Discussion Centers on Financial Backing in Sports Gambling, Led by Penta Investments
Betting on Football 2017, a gathering of sports betting experts, saw a high-level panel, 'Managing Risk', take centre stage. The panel was comprised of industry leaders, including Shay Segev, COO of GVC Holdings, Marek Šmrha, Investment Manager at Penta Investments, Mark Blandford, Chairman of Valhalla Investments, and Christian Edler, Founder & Investor of Dreamworx Online.
During the discussion, the panel emphasised the importance of diversification, risk management, and systematic portfolio building in sports betting as an investment activity. They highlighted that successful sports betting requires identifying profitable systems with sufficient bet volume, acceptable hit rates, and consistent positive returns over time.
The experts stressed that diversifying across multiple leagues and bet types is essential to reduce risk and maintain profitability, as relying on a single system or league increases vulnerability to market changes. They also emphasised the importance of a well-structured, diversified portfolio of betting systems, which manages overall risk exposure and smooths returns, much like a traditional investment portfolio.
The panel also touched upon the current consolidated market environment and the challenges it presents. Shay Segev, COO of GVC Holdings, expressed his belief that his company is implementing an effective approach in this environment. Mark Blandford, Chairman of Valhalla Investments, added that the gambling market has seen an unprecedented development in recent years, but there are still opportunities for further exploration.
The event took place at Stamford Bridge, with the panel discussing topics such as management expectations, market disruption, and different types of investment. Christian Edler, Founder & Investor of Dreamworx Online, was looking forward to exchanging business insights at the conference. He considers sport betting as an attractive area for investment.
The future of sports betting as an investment is expected to rely increasingly on applying financial portfolio theory principles, focusing on selecting systems with proven positive expected value, diversifying bets across multiple leagues and systems, and applying disciplined risk management to sustain long-term profitability.
While the panel did not directly discuss behavioural effects like risk-seeking following wins or “break-even” effects, research in decision sciences does suggest such behavioural patterns influence betting behaviour, further underscoring the need for systematic risk management.
These synthesized themes are aligned with the state of expert advice in sports betting risk management around the time of 2017, as reflected in the most relevant sources. Penta Investments, which has a long-standing track record of working with Fortuna Entertainment, was represented on the panel by Marek Šmrha.
- In the discussion on sports betting as an investment, the panel stated that, similar to traditional investment, a well-structured and diversified portfolio of betting systems is crucial for managing overall risk exposure and maintaining profitability.
- Christian Edler, Founder & Investor of Dreamworx Online, expressed his interest in sports betting as an attractive area for investment, noting that successful sports betting requires identifying profitable systems and employing disciplined risk management for long-term profitability.
