News

An Open Response to Mattha Busby & The Guardian

Published

8 years ago

September 5, 2017

An Open Response to Mattha Busby & The Guardian

The following response is written by Darren Moore @ Betting Gods in response to this piece posted in The Guardian on 1st September.

Let’s begin with the obvious; this is a terrible piece of journalism. It doesn’t represent what a good tipster site does, and it doesn’t understand even the basics of how tipsters operate.

Our message to you, Mattha Busby, is that we don’t hold it against you. We understand it can be difficult to understand a service that genuinely wants to make people money. We understand why you would assume there’s an underhand plot to rip people off.

What you need to understand is that you’re wrong. Please, come to Malta, we’ll introduce you to some people that actually understand the industry. Or at the very least, take up our offer of a complimentary membership of BettingGods.com so you can see the potential of a truly professional tipster site.

While you’re considering our offer, we have a few comments to make about your article.

1. “Operators have a vested interest in seeing their tips lose because they take up to a 30% cut of the losses their followers make to bookmakers.”

We feel like this is an over-generalised argument that doesn’t get the way the industry works. On the surface, it does sound like it might work for tipster sites to deliberately post losing tips to earn 30% of the losing bet. But how is that a sustainable business model? It would very, very quickly ruin their whole premise of the tipster’s business.

Successful tipster sites actually make money by collecting subscription fees from satisfied customers. If the tips they give are regularly losers, then why would anyone continue to subscribe? The argument that tipsters are in cahoots with bookmakers suggests they’ll spend time and energy on building up a following before quickly doing them a disservice. It makes no sense and shows the little to no research behind the article.

2. “Such tipsters, who work from home, frequently recommend accumulator bets that experts say represent bad value.”

First, we would argue about the suggestion that accumulators are aggressively pushed on the customer. Betting Gods, as one good example of how tipsters usually operate, regularly promotes a number of different wager options. The important thing is that we suggest contenders with a good chance of taking the glory and we’ll always look for the best option to make you a profit.

That said, we may sometimes suggest an accumulator as they can be a great option for a big win. Especially as you only need a low stake to set you up. Working out the odds and relationships between the different bets requires a keen nose – the knowledge of an excellent tipster can be invaluable.

3. There are “grave concerns about terms which appear to bamboozle rather than help customers make informed choices”.

One of the worst parts of this barely researched article is that it reduces the average person following a tipster page to an idiot that blindly follows the tipster’s opinion. At the end of the day, the page’s followers are gambling their own money and are usually educated about the odds and risk they’re taking on.

In practice, tipster sites are run on either community-driven tips (given by users to other users) or suggested tips that no one forces anyone to follow. The suggestions made are great for research, or a starting point for further research, but they are neither presented, nor expected to be, guaranteed, sure-fire winners. Sports are a dynamic and unpredictable arena, and while a great tipster calls on every reserve of information, skill and ideas at their disposal – no one can read the future.

A good tipster is a guide, a source of information, a friend in the know. But just like every other aspect of modern life, personal decisions and judgement are vital in your own success. It’s a shame that Guardian journalist Mattha Busby didn’t have the personal judgement to look into the industry he chose to so poorly take down.

Mattha, if you’re reading, the invitation stands. Take the time to see what we do (we’ll even pay for your flights!). We can’t wait to show you how following a professional tipster can change your outlook. After all, as long as you’re not in touch with us and our stream of knowledgeable information, it’s only you that’s losing out.

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First iGB Affiliate Manager Academy to shine a light on effective AI-Driven affiliate recruitment strategies

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6 days ago

April 14, 2025

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First iGB Affiliate Manager Academy to shine a light on effective AI-Driven affiliate recruitment strategies

Organisers of July’s edition of iGB L!VE – the first to be held in London – have announced the launch of the AI focussed iGB Affiliate Manager Academy which will be held July 1 as part of London iGaming Week.

The training and mentorship program which is being curated in partnership with Affiverse, founded by veteran affiliate marketer Lee-Ann Johnstone – and which guides businesses on how to launch, scale and grow successful affiliate programs, has been designed to help organisations of all sizes understand how to leverage new tactics and simple AI tools to recruit, retain and activate affiliates more effectively.

The Academy will offer a mix of practical learning, tactical assessments and personalised coaching providing affiliate managers with an invaluable opportunity to learn from industry leaders. Each unique session will include topical insights drawing on the dominant trends in the market.

Looking ahead to the Academy Lee-Ann Johnstone said: “I’m delighted that Clarion has invited Affiverse to develop a bespoke training academy specifically for iGaming Affiliate Managers.

