Clever Advertising buys Pickswise from Spotlight
Clever Advertising has acquired U.S. sports betting publisher Pickswise from Spotlight Sports Group, completing the transaction on November 2. The companies did not disclose the purchase price. Pickswise will retain its existing name, website, apps, and social media channels, with the buyer saying users will continue accessing the brand through the same services.
The acquisition follows an operating relationship that began in 2025. Before taking ownership, Clever Advertising had already been involved in Pickswise’s content strategy, app relaunch, website improvements, and social media development. The companies’ previous work together also included Pickswise Playzone, which launched with an NFL Career game.
Pickswise publishes betting selections, supporting analysis, and comparisons of odds available from major U.S. sportsbooks. Its coverage includes professional football, basketball, baseball, and hockey, alongside college sports, soccer, and UFC events. Clever Advertising puts the brand’s audience at 1.4 million monthly visits; that figure measures visits rather than individual readers.
Playzone expansion follows ownership change
Chief Publishing Officer Rui Meireles identified Pickswise as Clever Advertising’s principal U.S. asset and said further investment would include Playzone games covering the NBA and MLB. Those additions were announced as upcoming developments. The acquisition announcement did not provide release dates, product specifications, or a separate investment budget for either game.
The purchase adds an established publishing brand to Clever Advertising’s existing U.S. marketing activities. Before the deal, its work in the country included paid media, search, and influencer campaigns for gambling operators. Meireles said Pickswise’s readership is interested in understanding the reasoning behind betting selections, describing that audience as relevant to licensed sportsbooks’ customer acquisition efforts.
Spotlight Sports Group launched Pickswise in 2019. Its chief executive, Mark Renshaw, credited Clever Advertising with developing the business during their previous collaboration and supported the transfer of ownership. Spotlight’s other publishing assets include the Racing Post, which covers horse racing in the UK and Ireland. No broader transfer of Spotlight brands was announced as part of the Pickswise transaction.
