EXCLUSIVE: Photo Finish Live Announces Solana Derby, Interactive Experience: ‘How We Envision The Future Of Spectating And Betting On Sports’
By Benzinga
Virtual horse racing game Photo Finish has announced the Solana Derby and interactive experience at Solana Breakpoint, adding to the growth for the company led by Madden and other gaming veterans.
Solana Derby: Based on the Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) blockchain, Photo Finish is a virtual horse racing game that combines play-to-earn elements uniting sports fans and Web3 enthusiasts opportunities to both play and earn through racing, breeding and staking.
The game, which is developed by Third Time Entertainment, will host the inaugural Solana Derby on Sept. 21. The event will be held live at Solana Breakpoint in Singapore.
Competing in the inaugural Solana Derby will be sixteen horses owned by some of Solana’s most iconic figures. The list includes Solana co-founder Raj Gokal and Anatoly Yakovenko, the CEO of Helius, the founder of Bonk (CRYPTO: BONK) along with Solana influencers like Brycent, AshleyDCan and SolJakey
“We couldn’t be more excited to bring the Solana Derby to life at Breakpoint this year,” Third Time Games CEO and founder Ian Cummings said. “There is no better place to showcase the exciting announcements around Photo Finish Live than at the biggest Solana conference of all time.”
Cummings said Yakovenko and Gokal have been vital to the success story of Photo Finish.
Participants in the Solana Derby are eligible to win prizes, including a bottle of limited-edition champagne. The winner will also receive a trophy from Photo Finish Live.
Interactive Experience: Along with the inaugural Solana Derby, Photo Finish has also unveiled a new interactive experience that the company hopes will become a reality.
A prototype of off-track betting will be highlighted via an interactive experience at Solana Breakpoint. Attendees can touch the 55-inch touchscreen screen and select a horse they think will win a race and receive a non-fungible token (NFT) of that horse.
The game plans to offer sports bars and venues the opportunity to place off-track wagers with interactive touchscreen stations or through a continuous live stream via a ROKU app that has been developed and is currently in beta testing.
“The Solana Derby is more than just a race; it’s the beginning of a new chapter in how we envision the future of spectating and betting on sports,” Cummings added.
Cummings said that the interactive experience at Breakpoint could showcase the potential of what Third Time Games and Photo Finish are creating.
“We’re demonstrating the incredible potential of what we’re building while at the same time following the model of real horse racing and the popularity of off-track betting sites located around the world, all powered by the speed and security of the Solana network.”
Why It’s Important: Photo Finish Live is the only official gaming partner of the Kentucky Derby and is one of the leading real-money virtual horse racing games globally.
The game allows players the ability to own, race, breed, buy and sell virtual horses while competing for real monetary rewards. Since launching in 2023, players have spent over $30 million on Photo Finish race entry fees and over $25 million on Photo Finish virtual horses.
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Photo courtesy of Photo Finish.
