Shows
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 166: When a merger becomes a multiplier w/ Steve “Dakota” Happas & Sahil Patel from FantasySpinEp. 166 features Steve “Dakota” Happas and Sahil Patel from FantasySpin, a real-money DFS platform reinventing the fantasy experience through a gamified, slot-style draft mechanic. This episode was recorded on-site at SBC Summit North America 2025 in Fort Lauderdale.
Hear them discuss:
How a friendly fantasy football bet led to the founding of BettorFantasy
Steve’s journey from online poker and dating platforms to fantasy sports
Why the two companies merged to form FantasySpin and how the deal came together
How their slot-style drafting system introduces luck, skill, and replayability
Why FantasySpin rewards users even when players in their...2025-05-2830 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 166: When a merger becomes a multiplier w/ Steve “Dakota” Happas & Sahil Patel from FantasySpinEp. 166 features Steve “Dakota” Happas and Sahil Patel from FantasySpin, a real-money DFS platform reinventing the fantasy experience through a gamified, slot-style draft mechanic. This episode was recorded on-site at SBC Summit North America 2025 in Fort Lauderdale.
Hear them discuss:
How a friendly fantasy football bet led to the founding of BettorFantasy
Steve’s journey from online poker and dating platforms to fantasy sports
Why the two companies merged to form FantasySpin and how the deal came together
How their slot-style drafting system introduces luck, skill, and replayability
Why FantasySpin rewards users even when players in their...2025-05-2830 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 165: SBC First Pitch recap w/ the 2025 FinalistsRecorded live at SBC Summit Americas 2025 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, this episode recaps the excitement of the First Pitch competition.
In this episode, you'll hear from all five startup finalists just hours before they took the stage, and at the end of the episode, we bring back the winner for a celebratory chat fresh off their victory.
The five startups that competed for a prize package valued at over $100,000 were:
Oliver Renner from PromptBet.ai
Mark Antal from Staked AI
Andrew Lea from Gamewagrs
K...2025-05-2023 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 165: SBC First Pitch recap w/ the 2025 FinalistsRecorded live at SBC Summit Americas 2025 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, this episode recaps the excitement of the First Pitch competition.
In this episode, you'll hear from all five startup finalists just hours before they took the stage, and at the end of the episode, we bring back the winner for a celebratory chat fresh off their victory.
The five startups that competed for a prize package valued at over $100,000 were:
Oliver Renner from PromptBet.ai
Mark Antal from Staked AI
Andrew Lea from Gamewagrs
K...2025-05-2023 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 164: Life after selling for $160,000,000 w/ Alexander Monahan from OddsJam (acquired by Gambling.com)Ep. 164 features Alexander Monahan from OddsJam, a data-driven sports betting platform acquired by Gambling.com Group in a deal worth up to $160 million. Alex returns to the podcast after first joining in early 2023 to share what has changed and what has stayed the same since the nine-figure exit.
Hear them discuss:
What life looks like after a $160M acquisition
Why he is still focused on helping bettors win with data
His reflections on the due diligence and acquisition process
Why he and his co-founder stayed bootstrapped without rai...2025-05-0737 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 164: Life after selling for $160,000,000 w/ Alexander Monahan from OddsJam (acquired by Gambling.com)Ep. 164 features Alexander Monahan from OddsJam, a data-driven sports betting platform acquired by Gambling.com Group in a deal worth up to $160 million. Alex returns to the podcast after first joining in early 2023 to share what has changed and what has stayed the same since the nine-figure exit.
Hear them discuss:
What life looks like after a $160M acquisition
Why he is still focused on helping bettors win with data
His reflections on the due diligence and acquisition process
Why he and his co-founder stayed bootstrapped without rai...2025-05-0737 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 163: Building the Alexa of sports w/ Mark Antal from Staked AIEp. 163 features Mark Antal from Staked AI, which is crafting an Amazon Alexa-like AI for sports to deliver personalized, real-time audio content. This episode was recorded on-site at the NEXT Summit New York in March 2025 with guest host, Thomas Coiner.
Hear them discuss:
How his background in AI and machine learning at Vault AI led to building Staked AI
Why audio is a breakthrough for sports engagement
The importance of time-sensitive content and its impact on driving sportsbook engagement
How Staked AI’s partnerships, like the one with Wager Games, validate the product’s impact...2025-04-2929 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 163: Building the Alexa of sports w/ Mark Antal from Staked AIEp. 163 features Mark Antal from Staked AI, which is crafting an Amazon Alexa-like AI for sports to deliver personalized, real-time audio content. This episode was recorded on-site at the NEXT Summit New York in March 2025 with guest host, Thomas Coiner.
Hear them discuss:
How his background in AI and machine learning at Vault AI led to building Staked AI
Why audio is a breakthrough for sports engagement
The importance of time-sensitive content and its impact on driving sportsbook engagement
How Staked AI’s partnerships, like the one with Wager Games, validate the product’s impact...2025-04-2929 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 162: Using prize-linked savings for parlays w/ Owen Monagan and Oisin Tiernan from LayupEp. 162 features Owen Monagan and Oisin Tiernan from Layup, which is a FinTech company providing a gamified savings product that turns interest into free sports picks. This episode was recorded on-site at the NEXT Summit New York in March 2025.
Hear them discuss:
Their journey from building a Fantasy Premier League app together to launching Layup
How growing up with “prize bonds” in Ireland inspired Layup’s concept
Why their product offers a responsible alternative to sports betting and lottery
How Layup converts interest earned into sports picks that resemble parlays
The mechanics of how users c...2025-04-2332 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 162: Using prize-linked savings for parlays w/ Owen Monagan and Oisin Tiernan from LayupEp. 162 features Owen Monagan and Oisin Tiernan from Layup, which is a FinTech company providing a gamified savings product that turns interest into free sports picks. This episode was recorded on-site at the NEXT Summit New York in March 2025.
