, I quickly realized this was the area where I could develop my skills, work closely with partners, and directly see the impact of my decisions.
What brought you to N1 Partners, and what was the deciding factor?
When I was just starting out in affiliate marketing, I was actively studying the market and consistently following N1 Partners — their positioning, their brands, and the fact that they were always among the top performers. I also paid attention to the team and saw professionals I genuinely wanted to work with and learn from.
The key factors for me were a strong brand portfolio and the flexibility to choose my direction — both in terms of the team and traffic sources. It was also important for me to join a company that values new ideas and supports initiative. I’ve always seen that as a critical part of professional growth.
What’s more challenging in team management: scaling results or developing the team itself?
Scaling results is definitely more challenging.
We operate in a highly dynamic environment where the market changes almost daily. What works today may stop working tomorrow.
That’s why both we and our partners often find it harder to maintain and grow performance — it requires constant attention to key metrics and the ability to adapt quickly.
At the same time, team development is an ongoing process. We’re continuously looking for ways to streamline workflows, reduce manual tasks, and improve efficiency. We’re also gradually integrating AI into our internal processes to increase both speed and quality.
What qualities define a strong affiliate manager today?
First and foremost — strong communication skills. This is especially critical at the very first touchpoint with a partner. The way you communicate early on often determines whether you’ll even get a response.
Honesty and transparency are just as important. In this industry, building trust is essential because everyone is ultimately working toward shared results.
I would also highlight a deep understanding of analytics. An affiliate manager should go beyond basic metrics like average check or ROAS and understand profitability, traffic quality, and overall campaign efficiency.
And of course — multitasking. It’s unavoidable today. We work with 10+ brands, accept traffic from multiple sources, and constantly test new funnels and hypotheses together with partners.
How does team growth impact the quality of partner relationships, and what’s critical to avoid a drop in service when scaling?
Team growth and the level of expertise among managers form the foundation of everything that follows. We’re very selective in hiring and place a strong emphasis on analytics and understanding traffic sources, as this directly impacts our ability to scale.
As the team grows, processes become just as important as people. It’s essential to have a transparent system in place: clear standards, shared understanding of goals and key metrics, and consistent approaches to working with partners. This ensures stability and maintains service quality even as volumes increase.
At the same time, the level of the team remains critical. Strong specialists set the bar and shape the overall approach. That’s what allows you to scale without losing quality.
What are the most common pitfalls when working with partners, and where do teams usually lose money?
Most losses happen during scaling, when quality starts to drop as volume increases. A typical mistake is choosing the wrong scaling strategy — pushing all ad sets instead of focusing only on those that have already proven performance with strong CTR and EPC on the affiliate side, as well as solid player activity and ROI on the advertiser’s side.
Another key factor is offer selection. Chasing an offer with a 10–15% higher CPA doesn’t always make sense if the conversion rate is lower. In the long run, this directly impacts profitability.
From our side, we focus on selecting offers that perform best in real time for a specific traffic source. We can also provide actual performance proof and help partners secure the most competitive terms available on the market.
How do you build relationships with key partners so they don’t just stay, but grow with you?
I focus on a personalized approach and building trust-based relationships with a long-term perspective.
I’d rather start with a small test, scale gradually, and increase the rate later than run multiple tests and stop working together — even if early results are not ideal.
We work toward win-win conditions and continuously test new approaches and hypotheses. With the right strategy and offer selection, I’m confident that mutual growth is always achievable.
What helps you stay focused and make decisions under constant pressure?
Prioritization and structured task management are key.
It’s important to assess situations objectively, double-check information, and base decisions on data rather than emotions. Staying calm and focused allows me to work effectively under pressure, adapt quickly, and take responsibility for decisions with confidence.
If you weren’t in iGaming…
I’d likely still be in a related field. One option would be marketing in another industry, where I could apply my experience. Another would be returning to operations, focusing on building and optimizing processes in a high-risk environment.
Either way, I’d want to stay in a fast-paced, high-responsibility environment with challenging tasks — that’s what drives me.
Top-3 Blitz
What mistakes most often prevent affiliate teams from growing?
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- Choosing the wrong strategy and chasing higher payouts instead of conversion and sustainability.
Teams often choose offers based on CPA alone, ignoring conversion, even though conversion drives long-term results. - Lack of communication with the manager.
Teams sometimes stop traffic without notice and draw quick conclusions without investigating deeper. The issue might not be conversion, but something like incorrect postback setup.
