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About Classico
While Polymarket pulled off a coup with the signings of James, Eli Manning and Derek Jeter, a Novig ad featuring Sweeney arguably received as much fanfare. Sweeney, an Emmy Award-nominated actress known for her role in HBO’s Euphoria series, stars in the spot titled “Just Sports.” As of Friday afternoon, the Novig post on social media platform X received at least nine million views.
Throughout the ad, Novig throws shade on its rivals for offering niche markets on events such as the timeframe for when traders believe that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro will be removed from office. Unlike operators such as Kalshi and Polymarket, Novig has opted to limit its offerings to purely sports. “No betting on wars, or deaths…or politics,” Sweeney mused.
During the 2025-26 NBA season, Kalshi made waves by granting an equity stake to two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. According to the Wall Street Journal, Sweeney’s representatives approached Novig to express interest as a potential investor. Eventually, the company granted her an undisclosed amount in equity. The increased role of celebrity endorsements in the space is a trend that will likely receive closer observation in the coming months.
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Playtech also tracks its DEI achievements. According to Sophie Yaxley, the company’s global Centre of Excellence director, female representation within Playtech’s leadership rose from 23% in 2021 to 32% in 2025.
“Ultimately, our focus is not only on representation, but on fostering an environment where everyone has the opportunity to contribute, develop and succeed,” Yaxley says.
A key question around DEI has long been how the gambling sector can attract diverse talent. Increasingly, however, attention has shifted to whether it can retain the people it attracts.
About Classico
Grant has maintained that advantage play is not “dishonest or cheating” ever since his first legal brush with Star Casino.
However, he may have indeed been able to spot the imperfection in the cards, which is an outcome completely different than what was ruled in the case of Phil Ivey, a popular poker pro who ended up using edge sorting to win millions of dollars, but had to forfeit or repay his winnings in the end.
Grant said, at the time of his own case against Star Casino, that he had noticed cards being asymmetrical, but that he had no way of knowing what the next card on his table would be – just like other players there.
