iGaming Business magazine Gaming Platforms 2018 | Page 15

Gaming Platforms
2018
Q&A: Mario Ovcharov,
UltraPlay
With more than fi ve years’ experience delivering innovative betting
products, UltraPlay chief executive Mario Ovcharov explains how the
fi rm’s esports and crypto pedigree sets it apart
iGB: After several years in executive positions
at UltraPlay, you recently stepped up as CEO.
How would you describe the path that UltraPlay
has taken over the years?
Mario Ovcharov: Since UltraPlay was founded
eight years ago, the company has recorded several
breakthroughs, including introducing a range of
new and exciting technological and betting concepts.
From offering our turnkey online gaming platform, to
expanding the product verticals to include one of the
hottest – esports, we keep on delivering solutions that
contribute to a profi table business for our partners.
In 2014 we came up with the brilliant idea of covering
esports – a landmark in the company’s history. Back
then there were no markets, no live betting, and very
little coverage of tournaments. We started with a small
number of traders to cover most major events. Right
then and there, we introduced live betting on CS:GO
and started to offer new titles live, even going as far as
Hearthstone and King of Glory. Now, our partners have
the richest range of options for in-play betting on esports.
Naturally for such a hectic industry, we have
experienced many changes, trends, and technologies
over time, but stayed on track to create products that
appeal to players, ensure they enjoy betting and drive
incremental revenues for the operators.
What is your USP compared to other companies
active in esports?
Frankly speaking, we are the industry standard for
esports odds. Our in-house esports trading department is
the largest in terms of sheer size and competence, as well
as being the most comprehensive software solution. Built
by our developers, it providers the ultimate solution for
both operators’ and players’ requirements.
UltraPlay’s greatest achievement is our live offering,
which enables our clients to offer fi ve times more games
with in-play betting coverage than any competitor.
The innovative match predicting system Odds.gg
demonstrates our knowledge and experience in esports
so that industry professionals can gain insights and
competence in this very specifi c and dynamic sector.
We are at the forefront of delivering software that
enables betting brands to enter esports and start
monetising the data. Odds.gg by itself is orders of
magnitude larger than most paid odds feeds on
the market today. Needless to say, the industry has
responded with huge interest. Hundreds of companies
integrated our API and started consuming it.
UltraPlay is also known for its cryptocurrency
projects, you even created your own esports
betting cryptocurrency. What’s next for the
company in this space?
UltraPlay’s experience in blockchain dates back more
than fi ve years, when the company was the fi rst to
introduce crypto betting through Bitcoin. Back then it
was perceived by many as an extravagant and risky idea.
Now, our industry is further embracing crypto wagering.
This is an on-going process for UltraPlay, with new
partnerships and projects due to be presented later
this year. We already extended the altcoins portfolio to
levels which a true crypto fan has never experienced
before. All of our partners can have better players
acquisition and retention and grow their crypto base
more easily. Besides, our own cryptocurrency eGold
has entered the next stage of the roadmap and in the
coming months will be presented on the brand-new
betting website Buff88 – a place that is designed to
satisfy both esports and crypto enthusiasts.
What are the goals the company’s seeking to
achieve for this year?
Our goals are very much aligned to shape the future of
esports betting. We will continue to evolve our products
so that they become fi rst-choice for many new partners
in emerging and well-established markets. We have
now extended the company’s road show with iGB Live!
and SIGMA where new developments and an extended
portfolio will be presented. Consolidating our position
in core markets, we are ready and looking forward to
discussing new partnerships at G2E Asia.
iGamingBusiness
Business | Issue 110 | May/June 2018
85