- Choosing the wrong strategy and chasing higher payouts instead of conversion and sustainability.
- Mixing traffic from different sources without proper segmentation.
These flows need to be agreed upon and segmented to maintain quality and properly analyze performance.
What do you look at first when evaluating a partner?
- Audience fit and traffic quality.
The traffic must match our target audience and meet internal profitability benchmarks. - Flexibility and willingness to collaborate.
The ability to adapt quickly and find win-win solutions is key. - Previous performance.
I look at historical data, results in other campaigns, and how consistently the partner meets agreements.
What factors most influence traffic profitability today?
- Cost of acquisition and player retention.
It has become harder to both acquire and retain users. - Funnel and landing page optimization.
Even high-quality traffic can drop off if the funnel is too long or complex. - Continuous campaign optimization and bid adjustments.
Daily monitoring of metrics and fast adaptation—from both the partner and advertiser side—is critical.
Working with N1 Partners
Partners who want to discuss a launch, tailor conditions to their traffic, or test an offer can reach out to Vlad directly.
N1 Partners is a multi-brand affiliate program and direct advertiser, bringing together 14+ casino and betting brands with strong LTV and Reg2Dep rates of up to 70% across Tier-1 GEOs.
N1 Partners offers competitive terms for top partners, including CPA up to €650-700 and RevShare up to 45%, ensuring stable and scalable performance.
Trusted by 14,000+ partners, N1 Partners stands out for its transparency, flexibility, and focus on long-term partnerships, supported by a strong product portfolio and advanced retention systems.
The first tournament of the N1 Traffic Cups series, N1 SEO Traffic Cup, has ended.
Over the course of two months, more than 300 teams drove SEO traffic to N1 Partners casino and betting brands, competing for prizes and demonstrating the efficiency of their strategies.
Learn which teams made it to the top and their levels, key facts and figures, as well as comments from the winners about their experiences, strategies, and results achieved.
N1 SEO Traffic Cup in figures: prizes and participants
It is important to note that the teams’ results were evaluated not only in terms of traffic volumes but also in terms of scaling and diversifying traffic between several brands.
Tournament in figures:
- 14 teams reached the prize levels;
- 54 teams with Participant status that are not included in the prize levels will participate in an additional prize draw;
- 300+ teams drove SEO traffic during the tournament.
Among the prizes at various levels are attending top global sporting events – from F1 in Monaco to the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches in the USA; flying in zero gravity; an all-inclusive dream vacation in the Maldives; BMW and Ducati bikes; Apple gadgets; Cartier jewellery; Rolex watches and much more.
Alexa Bond, Head of Affiliates at N1 Partners, also notes the importance of the event for the company and partners: “N1 Traffic Cups is a reflection of how we see the promo: with transparent mechanics, an emphasis on real results and the opportunity for partners to scale and earn more. This is not just a promo; it is a motivation system for our partners.
The N1 SEO Traffic Cup has once again proved the value of a strong partnership: the high engagement, expertise, and strong results of the participants show that such events are equally effective for both partners and N1 Partners, building long-term interest, trust, and mutual engagement.”
Winners’ shortlist
Two months of competition, scaling, and testing to ensure that only the strongest remain in the finals. Below are the teams that have reached the prize levels and are among the winners of the N1 SEO Traffic Cup.
Depending on the number of points scored, participants reached one of four prize levels with rewards worth: €25,000, €15,000, €7,000, and €5,000 per team, based on their final tournament ranking.
Winners about N1 SEO Traffic Cup
How the tournament unfolded, what motivated the winners to keep climbing higher through the ranks, and the emotions they experienced along the way — told firsthand by the participants of the N1 SEO Traffic Cup.
Alfaleads Network
“Our result became possible due to a combination of factors: firstly, we specialise in SEO traffic and have many strong and stable SEO partners, both large and small. In addition, we would like to note that the N1 products have good CRs, so we got a real win-win here.
For our team, the coolest prize at Level 3 is the Kronos massage chair. In our field, sometimes you just want to switch off and exhale, so this is the most relevant thing. Moreover, such a chair will definitely never be empty in the office,” emphasises the Alfaleads Network team, Level 3 winners.
Advertise
«Strong products, competitive conditions, and a team that’s always ready to help and quickly resolve any issues are what truly motivate performance in N1 Partners promos.
