Believe It Or Not, The Golden Knights Have An Official Tout Service

Rewritten: Three days following the announcement, the partnership was terminated by the Golden Knights.

On Tuesday, Kerry Bubolz, the President of the Vegas Golden Knights, announced a unique partnership with UpickTrade. The company is now designated as the “Official Sports Pick Service Partner of the Vegas Golden Knights.”

This deal stands out for two distinct reasons. Firstly, it marks the inaugural partnership between a Mexican-based firm, UpickTrade, and an NHL team. Secondly, it’s also the first time a pick-selling service has formed an alliance with the hockey league.

Under this agreement, Upicktrade will be showcased on the web and social media platforms of the Vegas Golden Knights. Additionally, the brand will be highlighted in-game and within the arena on the boards.

Golden Knights touting the tout

Touts is a term often used to refer to sports betting pick sellers. However, the word tout has multiple meanings.

An individual or company might promote a project as being superior. In the realm of sports and sports gambling, a tout is considered as someone who persistently solicits, hawks, or persuades others about their selections.

Mike Mungiello, the Vice President of Global Partnerships for the Golden Knights, says:

We are excited to collaborate with UpickTrade.com, making us the first professional sports franchise to team up with a sports recommendation service.

“We hope our fanbase will incorporate UpickTrade.com into their sports pick betting routine.”

The announcement of this partnership wasn’t received well in the initial reactions on Twitter.

What is UpickTrade?

Established in 2017, UpickTrade is a service that provides recommendations for sports betting picks. Over the course of three years, it has managed to accumulate 6,000 subscribers.

Based in Guadalajara, Mexico, UpickTrade claims to have an algorithm that delivers the best sports betting picks for the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. The company currently charges $89 monthly for its picks in each league. In addition, it levies an extra $89 per league for raw data.

Carlos Lazo Reyes, CEO of UpickTrade, asserts that the company also provides advice on money management, enabling clients to optimally balance risk and reward in each transaction.

Being the Official Sports Recommendation Pick Service for the Vegas Golden Knights is a historic event in the sports betting industry.

At the very least, a professional North American sports league joining forces with a pick seller marks a “historic moment in the sports betting market.”

What’s the big deal?

Companies and individuals who sell sports betting picks are often viewed negatively for their aggressive tactics and lack of transparency. The primary objective of these pick-selling services is to acquire subscribers and generate income.

The selections provided are not necessarily bets that the company or individual will make. This is crucial to bear in mind when considering a pick-selling service.

These companies or individuals will promote their pick records in different manners. Some will be fully transparent, revealing both their peaks and troughs over the years. On the other hand, some will distort information to make their pick selling records appear superior than they actually are over a period of time.

The partnership could potentially face responsible gambling issues. UPickTrade promotes its services as a method for sports betting income. According to the American Gaming Association’s sports betting marketing code of conduct, members are not allowed to advertise gambling as a surefire way to earn money. Therefore, if the Golden Knights’ official site contains any similar language, they could face possible repercussions.

Touting tactics

According to its websites, UpickTrade proudly presents pick records that vary from +29.4% to +687.24% per year. For a sports bettor to merely break even, they typically need to win 52.4% of their game wagers.

Websites may enhance the reputation of a pick-selling service, but this does not negate the presence of a dark side. Pick sellers and their associated companies can employ aggressive strategies to ensure subscribers continue to pay for their service.

Keep in mind, the pick seller profits from the subscriber, not from their picks. A significant part of their job is to maintain customers on paid plans for picks. They may manipulate data to achieve this or use aggressive marketing and promotional tactics.

Two men were accused last year of running a sports betting pyramid scheme worth $30 million. They deceived about 600 customers about their sports betting record. UpickTrade, however, claims to already have ten times as many clients as the accused men.

The above scheme is simply a prominent example of dishonest conduct by pick sellers. More often than not, pick sellers target individual recreational bettors.

High-pressure strategies often affect problem gamblers the most. Hearing responsible gambling advocates express concerns about this deal would not be surprising.

This is undeniably a historic deal, for better or worse.

All we want is winners

Information is scarce regarding the deal between the Golden Knights and UpickTrade. All sports partnerships should aim to enhance the viewing experience for fans.

How will this agreement enhance the viewing experience of Golden Knights games? Will there be an influx of commercials like this on Golden Knights’ social media accounts and televised games?

Bettors in sports who pay for picks are primarily interested in winners. They often lack the time or patience to do their own betting research. Undoubtedly, there is a market for such a service.

This partnership pairs a pick-selling company with a professional sports team, an unprecedented move for all parties involved in the deal. The advantages this partnership could bring to any Golden Knights fan remain unclear.