Ronnie O’Sullivan to Speak at 2018 Betting on Sports Conference

Last month, Ronnie O’Sullivan, considered by many to be the best snooker player in the history of the game, signed up to become an ambassador for online gambling company BetCris. As part of his initial duties, the 42 year-old Londoner will attend this year’s Betting on Sports conference in his home town from September 18-21, with his prime responsibility being to address the ‘Sport in Focus’ part of the session, and explain to bookmakers why snooker represents such a lucrative opportunity for their businesses.

Commenting upon their latest recruit, Hilly Ehrlich, who is the CEO of the company’s UK operation, said that O’Sullivan’s high popularity in snooker will allow BetCris to better promote its brand and communicate its message more effectively, stating:

“Snooker has grown to the point where it’s now played in front of an international audience. Fans worldwide are quick to connect with big characters and follow their progress in the biggest tournaments with a bet. For this reason, Ronnie O’Sullivan is the perfect ambassador for BetCris.”

The Rocket

Ronnie O’Sullivan first started playing snooker when he was just 7 years old, and three years later recorded his first competitive century break, followed by his first competitive maximum break aged 15. In 1992, a 16 year-old O’Sullivan subsequently embarked upon his professional career, and it didn’t take long for him to make his mark on the game, either.

In 1993, O’Sullivan won the UK Championship title just short of his 18th birthday, still representing the youngest age any player has ever won a ranking title, while in 1995 he also became the youngest player to win the Masters, after doing so at the age of 19 years and 69 days. Amongst the other snooker records O’Sullivan holds is the most amount of century breaks ever made at 948, and the quickest 147 ever recorded at 5 minutes and 20 seconds.

Nicknamed The Rocket, O’Sullivan has captured 5 World Championships, 7 Masters titles, and 6 UK Championships throughout his career, netting him a massive £9.7 million in career winnings.

Betting on Sports 2018

According to the Sport Betting Community website, the Betting on Sports conference to be held in September is a must-attend event focusing on everything to do with the sports and betting industries, including “leadership, legislation, marketing & sponsorship, innovation and data.”

The four day conference is expected to be attended by more than 2,000 delegates, 160 gambling operators, as well as 100 sports clubs. Two hundred industry speakers will subsequently give talks across six main tracks, namely Betting on Racing, Betting on Americas, Betting on Regulation, Innovation and Technology and Future of Betting.

Industry Involvement

Aside from his competitive career, Ronnie ‘The Rocket’ O’Sullivan has been involved in the industry side of snooker for many years now, and last year attended the inaugural SBC Snooker Forum in Marylebone. The opinionated pro took the opportunity to shed his unique insight into the future direction of snooker, and especially the ever increasing importance of China to the game.

According to O’Sullivan, up to 80% of the world’s top sport players will be Chinese within a decade. In terms of his own sport, Ronnie contrasted the opportunities available for UK players, stating that “there isn’t an amateur circuit” in the country, while there are 5,000 snooker clubs in Shanghai and 3,000 in Beijing helping to produce a “conveyor belt of Chinese talent”.

O’Sullivan also expressed his hope that as the Chinese market expands enough would be done to ensure the sport’s overall integrity. He further took time to praise the good work done by the regulatory body responsible for the UK circuit, commenting that they are “doing a great job of cleaning things up.”

Looking forward to the upcoming Betting on Sports conference in London, Rasmus Sojmark, the CEO and Founder of SBC Global (Sports Betting Community), commented:

“Ronnie O’Sullivan is an undisputed legend of snooker, so we’re delighted to secure him as a speaker for Betting on Sports 2018. Anyone that follows snooker will be aware of his impact on the sport, his understanding over its status as a betting proposition, and his reputation for putting on a show.”