Insights
Colossus Q&A: Oliver Reakes-Williams | Head of Betting Operations
In the second of our Colossus Q&A series, we speak to Oliver Reakes-Williams who heads up our Betting Operations team.
Name: Oliver Reakes-Williams
Job title: Head of Betting Operations
How long have you worked at Colossus? Approaching 3 years this summer.
What does a typical day in your role look like? Our primary focus in operations is providing the best possible offering to customers in terms of content, user experience and value that customers get from our pools day-to-day.
We do that by producing the most exciting betting pools available, ensuring every market we offer is as accurate and smooth-running as possible to showcase our USPs and provide competitive guarantees and consolation prizes.
Beyond our core operational responsibilities, a key part of what we do is managing our customer service channels and risk management on the millions of pounds of guarantees Colossus offer each week.
What is the one feature or sport you would like to see Colossus add? We are working on a product which will mirror the Request-a-Bet/ Bet Builder type offering which has become so popular in fixed odds over the last couple of years. It will enable us to provide content on single events which, at present, represent missed opportunities for ourselves as a multi-leg pool operator.
Using the same framework of leg-by-leg Cash Out and Syndicate technology, betting on individual fixtures will provide an exciting alternative to the products currently on offer.
Funniest moment working at Colossus? I recall being involved in a messy sack race on the roof of our office building last summer which was quite amusing for those watching on.
Proudest moment at Colossus? Launching our own UK and Irish racing product in July 2018 as a much needed and far superior alternative to the Tote.
If you weren’t Head of Betting Operations at Colossus, what would you be? Having stumbled across a career where I can work so closely to the sports I love, it would have to be another role within the sports or betting industry. Before that I was pursuing something in the political realm, a real dodged bullet.
Favourite sport? To play it’s rugby, to watch it’s racing.
Favourite football team? Shrewsbury Town
Favourite film? Too many to choose from. Coach Carter and The Blind Side are both up there. More recently, though, The Gentleman was excellent.
Favourite TV series? Prison Break (First Season)
Top 3 albums of all time? Three of Coldplay’s but I couldn’t give you the Trifecta.
If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life? My housemates would say Carbonara or Bolognese.
Quiet night in or loud night out? A pub with Beavertown on tap and one of sport or live music on offer.
Have you ever wondered how Colossus jackpots work? Our handy explainer video tells you everything you need to know.
