Colossus Bets
IndustryGambling
Founded2013 (age 13) in UK
FounderBernard Marantelli, Zeljko Ranogajec
Hq locationLondon, England
Key peopleDavid O’Reilly (CEO)
ProductsSports betting, sports technology, pools betting
Websitewww.colossusbets.com

Colossus Bets is a British bookmaker specialising in pools betting, headquartered in London. The company was founded in 2013 by Bernard Marantelli and Zeljko Ranogajec,[1] and holds several US patents covering cash-out and pools-betting functionality.[2]

History

Colossus Bets was launched in the UK in 2013, initially providing solely football pools.[3][4] They would go on to add horse racing, greyhound racing, American football, ice hockey, basketball and darts pools, making them a multi-sport pools provider.[5]

In 2017, Colossus launched Syndicates, a group betting product that would allow its users to share the cost of their bets, and any potential winnings, with fellow players.[6] The introduction of horse racing pools in July 2018 meant that, for the first time, The Tote was no longer the sole horse racing pools operator in the UK market.[7][8]

Colossus Bets pools have been integrated into a number of partner sites,[9][10][11] including Bet365,[12] Betway Africa[13] and Dafabet.[14]

In August 2017, Colossus Bets announced that they had entered into a partnership with 54 British racecourses in order to supply betting pools.[15] However, in May 2018 a number of newspaper articles were published revealing that Zeljko Ranogajec was the principal backer of the company using the alias of John Wilson.[16][17][18] Subsequently, the consortium of 54 racecourses (Britbet) cancelled their arrangement with Colossus Bets in favour of The Tote.[19]

In October 2020, Marantelli left his role as chief executive and director;[20] David O'Reilly was appointed as his successor.[21]

In May 2021 Esports Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: EBET) announced an exclusive alliance with Colossus Bets.[22] Under the terms of the agreement Colossus Bets became a shareholder in Esports Technologies Inc.[23]

In 2021, Colossus Bets filed patent-infringement proceedings against DraftKings in the United States[2] and against Tabcorp in Australia, alleging unauthorised use of its cash-out functionality.[24] In July 2022, a US magistrate judge in the District of Delaware recommended that seven of the eight patents in the DraftKings case be upheld as valid, while finding one patent invalid.[25]

In September 2024, Colossus Bets submitted a proposal to replace the Tote as the on-course pool betting provider at British racecourses, with the offer made to Arena Racing Company, the Jockey Club and the Large Independent Racecourses group.[26]

Conscious Colossus

In 2019, Colossus Bets launched Conscious Colossus, a charitable programme that has supported organisations including Alive and Kicking, the Greyhound Trust and the Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM).[27]

Dates of Significance

2012 – Founded by Bernard Marantelli.[28]

2013 – Colossus Bets launch in the UK with Michael Owen named as a brand ambassador.[29][30]

2014 – Winner of the ‘Rising star' award at the EGR Operator Awards.[31]

2017 – Colossus Bets launch Syndicates product.[32]

2017 – Colossus Bets announces partnership with consortium of British racecourses.[33]

2018 – Colossus Bets launch horse racing pools.[34]

2018 – 54 British racecourses repudiate Colossus bets as their pools betting partner.[34]

2019 - North Dakota Racing Commission licenses Colossusbets as a service provider.[35]

2019 – Oregon Racing Commission grants Colossusbets a totalizator license.[36]

2019 – Colossus Bets launch greyhound racing pools.[37][38]

2019 – Announces a long-term licensing agreement with Bet365 that will allow the operator access to its cash-out patent portfolio in the US.[39][40]

2020 – Colossus Bets launch ice hockey and darts pools.[41]

2020 – Winner of the ‘Best use of a brand ambassador' award at the EGR Operator Marketing and Innovation Awards for their partnership with Fallon Sherrock.[42]

2020 – Colossus Bets agreed a five-figure sponsorship deal with the Greyhound Grand National.[43]

2021 – Esports betting and technology company Esports Technologies Inc concludes alliance agreement with Colossus Bets.[44]

