Hero Gaming - What does it mean to be a Sportsbook Manager? What should one expect as a typical day?
Mark Simmonds - If you are a sports enthusiast like me, it is a dream job. Here at Hero Gaming, I manage the profit and loss and oversee the entire sports vertical. The role is diverse but general duties include enhancing the product offering, releasing new features, and managing the trading and risk management. Commercial negotiation and relationship with third-party suppliers are also a fundamental part of my job, and instigating integrations, assisting with brand launches, and working closely with other teams such as Marketing, Tech, Analytics, and Customer Service.
If you look purely on the operational side, it is important to keep the sports content relevant and updated, monitor activity and ensure the offering is matching expectations. At Hero Gaming, we are always looking to grow the business, so there are always strategic discussions around product improvements, new territories, and marketing opportunities.
What are traits that are key to thrive in this position?
To be successful in sports betting, you must have the knowledge and passion for betting, not just sports itself. You must understand customer’s needs & wants and be aware of what competitors are doing. Furthermore, sportsbook is forever a ‘long game’ you need to have the drive and patience to thrive in this industry. You must be prepared to take risks and be accountable for your mistakes. Like we say at Hero Gaming, you must ‘Dare to Win.’
What are the main challenges you will be faced within this role? Any tips you can share on how to mitigate these challenges?
Like most other companies in Malta, Hero Gaming achieves most of its revenue from Casino. Given the uniqueness of sports as a vertical, it can be a hardsell sometimes internally and struggle with priorities. Fortunately, at Hero Gaming they see the potential in sports but you might need to prove its worth when Casino is making most of the profits. One other challenge is that sportsbook can be heavily affected by results (Sometimes the favorites just win.) Here is where the knowledge, patience and risk-taking characteristics come in.
Are there any perks that usually revolve around this role?
The world is your oyster! It really depends on your company setup, but usually being the main contact for sports is a huge benefit. Your voice is always heard, and, in my case, you get the freedom to innovate. Should your company invest in sponsorship, you could get your hands on some exciting tickets.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start in this career?
Look for entry roles within the gambling industry like Customer support or as a sports trader. Do your research, sign-up to multiple bookmaker accounts and try to ‘beat the bookie.’ There are plenty of online forums that can assist you but do not hesitate to reach out to those who know already!
Source: Hero Gaming
