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NBA Conference Semis: this week’s betting market movers and shakers from Cloudbet


For all intents and purposes, it was a hell of a first round in the NBA playoffs. There were series sweeps (adios Philadelphia, adios Indiana) and a couple that went all the way (hello Houston, hello Denver).
There were buzzer-beaters and phenomenal scoring efforts heralding the emergence of the game’s next superstars (see Doncic, L., Murray, J.) as well as heart-breaking individual efforts that ultimately came to naught (see Mitchell, D.).
The game’s best-known player (see James, L.) rediscovered his imperious form, while the reigning MVP (Antetokounmpo, G.) needed a first-game scare before eventually rolling over his scrappy first-round opponents.
In the midst of all that, there was a temporary halt to protest yet another police shooting in America. Yes, there has been no shortage of drama in the NBA bubble, even without the crowd support and the home-court advantages conferred to higher seeded teams. Arguably, the games have been more dramatic precisely for those reasons.
With the first round out of the way, it’s appropriate for Cloudbet’s trading experts to look at the big movers in the outright markets, as we continue to head into the next stage – the Conference Semifinals – of the most audacious sporting experiment ever undertaken.
Celtic pride
Title odds: 7.09/+609 (from 14.7/+1374 at the start of the first round)
The Celtics have replaced Milwaukee as the favourites to take the Eastern Conference title after sweeping Philadelphia in the first round and taking a 2-1 lead over the Toronto Raptors. Jayson Tatum has been a stud in the playoffs, leading his team with 27 points per game, with solid support from Kemba Walker and Jaylen Brown. They’ve certainly stepped up and for now are more than accounting for the injured Gordon Hayward’s absence.
Meanwhile, their current opponents, the Raptors, have defied expectations this season even without star guard Kawhi Leonard, who left for the Los Angeles Clippers after leading Toronto to the NBA title last year. The Raps stellar run looked to be faltering in the face of a seriously motivated Celtics unit, even though they’ve kept their hopes alive with a Game 3 win.
Still, that win required a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from OG Anunoby, in a game where Boston looked a little too casual. Expect the Celtics to reapply themselves, and with Raps All-Star Pascal Siakam still in lacklustre form, Boston may just have the edge in talent.
The markets slightly favour Boston to win the series in six games (3.5/+250) and move on to the conference finals.
Milwaukee Falters
Title odds: 7.79/+679 (from 3.52/+252 at the start of the first round)
The Bucks, title favorites for much of this year, have had a less than stellar bubble experience, and they’ve been big drifters in the past week. They’ve won just 7 out of their 15 games since the season restarted, a far cry from their 77% win rate during the regular season – and they’ve now lost the two opening games of their series against the Miami Heat.
There are now indications in the market that Milwaukee gets put out this round. The line on a Heat series win is now 1.57 (-173), compared with 2.39 (+139) for the Bucks.
Commentators have questioned Milwaukee’s ability to defend strong 3-point shooting teams and their ability to close out tight games. They’ve suffered from sloppy ball handling, giving them the second-highest turnover rate among teams in this year’s playoffs.
Don’t discount the star power: Giannis Antetokounmpo is a clear favourite to win his second-straight league MVP award, and he’ll do everything he can to give the Bucks their first title since 1974. He’ll need much more help from the likes of Eric Bledsoe and Khris Middleton, who have been inconsistent on the offensive end.
Antetokounmpo said as much after his team’s tight Game 2 loss against the Heat: “It’s about us. It’s always gonna be about us. That’s why we practice. That’s why we go through our game plan. That’s why we’ve got to come out and play harder,” he told reporters.
Miami heats up
Title odds: 8/+700 (from 29.4/+2846 at the start of the first round)
The Heat’s line has improved significantly after they swept Indiana 4-0 in the first round and kept their streak going against the Bucks. Miami cornerstone Jimmy Butler is playing close to his All-Star best, in spite of an indifferent (and very tight) Game 2 against Milwaukee.
Still, that game brought home how strong his supporting cast has been during these playoffs. This is a line-up that outgunned Indiana by an average margin of 10.5 points per match, and includes Duncan Robinson, who is fifth in the league for made 3-pointers this season.
