Leading racing and sportsbook data supplier Pythia Sports has unveiled its AI-powered solution which is designed to help buyers identify standout breeze-up prospects during the sales season.

The month of April welcomes the annual series of ‘breeze-up sales’ – at which two year-old horses are put through their paces and then sold at auction.

And now, there’s a new technology designed to make the process of solving the sales more efficient. 

Pythia Sports’s tech provides buyers with a deeper analysis of the horse’s breezing, combining artificial intelligence, machine learning and historical breeze-up sales data to improve the accuracy of performance predictions.

Incorporating more than 100 essential factors, the innovative tech is a proprietary model which evaluates time, stride and biomechanics for every horse at the breeze-ups. These considerations then generate a comprehensive rating for each horse. 

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Technology already making an impact

Pythia introduced the technology to the breeze-up sale at Newmarket last week, where it gathered a lot of interest from the breeze-up fraternity, says Pythia head of commercial operations, Stephen Davison, and will continue its analysis in Doncaster next week.

“The technology analyses three different sections of the breeze: the time, speed and stride profile, the model tracks each stride as the horse gallops combining it with sectional times,” says Davison. “That allows us to see how the stride profile changes as the horse accelerates and when it reaches top speed.

“We have biomechanics as well, that looks at the horse’s walk and takes measurements of a horse’s conformation and its gait. That works in conjunction with historic racing performances to learn what the most defining physical features are in an elite horse. 

“For example we can go back ten years to look up breeze-up data to say, ‘this horse did this breeze, this stride and these biomechanics’ and then the machine learning model can start picking up stuff we’ve missed or things we’ve maybe underestimated or overestimated.”

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“I think there’s definitely starting to be a lot more openness to people using data to inform their decision making. You only have to look at where football was 10-15 years ago to where it is today. The obvious examples are Brighton and Brentford who were using their own player data models to find value in the transfer market way before any other top level club.  It is only natural that you can get a cross over into other sports and other industries. We’re hoping we can play our part in revolutionising the way horse racing and bloodstock views the use of data within the sport. “  

The Doncaster sale takes place April 23-24, with the breeze from 8.30am on the 23rd and the sale beginning at 10am sharp on the 24th. 

World Lottery Association approves innovative software provider with certification to Security Control Standard Level 2 

Online gaming and lottery software provider Bede Gaming has taken another important step on its mission to provide market-leading and secure platform software to its customers, with the announcement that it has acquired World Lottery Association (WLA) Security Control Standard (WLA-SCS) Level 2.

The WLA is a highly respected organisation within the global lottery and sports betting industry, and its Security Control Standard is the only internationally recognised standard for lottery and sports betting operators, and their suppliers. The standard aims to assist WLA members to achieve a level of security control that is aligned with generally accepted best practices.  Though Bede has long adhered to this wide range of criteria, receiving official confirmation of WLA-SCS Level 2 marks formal recognition.

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As an associate member of the WLA and an active iGaming platform provider in the North American market, Bede successfully completed the certification process in the previous quarter and is thrilled to have achieved the highest level of certification – WLA-SCS Level 2. Successfully gaining this certification demonstrates the high quality of product and service provided to its partners. It also confirms the strong security controls and protocols Bede has in place, all of which are approved by accredited industry standards.

As such, Bede is incredibly proud of the outcome of the recent audit, with Head of Risk & Compliance Gerrard Thompson being quick to acknowledge the effort and commitment of the team in achieving the new certification.

Thompson said: “Although Bede Gaming has long upheld the strict industry standards outlined by the WLA, gaining the organisation’s highest available certification is great validation of our high standards of operation and robust security measures.

“With WLA-SCS Level 2 now in place, I’d like to extend my sincere thanks for the hard work and effort of everyone in the Bede team for helping us achieve this important industry milestone.”

Provider launches the next Blackjack game in its Grand Bonus series featuring a Progressive Bonus System that delivers Mega and Grand wins

ICONIC21, the in-demand provider of iGaming content, has launched the latest title in its Grand Bonus series, Grand Bonus Blackjack.

Grand Bonus Blackjack takes the classic game to the next level thanks to the provider’s innovative Winning Streak System which sees each victory increase the next payout through rising Multipliers.

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With this unique Progressive Bonus System, the more rounds a player keeps winning, the more the Multiplier grows and the more rewards they can win.

With a two-level Bank System, players can unlock Mega rewards with four straight wins and Grand Rewards for five straight wins, although if the streak ends after four wins, the Mega Bank payout still kicks in as a safety net.

With Grand Bonus Blackjack, the classic rules remain unchanged and with Poker3 and Pairs side bets keeping the action both familiar and exciting.

The game is broadcast out of one of ICONIC21’s studios and is set against a luxurious, modern backdrop.

The provider’s game presenters are considered some of the best in the business and that’s certainly the case with Grand Bonus Blackjack, which uses its most experienced people.

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Grand Bonus Blackjack is the latest game in the Grand Bonus series with Grand Bonus Baccarat already proving to be a hit with players in markets across the world.

Edvardas Sadovskis, CPO at ICONIC21, said: “Grand Bonus Blackjack elevates engagement, anticipation, and excitement with our exclusive Progressive Bonus System.”

“As players lock in wins, the momentum intensifies, and the Multiplier grows with every victory. Four consecutive wins unlock the Mega prize, while a fifth win against the dealer secures the Grand prize.

“Grand Bonus Blackjack builds on the success of Grand Bonus Baccarat, which has resonated strongly with players across global markets. Statistics show that the Grand Bonus feature in Baccarat version significantly increased session length, and we anticipate a similar uplift with Blackjack.

“We’re confident that Grand Bonus Blackjack will match, if not surpass, the impact of its predecessor and can’t wait to see it featured in operator lobbies soon.”

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