Latest News
Award Longlist Revealed For The World’s Most Valuable Literary Sports-Writing Prize
The longlist for the 34th William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award has been revealed today (Thursday 29th September). A record 158 books were entered into this year’s Award, featuring a diverse mix of authors from across a wide range of sports including, tennis, football, athletics, golf, rugby and cycling.
Following a rigorous judging process from a panel including The Athletics’ Nancy Frostick, sports presenter Matt Williams and William Hill’s Neil Foggin, 15 authors have been selected for this year’s longlist.
The 15-book longlist features an array of topics including hard-hitting autobiographies and heart-breaking memories, along with harrowing accounts of racism and sexism in sport and never-been-heard before encounters of some of the most compelling figures within the sporting industry.
With the Lionesses winning the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 in July and the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 taking place at the end of the year, it’s no surprise that topics around football dominates this year’s longlist, with eight books making the list.
Three female authors made the cut with retired track and field athlete Anyika Onuora, The Guardian’s football writer Suzanne Wrack, and former Irish international footballer Clare Shine are in the running for the Award. The story of female athlete Beryl Burton, who dominated the world of cycling, also features in the longlist.
Former sports stars, and first-time authors, Patrice Evra and Steve Thompson have also made the list for the Award which has a £30,000 cash prize for the winner.
The William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2022 Longlist:
- Be Good, Love Brian: Growing Up with Brian Clough by Craig Bromfield
- The Master: The Brilliant Career of Roger Federer by Christopher Clarey
- 1999: Manchester United, the Treble and All That by Matt Dickinson
- Le Fric: Family, Power and Money: The Business of the Tour de France by Alex Duff
- I Love This Game by Patrice Evra
- England Football: The Biography: 1872-2022 by Paul Hayward
- God is Dead: The Rise and Fall of Frank Vandenbroucke, Cycling’s Great Wasted Talent by Andy McGrath
- My Hidden Race by Anyika Onuora
- Scoring Goals in the Dark by Clare Shine with Gareth Maher
- Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorised) Biography of Golf’s Most Colourful Superstar by Alan Shipnuck
- Expected Goals: The Story of how Data Conquered Football and Changed the Game Forever by Rory Smith
- Unforgettable: Rugby, Dementia and the Fight of My Life by Steve Thompson
- Beryl: In Search of Britain’s Greatest Athlete, Beryl Burton by Jeremy Wilson
- Two Brothers: The Life and Times of Bobby and Jackie Charlton by Jonathan Wilson
- A Woman’s Game: The Rise, Fall and Rise Again of Women’s Football by Suzanne Wrack
Book review panellist and renowned sports broadcaster, Matt Williams said: “This year, we received an unprecedented number of great entries from talented authors and publishers, and whittling these down to our top 15 was no small feat.
“There were many fantastic books which I would pick up and re-read over and over again that didn’t make the cut, which highlights just how impressive and well-written the books that made the longlist are.
“Racism and discrimination in sport, women’s football and the devastating effects of early onset dementia are just some of the diverse themes our longlist authors have covered, and are all huge topics in today’s sporting industry.
“It’s been truly an honour to have been part of the judging team for this year’s William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award and be able to read so many inspirational books from the most talented authors, which all should be recognised for their great literature. I look forward to seeing which of our longlist comes out on top.”
Now in its 34th year, the award is dedicated to rewarding excellence in sports writing and provides authors and publishers a platform to showcase and promote their book. The first William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award took place in 1989, earning it the title of the longest-established competition in the industry, and since launching, has attracted thousands of authors and publishers including Nick Hornby, Marcus Trescothick and Brian Moore, as well as last year’s winner Michael Holding and three-time winner Duncan Hamilton.
The shortlist will be unveiled on 27th October, with the winner declared on 1st December 2022 at an official award ceremony at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly, London. The Award has a £30,000 cash prize for the winner and the shortlisted authors will each receive £3,000 and a leather-bound copy of their book.
For more information about the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award and to enter, please visit: https://news.williamhill.com/sport/sports-book-of-the-year/

Latest News
Poppleston Allen bolsters Gambling Team with specialist commercial law consultant
Leading licensing law firm Poppleston Allen is delighted to announce that betting and gaming industry stalwart Tom Grant is joining their Gambling Team as a consultant solicitor, bolstering its offering by advising on commercial contracts.
Tom has more than 20 years of experience in the gambling sector and has advised high-profile clients including Buzz Bingo, Cowells-Arrow, FSB and GAN as well as numerous growing businesses within the sector. Tom will work with the Gambling team drafting, negotiating, and advising on a range of commercial agreements that are essential to the growth of our clients’ business, such as sponsorship agreements, game development agreement, sports data rights licences, content licensing, platform agreements, affiliate terms, white-label agreements and customer terms and conditions.
