The newspaper claimed that private equity firm and Spotlight’s owner, Exponent, was “closing in on a £500m sale” and tipped Better Collective as the “odds-on favourite” to acquire the sports media business.
Spotlight is best known for its Racing Post brand, as well as other betting tip sites such as MyRacing, Free Super Tips and Soccerbase, alongside a US-focused venture, Pickwise.
Rumours that Exponent is looking to sell Spotlight first emerged in November 2021, when it was reported that the firm was in talks with investment banks. It was later revealed that Exponent had selected PJT Partners to oversee Spotlight’s sale.
But in response to a query from Gambling Insider, Better Collective declined to comment. It stated: “The article is highly speculative and given our defined M&A strategy and track record we are not surprised to be mentioned when there are rumours of sales processes in the industry.
“However, we do not want to comment or join in speculations.”
Better Collective is based in Copenhagen but listed in Stockholm, where it is currently valued at almost SEK 8bn ($799m).
The company operates a number of betting advice websites, including Bettingexpert.com, Irishracing.com and SmartBet.
Moreover, Better Collective made two notable US-facing acquisitions in the past year, adding Action Network and RotoGrinders to its brand portfolio. Acquiring Spotlight would only enhance its US footprint, further developing a key area for the company.
