(This interview was originally published in the February 2018 edition of the GPWA Times Magazine)
How did you first get into the iGaming business? What did you do before becoming an affiliate?
I’ve been doing web development for many years and stumbled into the business over the last few years.
Tell us about your site. When did you launch it? How long did it take for it to start making money?
Bettingtop10.com was launched in March 2016.
First, I focused on Asia, and later I added European countries – and there are more to come.
It’s been successful since day one.
Your site has versions for nine different countries. How did you pick those nine? Do you have any plans to expand into more jurisdictions? Why or why not?
I picked these countries for bettingtop10.com because I understood their potential.
My plan is to expand to more countries soon.
Are you a full-time or part-time affiliate?
My team and I are all working full-time on bettingtop10.
Do you have employees, or do you run your site by yourself?
I have a few people helping me and many hired freelancers.
Do you have plans for additional sites? Why or why not?
Sure, and some of them will be out soon. You can’t argue with success.
Sports betting can be a tough sector, especially when players are doing well. How volatile are your revenues from month to month? What do you do to keep your finances stable?
When your volume is big enough and your partners are strong, volatility is minimal. I don’t feel it at all.
What makes your site unique? How do you help it stand out from the competition?
Bettingtop10 is the ultimate betting portal. It is made by excellent people who are fully committed and very talented in their field. When people are passionate about their job, the results must be great.
How do you decide what sites to promote?
Trust is a major issue for me, so I decided to promote the most trustworthy brands in the industry.
Do you bet on sports yourself? Online or in betting shops? What teams do you support?
I bet occasionally online on big soccer matches like the Champions League and World Cup. My favorite soccer team is Liverpool.
How often do you get to see and interact with other people in the industry? Have you attended any conferences?
Sure, I’ve been to a few. Usually people in this industry are very private, and so am I.
What traits do you look for in an affiliate manager? How about in an affiliate program?
They need to be trustworthy and organized. Also, communications need to flow quickly and smoothly; that’s essential.
What's your preferred method of communication with affiliate managers?
Skype or e-mail.
What prompted you to join the GPWA? How has it helped you?
GPWA is the authority in the industry, and in my opinion, it’s a must to be a member. Also, the forum is a great source of relevant information and a great way to communicate with people in the gambling industry.
What do you like about the industry?
The industry is ever-changing, and often very fast, so you must be on top of it all.
I also like that there are still so many opportunities in it.
If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be and why?
I would ban anyone who commits fraud; it just gives the rest of us a bad name.
What do you think the industry will look like in five years?
I think it will continue to evolve and improve, mostly in the technological aspects and on mobile.
What do your family and friends think of your work as an affiliate?
They’re happy when I’m happy and successful, and so am I.
How do you manage your to-do lists? Do you use any special software to help you out?
I work with Google docs, mostly.
How much time do you devote social networking for your sites?
Not enough! Sports betting and gambling are not the easiest niches to promote on social media. It’s possible, but it takes more effort and originality to overcome some barriers. I spend a fair amount of time on it, but it can always be more.
What's the most difficult thing about running your sites?
Sometimes things take longer than anticipated, and that can be quite frustrating when you are managing a fast-growing website.
What's the best thing about running your sites?
Building a site from scratch and making it a leading multi-lingual betting portal. That was a great thing to experience.
What do you do to stay in shape – both physically and mentally?
I like jogging and swimming. They relax me and keep me in shape.
What do you do with your spare time?
Even though I don’t have a lot of free time, I try to travel as much as I can and visit new places.
What did you dream of doing, both professionally and personally, when you were a kid?
Technology and computers always fascinated me. They're still a great hobby of mine.
If someone from out of town were visiting you, what’s the one place you'd definitely take them to see?
The hot springs of Iceland.
When you need to get as far away from work as possible, where do you go?
The Bahamas.
What's your all-time favorite movie?
The Blues Brothers.
If you could invite any five people, living or dead, to dinner, who would they be?
Janis Joplin, Charlie Chaplin, Mohammed Ali, Donald Trump and Jesus.
Name three things that people reading this magazine don't know about you.
1. I can get away with a few sentences in Hungarian.
2. I grow a giant boa as a pet.
3. My favorite food is salted caramel.