full-house-venues

Entain Venues Announces Strategic Rebrand and New Ownership to Accelerate Growth in Licensed Venue Market

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:07:29 GMT

Enhanced Focus on Industry-Leadi ng Venue Technology Underpins Next Chapter of Growth

Entain Venues has today announced a strategic rebrand to Full House Venues , marking a significant milestone in the company's evolution and coinciding with a change of ownership that positions the business for accelerated growth and product innovation in the licensed venues sector.

Officially launching on 1 April 2026, the rebrand represents a full circle moment for the business, honoring the company's heritage as Full House Group while reflecting its maturation under Entain Venues and its renewed ambition under new ownership. The refreshed brand identity symbolises a commitment to growth and market leadership in the venue entertainment space.

A Platform for Focused Growth

The new ownership structure enables Full House Venues to sharpen its strategic focus exclusively on the licensed venues industry - a sector where the company has established itself as a trusted partner to venues across Australia. This specialised focus allows for deeper market penetration, stronger relationships with venue operators, and a more targeted approach to product development and customer support.

"This rebrand and change of ownership represents an exciting inflection point for our business," said Brayden Haynes, Executive Director . "We're excited to be able to move with greater agility and focus exclusively on what we do best - delivering world-class entertainment solutions to licensed venues. The support from our new ownership gives us the confidence in our product suite and to accelerate our innovation roadmap."

Investment in World-Class Products

A cornerstone of the new ownership's commitment is their unwavering focus in Full House Venues' portfolio of gaming and entertainment products. The company will accelerate and refine of its suite of offerings:

APL – Australia’s #1 poker league
SportsPick –the all-inclusive sports and race engagement platform, powering automatic sports scheduling and in-venue tipping for Australia’s favourite sports
InnQUIZitive – Big screen trivia and knowledge-based gaming
QuizzaMe – Engaging game show, buzzer based quiz entertainment
DJ Bingo – Unique entertainment fusion combining musical knowledge with traditional bingo

Each product has been engineered with venue operators and players in mind, designed to drive engagement, increase dwell time, and enhance the overall venue experience.

Trust Built Over Two Decades

Perhaps most importantly, Full House Venues retains the same experienced team that has earned the trust of venue operators and industry partners for more than twenty years. This continuity of talent and expertise, now backed by ownership that is deeply committed to the licensed venues sector, creates a powerful combination of stability and forward momentum.

"Our team is our greatest asset," Haynes continued. "These individuals have built relationships and proven their value across more than two decades of operation. With new ownership that shares our vision and provides the investment we need, we're positioned to take everything we've learned and built, and create the next iteration of in-venue solutions, focused on increasing dwell time and repeat patronage."

Looking Forward

Full House Venues will maintain its operational excellence and customer-centric approach while leveraging new resources to expand its product capabilities, enhance its technology infrastructure, and deepen its presence in the licensed venues market. The company remains committed to its core values of reliability, innovation, and partnership.

The rebrand to Full House Venues is effective immediately across all brand touchpoints, marketing materials, and customer communications.

How to Add Member to Competition in SportsPick Venue Admin

mitchell.nunis@fullhousevenues.com.au (Mitchell Nunis) — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 01:26:35 GMT

Step 1: Log into Venue Admin

Navigate to https://venueadmin.sportspick.com.au

You'll see the addition of two new buttons to this screen; "Add member to Comp", and "Add external member as Venue Member".

Add member to Comp - This will allow you to add a member to your Tipping Competition, regardless of whether they are in your member database or not.

Add external member as Venue Member - This will move an account to your member database, allowing them to count as "Local" for purposes like Quizard and Lucky Win.

Step 2: Add Member To Your Tipping Competition

This will guide you through adding a Member to your Competition; note that the process for

adding an external Member is the same.

Click "Add member to Comp"

Step 3: Select the Tipping Competition

Notice the error in red; we need to select which Competition first!

Use the Filter dropdown to select the Competition; this example uses NRL.

Step 4: Add Member To Your Tipping Competition (cont.)

Click "Add member to Comp"

Step 5: Enter Member Details

Enter the members exact name or mobile number here.

If you're searching by name, it may return with multiple accounts, and you will see the following error.

Searching by mobile will generate a better result.

Enter the mobile number and click Search.

This time only one member has loaded! Select Add to Comp on the right.

Step 6: Confirm Adding Member into Competition

A confirmation popup will appear; if you are using this process, this will automatically mark the member as PAID. Confirm the addition, and the member is now in your NRL Comp!

Start Strong for 2026: The Venue Operator’s Blueprint for Building Community & Profit

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 22:43:41 GMT

The start of the year often feels like a reset button for venue operators. After the festive chaos of December, there's a window of clarity, a moment to ask yourself: Am I building the business I want, or just managing the one I have?

The reality facing Australian venue owners in 2026 is that the old playbook isn't working as it used to anymore. Cost-cutting alone won't solve the problem. Generic entertainment won't fill seats. And chasing foot traffic with price wars will drain your margins faster than you can rebuild them.

The venues that will thrive in 2026 are the ones that understand a fundamental shift happening in how people want to spend their time and money.

The Trend: The Revenge of Real Connection

We're living through an interesting paradox. Artificial intelligence, smart technology, and digital systems are integrating deeper into our daily lives than ever before whilst work is becoming increasingly remote. Entertainment is increasingly personalised and algorithm-driven. Communication is mediated through screens.

What's emerging is a powerful counter-trend: the hunger for real experiences with real people. People are actively seeking moments that remind them they're human. They're craving communities. They're willing to travel, spend money, and make time for venues where they can be together, which is a real opportunity of 2026 for venue operators.

While competitors are focused on cost optimisation and margin pressure, you can be building something deeper: a community ecosystem that becomes indispensable to the people in your area. That's not just more resilient to economic cycles, it's becoming evident that it’s more profitable.