Hear them discuss:
Their journey from building a Fantasy Premier League app together to launching Layup
How growing up with “prize bonds” in Ireland inspired Layup’s concept
Why their product offers a responsible alternative to sports betting and lottery
How Layup converts interest earned into sports picks that resemble parlays
The mechanics of how users c...2025-04-2332 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 161: Unlocking new fantasy insights with AI w/ Aishik Lala from Rotobot AIEp. 161 features Aishik Lala from Rotobot AI, an AI-driven platform tackling fantasy football’s information overload with personalized insights. This episode was recorded on-site at the NEXT Summit New York in March 2025.
Hear him discuss:
How ChatGPT’s rise inspired a chatbot to answer fantasy football questions
The launch of a simple web app in 2023 and discovering chat alone wasn’t enough for their vision
the evolution into a full app with player profiles and stat discovery
Hitting 10,000 downloads via TikTok livestreams with no marketing spend
Why distribution is as critical as the product in toda...2025-04-1526 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 161: Unlocking new fantasy insights with AI w/ Aishik Lala from Rotobot AIEp. 161 features Aishik Lala from Rotobot AI, an AI-driven platform tackling fantasy football’s information overload with personalized insights. This episode was recorded on-site at the NEXT Summit New York in March 2025.
Hear him discuss:
How ChatGPT’s rise inspired a chatbot to answer fantasy football questions
The launch of a simple web app in 2023 and discovering chat alone wasn’t enough for their vision
the evolution into a full app with player profiles and stat discovery
Hitting 10,000 downloads via TikTok livestreams with no marketing spend
Why distribution is as critical as the product in toda...2025-04-1526 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 160: Building the Gambling as a service platform w/ Sebastian Lewis from PluckyEp. 160 features Sebastian from Plucky, which is pioneering "gambling as a service," enabling brands with an audience to offer real money gaming without getting involved in regulation. This episode was recorded on-site at the NEXT Summit New York in March 2025.
Hear him discuss:
Winning the Starties award for Best Collaboration after partnering with Genius Sports to monetize free-to-play games
The deal with The Sun, monetizing half a million UK fantasy players through Plucky’s platform
His journey from a high school dropout to building and exiting multiple tech startups
How Plucky integrates regulated real money...2025-04-0828 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 160: Building the Gambling as a service platform w/ Sebastian Lewis from PluckyEp. 160 features Sebastian from Plucky, which is pioneering "gambling as a service," enabling brands with an audience to offer real money gaming without getting involved in regulation. This episode was recorded on-site at the NEXT Summit New York in March 2025.
Hear him discuss:
Winning the Starties award for Best Collaboration after partnering with Genius Sports to monetize free-to-play games
The deal with The Sun, monetizing half a million UK fantasy players through Plucky’s platform
His journey from a high school dropout to building and exiting multiple tech startups
How Plucky integrates regulated real money...2025-04-0828 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 159: Filling a void with live multiplayer skill games w/ Aman Agarwal & Jatin Narang from ToastEp. 159 features Aman Agarwal and Jatin Narang from Toast, building live multiplayer skill games with built-in player liquidity for real money iGaming. This episode was recorded at the World Trade Center during the NEXT Summit New York in March 2025.
Hear them discuss:
Toast’s origins: uniting Aman’s gambling roots and Jatin’s free-to-play expertise
Blending gambling psychology with free-to-play innovation to shape their vision
Their thesis for how skill games can fill the U.S. iCasino regulatory gap
How they ideate on new game concepts and formats, including their latest skill-based basketball game
Their lea...2025-04-0128 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 159: Filling a void with live multiplayer skill games w/ Aman Agarwal & Jatin Narang from ToastEp. 159 features Aman Agarwal and Jatin Narang from Toast, building live multiplayer skill games with built-in player liquidity for real money iGaming. This episode was recorded at the World Trade Center during the NEXT Summit New York in March 2025.
Hear them discuss:
Toast’s origins: uniting Aman’s gambling roots and Jatin’s free-to-play expertise
Blending gambling psychology with free-to-play innovation to shape their vision
Their thesis for how skill games can fill the U.S. iCasino regulatory gap
How they ideate on new game concepts and formats, including their latest skill-based basketball game
Their lea...2025-04-0128 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 158: Bringing esports betting to the mainstream w/ Shivam Shorewala from RimbleEp. 158 features Shivam Shorewala from Rimble, a next-generation esports odds and analytics platform powering player props and beyond. This episode was recorded in person at the NEXT Summit New York in March 2025.
Hear him discuss:
How his early days at SimpleBet sparked the idea for Esports micro markets
Why messy esports data forced a pivot to pre-game player props
Building a niche product filling the esports betting gap for operators
The surprising demand for Counter Strike and expanding to League of Legends
How official data deals and computer vision solved their data woes
Running a...2025-03-2526 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 158: Bringing esports betting to the mainstream w/ Shivam Shorewala from RimbleEp. 158 features Shivam Shorewala from Rimble, a next-generation esports odds and analytics platform powering player props and beyond. This episode was recorded in person at the NEXT Summit New York in March 2025.
Hear him discuss:
How his early days at SimpleBet sparked the idea for Esports micro markets
Why messy esports data forced a pivot to pre-game player props
Building a niche product filling the esports betting gap for operators
The surprising demand for Counter Strike and expanding to League of Legends
How official data deals and computer vision solved their data woes
Running a...2025-03-2526 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 157: Transparent betting on the blockchain w/ Will Martin from LiveDuelEp. 157 features Will Martin from LiveDuel, a decentralized blockchain-based betting exchange aiming to simplify sports betting with crypto innovations. This episode was recorded on-site at the NEXT Summit New York in March 2024.
