AK Bets has outlined how its trading team managed sportsbook operations during a summer that combined the expanded FIFA World Cup with a series of major sporting events.
In commentary provided by Head of Risk and Trading David Murray, the operator described the demands placed on trading teams as they balanced pre-match pricing, in-play markets and risk management across football and other sports.
According to Murray, the expanded World Cup schedule created an almost continuous trading cycle, with teams managing hundreds of betting markets while also preparing for subsequent fixtures. The tournament coincided with Royal Ascot, Wimbledon, the US Open golf championship and the football transfer window, requiring traders to monitor multiple sports simultaneously.
The operator also highlighted the challenges created by overnight kick-off times for UK audiences. AK Bets said it maintained dedicated overnight trading coverage throughout the tournament to support betting on every fixture.
Murray noted that in-play trading required rapid responses to events including goals, VAR reviews and hydration breaks, while transfer speculation, squad rotation and team news also influenced outright and player markets during the competition.
He said traders regularly reassessed markets as teams progressed through the tournament, particularly when key players were rested or omitted from starting line-ups, affecting match odds, outright markets and Golden Boot betting.
The comments provide an insight into how sportsbook operators manage pricing and risk during major international tournaments, when high betting volumes coincide with a broader calendar of sporting events.
“It’s just not comparable really,” says David Murray, Head of Risk & Trading at AK Bets.
“It’s completely and utterly non-stop. We’ve had three or four World Cup matches almost every day, with games taking place late into the night and even during the early hours. Our focus has effectively been on the tournament 24 hours a day.”
“During the morning we’re creating and pricing matches, reviewing outright markets and preparing additional betting markets before the games even begin,” Murray told sports betting community OLBG.
“Once the football starts, everything switches to in-play trading, while at the same time you’re already preparing for what’s coming next.”
“It really depends on the week,” he says.
“One week we had Royal Ascot, the US Open and the World Cup all happening together. This week it’s mainly the World Cup. You’re constantly shifting your attention depending on what’s happening.
“Everybody is doing a little bit of everything. You’re managing football while keeping an eye on racing, tennis and everything else customers are betting on.”
“The overnight games are naturally quieter because fewer people are watching them live,” Murray says.
“But from a trading perspective they still require exactly the same level of focus. You want to watch every game. That’s one of the enjoyable parts of the job. Previous World Cups often had games on during the afternoon though, whereas now some of the biggest matches are taking place while most people are asleep.”
“When something like a red card, a VAR check or a potential penalty happens, there’s an incredible amount going on behind the scenes,” Murray explains.
“You want markets to stay open for customers for as long as possible, but equally you can’t leave prices available if something significant is about to happen.”
“It almost becomes a mini half-time.
“People have a chance to think about what they’ve watched, look at the prices again and decide whether they want to get involved.”
“You’re surrounded by people who’ve spent years pricing football and other sports. Experience still matters because every tournament throws up situations you’ve never seen before.”
