WagerTalk, among the largest sports betting content providers in the world, has added Gold Sheet owner Rick Allec to its ownership team. With over three decades of experience in the sports betting industry, Allec has not only worked on both sides of the counter, but has provided services and information to both.
“I have deeply respected Rick as an operator and executor for 15 years,” said WagerTalk President Lawrence Prezman. “There is no more talented, trustworthy, connected and genuinely nice guy than Rick.”
After working with some of the world’s largest bookmakers in the 1980s, Allec partnered with a betting group and was a daily regular at the Stardust opening line lottery, battling with the largest betting groups in the United States for a chance to bet the earliest lines.
As sports betting moved mainstream, he shifted into software development and created programs to help sports books manage their accounting, player tracking, and risk assessment.
In 1999, Allec joined the Don Best team and managed the release of its flagship odds products. Using his broad experience in the industry, he guided Don Best through massive growth, leading to one of the largest acquisitions in the space at that time.
In 2007, he founded SportsOptions and quickly grew the company into a force in the line service industry. With a reputation for the fastest updates, it became a must-have tool for sports books and sports bettors around the world.
In 2017, SportsOptions merged with Don Best, and the SportsOptions software became an industry standard. SportsOptions was later acquired by Scientific Games.
“Rick built two of the most respected brands in the sports gambling space: Don Best and SportsOptions,” Prezman said. “He will now be putting his experience, connections and brain power towards building the Gold Sheet. WagerTalk has the best team assembled in this industry, and Rick has made us even better.”
Founded in 1957, The Gold Sheet is the country’s longest-running sports betting newsletter. Each week, the Gold Sheet team delivers analysis on all NFL and college football games, along with key NBA and college basketball matchups. WagerTalk recently announced its intent to acquire The Gold Sheet.
“I have watched WagerTalk grow from a small, unknown website to one of the largest sites in the industry at an amazing pace,” Allec said. “Their growth is a testament to the skill and experience of the entire team, and the incredible customer service delivered to their clients.”
Founded in July 2015, WagerTalk’s team of writers, handicappers, and personalities create sports betting content from across the globe. The brand’s YouTube channel has generated 5.9 million views for its weekly sports betting videos. WagerTalk produces a daily radio show from ESPN Las Vegas, and publishes a series of almost-daily podcasts.
“Having worked with Johnny, Lawerence, and Marco for over a decade, I am excited to have the opportunity to bring the Gold Sheet into the WagerTalk group and expand on the synergies between our companies,” Allec said.