We took part in the N1 Puzzle Promo last year and were excited to join the N1 SEO Traffic Cup this time. Back then, the main prize was a helicopter, along with additional rewards available throughout the tournament. This year’s level-based format with different prize categories is a smart move — it allows you to choose rewards based on your preferences.
At our Level 4, the most appealing prize is Apple glasses. However, for us, the most practical option is the cash reward, which we’ll use to reward the entire team that contributed to the final result,” said a representative of Advertise, a Level 4 prize winner.
RevenueLab
“In many ways, our result is about a combination of product understanding and constant work with traffic. When you know the strengths of the offers, it is much easier to find the right traffic for them and build working links.
We tried to analyse traffic from the web more deeply, look at user behaviour, see the quality of sources and how stable the result is over time. Everything that showed potential was quickly scaled up, but weak bundles were not kept — they were either refined or disabled.
Of course, interaction with N1 managers played a big role: there was always quick feedback, openness to hypotheses discussion and help with optimisation, which greatly accelerated the work.
As a result, it was this combination of product expertise, analytics, and live communication that produced this result.
In our segment, the MacBook looks the coolest, but each prize offered is unique. Separately, we would like to note that N1 always has the best gifts and rewards!” the RevenueLab team, the winner of Level 4, comments.
For teams with Participant status who did not enter the prize levels of the tournament, scoring from 20 to 499 points, an additional prize draw was held — PlayStation 5 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max and exclusive N1 Partners merch.
The results can be found in the N1 Partners Instagram on May 8th!
The second tournament from the N1 Traffic Cups series is coming soon — don’t miss the updates from N1 Partners!
Work with N1 Partners:
- 14+ casino and betting brands with high Reg2Dep
- 10+ Tier-1 GEOs
- CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 55% + NNCO for top affiliates
Be number one with N1!
N1 Partners has been nominated for the G Gate Awards 2026 in 4 categories — the company is among the market leaders who are changing the industry in several directions at once: from developing the partnership ecosystem and expanding the product portfolio to introducing new marketing approaches, media formats and working with content, including YouTube.
N1 Partners is actively working to create a base for networking and development within its community, which is why partners can participate in the work and directly influence the success of the affiliate program!
Vote for N1 Partners in the following nominations:
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- iGaming-advertiser of the year.
The company offers some of the best conditions for partners: CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 55%, 14+ brands on 10+ Tier-1 GEO are available and the portfolio is constantly being updated. This creates conditions for growth. By the end of 2025, the average number of FTDs per month increased by 150%!
- iGaming-advertiser of the year.
- PR campaign of the year.
N1 Puzzle Promo is one of the biggest promotions of 2025, with the main gift of the Robinson R22 helicopter and coverage in 50+ media! The prize fund was €500,000.
- Event of the year.
The team also held a big show event at the end of N1 Puzzle Promo as part of the iGB Affiliate in Barcelona. The industry’s interest is confirmed by the numbers: more than 2,000 registrations; and 600+ confirmed guests gathered at this private event to congratulate the finalists and celebrate the end of the campaign. - YouTube project of the year.
N1 Partners YouTube is a media outlet within the affiliate industry with proprietary formats and a focus on real-world market experience. In the first six months, the channel organically gained more than 4,000 subscribers from the field and 70,000 views on all materials; launched 2 permanent formats; and attracted industry leaders from founders to market experts.
How to vote for N1 Partners at G Gate Awards?
The first stage of voting will be held from April 15 to May 20, and then the finalists can be supported from May 22 to June 22.
Vote for N1 Partners at G Gate Awards:
- Visit the award website;
- Choose N1 Partners in four categories;
- Click on the “Cast your votes” button;
- Enter your phone number;
- Confirm your vote through the incoming call (enter the last 4 digits of the number).
Your vote is very important — thank you for the support!
Why work with N1 Partners:
- 14+ casino and sportsbook brands with high Reg2Dep
- 10+ Tier-1 GEOs
- CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 55% + NNCO for top partners
Be number one with N1!
May enhances the spring sports season dynamics: key tournaments are entering final stages, the calendar is getting denser, and audience interest is reaching peaks.
Against this background, user engagement and willingness to start betting are growing, from registration to deposits, which makes traffic especially valuable.
Within current sporting events, N1 Partners affiliates can work with sports traffic on three products at once — N1 Bet, RollXO and Lucky Hunter.
Wondering which events to focus on, which promos to use, and how to build an effective scaling strategy in May? All the most important things in the article!