People spend more, more frequently, on experiences and connections they genuinely value. A customer who sees your venue as a place where they belong isn't price-sensitive. They don't skip weeks because of a $2 increase on a drink. They bring their friends, defend you to others and most importantly become ambassadors.

The Reality Check: Your Audience Expects Cost-Cutting Advice

You've probably been fed a steady diet of "how to reduce costs" and "how to do more with less."

Smaller staff. Cheaper product. Discounting to drive volume.

Instead, we want to interrupt that pattern and ask a different question: What if the answer isn't cutting costs, it's attracting more people who will spend more?

The venues that are winning right now aren't the leanest. They're the most connected.

They're the ones running diverse, consistent entertainment programming. They're the ones where there's always a reason to come back next week.

That approach costs less than you'd think, but it requires a different mindset. It requires intentional strategy.

The Actionable Blueprint: 5 Steps to Start Strong

1. Audit Your Entertainment Consistency

How Entain Venues helps: Our entertainment products ( APL poker , SportsPick , InnQUIZitive , QuizzaMe , and DJ Bingo ) are built specifically to integrate into a cohesive programming strategy. Rather than cobbling together disconnected experiences, they're designed to complement your venue’s strengths and create a consistent reason for people to return frequently.

For example, you could build a calendar where Monday is quiz night, Tuesday is poker league action , Wednesday features sports engagement, and the weekend is your peak entertainment window. Having an invenue sports tipping competition like SportsPick could automate that engagement. That consistency is what helps builds community.

Most venues operate on autopilot to plug gaps. A poker night here, a trivia night there, maybe a DJ on weekends, without a strategy or system . No predictability. No reason for someone to commit to coming back.

Your starting point: Map out the next 12 weeks of entertainment. Do you have a program that covers:

Weekly anchors (the same night, same time, same format each week; like trivia Tuesday, poker Thursday, DJ Saturday)
Monthly peaks (special events that draw bigger crowds)
Diverse formats (you need variety to appeal to different segments and keep regulars from getting bored)

If you can't see a clear entertainment calendar for the next three months, you're not alone.

You probably have about 15-25% of your venue's revenue coming from true regulars, people who come in at least once a week. They're the backbone of your business.

Most venue operators take those regulars for granted. They're the constant revenue, so you focus on attracting new people. But the real leverage is in deepening those regular relationships and expanding that cohort.

Your action step: Spend two weeks simply noting who comes in regularly, what they do, when they come, who they bring. You're building a mental (or actual) map of your community.

Then ask: What would make them come more frequently? What entertainment formats get them most engaged? Who else do they know that you could reach?

How Entain Venues helps: Products like InnQUIZitive, QuizzaMe, SportsPick and APL (Australian Poker League) create sticky weekly commitments. Someone joins your trivia league or poker league, and suddenly they're not just occasional customers, they're participants in a structured community experience.

They have teammates. They're competing. There's a progression and leaderboards and recognition. That's the difference between "I'll pop in for a drink" and "I'm part of this venue's community”, a tangible way for your regulars to become advocates.

2. Identify Your "Regulars" and Double Down on Them

3. Create a Multi-Generational Entertainment Mix

One of the biggest mistakes venue owners make is chasing a single demographic. You build your entertainment around what you like, or what one cohort of your customers likes, and suddenly you've closed off your appeal to everyone else.

2026 venues need to think like platform operators. You're hosting multiple communities within the same physical space.

Your task: Across your weekly entertainment, do you have programming that genuinely appeals to:

Younger crowd (Gen Z, younger millennials): They want social, shareable, competitive experiences. Trivia leagues. DJ-led events. Games where they can post on socials.
Core working demographic (30-50s): Competitive poker. Sports engagement. Skill-based experiences. Things to talk about on Monday.
Older demographic (50+): Trivia nights that aren't designed to make them feel old. Nostalgia-informed entertainment. Community events where being a regular actually means something.

If your entertainment calendar only appeals to one or two of those groups, you're leaving significant revenue on the table.

How Entain Venues helps: The breadth of our product suite (trivia, poker, sports tipping, musical entertainment) means you're not forcing one experience to appeal to everyone. You can run a sophisticated APL poker night that appeals to 30-60 year old regulars on Thursday, and then run a high-energy QuizzaMe event with DJ Bingo on Friday that's designed for younger crowds or mixed groups.

Same venue, different times, completely different experiences; all supporting each other by keeping your venue at top-of-mind across multiple communities.

4. Make Staff Your Biggest Competitive Advantage

Here's something you rarely hear in venue industry advice: Your staff is not a cost center. Your staff is your moat.

In a world where most optimise for efficiency, explore how you can compete on culture and personality. That's only possible if your staff is genuinely invested, knows your community, and is empowered to create connections.

The venues winning right now have invested in staff retention. They've built a culture where staff feel like they're part of something bigger than shift work. And it shows. Customers feel it. It translates to loyalty.

Your starting point: This month, have honest conversations with your team. What would make them feel more invested? What's draining them? Where are they seeing opportunities to create better experiences?

How Entain Venues helps: Give your staff a meaningful role in being revenue generators across our entertainment products. They're not just serving drinks, they’re upselling entries to SportsPick tipping comps, building relationships with participants.

A staff member that's working your Thursday night poker league isn't just a bartender; they're adding value to the community. And guests feel that difference.

5. Map Your 2026 Revenue Opportunities

How Entain Venues helps: Our entertainment services come with built-in revenue models and community-building features.

You're not starting from scratch - with experienced Entain Venues staff helping you design your entertainment offering, with a trusted system built for profitability.

All our products are designed to create engagement that naturally leads to higher spend and longer visits.

This is where it gets concrete. Most venues think about revenue as: drinks sold + food sold. That's it.

But the venues thriving in 2026 have additional revenue streams built into their entertainment model. They're not replacing core bar revenue, they're adding to it.