Hear him discuss:
How a $300 TikTok filter campaign for the 2022 World Cup won Marketing Genius at The Starties
The origin of LiveDuel from Will’s background in arbitrage, prop trading, and meme stocks
Why they’re creating a hybrid model between sportsbooks and betting exchanges
How liquidity pools and smart contracts enable a smooth betting experience
The evolution of their thesis amid the...2025-03-1932 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 157: Transparent betting on the blockchain w/ Will Martin from LiveDuelEp. 157 features Will Martin from LiveDuel, a decentralized blockchain-based betting exchange aiming to simplify sports betting with crypto innovations. This episode was recorded on-site at the NEXT Summit New York in March 2024.
Hear him discuss:
How a $300 TikTok filter campaign for the 2022 World Cup won Marketing Genius at The Starties
The origin of LiveDuel from Will’s background in arbitrage, prop trading, and meme stocks
Why they’re creating a hybrid model between sportsbooks and betting exchanges
How liquidity pools and smart contracts enable a smooth betting experience
The evolution of their thesis amid the...2025-03-1932 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 156: Profitable from day one w/ KB from Pick The OddsEp. 156 features KB from Pick The Odds, which is a cutting-edge sports betting data platform providing real-time odds, arbitrage opportunities, and historical betting insights.
Hear him discuss:
How his background in eSports data and machine learning led to launching Pick The Odds
The conversation at an Eagles game that sparked the idea for his platform
How Pick The Odds collects and updates lines from over 100 sportsbooks in under 1.6 seconds
Why he focuses on building advanced betting tools rather than offering AI-driven picks
Why his pricing model ensures users get value while keeping the business s...2025-03-1138 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 156: Profitable from day one w/ KB from Pick The OddsEp. 156 features KB from Pick The Odds, which is a cutting-edge sports betting data platform providing real-time odds, arbitrage opportunities, and historical betting insights.
Hear him discuss:
How his background in eSports data and machine learning led to launching Pick The Odds
The conversation at an Eagles game that sparked the idea for his platform
How Pick The Odds collects and updates lines from over 100 sportsbooks in under 1.6 seconds
Why he focuses on building advanced betting tools rather than offering AI-driven picks
Why his pricing model ensures users get value while keeping the business s...2025-03-1138 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 155: Gamifying betting education w/ Ty D'Amore & Justin Järvinen from Bankroll UEp. 155 features Co-Founders Ty D'Amore and Justin Järvinen from Bankroll U, which is a platform designed to educate bettors while providing a gamified environment that mimics real-money betting.
Hear them discuss:
How a barrage of sportsbook ads sparked the idea for BankrollU
Why simulated betting is the best way to learn without going broke
The unique progression system that lets users prove they can win before earning real cash bonuses
Justin’s journey from venture studios and fintech to jumping on board with BankrollU
Ty’s experience scaling a tech company to a NASDAQ public listi...2025-03-0542 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 155: Gamifying betting education w/ Ty D'Amore & Justin Järvinen from Bankroll UEp. 155 features Co-Founders Ty D'Amore and Justin Järvinen from Bankroll U, which is a platform designed to educate bettors while providing a gamified environment that mimics real-money betting.
Hear them discuss:
How a barrage of sportsbook ads sparked the idea for BankrollU
Why simulated betting is the best way to learn without going broke
The unique progression system that lets users prove they can win before earning real cash bonuses
Justin’s journey from venture studios and fintech to jumping on board with BankrollU
Ty’s experience scaling a tech company to a NASDAQ public listi...2025-03-0542 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 153: Converting sports fans into sports bettors w/ Tyler Amirault & James White from HotTakesEp. 153 features Tyler Amirault and James White from HotTakes, which is the ultimate free-to-play sports betting simulator.
Hear them discuss:
How their time at Western University led to HotTakes, starting as a passion project before becoming a full-time venture
The idea behind HotTakes—letting sports fans try betting for free, win real cash prizes, and learn without risk
Their business model, which monetizes user attention and shares value with players through an affiliate-driven rewards system
Why they've been so successful as affiliates at a time when so many other affiliates are struggling
The recent lau...2025-02-1835 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 153: Converting sports fans into sports bettors w/ Tyler Amirault & James White from HotTakesEp. 153 features Tyler Amirault and James White from HotTakes, which is the ultimate free-to-play sports betting simulator.
Hear them discuss:
How their time at Western University led to HotTakes, starting as a passion project before becoming a full-time venture
The idea behind HotTakes—letting sports fans try betting for free, win real cash prizes, and learn without risk
Their business model, which monetizes user attention and shares value with players through an affiliate-driven rewards system
Why they've been so successful as affiliates at a time when so many other affiliates are struggling
The recent lau...2025-02-1835 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 152: Using charitable giving to drive player retention w/ Tiffany Santisteban LagosEp. 152 features Tiffany Santisteban Lagos from EmpowerYourPlay, which transforms gaming rewards by integrating micro-giving to charities of players’ choice.
Hear her discuss:
EmpowerYourPlay winning the recent Pitch ICE competition, and the benefits that has brought
How EmpowerYourPlay is using charitable giving as a new player retention mechanism for operators
The insights she got from speaking to over 10,000 players before launching, and how that helped validate her hypotheses
Why Gen Z and Millennials are driving a shift toward purpose-driven spending
Why her experience building EmpowerYourPlay has been "like drinking water from a firehose"
How attracting top talent on...2025-02-1132 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 152: Using charitable giving to drive player retention w/ Tiffany Santisteban LagosEp. 152 features Tiffany Santisteban Lagos from EmpowerYourPlay, which transforms gaming rewards by integrating micro-giving to charities of players’ choice.
Hear her discuss:
EmpowerYourPlay winning the recent Pitch ICE competition, and the benefits that has brought
How EmpowerYourPlay is using charitable giving as a new player retention mechanism for operators
The insights she got from speaking to over 10,000 players before launching, and how that helped validate her hypotheses
Why Gen Z and Millennials are driving a shift toward purpose-driven spending
Why her experience building EmpowerYourPlay has been "like drinking water from a firehose"
How attracting top talent on...2025-02-1132 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 151: Extracting data at scale using computer vision technology w/ Simon Gerszberg from ShotQualityEp. 151 features Simon Gerszberg from ShotQuality, a sports data extraction company using CV, AI and data science to optimize pricing for Sports-books and syndicates.
