Description

Ep. 192 features Jesse Learmonth in a special "Ask Me Anything" edition of the Betting Startups Podcast, where he flips the script and answers questions from founders, operators, and builders across the gaming ecosystem.

Hear him discuss:

• The biggest lessons from nearly 200 podcast episodes, including why industry experience and distribution matter more than ever for startup success
• What surprised him most in 2025: prediction markets, the blurring lines between betting, finance, and speculation, and what that means for founders
• Common mistakes founders make, from confusing personal pain points with real market opportunities to poorly framing “use of funds” in pitch decks
• How bettors are evolving, why access (not tools) is now the biggest constraint, and how prediction markets are changing the landscape in 2026
• Jesse’s vision for Betting Startups in 2026, including new products, events, a tech platform, and plans to raise strategic (non-institutional) capital

Catch the video version of this episode here.

Learn more 👇

➡️ Jesse Learmonth on Linkedin

📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/

---

This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.