Potential revenue opportunities in entertainment-driven venues:

Premium experiences (VIP tables during major sporting event)
Sponsorship from local businesses wanting to reach your community
Higher-margin beverage sales (customers stay longer during structured entertainment, spend more)

None of these require massive overhead. But they only work if you have programming good enough that people want to participate and stay longer.

Okay. Let's make this concrete. Here's a few recommendations to get started:

Making It Real: Your 2026 Action List

Step one

This week: Block 2 hours on your calendar. Walk through your venue during a busy time.

Watch where people cluster. Listen to what they're talking about. Then sit down and audit your current entertainment calendar (if you have one).

Does it match what you're observing? If you don't have a calendar, start one; even a simple grid of the next 12 weeks with penciled-in entertainment themes.

Step two

Next week: Have coffee (or a beer, no judgment) with 3-5 of your most loyal regulars.

Ask them: "What would make you come in even more often? What entertainment would get you most excited?" Write down what you hear. Don't try to solve it yet, just listen.

Step three

Bring your team together. Share what you're thinking about (more consistent entertainment, deeper community focus).

Ask them for ideas on what would excite them to run. Get their buy-in. The best ideas often come from staff.

Map out a trial period (6-8 weeks) of new entertainment.

Pick 2-3 formats that seem most aligned with your community and your capacity to execute.

Step three

For the last part: This is where Entain Venues comes in. Rather than building entertainment programming from scratch, we've designed products specifically for Australian venue operators.

Whether it's the structured competition of APL poker leagues, the weekly stickiness of InnQUIZitive trivia, the cultural moment of DJ Bingo, the participation of QuizzaMe, or the engagement of SportsPick, they're all built to solve the exact problem venue owners face: creating consistent reasons for people to come back, building community, and increasing per-customer spend.

Ready to Build Your Entertainment Strategy?

If you're ready to move from theory to action, let's talk about how our entertainment platform can support your goals.

Whether you're exploring APL poker, InnQUIZitive trivia, DJ Bingo, QuizzaMe, or SportsPick, we've built these specifically to help venues like yours build thriving communities.

In 15 minutes, we'll help you map out where you are, where you're trying to go, and the quickest path between the two. No sales pitch. Just honest strategy.

The Complete Guide for All Your Footy Tipping Competition Set-up Needs

mitchell.nunis@fullhousevenues.com.au (Mitchell Nunis) — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 05:46:29 GMT

SportsPick's guide to non-racing tipping competition setup.

Click on the links below to view the walk-through

Comp Set Up

How to Create Your Competition

Customers

Offers

How to Create the TV Advertisement

How to Send an SMS

How to Allocate Customers to Your Local Competition

How to Print Your Local Venue Scoreboard

Setting Up a Tip Offer

How to Set up Bonus Offers

Setting Up a Beat the Boss Offer

Start here to set up your in-venue footy tipping competition.

Create a tipping advertisement graphic to promote on your SportsPick screen rotation.

Send an SMS to your SportsPick member database.

Ensure that your customers are allocated to the tipping competition, and adding to the total prize pool.

Want to get your scoreboard printed (in addition to the digital signage)? Here's the simple walkthrough.

Automatically issue customer rewards through offers for their participation.

Add extra excitement with rewards for tipping a set number of results correctly each round, for joining the local competition, or the achieving the highest weekly score in your venue.

Foster your community's competitiveness by giving members a chance to win prizes for beating your venue's 'boss'.

How to Create Your Footy Tipping Competition

Enter the Entry Fee in the box corresponding to "Entry Fee"
If you have a venue contribution to the prize pool, add it into the "Venue Contribution" field. Note that this needs to be populated if you have a fixed prize pool
"Paid Entries" field is updated automatically and is reviewed at end of season
Select "Percentage" or "Fixed Amount" to calculate the prize pool

In the Prize Pool Allocation section:

If you've selected "Percentage", all prize value needs to equal 100%
Knockout comp can be a percentage of the prize pool. Put 0 if you are not running a Knockout comp.
If you've selected "Fixed Amount", it must add up to the value of the "Venue Contribution" field.

Click "Save"

How to Create the TV Advertisement

Enter the Entry Fee in the box corresponding to "Entry Fee"
Write your ad or call to action message in the "Advert Text" field box
Click "Save" to process

How to Send an SMS

"Message Text" - Write your message in this box.
"Footer Text" - Use this space to sign off as your venue. For example "From Australia Hotel"
Send to Members
Choose between entering specific SMSs (using the "Send To" box) or using the member filters (selecting from the filters to determine the segment of members you want to send an SMS to.
Click "Continue" to send.

Note that charges apply for SMS sends.

How to Allocate Members to Your Local Competition

IMPORTANT: Complete this process after Round 1. Doing so ensures that members are eligible for your local prize pool.

Select “Tipping Competitions”.
Select “Sportspick Database”.
Select the competition that you want to add members into, in the dropdown box.
Go down the list and Select “Add” to everyone who’s paid your local venue comp entry fee. All unpaid tippers will have an asterisk * next to their name which means they’re ineligible for local prizes, but eligible for National Prize Pools only.

*Note: Tippers register for a competition on the tipping terminal by placing a set of tips. The following day – Tippers who have tipped will appear in your competition database to be added to your local competition using the process above.

How to Print Your Local Venue Scoreboard

NOTE: If you have the SportsPick digital signage, your competition scoreboards will be automatically generated, taking the hassle out of manually updating this engagement tool for your members.

However, if you would like to print out the leaderboards, follow these steps.

Select “Tipping Competitions”.
Select “Score Sheets & Manual Tips”.
Find your competition, Select “Local”.
The scoreboard should appear, Select “Print”.

Setting Up A Tip Offer

This covers the Tip Offer. You can configure this to entice members to return, with a reward for their first tips each week.

From the menu on the left, select

"Tipping competitions"
Then, "Tip offers"
Click on "Add New"
When the "Add New Bonus Offer" screen pops up, choose the competition that you wish to attach the offer to e.g. NRL Super Tipper 2026. Make sure that the year is correct
Click on "Submit".