Hear him discuss:
How a chance college roommate pairing sparked the beginning for ShotQuality
The strategy shift that saw them move away from selling analytics to colleges - despite having 25 Division 1 teams as clients
How their first sportsbook deal came from betting into the market using ShotQuality data
His experience successfully navigating the dreaded operator integration roadmap
News of their expansion from a basketball-only product to a multi-sport offering
His pe...2025-02-0427 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 151: Extracting data at scale using computer vision technology w/ Simon Gerszberg from ShotQualityEp. 151 features Simon Gerszberg from ShotQuality, a sports data extraction company using CV, AI and data science to optimize pricing for Sports-books and syndicates.
Hear him discuss:
How a chance college roommate pairing sparked the beginning for ShotQuality
The strategy shift that saw them move away from selling analytics to colleges - despite having 25 Division 1 teams as clients
How their first sportsbook deal came from betting into the market using ShotQuality data
His experience successfully navigating the dreaded operator integration roadmap
News of their expansion from a basketball-only product to a multi-sport offering
His pe...2025-02-0427 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 150: Building iGaming’s global community w/ Pierre Lindh of NEXT.ioEp. 150 features Pierre Lindh from NEXT.io, the world’s iGaming community.
Hear him discuss:
The life and legacy of Nico Jansen
His retrospective on the ICE conference's debut in Barcelona
Why he feels like NEXT is only now hitting its stride after 12 years of perseverance
The risky shift in strategy that NEXT made last year, and how that's paid off since
The challenges of building a premium content business with a subscription model
His views and insights on how to build and grow community
Why he thinks about the NEXT NYC Summit as "the...2025-01-2954 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 150: Building iGaming’s global community w/ Pierre Lindh of NEXT.ioEp. 150 features Pierre Lindh from NEXT.io, the world’s iGaming community.
Hear him discuss:
The life and legacy of Nico Jansen
His retrospective on the ICE conference's debut in Barcelona
Why he feels like NEXT is only now hitting its stride after 12 years of perseverance
The risky shift in strategy that NEXT made last year, and how that's paid off since
The challenges of building a premium content business with a subscription model
His views and insights on how to build and grow community
Why he thinks about the NEXT NYC Summit as "the...2025-01-2954 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 149: How it pays to be a fan w/ Michael Testa from WunderfanEp. 149 features Michael Testa from Wunderfan, with guest host Thomas Coiner. Wunderfan redefines sports loyalty by rewarding fan engagement through an innovative "It Pays to be a Fan" model.
Hear them discuss:
Wunderfan’s unique slogan "It pays to be a fan", and how that applies to fan loyalty
Michael's entrepreneurial journey in customer loyalty and in a startup acquisition
How Michael's co-founders, Blake Patterson and Geran de Klerk, are leveraging their past successes for Wunderfan
What they learned from the success of building Wunderpar, a golf-focused version of Wunderfan
Why they've invested so hea...2025-01-2132 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 149: How it pays to be a fan w/ Michael Testa from WunderfanEp. 149 features Michael Testa from Wunderfan, with guest host Thomas Coiner. Wunderfan redefines sports loyalty by rewarding fan engagement through an innovative "It Pays to be a Fan" model.
Hear them discuss:
Wunderfan’s unique slogan "It pays to be a fan", and how that applies to fan loyalty
Michael's entrepreneurial journey in customer loyalty and in a startup acquisition
How Michael's co-founders, Blake Patterson and Geran de Klerk, are leveraging their past successes for Wunderfan
What they learned from the success of building Wunderpar, a golf-focused version of Wunderfan
Why they've invested so hea...2025-01-2132 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 148: Using AI to create games in minutes, not months w/ Mark Flores Martin from XGENIAEp. 148 features Mark Flores Martin, Founder and CEO of XGENIA, an AI-first company revolutionizing game creation by enabling developers to create games in minutes.
Hear them discuss:
His journey from ethical hacking and VR gambling to founding XGENIA
How the XGENIA team combines expertise in gaming, AI, and technology to create innovative solutions
The groundbreaking features of XGENIA, including AI-powered slot machine generation and advanced animation systems
Where XGENIA fits within the casino ecosystem and its complementary role to traditional game studios
Overcoming skepticism about the potential of AI in gaming and the widespread a...2025-01-1633 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 148: Using AI to create games in minutes, not months w/ Mark Flores Martin from XGENIAEp. 148 features Mark Flores Martin, Founder and CEO of XGENIA, an AI-first company revolutionizing game creation by enabling developers to create games in minutes.
Hear them discuss:
His journey from ethical hacking and VR gambling to founding XGENIA
How the XGENIA team combines expertise in gaming, AI, and technology to create innovative solutions
The groundbreaking features of XGENIA, including AI-powered slot machine generation and advanced animation systems
Where XGENIA fits within the casino ecosystem and its complementary role to traditional game studios
Overcoming skepticism about the potential of AI in gaming and the widespread a...2025-01-1633 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 147: Building the ultimate betting research platform w/ Bridge Dudley & Sebastian Fay from Doink SportsEp. 147 features Bridge Dudley and Sebastian Fay, Co-Founders of Doink Sports, the ultimate research platform for sports betting, offering props, trends, +EV analysis, odds charts, and more.
Hear them discuss:
How their backgrounds in sports, robotics, finance, and tech led to founding Doink Sports
How a friend’s $40 parlay win inspired the idea for Doink Sports and became the foundation of their business
How building a failed furniture marketplace app shaped their thinking and approach bringing Doink Sports to market
Challenges of accessing reliable betting data and managing tech as a two-person team
B2B o...2025-01-0828 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 147: Building the ultimate betting research platform w/ Bridge Dudley & Sebastian Fay from Doink SportsEp. 147 features Bridge Dudley and Sebastian Fay, Co-Founders of Doink Sports, the ultimate research platform for sports betting, offering props, trends, +EV analysis, odds charts, and more.