Key sport events in May
N1 Partners team has compiled a shortlist of the main sports events worth investing in this month to make it easier for you to plan campaigns and effectively scale Tier-1 traffic
Soccer
May is a key month of the football season: semi-finals and finals of European cups, as well as crucial matches of national tournaments.
- 05.05–06.05 – UEFA Champions League – Semi-finals
Why it stands out: - Top-tier European clubs competing for a place in the final
- Massive global audience and peak media coverage
- High-intensity knockout format → strong betting engagement
- Star players and high-scoring potential boost interest
- One of the most popular betting events in football
Traffic insights: Perfect for driving high traffic with pre-match and live betting, player props, and accumulator offers. - 07.05 – UEFA Europa League & Conference League – Semi-finals
Why it stands out: - European knockout stage with high stakes
- Clubs fighting for a place in continental finals
- Strong betting interest across multiple markets
- High volatility → great for live betting
Traffic insights: Great for driving traffic via live bets, accumulators, and team-specific markets - 09.05 – Premier League – Liverpool vs Chelsea
Why it stands out: Top clubs with global fanbases and strong betting demand.
Traffic insights: Effective for match bets, player props, and live traffic. - 10.05 – LaLiga – El Clásico
Why it stands out: One of the most watched football matches globally with massive betting volume.
Traffic insights: Peak traffic across all formats – pre-match, live, and props. - 13.05 – Coppa Italia – Final
Why it stands out: Major domestic final with strong EU engagement.
Traffic insights: Strong for match betting, outrights, and live engagement. - 16.05 – Bundesliga – Bayern vs Köln
Why it stands out: Featuring Germany’s top club with high-scoring potential.
Traffic insights: Good for handicaps, goal markets, and player bets. - 17.05 – Serie A – Roma vs Lazio
Why it stands out: One of Italy’s fiercest derbies with high emotional intensity.
Traffic insights: Ideal for live betting and goal/card markets. - 20.05 – UEFA Europa League – Final
Why it stands out: Major European final with global audience and high stakes.
Traffic insights: Perfect for peak traffic and promo pushes. - 23.05 – Coupe de France – Final
Why it stands out: Key French final with strong local engagement.
Traffic insights: Good for GEO-targeted campaigns. - 23.05 – DFB-Pokal – Final
Why it stands out: One of Germany’s biggest football events with high viewership.
Traffic insights: Strong for local traffic scaling. - 24.05 – Taça de Portugal – Final
Why it stands out: Major national final with concentrated attention.
Traffic insights: Effective for targeted campaigns. - 27.05 – UEFA Conference League – Final
Why it stands out: A growing tournament with competitive matchups.
Traffic insights: Good for final-stage traffic and promos. - 30.05 – UEFA Champions League – Final
Why it stands out: The biggest club football event globally.
Traffic insights: Maximum traffic peak across all betting formats.
Formula 1
May continues the season of racing, which consistently attracts a global audience and converts well on betting traffic.
- 24.05 – Canadian Grand Prix
Why it stands out: Part of the global F1 calendar with stable international demand.
Traffic insights: Good for props, race bets, and accumulators.
Tennis
Tennis in May is characterised by the preparation for Roland Garros and can be called one of the best sources of long-term traffic due to the large number of matches.
- 05.05–17.05 – WTA Rome
Why it stands out: - WTA 1000 event featuring top-ranked players
- Key clay-court warm-up before French Open
- High match volume → strong engagement & retention
- Unpredictable surface boosts live betting activity
- Strong interest across major European markets
Traffic insights: Ideal for promoting live betting, accumulators, and outright markets with consistent traffic throughout the tournament.
- 06.05–17.05 – ATP Rome
Why it stands out: ATP Masters 1000 with top-ranked players and global interest.
Traffic insights: Ideal for accumulators, outrights, and live markets. - 24.05–07.06 – French Open
Why it stands out: Grand Slam event with massive global audience and two weeks of matches.
Traffic insights: Top-tier for sustained traffic and long-term campaigns.
MMA
MMA events generate rapid spikes in traffic due to hype and work well both pre-match and live.
- 09.05 – UFC 328 – Chimaev vs Strickland
Why it stands out: Headline fight with top contenders and strong media coverage. Strong engagement in pre-fight and live markets.
Traffic insights: Perfect for boosting bets on fight outcomes, rounds, and method of victory.