Once your offer is created, you'll need to configure the details,

Select "Active Offer" check box to activate the offer in question
Select from one of the preset "Prize Description" check boxes or if your offer is "other" select that check box and enter in the details.
In the "Receipt Message", enter what you want displayed on the receipts that tippers receive; this streamlines how they will be able to redeem their prize to your staff.
Select the "Local Prize Pool Members Only" check box if you want the prize to be limited to Local Paid members only (see How to Allocate Members to Your Local Competition).
In the section for "Expiry Days" and "Redemption Options", Set redemption day/time limits. Note that these will print on the receipts
Click 'Save' to confirm

Setting Up Bonus Offers

This can be set up for all non-racing tipping competitions. This section covers:

Tip X Offer (Members receive a prize for tipping X or above each week; venue to set the value)
Join Local Comp (Member receives this next time they tip, after being marked paid in Venue Admin)
Round winner (Highest weekly tipper gets this prize. This uses the first game margin as a tie-breaker; if still tied, all tied members receive the same prize)

To do so, follow the following steps to create your offer.

On the left hand menu, select "Tipping Competitions"
When the screen has loaded, select "Bonus Prize Offers"
Select "Add New Offer"
When the "Add New Bonus Offer" screen pops up, select your offer type
Choose the competition you would like this offer to apply to e.g. NRL Super Tipper 2026. Make sure you choose the correct year
Click Submit.

Once you've created your offer:

Select "Active Offer" check box to activate the offer in question.
In the Tip Score drop down, select the number of correct tips that you would like to reward members for.
Select from one of the preset "Prize Description" check boxes or if your offer is "other" select that check box and enter in the details.
In the "Receipt Message", enter what you want displayed on the receipts that tippers receive; this streamlines how they will be able to redeem their prize to your staff.
Select the "Local Prize Pool Members Only" check box if you want the prize to be limited to Local Paid members only (see How to Allocate Members to Your Local Competition).
In the section for "Expiry Days" and "Redemption Options", Set redemption day/time limits. Note that these will print on the receipts
Click 'Save' to confirm

Setting Up Beat the Boss Offer

This section covers setting up the "Beat the Boss" offer, where members take on a venue's boss, and receives a prize for out-scoring the Boss in a Round.

On the left hand menu, select "Beat the Boss"
When the screen has loaded, select "Active Offer" check box to activate the offer in question.
Select the boss you would like your members to beat in the "Boss" drop down field
You can also craft a message in the "Boss Intro Text" box to personalise the competition to your members.
Select from one of the preset "Prize Description" check boxes or if your offer is "other" select that check box and enter in the details.
In the "Receipt Message", enter what you want displayed on the receipts that tippers receive; this streamlines how they will be able to redeem their prize to your staff.
Select the "Local Prize Pool Members Only" check box if you want the prize to be limited to Local Paid members only (see How to Allocate Members to Your Local Competition).
In the section for "Expiry Days" and "Redemption Options", Set redemption day/time limits. Note that these will print on the receipts
Click 'Save' to confirm

How Sports Bars Can Increase Patron Spend with Digital Tipping Competitions

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 05:41:37 GMT

The Problem: Sports Tipping Was Stuck

For years, the Australian Venue Co. ran sports tipping competitions via the traditional way.

On paper, it sounded like a good idea: bring in sports fans, create some banter, maybe sell a few extra drinks. But the reality was very different:

Handwritten cards that got lost or hard to read
Manual scoring, dispute resolution that ate into staff hours
Flat participation — averaging 20 people each week

And most importantly?

How to encourage patrons to stay longer and spend more. The comp wasn’t driving the kind of results venues need in a tough hospitality market.

The Solution: SportsPick’s In-Venue Sports Engagement Platform

The group decided to make a change. Dan Hope, Group Marketing Manager at Australia Venue Co, stated that by introducing SportsPick , a digital tipping and sports engagement platform designed for pubs, clubs, and sports bars, he was able to see the shift from manual to seamless - with a few call outs like:

Easy entry : patrons could tip via in-venue kiosks or the mobile app.
Live leaderboards : results updated instantly on screens, creating a buzz in the bar.
National prize pools & promos : campaigns like Beat the Boss gave players something extra to compete for.
Compliance handled : peace of mind for venue operators.

It wasn’t just about technology being implemented, the focus was on creating an experience patrons wanted to come back for .

The Results: Numbers That Speak for Themselves

Within weeks of rolling out SportsPick, the difference was clear for AVC. They saw that:

Participation tripled : one venue grew from 20 punters a week to 70+ regulars.
Revenue increased : food and beverage sales on Saturdays lifted by 20% .
Staff workload dropped : no more chasing tips or manually scoring.
Venue atmosphere lifted : leaderboards and in-venue competition created excitement patrons could feel.

“SportsPick makes our venues feel alive on game day.

Customers trust it, staff love it, and the numbers back it up.”

Dan Hope, Group Marketing Manager, AVC

Why This Matters for Sports Bars and Pubs

Every venue operator faces the same questions:

How do I get more patrons into my pub on game day?
What’s the best way to keep sports fans engaged week after week?
How can I increase Saturday sales without adding more staff costs?

SportsPick gives venues a clear answer. By turning sports tipping into a seamless, exciting, and scalable in-venue experience, venues can:

Attract more patrons on game days
Increase dwell time and average spend
Build repeat visitation and loyalty
Free up staff to focus on service, not admin

It’s not seen as just a tipping comp anymore. It’s a growth tool for sports bars.

Key Takeaways for Venue Operators

Paper-based tipping comps are broken. They waste staff time and don’t scale.
SportsPick makes tipping digital, transparent, and fun.
Venues that adopt it see measurable results i.e. more players, more sales, and a better customer experience.
Sports engagement is no longer optional if you want to compete as a sports bar.