Hear them discuss:
How their backgrounds in sports, robotics, finance, and tech led to founding Doink Sports
How a friend’s $40 parlay win inspired the idea for Doink Sports and became the foundation of their business
How building a failed furniture marketplace app shaped their thinking and approach bringing Doink Sports to market
Challenges of accessing reliable betting data and managing tech as a two-person team
B2B o...2025-01-0828 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 146: Favorite episode moments from 2024 w/ Jesse and Thomas from BettingStartups.comIn this episode, Jesse and Thomas huddle up to reflect on 2024 for BettingStartups, and lookahead to 2025.
They discuss:
Their biggest reflections and highlights from 2024
News that Optimove is returning as the headline sponsor of The Betting Startups Podcast in 2025
A lookback at 8 of their favorite clips from this year's podcast episodes
The success of their media partnerships in 2024, and how those will grow in 2025
Their high-concept pitch for the soon-to-launch Startup Hub and founder community
Watch the video version of the episode here.
Get $200 off your Full Event...2025-01-0134 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 146: Favorite episode moments from 2024 w/ Jesse and Thomas from BettingStartups.comIn this episode, Jesse and Thomas huddle up to reflect on 2024 for BettingStartups, and lookahead to 2025.
They discuss:
Their biggest reflections and highlights from 2024
News that Optimove is returning as the headline sponsor of The Betting Startups Podcast in 2025
A lookback at 8 of their favorite clips from this year's podcast episodes
The success of their media partnerships in 2024, and how those will grow in 2025
Their high-concept pitch for the soon-to-launch Startup Hub and founder community
Watch the video version of the episode here.
Get $200 off your Full Event...2025-01-0134 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 145: Creating new metrics for the beautiful game w/ Alexey Vorobey from AIstatsEp. 145 features Alexey Vorobey from AIstats, an AI-powered live score app that provides football fans with real-time match analysis, performance trends, and smart metrics across over 2,200 leagues worldwide.
Hear them discuss:
His career pivot away from being a lawyer and into tech entrepreneurship
How AIstats creates unique stats and predictions with machine learning
Why he's not a believer in the xG metric, and "the crusade to replace it with some more advanced and smart things"
The marketing tactics they used to acquire over 73,000 users in the first 3 months
Converting free users to paid subscribers, and how...2024-12-1733 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 145: Creating new metrics for the beautiful game w/ Alexey Vorobey from AIstatsEp. 145 features Alexey Vorobey from AIstats, an AI-powered live score app that provides football fans with real-time match analysis, performance trends, and smart metrics across over 2,200 leagues worldwide.
Hear them discuss:
His career pivot away from being a lawyer and into tech entrepreneurship
How AIstats creates unique stats and predictions with machine learning
Why he's not a believer in the xG metric, and "the crusade to replace it with some more advanced and smart things"
The marketing tactics they used to acquire over 73,000 users in the first 3 months
Converting free users to paid subscribers, and how...2024-12-1733 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEmergency Episode: A look inside OddsJam's parent Odds Holdings' nine figure exit w/ Matt Restivo🚨 Emergency episode!
In his first interview since news broke of Gambling.com's acquisition of OddsJam's parent company Odds Holdings, CEO Matt Restivo joins Jesse to share his perspective on the story behind the headlines.
Hear him discuss:
his reflections on Odds Holdings' growth to $26m in revenue in just 3.5 years
why they decided to pursue a deal, and insights into what that process looked like
the synergy he sees with Gambling.com, and how the partnership will fuel further growth for their products
why closing the deal was "certainly emotional" for him
...2024-12-1520 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEmergency Episode: A look inside OddsJam's parent Odds Holdings' nine figure exit w/ Matt Restivo🚨 Emergency episode!
In his first interview since news broke of Gambling.com's acquisition of OddsJam's parent company Odds Holdings, CEO Matt Restivo joins Jesse to share his perspective on the story behind the headlines.
Hear him discuss:
his reflections on Odds Holdings' growth to $26m in revenue in just 3.5 years
why they decided to pursue a deal, and insights into what that process looked like
the synergy he sees with Gambling.com, and how the partnership will fuel further growth for their products
why closing the deal was "certainly emotional" for him
...2024-12-1520 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 144: 2 decades in the affiliate game with Adam Small from Third Planet AffiliatesEp. 144 features Adam Small, co-founder of Third Planet Affiliates, a leader in online gaming content.
Hear him discuss:
How he unintentionally got started in the affiliate space with PocketFives, and later with USBets
What motivated him to launch Third Planet Affiliates at this stage of his career, and the vision behind its portfolio of properties that includes Lottery Geeks, Casino Reports, and Props.com
The evolving affiliate model and opportunities for innovation in the gaming industry - especially following recent turmoil in the space
Lessons learned from entrepreneurial exits, and navigating earn-out periods with la...2024-12-1044 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 144: 2 decades in the affiliate game with Adam Small from Third Planet AffiliatesEp. 144 features Adam Small, co-founder of Third Planet Affiliates, a leader in online gaming content.
Hear him discuss:
How he unintentionally got started in the affiliate space with PocketFives, and later with USBets
What motivated him to launch Third Planet Affiliates at this stage of his career, and the vision behind its portfolio of properties that includes Lottery Geeks, Casino Reports, and Props.com
The evolving affiliate model and opportunities for innovation in the gaming industry - especially following recent turmoil in the space
Lessons learned from entrepreneurial exits, and navigating earn-out periods with la...2024-12-1044 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 143: Sweepstakes operator roundtable discussion w/ Trevor Pope, Zach Bruch, and Jeff LaniadoEp. 143 is a roundtable discussion on the Sweepstakes industry, featuring Trevor Pope from The Money Factory, Zach Bruch from MyPrize, and Jeff Laniado from Optimove.