Did we mention earlier that the Bucks have trouble defending 3s? The Heat made 37.9% of their regular-season attempts from beyond the arc, the second-highest rate in the league.
They can certainly pour on the points on a good day, but so can the Bucks. The key for Miami will be how they handle Antetokounmpo defensively, while keeping half an eye on his supporting cast to make sure they don’t light up. The Bucks know firsthand that a comeback is possible: Last year, they won the first two games against Toronto in the conference finals before losing four straight. Miami would do well to take heed – this series is far from over.
We the West
Los Angeles Clippers title odds: 3.14/+214 (from 3.84/+284 before the first round)
Los Angeles Lakers title odds: 3.54/+254 (from 3.77/+277)
While not a massive improvement in their lines, it’s worth just talking about the two LAs because of their star-studded line-ups, and because they’re favoured to face each other in the Western Conference finals.
The Clippers were efficient and effective in dispatching Dallas in the first round, even through injury and Covid-related personnel issues. Kawhi Leonard is the highest scorer of all players left in the playoffs, and his Clippers have averaged more points than any other unit in the postseason.
The Clippers are well rested compared with current opponents Denver, which had to survive a bruising 7-game series against Utah. LA are boosted by the return of guard Patrick Beverley from a calf injury, who will play big defensive minutes shadowing Denver stud Jamal Murray.
With all this in mind, markets favour the Clippers to prevail over the Nuggets in the current round. LA thumped Denver by 23 points in Game 1 of their series.
Meanwhile, after early bubble yips, the Lakers rediscovered their offense in their first-round 4-1 wine over Portland. GOAT contender Lebron James lifted his game when it mattered, as he has done frequently in his career. He’s currently the playoffs’ assists leader, with 10 dimes per game, while he and running mate Anthony Davis are in the top 10 for scoring.
The Lakers averaged 117 points in the Portland series, after posting 106 per game in the 8 regular season games in the bubble. They go up against a Houston Rockets team that can also score by the truckload, but is coming off a 7-game series against Oklahoma City. Rocket guard Russell Westbrook has been struggling with form and a thigh injury. All of that means the Lakers are heavy favourites (1.15/-654) to beat Houston (5.48/+448).
Results and odds are current as of 8am UTC on Friday 4 September
The Cloudbet Story
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We wrote our own rules and audaciously created an industry we are highly respected in. But that’s just the beginning. As always, it’s what comes next that really excites us. We keep innovating, delivering world firsts time and time again.
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Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
This is a Syndicated News piece. Photo credits or photo sources can be found on the source article: NBA Conference Semis: this week’s betting market movers and shakers from Cloudbet

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Fast Track AI to change the face of iGaming CRM
Fast Track will unveil its new AI-driven natural language platform on 2 September during its annual Fast Track House event in Malta. The launch will also be streamed live online from 4 PM CEST, giving the iGaming industry an exclusive first look at the future of player engagement.
For the past decade, Fast Track has pioneered real-time data integration, the Singularity Model, the only Gameplay Risk Engine, and Rewards, the first AI-ready gamification system. Each innovation has moved the company closer to its vision: to digitalise the iGaming industry and deliver the first self-learning engagement platform.
Fast Track AI is trained on over 10 years of iGaming expertise and designed to transform how CRM teams work. It can perform technical analysis on terabytes of real-time data, deliver advanced insights into CRM performance and player behaviour, and uniquely take direct action on those insights across the platform.
“This isn’t just AI added to CRM. This is CRM re-engineered for the natural language era,” said Simon Lidzén, CEO and Co-Founder of Fast Track.
“Even your wildest imagination can only take you so far; minds have been bound by constraints for so long that it is hard to picture the full power of Fast Track AI. You simply need to see it to believe it. This is why I am organising a live session to unveil it; to showcase what a native iGaming CRM, built on the most comprehensive real-time data infrastructure together with the Singularity Model, is capable of. I urge the whole industry to sign up.” Lidzén added.
The big reveal will take place during the Fast Track House event in Malta and will be streamed live online. The broadcast begins at 4:00 PM CEST on 2 September.
Registration is now open: https://app.livestorm.co/fast-track/fast-track-ai-in-action
The post Fast Track AI to change the face of iGaming CRM appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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TSG Group’s financial results for Q2 2025: solid foundations, transformation of core titles and global debut of Trophy Hunter.
