By Nico Kritsiotis (@nicokrit), 10bet Racing Ambassador
I’ve been so privileged to be asked by international betting company 10bet to be their racing ambassador over the last 13 months. Entering the South African horse racing fixed-odds market was always going to be a daunting task — there are some long-established brands in this space — but as a new entrant, 10bet’s year-on-year growth has been enormous as they navigate this hotly contested market.
Backing racing, and rugby too
That pride took a further leap just last month, when it was announced that 10bet is now the title sponsor of the iconic Johannesburg stadium, Ellis Park, and one of the main sponsors of the Lions rugby side — a side that outstripped its provincial counterparts when facing the New Zealand national side. This is a major statement of intent, and 10bet’s support of rugby in the land of Champions has been widely applauded.
The Direct Line
10bet’s support has also allowed me to grow our tipping brand, The Direct Line, which was born midway through Covid out of my fascination with analysing horse racing and studying the form book more closely. My podcast has grown in stature and given me the chance to interview some of the biggest names in South African racing — helping newer punters learn more about this special game, often called “the brain game.”
When people ask me how to learn more about it, I joke that they’d better set aside a couple of years. There are so many variables in racing that you need to understand each one before you can properly use it to assess a race.
Introducing The Inside Scoop
I asked the team at 10bet for a platform to tackle this — and other pressing racing matters — and together we’ve launched this column, The Inside Scoop. I’ll be using it to educate, inform, and grow interest in the sport of horse racing. I hope you’ll follow along and enjoy the topics I cover here.
Got a pressing question, want my take on a racing incident, or just want to talk horse racing? Email us at thedirectlinesa@gmail.com.
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