“In an industry that’s constantly evolving, and which is powered by the early adoption of new technologies, businesses and affiliate managers have to keep learning in order to remain competitive. The only way we get to understand the affiliate space and all the complexities it entails is on the job – from others!

“It has always been important to me that those who have knowledge pay it forward and I’m really excited to be given the task of leading the curation of this unique event bringing the best of the best together in order to teach, train and coach affiliate managers as we move forward.

“The gap between AI-empowered affiliate managers and those relying solely on traditional methods is widening every month. The iGB Affiliate Manager Academy will provide the bridge to ensure businesses are on the right side of that divide.”

Reflecting on the importance and objectives of the iGB Affiliate Manager Academy, Global Portfolio Director Naomi Barton said: “Our live events are all about delivering real value to our international community of stakeholders. Lee-Ann and her team at Affiverse are spearheading the academy syllabus and content stream alongside IGB’s events production team to provide tailor made training and mentoring for new and existing affiliate managers as well as those who want to learn and scale their affiliate programs faster.

“The workshop will provide insider access to the exact AI-driven techniques that are assisting brands to deliver real results. Most significantly this isn’t just theory — instead it’s a hands-on expert-led roadmap focussing on immediately implementable tactics that will transform your program performance.”

Awards

MightyTips is nominated for Affiliate of the Year at the AffPapa iGaming Awards

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2 weeks ago

April 9, 2025

George Miller

MightyTips is nominated for Affiliate of the Year at the AffPapa iGaming Awards

MightyTips has received a nomination for “Sportsbook Affiliate of the Year” at the prestigious AffPapa iGaming Awards 2025. MightyTips hopes to follow in the footsteps of its parent company, SEOBROTHERS, which won the Affiliate Agency of the Year award at the 2023 ceremony and has received another nomination this year.

MightyTips’ nomination follows a year of expansion for the brand, which increased its portfolio of multilingual sites to 19. In addition to continuing to provide free daily football betting tips and in-depth bookmaker reviews, MightyTips also launched the MightyQs interview series, which spotlights some of the most exciting partnerships between online sportsbooks and high-profile sporting franchises such as Juventus and the UFC.

Held at Hacienda Nadales in Malaga, Spain, the fourth annual AffPapa iGaming Awards will take place on May 28th, 2025. The awards celebrate and recognise affiliates, operators, and B2B providers for hard work and innovation within the iGaming industry and commend those who are constantly pushing the boundaries and setting new standards.

One of the most notable and respected ceremonies on the industry calendar will be hosted as part of the iGaming Club Conference, a two-day networking event that will welcome over 1,200 industry delegates. Voting is open to the public and will close on May 11th.

Eugene Ravdin, Head of PR at SEOBROTHERS, said: “We’re overjoyed to hear that MightyTips have been nominated for these prestigious awards. It’s fantastic to be evaluated for our hard work over the last twelve months, and everyone involved should be extremely proud of their efforts. This is a huge professional achievement for the brand.”

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Slotsjudge Receives Double Nomination at the AffPapa iGaming Awards 2025

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Slotsjudge Receives Double Nomination at the AffPapa iGaming Awards 2025

We are delighted to announce that Slotsjudge received two nominations for the AffPapa iGaming Awards 2025. Milestones like this highlight our team’s dedication and strong position in the iGaming industry.

Slotsjudge was nominated in two key categories: “Rising Star Affiliate of The Year” and “Slots Review Affiliate of The Year.” The first nomination recognizes our fast growth and impact in a competitive market, while the second one emphasizes the quality and reliability of our game reviews. We highly value the trust our audience places in us as a credible and influential voice within the industry.

What sets Slotsjudge apart is our honest, straightforward content. Our team creates reviews that players can rely on, helping them make informed choices. We actively encourage community engagement and user-generated content, ensuring our reviews reflect real player experiences. Our approach combines simplicity, transparency, and a direct connection with our audience. We believe that this strong content strategy and dedication to genuine player feedback are the reasons behind these nominations.

“We are very grateful and proud of these nominations,” said Jekaterina Dubnicka, Head of Marketing and Communications. “It is exciting to see our team’s hard work acknowledged. We appreciate our users and partners, whose support has been key to our success.”

The AffPapa iGaming Awards ceremony will take place online on June 20, 2025. Slotsjudge looks forward to attending and celebrating with the industry. We thank the jury for their recognition, and we are excited about the future, continuing to grow alongside our valued community and partners.