In Q2 2025, Ten Square Games consistently executed its plan to transform its core titles and further expanded the flight simulator segment, with a particular focus on Wings of Heroes. The share of TSG Store in Group bookings reached new record levels.
The Company successfully prepared for the launch of its newest game, Trophy Hunter, on the global market and made significant progress in developing Real Combat Simulator. Although in the short term the effects of these efforts are not yet fully visible in q/q results, on a y/y basis – in H1 2025 – the Group recorded clear improvement in adjusted EBITDA and net profit, and generated a strong cash position.
“Our strategy is clear – the transformation of our core titles, accelerating the growth of Wings of Heroes, and bringing new projects to market. The past quarter showed that we are making real progress in each of these areas, even if the effects are not always immediately visible. That is why we are especially pleased with the successful launch of Trophy Hunter – our first new title since 2022. Players received it very positively, and early KPIs demonstrate clear growth potential. The progress achieved so far strengthens our conviction that the path we have chosen for the Group’s development is the right one.” – said Andrzej Ilczuk, CEO of Ten Square Games S.A.
Transformation of core titles
In H1 2025, Group bookings amounted to PLN 171.9 million, down 12.3% y/y, driven by declines in both core titles. In Fishing Clash, bookings reached PLN 101.4 million in H1, including PLN 48.7 million in Q2 2025 alone. Hunting Clash generated bookings of PLN 33.9 million in H1, of which PLN 15.2 million came in Q2 2025.
The Group continued the transformation process in both titles, aimed at halting the decline in bookings and rebuilding monetization potential. Key actions included extensive testing of player segmentation and offers, as well as improving the early-game user experience. During the period, user acquisition spending was significantly reduced. This was a deliberate decision which, while lowering bookings in the short term, is designed to increase the effectiveness of marketing investments in the longer perspective.
A return to higher marketing spend is planned once key game metrics, in particular early retention, improve. Enhancing the early-stage player experience remains a critical element of the transformation process. According to the Management Board, the tests already show initial positive signals, although full effects will take more time as the solutions are extended to larger groups of players who account for a significant share of Group bookings.
Growth of projects with increasing importance: Wings of Heroes, Real Flight Simulator and TSG Store
Titles in the flight simulator segment maintained positive y/y growth in bookings. In H1 2025, Wings of Heroes achieved bookings of PLN 13.6 million, up 111.7% y/y, while Real Flight Simulator generated PLN 10.5 million (+7.9% y/y). In Q2 2025, bookings for these projects reached PLN 6.3 million and PLN 5.2 million respectively. Both projects will soon deliver new updates to players.
TSG Store approached the strategic threshold of 25% share in Group bookings – in June 2025 the ratio stood at 23.4%. The share reached 32.9% in Fishing Clash and 21.7% in Hunting Clash. Record results of TSG Store were driven primarily by systematic in-house development, including the introduction of a unique currency in Hunting Clash, a redesigned store in Fishing Clash, and the implementation of a loyalty system for customers. An important external factor was also a U.S. federal court ruling allowing direct in-app communication with players using Apple devices in the USA about the store’s offer.
New projects: successful global debut of Trophy Hunter and development of Real Combat Simulator
On July 3, 2025, the global premiere of Trophy Hunter took place – Ten Square Games’ first new release since October 2022. Early retention and monetization metrics outperform the Group’s previous titles and highlight the game’s growth potential. The Company is supporting its development with marketing campaigns whose budgets are gradually increasing. The product roadmap for H2 2025 assumes rapid enrichment of the game with new content and features designed to strengthen its community aspects and differentiate Trophy Hunter from competitors. The team’s top priority at this stage is to support player retention and engagement. As of August, the development team has been expanded to 11 people. Trophy Hunter operates on a hybrid model, generating revenues from both in-app purchases and ads.
At the same time, Real Combat Simulator, developed by the Group’s subsidiary Rortos, is progressing. Work is currently underway on an update introducing multiplayer mode and new content – a key stage bringing the project closer to global launch.