Esports
Esports in May provides a stable and long-lasting traffic flow due to the busy schedule of tournaments.
- 09.05–17.05 – CS2 – PGL Astana
Why it stands out: Tier-1 CS2 tournament with top teams and high match volume.
Traffic insights: Continuous traffic via live betting and match-by-match activity. - 13.05–24.05 – Dota 2 – DreamLeague Season 29
Why it stands out: Extended format ensures consistent engagement.
Traffic insights: Strong for daily traffic and retention. - 26.05–07.06 – Dota 2 – BLAST Slam VII
Why it stands out: Competitive event with steady match schedule.
Traffic insights: Great for long-term traffic scaling.
Ice Hockey
May is a key month of international hockey with a high audience interest, especially in Europe.
- 15.05–31.05 – IIHF World Championship
Why it stands out: Major international tournament with strong EU demand.
Traffic insights: Continuous traffic flow across matches. - 23.05 – Germany vs Austria
Why it stands out: Regional rivalry with strong DACH engagement.
Traffic insights: Ideal for GEO-targeted campaigns and live markets. - 31.05 – IIHF World Championship – Final
Why it stands out: Final match with peak attention and betting volume.
Traffic insights: Strong for final-stage traffic and promos.
Basketball
May in basketball is the crucial stage of European tournaments with high audience engagement.
- 22.05 – EuroLeague Final Four Semi-finals
Why it stands out: Top European clubs competing at the highest level.
Traffic insights: Good for match betting and accumulators.
Cricket
Cricket continues to provide a steady traffic stream in GEOs with high demand for the sport.
- 17.05–23.05 – ODI Series – Bangladesh vs New Zealand
Why it stands out: Strong demand in key GEOs with steady engagement.
Traffic insights: Consistent live betting and long-play traffic. - 27.05–29.05 – T20 Series – Bangladesh vs New Zealand
Why it stands out: Fast-paced format with high engagement.
Traffic insights: Ideal for live betting and quick turnover traffic.
Sport traffic insights in May
In Tier-1 GEOs, the result depends on the timing and context directly. The same sources may produce different results depending on the moment of launch.
If you wish to get the most of your traffic in May, do the following:
- focus on semifinals and finals with high conversion potential;
- synchronize campaigns with game days and tournament stages;
- concentrate budgets during peak periods;
- and use live betting as the main traffic driver;
- combine betting and casino traffic;
- quickly scale bundles that show results;
How to maximise your traffic in May?
May creates a highly favourable environment for growth, driven by a packed schedule of high-stakes matches and events. With fresh news hooks emerging almost daily, there are constant opportunities to capture and engage your audience.
The optimal strategy is to focus on the most high-impact events while simultaneously boosting traffic through timely promotional campaigns across N1 Partners brands — N1 Bet, RollXO, and Lucky Hunter. This approach not only helps scale volume but also improves user conversion efficiency.
On their side, the N1 Partners team equips affiliates with everything needed to scale effectively: up-to-date offers, actionable analytics, and hands-on support — enabling faster decision-making and consistent performance growth.
The N1 SEO Traffic Cup has recently wrapped up — results will be announced on May 10. But this isn’t the finish line: the N1 team is already preparing new campaigns for partners, so stay tuned for updates.
Top promos for N1 Partners projects in May
Every month, N1 Partners launches a series of seasonal promos on key brands to help partners increase conversions and maximise traffic.
Galaxy Lottery (RetroBet, Jet4Bet, SlotLounge, Spirit Casino)
Period: 13.05–17.05
Prize pool: €30,000
Summer Vacation Lottery (Joo Casino)
Period: 30.05–06.06
Prize pool: €12,000+
Advent Calendar (N1 Bet, RollXO)
Period: 08.05–17.05
10 daily tasks with rewards and bonuses for players.
Lucky Star Lottery (SlotLords)
Period: 08.05–14.05
Prize pool: €10,000
Wanna learn more? Contact your manager right now!
Cooperation with N1 Partners
N1 Partners is a multi-brand affiliate program and direct advertiser, bringing together 14+ casino and betting brands with high LTV and Reg2Dep rates in Tier-1 GEOs.
N1 Partners offers competitive terms for top partners, including CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 55%, ensuring stable and scalable performance.
Trusted by 14,000+ partners, N1 Partners stands out for its transparency, flexibility, and focus on long-term partnerships, supported by a strong product portfolio and advanced retention systems.
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