Hear them discuss:
The massive growth opportunity they see for social sweepstakes gaming
The origins and growth trajectories of The Money Factory and MyPrize
Challenges of compliance and barriers to entry in the sweepstakes space
How MyPrize innovates through content creator partnerships and community engagement
Why social interaction is becoming a crucial differentiator for sweepstakes casinos
Marketing strategies to lower customer acquisition costs and increase player retention
How Optimove su...2024-12-0332 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 143: Sweepstakes operator roundtable discussion w/ Trevor Pope, Zach Bruch, and Jeff LaniadoEp. 143 is a roundtable discussion on the Sweepstakes industry, featuring Trevor Pope from The Money Factory, Zach Bruch from MyPrize, and Jeff Laniado from Optimove.
Hear them discuss:
The massive growth opportunity they see for social sweepstakes gaming
The origins and growth trajectories of The Money Factory and MyPrize
Challenges of compliance and barriers to entry in the sweepstakes space
How MyPrize innovates through content creator partnerships and community engagement
Why social interaction is becoming a crucial differentiator for sweepstakes casinos
Marketing strategies to lower customer acquisition costs and increase player retention
How Optimove su...2024-12-0332 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 142: 20+ years at the forefront of innovation w/ Nigel Eccles from BetHogEp. 142 features Nigel Eccles, CEO and Co-founder of BetHog, a crypto casino and sportsbook from the creators of FanDuel.
Hear him discuss:
His early career at Flutter where he helped bring the betting exchange concept to market
The origin story of Fanduel, and his reflections of its impact on legalized sports betting in the U.S.
The role that he sees startups playing in driving innovation within real-money gaming
The vision behind BetHog, the gaps it's addressing, and how he thinks about product differentiation within the casino category
The role that streamers play in t...2024-11-2649 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 142: 20+ years at the forefront of innovation w/ Nigel Eccles from BetHogEp. 142 features Nigel Eccles, CEO and Co-founder of BetHog, a crypto casino and sportsbook from the creators of FanDuel.
Hear him discuss:
His early career at Flutter where he helped bring the betting exchange concept to market
The origin story of Fanduel, and his reflections of its impact on legalized sports betting in the U.S.
The role that he sees startups playing in driving innovation within real-money gaming
The vision behind BetHog, the gaps it's addressing, and how he thinks about product differentiation within the casino category
The role that streamers play in t...2024-11-2649 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 141: Building bet slips with a copilot w/ Cal Spears & Jonathan Bales from GamblyRecorded on the day of their public launch, Ep. 141 features Cal Spears and Jonathan Bales from Gambly, which is your sports betting copilot.
Hear them discuss:
How Cal and Jonathan came together to launch Gambly after their non-competes expired following their last exits
The inspiration for Gambly, and the founding use cases for the product
Why they think Gambly will add value to both casual and sharp bettors alike
How they're thinking about the journey towards finding product-market fit
Why they think that Gambly can catalyze a new affiliate model with sportsbooks
Developing the underlying...2024-11-1934 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 141: Building bet slips with a copilot w/ Cal Spears & Jonathan Bales from GamblyRecorded on the day of their public launch, Ep. 141 features Cal Spears and Jonathan Bales from Gambly, which is your sports betting copilot.
Hear them discuss:
How Cal and Jonathan came together to launch Gambly after their non-competes expired following their last exits
The inspiration for Gambly, and the founding use cases for the product
Why they think Gambly will add value to both casual and sharp bettors alike
How they're thinking about the journey towards finding product-market fit
Why they think that Gambly can catalyze a new affiliate model with sportsbooks
Developing the underlying...2024-11-1934 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 140: Building speed trains vs. rocket ships w/ Robert Lenzhofer from Hölle GamesEp. 140 features Robert Lenzhofer, CEO of Hölle Games, which produces slot games and gaming platforms, with a focus on regulated markets and localized content.
Hear Robert discuss:
His journey in gaming, from tech in Austria to founding Hölle Games
The origins and growth of Hölle Games, which focuses on the German market with localized content
The challenges and nuances of slot game development and creating a unique platform
How Hölle Games differentiates in a crowded slot market through compliance and tailored products
The company's dual focus on a slot studio and r...2024-11-1234 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 140: Building speed trains vs. rocket ships w/ Robert Lenzhofer from Hölle GamesEp. 140 features Robert Lenzhofer, CEO of Hölle Games, which produces slot games and gaming platforms, with a focus on regulated markets and localized content.
Hear Robert discuss:
His journey in gaming, from tech in Austria to founding Hölle Games
The origins and growth of Hölle Games, which focuses on the German market with localized content
The challenges and nuances of slot game development and creating a unique platform
How Hölle Games differentiates in a crowded slot market through compliance and tailored products
The company's dual focus on a slot studio and r...2024-11-1234 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 139: Acquiring customers through innovative games w/ Adam Wilson from Splash TechEp.139 features Jesse live from the SBC Summit in Lisbon, joined by Adam Wilson from Splash Tech,
Hear them discuss:
How Adam's early journey in the betting industry took shape and evolved
The post-mortem on his first startup Bookee, which became known as the "Tinder for Betting"
The origin story of Splash Tech, and how his learnings from the Bookee journey influenced his approach to building Splash Tech
How Splash Tech’s free-to-play games drive customer acquisition and engagement, and what sets them apart from other F2P providers
Why "you are only as good as you...2024-11-0635 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 139: Acquiring customers through innovative games w/ Adam Wilson from Splash TechEp.139 features Jesse live from the SBC Summit in Lisbon, joined by Adam Wilson from Splash Tech,
Hear them discuss:
How Adam's early journey in the betting industry took shape and evolved
The post-mortem on his first startup Bookee, which became known as the "Tinder for Betting"
The origin story of Splash Tech, and how his learnings from the Bookee journey influenced his approach to building Splash Tech
How Splash Tech’s free-to-play games drive customer acquisition and engagement, and what sets them apart from other F2P providers
Why "you are only as good as you...2024-11-0635 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 138: Innovating the 'money in w/ money out' experience w/ Rob Rubio from FluidEp. 138 features Jesse live from the SBC Summit in Lisbon, joined by Rob Rubio from Fluid, which is a cutting-edge checkout solution powered by machine learning.
