Mims previews BetFest, an online event for sports bettors, sports betting brands & sports betting jobseekers
I have attended gaming conferences and sports betting seminars in cities that include New York, Atlantic City, Philadelphia and Las Vegas. This Saturday, I will experience for the first time, a totally all-online event that is dedicated to the sports bettor.
BetFest, to be held online Saturday, May 15 from 11am-5pm EDT, is the first gathering that brings sports bettors, sports celebrities, and sport betting brands all together to share information about the sports wagering industry. The event is unique because there will be opportunities to network for job seekers that are interested in sports betting as a career.
I was able to speak with Evan Davis, Managing Director of Betting at SeventySix Capital about BetFest. Here are two questions about the event,
What can the casual fan learn by attending BetFest?
Davis: We've designed BetFest to appeal to everyone from casual sports fans to serious sports bettors. We have included a "Sports Betting 101" panel featuring real experts in the space, including the managing editor of TheLines.com, the co-founder of SimpleBet, and Ed Miller, author of "The Logic of Sports Betting." We also have a lot of content directed at anyone who is looking to work in this growing industry. Plus, anyone who gets a ticket to BetFest gets a free electronic copy of Ed's book.”
As many as 28 states could have sports betting by the end of the year. What state had the model you would recommend to states that are considering legislation?
Davis: There's not really any "one size fits all" approach, but in general the states that are doing this best are figuring out how to allow the regulated industry to capture the black-market activity that's been going on for years. That means a reasonable tax rate, the proliferation of mobile betting, and no irrational restrictions on NCAA wagering, to name a few.
In addition to Davis, this is a list of some of the notable participants at BetFest.
ESPN's Doug Kezirian
Former CEO of William Hill Joe Asher
VSiN Live's Tim Murray
U.S. Integrity CEO Matthew Holt
Wayne Kimmel, Managing Partner at SeventySix Capital
Vic Salerno, President of US Bookmaking
Zachary Leonsis, SVP Strategic Initiatives at Monumental Sports and Entertainment
Jeff Sherman, Las Vegas SuperBook VP of Risk Management
Geoff Reiss, General Manager at Yahoo Sports
Contessa Brewer, CNBC correspondent known for coverage of gaming and casinos
After seeing this impressive lineup, you can get ticket purchasing information here. Look for me thru the day on Saturday, May 15. I plan to attend the "NBA Playoff Preview" and "What will Sports Betting look like in 5 years" sessions. You will see my tweets after each session with #BETFEST or #BETFEST2021. I will provide a recap on 5/17/21.
Follow me on Twitter and we can talk sports betting, gaming, and casino.