Solid foundations and financial flexibility
“In the first half of 2025, Ten Square Games’ financial results improved year-on-year despite a decline in bookings. This improvement was largely driven by reduced marketing spend and strong cost discipline across other areas. During this period, we once again allocated a record-high dividend to our shareholders, while the strength of our business model was confirmed by a solid cash position that ensures financial flexibility for the future,” said Magdalena Jurewicz, CFO of Ten Square Games S.A.
In H1 2025, adjusted EBITDA of the Ten Square Games Group reached PLN 57.6 million, up 5.0% y/y. In Q2 2025, adjusted EBITDA stood at PLN 27.0 million – broadly in line with last year, but down 11.4% compared to Q1 2025. Net profit in H1 2025 increased 18.7% y/y to PLN 47.4 million, while in Q2 it amounted to PLN 20.0 million, lower both y/y and q/q.
Operating cash flow in January–June 2025 amounted to PLN 56.3 million, of which PLN 26.3 million was generated in Q2. In the same period, the Company paid a dividend of PLN 100 million and settled an earn-out payment of PLN 14.7 million to the former owners of Rortos. Regular generation of cash from operations provides the Group with solid financial foundations, enabling simultaneous investment in growth and sharing profits with shareholders.
The post TSG Group’s financial results for Q2 2025: solid foundations, transformation of core titles and global debut of Trophy Hunter. appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Kantar Finds Security Driving iGaming, SOFTSWISS Leading Loyalty
SOFTSWISS, a global tech provider with over 15 years of iGaming expertise, shares first takeaways from a Kantar-led qualitative study conducted at iGB L!VE London, showing that security, reliability and revenue-growth potential are the most influential criteria when selecting iGaming software partners. The findings also place SOFTSWISS first by Net Promoter Score (NPS) – the industry benchmark for client loyalty and advocacy.
Designed as an event-based, face-to-face qualitative survey, the Kantar study explored how operators, game providers, and iGaming tech companies make procurement and partnership decisions. Across the total sample, respondents most frequently ranked safety and security of operations as the number-one driver, followed by a reliable partner with a strong market reputation and the ability to open up new revenue opportunities. Close behind were stable, low-downtime infrastructure and a high level of client service – signalling that risk mitigation and dependable delivery are the baseline for partnership decisions, with growth enablement expected rather than optional.
The study revealed a clear divide in priorities between final decision-makers and decision influencers. Influencers place comparatively more weight on the “everyday assurances” of an iGaming platform, like:
- Security
- Client service
- Optimised service infrastructure
Final decision-makers look further out, prioritising:
- Stable infrastructure with minimal downtime
- Clear business-growth levers
- A reliable partner with a strong market reputation
For vendors, the takeaway is to address both sides: demonstrate service excellence to operational stakeholders and prove resilience, scalability and go-live readiness to executive sponsors.
Olga Resiga, Chief Business Development Officer at SOFTSWISS, said: “Security and reliability are now the non-negotiables of iGaming procurement. What Kantar’s work highlights is the two-lens buying logic: operational teams evaluate partners on day-to-day assurance – robust security, responsive support and efficient infrastructure – while final decision-makers judge long-term resilience, Tier-1 launch readiness and the capacity to unlock new revenues. Our roadmap is built for both: verifiable security and service benchmarks today, coupled with proven high-load performance and compliance for tomorrow’s growth.”
Net Promoter Score, calculated as the share of promoters minus detractors, is a widely used indicator of client loyalty. SOFTSWISS achieved the highest NPS in the evaluated set. In open responses, clients most often described SOFTSWISS as a “reputable company” and “most reliable”, repeatedly citing “reliability” as the key reason for high ratings. Beyond NPS, SOFTSWISS was most frequently associated with a broad range of strengths: safety and security, a reliable partner with strong market standing, stable and low-downtime tech infrastructure, and a high level of client service.
SOFTSWISS continues to share market-ready expertise with industry stakeholders. Recent resources include the Sportsbook Online Calculator and the iGaming in LatAm Report, both available on the SOFTSWISS website.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS provides certified software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 30,000 casino games, the Affilka affiliate platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. The expert team counts over 2,000 employees.
The post Kantar Finds Security Driving iGaming, SOFTSWISS Leading Loyalty appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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