Hear them discuss:
Rob’s journey through the industry, and how his time working for an operator helped him identify the pain point that Fluid is now solving
The positive response that Fluid got from the market after launching at ICE earlier this year, and the traction they have experienced since
How is improving the "money in, money out" process though intuitive UX combined with data-driven optimization
Why Flu...2024-10-2925 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 138: Innovating the 'money in w/ money out' experience w/ Rob Rubio from FluidEp. 138 features Jesse live from the SBC Summit in Lisbon, joined by Rob Rubio from Fluid, which is a cutting-edge checkout solution powered by machine learning.
Hear them discuss:
Rob’s journey through the industry, and how his time working for an operator helped him identify the pain point that Fluid is now solving
The positive response that Fluid got from the market after launching at ICE earlier this year, and the traction they have experienced since
How is improving the "money in, money out" process though intuitive UX combined with data-driven optimization
Why Flu...2024-10-2925 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 135: Investor Vibe Check - Q3 2024Ep. 135 is our quarterly Investor Vibe Check, where we chat with 3 industry investors to get their perspective on the landscape from their side of the table.
The vibe check for Q3 features Evan Meyer (Astralis Capital), Paris Smith (Life Winning), and Joel Simkins (XST Capital).
Hear them discuss:
Their investing background, and current focus areas within real-money gaming
Recent consolidation amongst micro-betting technology providers, and how they see that shifting the dynamics within the category
Why legacy media has struggled integrating betting content, while many startups are seemingly make it work
Why...2024-10-0656 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 135: Investor Vibe Check - Q3 2024Ep. 135 is our quarterly Investor Vibe Check, where we chat with 3 industry investors to get their perspective on the landscape from their side of the table.
The vibe check for Q3 features Evan Meyer (Astralis Capital), Paris Smith (Life Winning), and Joel Simkins (XST Capital).
Hear them discuss:
Their investing background, and current focus areas within real-money gaming
Recent consolidation amongst micro-betting technology providers, and how they see that shifting the dynamics within the category
Why legacy media has struggled integrating betting content, while many startups are seemingly make it work
Why...2024-10-0656 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 134: Life after product-market fit w/ Evan Kirkham from OutlierEp. 134 features Evan Kirkham from Outlier, which is a cutting-edge sports betting app that helps users make smarter bets, no matter the sportsbook.
Hear him discuss:
How life has changed for Evan and the Outlier team after finding product-market fit since his last appearance on the podcast
Insight into Outlier's internal product development process, and how they maintain a strong shipping cadence with a lean team
The flywheel that has led to Outlier pushing over 500,000 bets per week to sportsbook partners
His guiding principles on team building and scaling headcount
Why Outlier has eschewed af...2024-10-0237 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 134: Life after product-market fit w/ Evan Kirkham from OutlierEp. 134 features Evan Kirkham from Outlier, which is a cutting-edge sports betting app that helps users make smarter bets, no matter the sportsbook.
Hear him discuss:
How life has changed for Evan and the Outlier team after finding product-market fit since his last appearance on the podcast
Insight into Outlier's internal product development process, and how they maintain a strong shipping cadence with a lean team
The flywheel that has led to Outlier pushing over 500,000 bets per week to sportsbook partners
His guiding principles on team building and scaling headcount
Why Outlier has eschewed af...2024-10-0237 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 129: Meet the SBC First Pitch Finalists!Ep. 129 is the official First Pitch preview episode, where we will meet the 5 startups selected to present at SBC Summit on September 24 in Lisbon, Portugal.
Sue Schneider, VP of Growth and Strategy for the Americas at SBC, shares her perspective of the upcoming event, discussing the diversity of submissions, the evolution of First Pitch, and opportunities for all startups at the Summit.
In this episode, you will hear from the five finalists:
Adam Fonsica from Random State
Tom Lemke from SavageTech
Shawn Tucker from StatX Sports
Radek Psurny from Match Hype
Mark Flores Martin from...2024-08-2733 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 129: Meet the SBC First Pitch Finalists!Ep. 129 is the official First Pitch preview episode, where we will meet the 5 startups selected to present at SBC Summit on September 24 in Lisbon, Portugal.
Sue Schneider, VP of Growth and Strategy for the Americas at SBC, shares her perspective of the upcoming event, discussing the diversity of submissions, the evolution of First Pitch, and opportunities for all startups at the Summit.
In this episode, you will hear from the five finalists:
Adam Fonsica from Random State
Tom Lemke from SavageTech
Shawn Tucker from StatX Sports
Radek Psurny from Match Hype
Mark Flores Martin from...2024-08-2733 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 118: Thomas Coiner, BettingStartups.comEp. 118 features Thomas Coiner from BettingStartups.com, the authoritative source for everything related to the early-stage ecosystem within the real-money gaming industry.
Hear Thomas and Jesse discuss:
Thomas’ background in sports media and how he entered the startup scene.
The motivation behind Jesse opening up the GM role and how he filled it.
BettingStartups.com’s SBC Summit North America activation.
How Thomas plans to take the Betting Startups podcast to the next level.
An update on the Betting Startups Newsletter.
A sneak peek into how the Startup Hub will be built.
Lear...2024-06-1225 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 118: Thomas Coiner, BettingStartups.comEp. 118 features Thomas Coiner from BettingStartups.com, the authoritative source for everything related to the early-stage ecosystem within the real-money gaming industry.
Hear Thomas and Jesse discuss:
Thomas’ background in sports media and how he entered the startup scene.
The motivation behind Jesse opening up the GM role and how he filled it.
BettingStartups.com’s SBC Summit North America activation.