Partner and department head Nick Arron comments: “I’m really looking forward to working with Tom. We’ve had a number of clients in common for years and our legal practices complement each other nicely. Tom’s expertise and understanding of regulatory frameworks and commercial challenges are fairly unique within the gambling sector, and allows us to offer additional services to our clients and reflects the opportunities we see in the gambling industry.”
Tom Grant said: “This is a great opportunity for both of us. The team has an outstanding reputation in the sector, and I look forward to contributing my expertise to help clients navigate the complexities of commercial agreements and achieve success in a competitive and dynamic market.”
Alongside his work with Poppleston Allen, Tom will continue to grow his own practice at Grant Legal.
The post Poppleston Allen bolsters Gambling Team with specialist commercial law consultant appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
Altenar integrates Optimove’s Opti-X platform to deliver enhanced personalised content
Leading sportsbook technology provider adds dynamic layouts, real-time messaging and flexible experimentation tools
Altenar, a leading sports betting and iGaming software provider, has integrated Optimove’s Digital Experience Platform (DXP), Opti-X, to help operators boost engagement, personalisation and lifetime value from a player’s first visit.
Optimove’s DXP offers a Real-Time Messaging feature which allows operators to automatically trigger personalised messages across all marketing channels at the most opportune moments, ensuring timely and relevant communication that keeps players engaged.
Opti-X includes a Smart Search Engine powered by AI, which delivers lightning-fast, personalised search results. The engine tailors results based on a player’s past search history, platform behaviours, and betting preferences.
Altenar can now also offer more advanced end-to-end personalisation across all channels and platforms. Opti-X’s behavioural, historical, and predictive modelling equip operators to create detailed micro-segments, which promise more personalised interactions, fostering loyalty and increasing player value over time.
This strategic integration underscores Altenar’s commitment to continuously improving its offering and delivering innovative, player-centric solutions that have a significant impact for sports betting operators.
Diego Salas, Sales Manager at Altenar, said: “We are committed to enhancing the user experience and leveraging data to provide personalised content that offers clear benefits both to players and operators. Our partnership with Optimove allows our clients to better understand player behaviour and tailor their content to optimise their offerings and marketing messages.”
Adi Dagan, Senior Director of Partnerships at Optimove, said: “Altenar is a clear breakthrough leading sports betting software provider and being part of their solution is a true honour. This partnership is a boon for sports betting operators to ensure incredible personalised experience for each player. These are incredibly exciting times for online sports betting as we get to partner with an innovator like Altenar to take the industry to the next level.”
The post Altenar integrates Optimove’s Opti-X platform to deliver enhanced personalised content appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
Spillemyndigheden Calls Attention to FATF’s Updated Lists of High-risk Jurisdictions
The Danish Gambling Authority has called attention to FATF’s (Financial Action Task Force) updated lists of high-risk jurisdictions: the Grey List (jurisdictions under increased monitoring) and Black List (call for actions). Among other things, gambling operators must include FATF’s lists of high-risk jurisdictions when assessing players’ risk.
Jurisdictions listed on the Grey List are Algeria, Angola, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Ivory Coast, Croatia, DR Congo, Haiti, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Mali, Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Venezuela, Vietnam and Yemen.
Jurisdictions listed on the Black List are Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran and Myanmar
Gambling operators are required to conduct enhanced customer due diligence (EDD) pursuant to section 17(1) of the Danish AML Act, if a player is assessed to impose a higher risk of the gambling operator being misused for money laundering or terrorist financing.
Gambling operators shall conduct this risk assessment based on Annex 3 to the AML Act (high-risk factors) which includes the FATF high-risk country lists (the so called black list and grey list)
It is not required that gambling operators perform EDD if a country is listed on the FATF’s list. EDD are only a requirement for players from jurisdictions listed in the EU Regulation of High Risk Third Country list pursuant to. 17(2) of the AML Act.
The post Spillemyndigheden Calls Attention to FATF’s Updated Lists of High-risk Jurisdictions appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
Latest News3 months ago
GamCare releases Annual Report following record breaking year of support on the National Gambling Helpline
-
Latest News3 months ago
Kambi Group plc repurchase of shares during 18 December – 23 December 2024
-
Latest News3 months ago
India Levels Up: Emerging as a Global Gaming Powerhouse in 2024
-
Latest News3 months ago
Imagine Live Partners with King.rs
-
Latest News1 month ago
Sportradar’s Alpha Odds Receives Dual Honors at European iGaming Awards 2025
-
Latest News1 month ago
Fall in Love with Nature’s Greatest Romantics This Valentine’s Day at Springbok Casino and Claim 25 Free Spins
-
Latest News1 month ago
Swintt secured ISO 27001: 2022 certification
-
Latest News3 months ago
Be victorious with VinciSpin, a brand-new online casino launched by Betmen Affiliates
You must be logged in to post a comment Login