How to Finalise Your SportsPick Competition

mitchell.nunis@fullhousevenues.com.au (Mitchell Nunis) — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 00:02:25 GMT

The Footy season is wrapping up fast – time to get your Competition ready for the big finish! There are a few steps you can take now, and a few to complete once the final results are in.

Step 1: Clean Up Your Member Database

Give your customer list a quick health check. Check that all customers are correctly marked as Paid/Unpaid , and merge any duplicate accounts using our Card Change requests . A tidy database means smooth sailing ahead.

Step 2: Fine-Tune Your Competition Setup

Time for a final review of your AFL and NRL Competition settings. Double-check that your AFL and NRL Competition settings, Entry Fees, Venue Contributions, Paid Entries, and Prize Breakdowns are spot on. Getting this right now saves headaches later.

Step 3: Crown Your Champions

Once the final siren sounds (in 2025, it's 28th August for AFL, 8th September for NRL), it's showtime!

Double check your results and score sheets , then declare your winners and let SportsPick work its magic. Our system will automate this for you - just head to the Comp Setup page and click the "Winners" button for each Competition. Our system will crunch the numbers and reveal your champions with their prize amounts.

Remember: Only members marked as Paid can claim their glory!

Step 4: Show Off Your Winners

Once you've confirmed your winners, your AFL/NRL Prize Winners signage will automatically update up at your venue. Your champions get the recognition they deserve, and every customer can see what they're playing for next season!

Need a Hand?

Make sure all your details are accurate before finalising. If you hit any snags along the way, don't hesitate to call the SportsPick team on 1800 344 669 – we're here to help you finish strong.

For the full rundown on how SportsPick calculates prizes and determines winners, check out the How to Distribute Prizes document at the bottom of the Competition Rules Sheets page.

How This Pub Used SportsPick to Strengthen Their Sports Community

mitchell.nunis@fullhousevenues.com.au (Mitchell Nunis) — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 04:40:52 GMT

Being The Community's Hub: The Morphett Arms Hotel Story

Local pubs have always been about community and at the Morphett Arms Hotel, they've discovered how to take that community spirit to the next level. In an era where digital convenience often wins over social connection, this Adelaide venue has found a way to make their sports community even stronger and more engaged.

The challenge wasn't about empty seats or silent screens - it was about creating something special that brings people together in new ways. As streaming services make home viewing increasingly convenient, venues need fresh approaches to enhance their community experience.

A Platform to Increase Patron Engagement - Enter SportsPick

The Morphett Arms found their answer in SportsPick, transforming their already vibrant venue into an interactive hub where every sports fan can be part of something bigger.

What happens when you give an engaged sports community more ways to connect? You get an even more dynamic social atmosphere. At Morphett Arms Hotel, SportsPick isn't just another tipping platform - it's become a catalyst for deeper community connections.

"People just like the social aspect of it. They come in and compare their tips... they all like to have a bit of chat about who they picked, and you know a bit of banter," says Aimee Barnett, the venue's Front Bar Manager of three years.

The Secret Sauce

1. COMMUNITY FIRST, COMPLIMENTED BY TECHNOLOGY

This isn't a story about filling empty seats - it's about enriching the experience for everyone who walks through the door. From regular AFL tippers to casual NFL fans, SportsPick has created new ways for their patrons to engage, compete, and celebrate together. Morphett Arms Hotel has used SportsPick to enhance its ability to be a social hub for the community.

Through SportsPick's automated tipping competitions and national prize pools, Morphett Arms Hotel has enhanced the ability for patrons to share moments to enjoy sports and racing action with fellow enthusiasts.

People in their community can win big, like Jimmy, a 20-year regular who hit the big-time winning the Punters Challenge Championship

"Oh my God, I've got this Aimee's, I've got this!" Although Jimmy was ecstatic, the entire venue erupted in celebration.

Why? Because at Morphett Arms, everyone's win is everyone's win. Jimmy took home the $20,000 National Prize Pool for winning SportsPick’s Punters Challenge Championship, and a local legend was built in the community.

2. SUPPORT THAT GETS IT

With over 20 years of industry expertise, SportsPick's expert team gets it, providing support and resources for customers like Morphett Arms Hotel.

If I've got any problems, I can just quickly send him a quick email, or a text and he'll get straight back to me

The Result

The Morphett Arms has been able to cultivate a range of local tipping competitions that had their patrons coming back repeatedly for competitions throughout the year, their numbers tell part of the story, with:

60 passionate AFL tippers
30 dedicated NFL fans
15-20 weekly Super Seven players

In an era where technology can isolate, the Morphett Arms has found a way to use it to connect.

To discover the SportsPick difference for your venue, contact us today.

Transforming Hospitality in 2025: Our Journey and Vision Ahead

mitchell.nunis@fullhousevenues.com.au (Mitchell Nunis) — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 04:20:39 GMT

As we close out 2024, I find myself reflecting on what has been a transformative year for both our business and the hospitality industry at large.

When we launched our sports broadcasting platform in July, we saw an industry crying out for change – venue operators struggling with fragmented content delivery, rising costs, and complex operational demands. What we didn't anticipate was just how quickly the market would embrace our vision for a simplified, unified approach to sports entertainment.

OUR JOURNEY SO FAR

In just eight months, we've witnessed a remarkable evolution. We've secured partnerships with premium content providers including DAZN's Global championship boxing, and Power Slap's viral sensations.

But more importantly, we've seen first-hand how these partnerships have helped venues transform their operations and enhance their patron experience.

The problem we set out to solve was clear: the fragmentation of sports content was creating unnecessary complexity and cost for venues.

What was identified was "It's a significant pain point for how to get sports into a venue." Our solution needed to be more than just another service – it needed to be a complete reimagining of how venues access and deliver sports entertainment and our partnership with Nightlife is instrumental in solving this challenge.

LOOKING AHEAD: SPORTSPICK LIVE

As we move into 2025, I'm excited to announce perhaps our most significant development yet: the evolution of EV Live into SportsPick Live. This isn't just a rebranding exercise – it's a natural progression that reflects our commitment to delivering an all-inclusive sports bar solution and connecting sports fans with their local venue.

