Vlastimil Venclík, CEO & Co-Founder of Oddin.gg – iGaming Interviews

Vlastimil Venclík isn’t just the CEO and co-founder of Oddin.gg—the leading B2B provider in esports betting—he’s an industry pioneer.

Recognizing the booming esports scene’s need for specialized odds and risk management, specifically tailored for competitive video gaming, Vlastimil co-founded Oddin.gg in 2018. With a degree in Cybernetics and Intelligent Buildings, he helped build a comprehensive solution that now empowers Oddin.gg’s partners worldwide.

Prior to Oddin.gg, Vlastimil honed his programming skills as a mobile applications developer and gained first-hand experience with the AI revolution in the pharma industry. This technical background, coupled with his vision, fueled the creation of Oddin.gg’s innovative products.

Under Vlastimil’s leadership, Oddin.gg’s end-to-end ecosystem has become the go-to choice for operators, and his entrepreneurial drive and clear vision are the driving forces behind the company’s rapid growth.

Can you share the genesis story of Oddin.gg?

Oddin.gg was born in 2018 after discovering a clear gap in the esports betting market. The other founders and I met during another business opportunity that failed, recognized the need for a specialised solution tailored to esports’ unique dynamics, not just applying old models from traditional sports, and founded Oddin.gg.

With a deep understanding, and, that’s important to say, love for both the esports scene and cutting-edge technology, we built a platform that empowers our partners with accurate esports odds and a seamless betting experience. To cover all time zones and increase our pool of talent, we opened a second office in Lima, Perú. As we focus on risk mitigation and the integrity of esports as such, we later added a standalone risk management team and offered its services, consolidating it all into an iFrame. That forms the core of our product portfolio, with added services like marketing advisory and data. It’s been an exciting journey, and we’re proud to be at the forefront of this rapidly evolving industry.

Since you co-founded Oddin.gg in 2018, what are the most significant changes you’ve witnessed?

The esports industry is growing fast, with viewership from major esports tournaments now sometimes surpassing that of traditional sports events. We see esports becoming a mainstream entertainment industry, completely taking off the notion of “it’s kinda something like sports”. We have witnessed the industry professionalize, and spread around the world with new centers such as the Middle East, and we were part of it. We also see the necessary consolidation of the market. Betting-wise, we quickly realized the growing demand for continuous, entertaining content, with bettors seeking more fun and creative markets. This also includes live betting opportunities tied to live streams, which are constantly improving in terms of the viewer experience.

What differentiates Oddin.gg’s esports odds feed from other solutions available in the market?

Infrastructure, trading expertise, and our sole focus on the specific requirements of esports. Building a world-class esports betting product means building the entire infrastructure that starts with processing huge volumes of data and data points, building your own models (multiple for multiple games), and having the trading expertise as each game behaves differently. We combine advanced machine-learning algorithms and overall IT skills with experience, talent, and a keen eye for top esports professionals.

How does Oddin.gg maintain the highest average uptime in the industry, especially given the challenges of live esports betting?

It’s the result of the combined forces of our trading and risk management team. Our trading tools, scale, insight into the game titles and expertise allow us to create various interesting markets; our strong risk management tools and dedicated risk management professionals who keep an eye on bettor fraud and player cheating allow us to keep the lines open more often and longer.

Can you explain the role of AI-powered automated probability models in Oddin.gg’s offerings and how they enhance the betting experience?

We primarily work with machine learning, which is a different game to AI entirely. However, we do use artificial intelligence in various, I would say very interesting ways; for example, to test potential event scenarios, thus improving our predictions.

How does Oddin.gg leverage modern technologies to ensure real-time updates and high accuracy in odds changes and market settlements?

We have built a robust, scalable infrastructure that can handle the immense volume of data generated by esports matches. Since we are a supplier to hundreds of operators and platforms worldwide—not an operator ourselves—we must be prepared for any traffic they send our way, even though we cannot always predict the volume. Our infrastructure must reflect that, as well as the quality of our code and APIs. We polish our models, learn non-stop, and adapt. We of course work in an industry where milliseconds play a role, so we are constantly improving to offer volume and speed. This enables us to deliver real-time odds updates and fast market settlements, crucial for the fast-paced nature of esports betting.

Which types of clients and operators are best suited for Oddin.gg’s odds feed solution, and how can they benefit from integrating your technology?

Oddin.gg’s odds feed solution is ideal for sportsbook platforms, betting operators, and B2B platform providers aiming to enhance their esports betting services. Our solution is a great companion to sports betting offerings as well as iGaming portfolio enhancement. Our seamless integration means that after launch, the bettor’s favorite brand now offers esports betting in a variety of titles, tournaments and markets, engagement, and fun: simply said, the entertainment for the 21st Century. Operators benefit from the highest number of live esports markets, providing numerous betting opportunities to attract and retain customers. Our advanced risk management solutions help manage the complexities of esports betting, offering competitive odds while minimizing potential losses.

Oddin.gg’s solutions are designed for easy integration, enabling B2B providers to enhance their offerings swiftly and without significant disruption. Their back-office platform offers full control over esports offerings, including margin settings and market customization. This allows for a tailored betting experience suited to specific market needs.

The company’s global reach and scalability are evident through partnerships with brands like Betway, Yolo Group, and Stake. With broad coverage of popular esports titles like CS:GO, Dota 2, and League of Legends, Oddin.gg ensures operators can cater to diverse fan preferences worldwide. Integrating Oddin.gg’s technology significantly boosts esports betting capabilities, attracting more bettors and ensuring profitability and engagement through advanced and comprehensive solutions. We also see the first wave of interest from the land-based providers.

As a pioneer in the esports betting market, what key trends do you see shaping the future of esports betting over the next few years?

Esports will become a mainstream form of entertainment embedded in popular culture, alongside services like Netflix or MAX. It will also be truly global, truly cross-cultural. Particularly, we see a stable growth of female fans of esports, which brings another dimension to our promise of attracting a new generation of fans, spectators, and finally, bettors. On the technical side, the crypto revolution has already passed and set a new standard. We’ve seen the shift from desktop to mobile and the rise of AI, which excites us, particularly for its potential to enhance streaming experiences. In the near future, we expect esports and esports betting to expand into virtual and augmented reality.

What is your long-term vision for Oddin.gg, and how do you plan to stay ahead of the competition in the rapidly evolving esports betting market?

Our vision is to fuel the growth of esports by providing a sustainable revenue stream through betting, while also contributing to a fair and transparent esports environment. We plan to stay ahead by continuously innovating, expanding our product offerings, and adapting to new technologies. We’re particularly excited about the potential of AI and immersive technologies like VR and AR to shape the future of esports betting. By embracing these advancements and staying attuned to the evolving needs of esports fans, we aim to remain industry leaders.

How do you foresee the integration of new technologies, such as blockchain or more advanced AI, influencing the future of esports betting?

Blockchain certainly plays a role in the payment option used in our industry, our focus is much more on AI, though. AI already delivers rapid prototyping, speed, and volume of major gaming components and will make a huge impact in the industry, starting with game design and the interaction with in-game characters. It will also play a pivotal role in personalizing player experiences. Ultimately, there are games designed based on user input. This, combined with advances in AR and VR will expand the boundaries of what we imagine now as immersive gaming experiences. We’re actively exploring these technologies and their potential to shape the future of our industry.

Thank you for the great interview, readers who wish to learn more should visit Oddin.gg.