References

  1. ^ "About | Colossus Bets". corporate.colossusbets.com. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  2. ^ O'Boyle, Daniel (2021-12-02). "Colossus Bets sues DraftKings over cashout patent infringement". iGB. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  3. ^ "Courses team up with Colossus Bets to 'transform' pool betting". Racing Post. August 17, 2017. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  4. ^ "Colossus Bets launches weekly £1m HDA15 football jackpot". SBC News. August 14, 2014. Archived 2 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  5. ^ "Colossus Bets strikes deal with SIS for British & Irish greyhound racing". Yogonet International. Archived 2025-01-21 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
  6. ^ Allen, Brad (February 15, 2017). "Colossus Bets launches Syndicates betting product". EGR Intel. Archived 2017-02-19 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  7. ^ McClymont, Kate (May 17, 2018). "Meet the Joker: the Australian who is the biggest gambler in the world". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  8. ^ "Revealed: 'world's biggest gambler' is partner to new racecourse betting firm Britbet". The Times. May 17, 2018. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  9. ^ Griffith, Mark (November 19, 2015). "Matchbook launches Colossus Bets pools". InterGame. Archived 2022-09-30 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  10. ^ Evans, Jake. "RaceBets goes live with Colossus jackpots". EGR Intel. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  11. ^ Narayan, Niji (2018-09-06). "Paf partners with Colossus to launch world's biggest jackpots". European Gaming Industry News. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  12. ^ "Bet365 to license Colossus Bets' US cash-out patents". Gambling Insider. September 30, 2019. Archived 2024-09-12 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  13. ^ "Sports betting but BIGGER". AGBrief. January 29, 2020. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  14. ^ "Colossus Bets". Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  15. ^ "Courses team up with Colossus Bets to 'transform' pool betting". Racing Post. Retrieved 2021-05-13.
  16. ^ "Aussie known as world's biggest punter takes 'high risk' bet on British racing". NewsComAu. 2018-05-17. Retrieved 2021-05-13.
  17. ^ Souster, Mark. "Revealed: 'world's biggest gambler' is partner to new racecourse betting firm Britbet". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2021-05-13.
  18. ^ McClymont, Kate (2018-05-17). "Meet the Joker: the Australian who is the biggest gambler in the world". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2021-05-13.
  19. ^ "Tote, britbet Enter Standstill Period". Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2021-05-13.
  20. ^ "Colussus Bets Confirms Bernard Marantelli CEO Departure". SBCNews. 14 October 202. Archived 17 October 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  21. ^ Poole, Tim (14 October 2020). "David O'Reilly succeeding Bernard Marantelli as Colossus Bets CEO". gamblinginsider.com. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  22. ^ "Esports Technologies Announces Exclusive Patent License Agreement, New Alliance with Colossus Bets". nasdaq.com. May 20, 2021. Archived 2022-01-28 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
  23. ^ "FORM 8-K". quotemedia.com. May 12, 2021. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
  24. ^ Bolza, Miklos (2021-07-27). "Tabcorp sued for patent infringement over 'Cash Out on Quaddie' feature". Lawyerly. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
  25. ^ Yasiejko, Christopher (19 July 2022). "DraftKings Bid to Nix Array of Patents Mostly Fails, Judge Says". Bloomberg Law. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  26. ^ Hughes, Matt (18 September 2024). "'Loch Ness Monster' of gambling bids to replace Winston Churchill's Tote". The Daily Telegraph. Archived 2024-10-07 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2026-05-18. – via Yahoo Finance.
  27. ^ Narayan, Niji (2019-07-26). "Colossus Bets Launches "Conscious Colossus" Charity Initiative". European Gaming Industry News. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  28. ^ "Colossus Bets founder, CEO no longer at the helm". CalvinAyre.com. 2020-10-15. Archived 2020-10-18 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  29. ^ "Colossus Bets names Michael Owen brand ambassador (Press release)". Casino City. September 9, 2013. Archived 11 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  30. ^ Stoker, Liam (September 10, 2013). "Colossus Bets signs up former England striker Michael Owen". EGR Intel. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  31. ^ Menmuir, Ted (November 25, 2014). "Colossus Bets wins Rising Star at EGR Operator Awards". SBC News. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  32. ^ Menmuir, Ted (February 21, 2017). "Bernard Marantelli - Colossus Bets - Building a Crowd Pleaser with Colossus Syndicates". SBC News. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  33. ^ Williams, Callum (2017-08-17). "British Racecourses and Colossus Bets Announce Partnership to Transform Pool Betting on British Racing". Colossus Blog. Retrieved 2021-05-13.
  34. ^ Cranham, Mark (July 12, 2018). "No revolution but still a new start for pool betting as Betfred monopoly ends". Racing Post. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  35. ^ Acteson, Ed (2019-08-01). "Colossus celebrates its sixth anniversary". Colossus Blog. Retrieved 2021-05-13.
  36. ^ "Colossus Bets obtains totalizator license in Oregon". www.yogonet.com. Retrieved 2021-05-13.
  37. ^ Gallagher, Erin-Marie (October 8, 2019). "SIS pens new partnership with Colossus Bets". SBC News. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  38. ^ Miller, George (2019-10-30). "Colossus Bets secures first U.S. customer for SIS World Greyhound Tote Pool jackpots". European Gaming Industry News. Archived 2020-09-20 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  39. ^ "Terms and Conditions". 2022-05-19. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
  40. ^ "Bet365 to license Colossus Bets' US cash-out patents"
  41. ^ "Colossus launch NHL pools!". Colossus Bets Blog. September 24, 2019. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  42. ^ "Colossus Bets - Back to the future". Gambling Insider. January 23, 2020. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  43. ^ "Colossus Bets steps in to sponsor Greyhound Grand National". Insider Sport. 6 October 2020. Archived 30 October 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  44. ^ "Esports Technologies aims to enhance the cash-out experience through an exclusive partnership with Colossus Bets. - Florida News Times". Archived from the original on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.