The integration with SportsPick represents everything we believe the future of venue sports entertainment should be: seamless, engaging, and profitable for our partners. By bringing together premium sports content with comprehensive engagement tools under one brand, we're creating what I believe will be the new standard in sports entertainment.

OUR VISION FOR 2025

Looking ahead, our focus is clear:

Content Expansion We're focused on adding additional content partners who share our vision for accessible, high-quality sports entertainment. Our goal is to ensure venues never have to look elsewhere for premium sports content.
Technology Integration The SportsPick Live platform will continue to evolve, with new features designed to help venues maximise their entertainment offering while minimising operational complexity.
Venue Support We're expanding our support infrastructure to ensure venues have everything they need to succeed – from marketing materials to operational guidance.

OUR COMMITMENT TO THE INDUSTRY

The challenges facing hospitality venues today are complex, but I believe they also present unprecedented opportunities. The cost-of-living crisis has made it more important than ever for venues to differentiate themselves and maximise operational efficiency. Our evolution into SportsPick Live reflects our commitment to helping venues not just survive but thrive in this environment.

To our existing partners: thank you for your trust and collaboration in 2024. To those considering joining us: there's never been a better time to be part of this revolution in venue entertainment.

As we look to 2025, I'm more convinced than ever that the future of the industry lies in simplified, unified solutions that put venues first. The early adopters of our platform have already seen the benefits of this approach, and we're committed to ensuring that more venues can share in this success.

The hospitality industry has always been about bringing people together. With SportsPick Live, we're making it easier than ever for venues to create those memorable moments that keep patrons coming back. That's not just good for business – it's good for your communities.

2025 promises to be an exciting year of growth, innovation, and transformation. I look forward to sharing this journey with all of you.

From Paper to Profit and Filling Seats: Why Sports Bars Are Switching to SportsPick

mitchell.nunis@fullhousevenues.com.au (Mitchell Nunis) — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 04:15:25 GMT

The Challenge Every Pub Owner Knows

On a busy Friday night and Saturday afternoons at venues across Australia, savvy operators watch as patrons gather around digital screens, smartphones in hand, engaging in an activity that's breathing new life into Australia's traditional pub culture: digital sports tipping.

"We used to do it all by paper," Mr. Hall said, referring to the tipping cards that were once a staple of Australian sports bars. "Now, everything's different."

That difference comes in the form of SportsPick, a technology platform that's transforming how Australians engage with sports in their local pubs. In an era where digital entertainment threatens to keep people home, this innovation is drawing them back to traditional gathering places, creating what some call a renaissance in pub culture.

The transformation can be particularly visible in regional areas.

At the Commercial Hotel in Bega, a coastal town in New South Wales, publican Duke Creary has witnessed a remarkable shift.

"It's only the first year we've been doing it but yeah it's just that having the product there, has been such a boost throughout," he said, noting that 40 to 50 new regular patrons now visit his establishment weekly as a result of SportsPick.

This renaissance comes at a crucial time for Australia's hospitality industry, which has struggled to maintain relevance in an increasingly digital world. Traditional sports bars, once neighbourhood fixtures, have found themselves competing with home entertainment systems and mobile betting apps.

But rather than resist digital transformation, some venues are embracing it.

SportsPick's platform offers what industry experts call an "all-inclusive" approach: combining mobile apps, in-venue screens, and automated management systems to create a seamless experience that bridges the digital and physical worlds.

NO MORE ADMINISTRATIVE HEADACHES

Remember the old days of manual data entry? Tommy Hall from The Cricketers Balmain does: "We don't have to do any data entry, SportsPick looks after all that. No more arguments about missed tips or lost cards – everything's digital, transparent, and simple".

Duke Creary from Commercial Hotel Bega: "You can do it on the app. You can do it in venue when you're having a beer and you can win prizes," reinforcing the value proposition that SportsPick has delivered for their patrons.

THE REAL VICTORY: CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT

The impact extends beyond mere numbers. Publicans report seeing more families in their venues, a shift from the tradition in the bar scene.

"It's all new faces, they're bringing in the families," Mr. Hall said.

This community aspect might be the platform's most significant achievement. In an age where digital often means disconnected, SportsPick is creating what sociologists call "third places" — social environments separate from home and work where community connections flourish.

"Even though I have 45 tips for my first year, they're all coming into the venue," Mr. Hall emphasised. In the economics of hospitality, such regular patronage is gold dust.

TRANSFORM YOUR VENUE TODAY

The platform's success hints at a broader trend in Australian society: the desire for technology that enhances rather than replaces human connection. As cities grow and traditional community spaces disappear, pubs adopting this hybrid model might represent the future of social gathering spaces.

For Australia's publicans, the message is clear: the future belongs to those who can bridge the digital-physical divide while maintaining the essential character of their establishments. As Mr. Creary puts it simply, "It's been a change up that's worked."

Ready to see what SportsPick can do for you? Get in touch with us.

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What Makes SportsPick Different?

The All-Inclusive Advantage:

All-in-one platform: Tipping competitions, app and terminal engagement, and national prize pools in one place
Multi-channel engagement: In-venue terminals, digital signage and the SportsPick mobile app
Removes administrative burden: Automated management and data entry
Proven customer attraction: Documented success in bringing new faces through the door
Broader appeal: Beyond traditional sports betting

Success Stories That Speak Volumes

THE CRICKETERS BALMAIN

Eliminated manual data entry
Measurable in-venue customers as a result of tipping
Simplified competition management
Enhanced customer experience

COMMERCIAL HOTEL BEGA

40-50 regular weekly in-venue tippers in first year
Modernised venue experience
Expanded customer base

Why It Works

Easy implementation for venues
Creates regular, measuable foot traffic
Builds venue community engagement
Drives repeat visi ts

Turn Sports Viewers Into Loyal Patrons: How In-Venue Tipping Boosts Customer Retention

mitchell.nunis@fullhousevenues.com.au (Mitchell Nunis) — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 01:15:45 GMT

In the competitive in-venue entertainment industry, customer retention is a key factor for success. Venues often seek effective ways to encourage patrons to return. While broadcasting popular sports like AFL or NRL attracts initial visitors, additional engagement strategies can help create a more loyal customer base.

