The decision to enter and seek rapid expansion across a market is not simply a case of doing so at the earliest opportunity. A multitude of factors must be considered to ensure that the immediate inroads made results in sustained, long-term success.
This lay behind Clever Advertising’s decision to enter into a unity with Spotlight Sports Group’s Pickswise brand, in what has been hailed as a natural step to progress the high ambitions possessed by each party.
Subsequently, the former will contribute to Pickswise’s content strategy and delivery, while simultaneously working to launch a redesigned app to deepen its footprint with operators and audiences across North America.
In conversation with SBC Americas, Clever Advertising Chief Operating Officer Marcos Oliveira and Spotlight Sports Group’s CEO Mark Renshaw dissect why the alliance will pay dividends, as well as how Pickswise is set to soar to new heights.
SBC Americas: How exactly will this alliance enable you to take a significant step in your U.S. expansion strategy?
Marcos Oliveira: This partnership allows us to further expand into the U.S. market in a way that feels much more connected to the community itself. Rather than approaching it purely from a media-buying or affiliate standpoint, we’re building around engagement; the conversations, insights and recommendations that happen organically among sports fans.
The U.S. audience is highly social, especially around major sports moments like the NFL season. Pickswise already has an established, trusted presence within that community, and by combining that with Clever Advertising’s performance expertise and data-driven approach, we can deepen that relationship.
In short, it’s not just about reaching fans, it’s about becoming part of the conversation, creating more authentic engagement, and giving sports bettors content they actually want to interact with and share. That’s a different way of entering and expanding in the market for us, and one that we believe is more sustainable long-term.
SBCA: What appealed about Clever Advertising when opting to undertake such a partnership, as opposed to other options that were on the table?
Mark Renshaw: Alongside Spotlight Sports Group, Clever Advertising was recently recognized as one of the world’s top five sports betting affiliates, so the chance to join forces felt like a natural next step rather than just another partnership opportunity.
Clever’s track record in scaling sports betting brands globally, and their proven ability to turn audience insight into measurable growth, gave us real confidence that they were the right fit for Pickswise.
What stood out most was their passion for the US market. They understood not just the commercial opportunity, but the community aspect that makes American sports culture unique.
Together, we’re focused on sustainable, long-term growth, deepening engagement with fans, building trust and positioning Pickswise as one of the most authentic, data-driven betting brands in the U.S.
SBCA: You state that “Clever Advertising is uniquely positioned to help scale Pickswise to new heights.” How is this so?
MO: Clever Advertising operates at a scale few performance marketing companies in our space can match. Every month, our teams and systems manage a meaningful quantity of data and traffic across multiple continents, optimizing campaigns in real time for conversion, engagement and compliance.
That technical infrastructure gives Pickswise the ability to grow exponentially without compromising on user experience.
We also bring extensive experience in understanding and driving FTDs and not just in volume, but in quality. Our expertise lies in connecting the right audience to the right operator at the right time, which is exactly what will accelerate Pickswise’s growth.
On top of that, we’ve built a strong, trusted working relationship with Spotlight Sports Group over the years, having already worked together on Racing Post. That alignment makes execution seamless.
Our teams understand each other’s strengths, their editorial and brand authority paired with our data science, tracking and user acquisition capabilities. Together, that combination gives Pickswise the power to reach and engage a far wider U.S. audience than ever before.
SBCA: What does an improved experience for bettors encapsulate? How can Pickswise help entice new users and crucially retain these for the long-term?
MR: Pickswise already has strong brand authority and a loyal user base that’s been built organically through trusted content and smart SEO. But as the US sports betting landscape matures, retention will depend on creating an experience that goes beyond tips and predictions.
We’re developing a best-in-class app designed to bring fans closer to the action, not just through expert insight, but through community interaction, gamification and personalised experiences.
Our ambition is to make Pickswise the daily home for sports bettors, a place where they can learn, share, debate and be part of something bigger. It’s about giving users reasons to return every day, whether for data-led picks, social interaction or simply being part of a trusted sports betting community.
