Clever Advertising Acquires Pickswise to Cement US Sports Betting Reach

Clever Advertising has acquired Pickswise from Spotlight Sports Group, with the transaction completed on 2 November 2026 and financial terms not disclosed. Pickswise will continue to operate under its existing name, website, mobile apps and social media channels with no disruption to end users, and the brand currently draws around 1.4 million monthly visits.

Deal background and continuity

Pickswise was launched in 2019 and covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, college American football and college basketball, professional soccer and the UFC, offering daily predictions, best bets and real-time odds comparisons across US sportsbooks. Spotlight Sports Group, which also owns UK and Ireland-focused Racing Post, sold the property after a period of close cooperation with Clever Advertising.

Clever Advertising and Pickswise had been partners since 2025, when Clever directed Pickswise’s content strategy, led an app relaunch, increased social engagement and optimised the website. That prior collaboration informed the decision to acquire the brand outright.

Strategic rationale and product roadmap

Rui Meireles, Chief Publishing Officer at Clever Advertising, described Pickswise as the company’s most important US asset and outlined immediate product priorities: new Playzone games for the NBA and MLB will be introduced as part of an engagement push. Meireles said, “Pickswise readers are fans who want the reasoning behind a pick before they bet, and that’s the audience licensed operators want to reach. Pickswise is now our most important asset in the US market. We’ll keep investing in the brand, starting with new Playzone games for the NBA and MLB, as a key driver of our long-term growth and our expansion in the US.”

Mark Renshaw, CEO of Spotlight Sports Group, noted the company launched Pickswise in 2019 and grew it into one of the leading free picks brands in the US before the handover: “We launched Pickswise in 2019 and grew it into one of the leading free picks brands in the US. Over the past year, the team at Clever Advertising has advanced it further. They’re the right owner for its next chapter.”

Market fit and channel strategy

Clever Advertising previously built a US presence through paid media, search engine marketing and influencer campaigns managed on behalf of licensed operators. The acquisition gives the company an owned audience in the US rather than relying solely on third-party distribution. The firm intends to combine Pickswise’s reach with its performance marketing capabilities to target the regulated US sports betting market and to deploy interactive features aimed at increasing time on site and recurring visits.

What changes for users and partners

Users should see no immediate brand or platform changes: Pickswise’s site, apps and social channels remain unchanged after the transaction. Clever has signalled product-led investment, beginning with the Playzone launch for NBA and MLB content, and said it will continue to support Pickswise’s editorial and odds comparison functions.

Clever Advertising framed the purchase as a move to secure a direct channel to sports bettors and to accelerate growth in the US sports betting landscape. The acquisition follows a period of operational partnership dating back to 2025 and is positioned as the next stage for a brand that attracts roughly 1.4 million monthly visits.