One such strategy is in-venue tipping. This activity adds an interactive element to sports viewing, potentially increasing customer engagement. Sports tipping is accessible to many venue operators, as it is straightforward to understand and can greatly impact ROI. This broad appeal makes it a consideration for venues looking to enhance their sports-watching experience.

This blog will explore in-venue tipping, its potential benefits for venues, and how it can be implemented as a tool for customer attraction and retention throughout the year.

What is Tipping?

Sports tipping is a popular form of engagement that adds an extra layer of excitement to watching sports. At its core, tipping involves predicting the outcomes of multiple matches within a specific sports competition.

Here's how it typically works:

Participants are presented with a list of upcoming matches for a particular round in a sports competition.
For each match, they predict the winning team.
To enhance interest, many tipping competitions also include predicting the winning margin (the number of points by which the chosen team will win.)

These predictions, or "tips", are then compared against the actual results. Correct tips can earn points, with participants often competing for prizes, bragging rights, or simply for the thrill of the game.

This simple yet engaging format makes tipping accessible to both casual viewers and die-hard fans alike. It encourages deeper involvement with the sport, as participants often find themselves more invested in the outcomes of matches they've tipped on. For venues, offering tipping competitions can transform passive viewers into active participants, potentially increasing both engagement and return visits.

Operators can choose to make tipping competitions free to enter or charge an entry fee. Generally, the entry fees are pooled together and offered as an end-of-season prize for the participant(s) with the highest number of correct tips in a sporting season. Once a round ends, each participant's number of correct tips is tallied, and a leaderboard ranks the participants.

The best tipping competitions will often have rewards provided for the best players of a round, and a grand prize on offer for the person at the end of a season with the most successful number of tips.

Benefits of In-Venue Tipping for Your Venue

Implementing a sports tipping competition in your venue offers several advantages

Broad Appeal: Sports tipping has a low barrier to entry and simple mechanics, making it accessible to a wide range of patrons. From newcomers to seasoned fans, anyone can participate and enjoy the experience.
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Increased Customer Retention: A tipping competition can create a feedback loop that encourages patrons to return regularly. This recurring engagement helps build stronger relationships between your venue and its customers.
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Community Building: As participants return week after week, your venue can become a more integral part of the local community. This increased sense of belonging can lead to more frequent visits and a more loyal customer base.
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Social Catalyst: Tipping competitions can spark conversations and friendly rivalries among patrons, enhancing the social atmosphere of your venue. This improved social environment can make your establishment more attractive to both new and returning customers.
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Increased Dwell Time: Patrons engaged in tipping competitions may spend more time in your venue, potentially leading to increased food and beverage sales.
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Regular Attendance: The ongoing nature of sports seasons and tipping competitions can drive regular, predictable attendance, helping to stabilize your venue's customer flow.

By fostering this engaging and social atmosphere, sports tipping can help transform your venue into a destination where people not only come to watch sports but also to connect, compete, and enjoy a ore interactive entertainment experience.‍

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Why Choose SportsPick For In-Venue Tipping

SportsPick is the all-inclusive Sports and Race engagement platform designed to help you attract and retain patrons across a variety of channels. Unlike other services, our approach is venue-focused with a focus on driving patron visitation to your venue. SportsPick’s Tipping Solution gives venues access to the SportsPick terminal, a touchscreen designed for tip entry and engaging competitions, a digital screen for venue and competition promotions, and a mobile app offering a streamlined tipping process to get patrons returning to your venue.

As a SportsPick Venue, you will have access to weekly tipping comps across a variety of sports and racing services. Our tipping product is all year-round*, enabling your patrons access to the thrill of tipping each week at their local.

SportsPick provides all venues participating in tipping competitions access to SportsPick-funded National Prize Pools, valued at more than $1 Million. This promotional headline helps you attract and engage patrons with life-changing prizes that can be won by playing in your venue.

Managing a tipping competition in-house can be time-consuming and potentially contentious. This is where SportsPick comes in as a trusted third-party facilitator for your venue's tipping competitions.

Our automated platform eliminates the need for manual tip collection and tracking, freeing up your time to focus on other aspects of venue management. By outsourcing the tipping process, you can ensure fairness and transparency, reducing the likelihood of disputes or questions about the integrity of the competition.

Key benefits of using SportsPick include:

Automated tip collection and processing
Impartial management of the competition
Time savings for venue staff
Increased credibility of the tipping competition

Moreover, our dedicated support team is always on standby to assist with any issues or questions that may arise, ensuring a smooth experience for both your venue and your patrons. By leveraging SportsPick's expertise and technology, you can offer a professional, hassle-free tipping experience that enhances your venue's appeal and keeps patrons coming back for more.

How to get started with SportsPick

Whether you are looking to refresh along-standing tipping competition or introduce a new one for the upcoming season, SportsPick offers a comprehensive solution designed to increase patronage and encourage repeat visits. SportsPick enhances sports and racing entertainment available in your venues with our all-inclusive simple-to-use venue tipping product.

With additional marketing to get people in your venue, a best-in-class mobile app for users, and massive national prize pools. By incorporating SportsPick into your venue's entertainment lineup, you can offer patrons an additional reason to choose your establishment for their sports viewing and social gatherings – with the goal of making your venue a go-to destination for those looking to enjoy friendly tipping competitions alongside meals and drinks.

