About this app
What is Treasure Trawler?
While it’s tempting to use AI to help you write a submit, we please ask that you avoid doing so, as once again, the more personal an entry is, the better we can judge it across our key criteria.
The submission form will close on 1 October, at which time nominations will be put to our esteemed panel of judges for final review.
More information on judges, submissions and deadlines can be found here. You can also access interviews with last year’s winners and the final list for 2025, as well as for every year prior.
How to play Treasure Trawler
The release leans on a mechanic BGaming has run before rather than a new core engine. The Duel feature triggers when a VS symbol lands on the game’s 5×5 grid along with a win. At that point the symbol expands as a whole-reel Wild, and an animated showdown plays out, with the winner showing a multiplier of up to ×100.
That familiarity is the point. BGaming explained that the game has been inspired by the success of other games featuring the Duel mechanic. In other words, the studio is iterating on a framework it already trusts and attaching its most recognizable characters to it.
The commercial profile stays within conventional bounds. The game serves up a maximum win of ×5,000, with a 97% RTP and medium-high volatility. A layered Buy Bonus menu sits on top of the base engine, offering variations of the Free Spins round rather than a separate headline mechanic.
How to play Treasure Trawler
The existence of a new competitor does not automatically mean sportsbook revenue will collapse. But valuations do not require proof of collapse to fall. A loss of confidence in future growth can be enough.
And now sportsbooks are joining the prediction market race themselves. DraftKings has moved into the market, while Flutter is also developing its presence. That could make prediction markets an additional source of revenue rather than a straightforward threat.
But it also requires investment at exactly the time shareholders are demanding better returns. Flutter’s recent results illustrate the tension. US adjusted EBITDA fell sharply in the first half of 2026, while the company continues to invest in FanDuel Predicts and other initiatives aimed at future growth.