SportsPick's $1 Million Tipping Competition Set to Transform Pub Scene on Everest Day

mitchell.nunis@fullhousevenues.com.au (Mitchell Nunis) — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 01:05:58 GMT

BRISBANE, Australia - As The Everest, the world’s richest race on turf, approaches on October 19, SportsPick is set to transform the pub and club scene with its most exciting initiative in 2024: a $1 Million Tipping Competition.

This groundbreaking event promises to redefine patron engagement and revenue potential for venues across the country.

Gregg Downward, Head of Engagement at SportsPick, emphasised the significance of this competition.

"The $1 Million Tipping Competition on The Everest isn't just another contest – it's a game-changer for Australian pubs and clubs. We're offering venues an unparalleled opportunity to become the ultimate destination for racing enthusiasts on one of the biggest days in the racing calendar."

The competition, free for patrons to play and at no additional cost for SportsPick venues, is designed to drive foot traffic, increase dwell time, and boost revenue significantly.

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"The Punters Challenge has created a consistent buzz in participating venues,"

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"To reap the benefits, venue operators should use the tailored promotional materials we’ve provided to let patrons know that their venue is hosting this exciting tipping competition," Downward said.

"We're backing this with a comprehensive marketing blitz across radio, billboards, and digital channels to ensure maximum visibility and patron engagement."

To support this flagship event, SportsPick is leveraging the success of its ongoing initiatives. The Punters Challenge $50K Championship, which kicked off on August 17, has already proven its worth in enhancing patron engagement.

"The Punters Challenge has created a consistent buzz in participating venues," Downward said."It's been an excellent primer for The Everest competition, building a community of engaged racing fans week after week.

"Additionally, the Spring Racing tipping competitions, backed by a $15,500 national prize pool, have been keeping patrons involved throughout the season, helping venues turn casual racing fans into regular patrons, setting the stage for the grand finale on The Everest.

Mark Sturdy , Managing Director of Entain Venues , the company behind SportsPick, underscored the strategic importance of these initiatives.

"Our goal is to offer venues a comprehensive engagement strategy that spans the entire racing season. The $1 Million Tipping Competition on The Everest is the hero of this strategy, creating a major point of difference for customers to come to their local participating venue for their Everest race day."

For more information about the $1 Million Tipping Competition on The Everest and other SportsPick initiatives, please visit entainvenues.com.au or contact venues@entaingroup.com.au.

full-house-venues

Entain Venues Announces Strategic Rebrand and New Ownership to Accelerate Growth in Licensed Venue Market

Enhanced Focus on Industry-Leadi ng Venue Technology Underpins Next Chapter of Growth

How to Add Member to Competition in SportsPick Venue Admin

Step 1: Log into Venue Admin

Step 2: Add Member To Your Tipping Competition

Step 3: Select the Tipping Competition

Step 4: Add Member To Your Tipping Competition (cont.)

Step 5: Enter Member Details

Step 6: Confirm Adding Member into Competition

Start Strong for 2026: The Venue Operator’s Blueprint for Building Community & Profit

The Trend: The Revenge of Real Connection

The Reality Check: Your Audience Expects Cost-Cutting Advice

The Actionable Blueprint: 5 Steps to Start Strong

1. Audit Your Entertainment Consistency

2. Identify Your "Regulars" and Double Down on Them

3. Create a Multi-Generational Entertainment Mix

4. Make Staff Your Biggest Competitive Advantage

5. Map Your 2026 Revenue Opportunities

Making It Real: Your 2026 Action List

Step one

Step two

Step three

Step three

Ready to Build Your Entertainment Strategy?

The Complete Guide for All Your Footy Tipping Competition Set-up Needs

SportsPick's guide to non-racing tipping competition setup.

How to Create Your Footy Tipping Competition

How to Create the TV Advertisement

How to Send an SMS

How to Allocate Members to Your Local Competition ﻿

How to Print Your Local Venue Scoreboard

Setting Up A Tip Offer

Setting Up Bonus Offers

Setting Up Beat the Boss Offer

How Sports Bars Can Increase Patron Spend with Digital Tipping Competitions

The Problem: Sports Tipping Was Stuck

The Solution: SportsPick’s In-Venue Sports Engagement Platform

The Results: Numbers That Speak for Themselves

“SportsPick makes our venues feel alive on game day.

﻿ Customers trust it, staff love it, and the numbers back it up.”

Why This Matters for Sports Bars and Pubs

Key Takeaways for Venue Operators

How to Finalise Your SportsPick Competition

Step 1: Clean Up Your Member Database

Step 2: Fine-Tune Your Competition Setup

Step 3: Crown Your Champions

Step 4: Show Off Your Winners

Need a Hand?

How This Pub Used SportsPick to Strengthen Their Sports Community

Being The Community's Hub: The Morphett Arms Hotel Story

A Platform to Increase Patron Engagement - Enter SportsPick

The Secret Sauce

1. COMMUNITY FIRST, COMPLIMENTED BY TECHNOLOGY

2. SUPPORT THAT GETS IT

The Result

Transforming Hospitality in 2025: Our Journey and Vision Ahead

OUR JOURNEY SO FAR

LOOKING AHEAD: SPORTSPICK LIVE

OUR VISION FOR 2025

OUR COMMITMENT TO THE INDUSTRY

From Paper to Profit and Filling Seats: Why Sports Bars Are Switching to SportsPick

The Challenge Every Pub Owner Knows

NO MORE ADMINISTRATIVE HEADACHES

THE REAL VICTORY: CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT

TRANSFORM YOUR VENUE TODAY

What Makes SportsPick Different?

Success Stories That Speak Volumes

Turn Sports Viewers Into Loyal Patrons: How In-Venue Tipping Boosts Customer Retention

What is Tipping?

Benefits of In-Venue Tipping for Your Venue

Why Choose SportsPick For In-Venue Tipping

How to get started with SportsPick

SportsPick's $1 Million Tipping Competition Set to Transform Pub Scene on Everest Day

How to Allocate Members to Your Local Competition

Customers trust it, staff love it, and the numbers back it up.”