How Thomas plans to take the Betting Startups podcast to the next level.
An update on the Betting Startups Newsletter.
A sneak peek into how the Startup Hub will be built.
Lear...2024-06-1225 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 107: Creating a new category of betting markets w/ Johnny Coetzer from BetLabsEp. 107 features Johnny Coetzer from BetLabs, which is reinvigorating the sports betting experience for bettors while helping operators elevate their game.
Hear him discuss:
The lessons he learned playing chess and tennis growing up, and how they prepared him for life as an entrepreneur
How his idea for Boost Bets was derived from the spread betting concept (except it provides the downside protection for players that spread betting doesn’t)
Why he’s prioritizing working with platform providers as his primary distribution strategy
B2B sales and the challenges of getting a product prioritized on an...2024-03-2134 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 107: Creating a new category of betting markets w/ Johnny Coetzer from BetLabsEp. 107 features Johnny Coetzer from BetLabs, which is reinvigorating the sports betting experience for bettors while helping operators elevate their game.
Hear him discuss:
The lessons he learned playing chess and tennis growing up, and how they prepared him for life as an entrepreneur
How his idea for Boost Bets was derived from the spread betting concept (except it provides the downside protection for players that spread betting doesn’t)
Why he’s prioritizing working with platform providers as his primary distribution strategy
B2B sales and the challenges of getting a product prioritized on an...2024-03-2134 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 85: Bringing old-school bookmaking to America w/ Joe Brennan & Adam Bjorn from Prime SportsEp. 85 features Joe Brennan and Adam Bjorn from Prime Sports, which is bringing an old-school bookmaking approach to the US market.
Hear them discuss:
Being at the forefront of the lobbing effort that eventually led to PASPA’s repeal in 2018
Why they see big opportunity in bringing an old-school bookmaking approach to the US
“Doing a really crazy thing ahead of launching” and talking directly to customers that felt underserved by incumbent operators
The non-obvious reason why cutting into the existing operator market share isn’t their primary objective
Their long-term approach to Prime Sports, and why they...2023-10-0848 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 85: Bringing old-school bookmaking to America w/ Joe Brennan & Adam Bjorn from Prime SportsEp. 85 features Joe Brennan and Adam Bjorn from Prime Sports, which is bringing an old-school bookmaking approach to the US market.
Hear them discuss:
Being at the forefront of the lobbing effort that eventually led to PASPA’s repeal in 2018
Why they see big opportunity in bringing an old-school bookmaking approach to the US
“Doing a really crazy thing ahead of launching” and talking directly to customers that felt underserved by incumbent operators
The non-obvious reason why cutting into the existing operator market share isn’t their primary objective
Their long-term approach to Prime Sports, and why they...2023-10-0848 min
The Betting Startups PodcastThe Gamble & The Glory: Ep. 1 - David Briggs, GeoComplyBettingStartups.com presents its newest sub-series, The Gamble & The Glory, where we meet founders that have built their companies to become stalwarts of the sports betting, fantasy, and iGaming industry.
In this debut episode, we speak with David Briggs, co-founder & Director of GeoComply.
Hear him discuss:
His start in the industry launching Ladbrokes' first digital offering in 1999
Launching GeoComply to support New Jersey's iGaming rollout in 2013, which was "the most stressful time in [his] career"
The "very difficult, hard yards" of GeoComply's first 5 years, and "grinding out the smallest incremental bits of growth" during...2023-09-2249 minThe Betting Startups PodcastThe Gamble & The Glory: Ep. 1 - David Briggs, GeoComplyBettingStartups.com presents its newest sub-series, The Gamble & The Glory, where we meet founders that have built their companies to become stalwarts of the sports betting, fantasy, and iGaming industry.
In this debut episode, we speak with David Briggs, co-founder & Director of GeoComply.
Hear him discuss:
His start in the industry launching Ladbrokes' first digital offering in 1999
Launching GeoComply to support New Jersey's iGaming rollout in 2013, which was "the most stressful time in [his] career"
The "very difficult, hard yards" of GeoComply's first 5 years, and "grinding out the smallest incremental bits of growth" during...2023-09-2249 min
The Betting Startups PodcastBetting On It, S1 E8: Drew & Sahil pitch BetsBooster to an expert investor panel (Season 1 finale!)BettingStartups.com brings you Season 1 of Betting On It, an 8-episode series that follows one betting industry startup as it gets investor-ready ahead of its seed funding round.
In the Season 1 finale, Drew and Sahil pitch BetsBooster to 3 industry investors, who share their feedback and perspectives on the opportunity.
The subsequent Q&A leads to some excellent discussion, including:
The potential challenges of offering different types of arbitrage bets in a gamified experience
Aligning the pricing model with value to the users
The technical complexity of seamless arbitrage in a mobile form factor
The u...2023-06-0837 minThe Betting Startups PodcastBetting On It, S1 E8: Drew & Sahil pitch BetsBooster to an expert investor panel (Season 1 finale!)BettingStartups.com brings you Season 1 of Betting On It, an 8-episode series that follows one betting industry startup as it gets investor-ready ahead of its seed funding round.
In the Season 1 finale, Drew and Sahil pitch BetsBooster to 3 industry investors, who share their feedback and perspectives on the opportunity.
The subsequent Q&A leads to some excellent discussion, including:
The potential challenges of offering different types of arbitrage bets in a gamified experience
Aligning the pricing model with value to the users
The technical complexity of seamless arbitrage in a mobile form factor
The u...2023-06-0837 min
The Betting Startups PodcastBetting On It, S1 E7: Building a marketing blueprint w/ James McLoughlinBettingStartups.com brings you Season 1 of Betting On It, an 8-episode series that follows one betting industry startup as it gets investor-ready ahead of its seed funding round.
In this episode, Drew and Sahil from BetsBooster are joined by James McLoughlin from Stirling Mac, who shares a ton of practical, actionable marketing advice.
They discuss:
The basic set of 'marketing musts' for any B2C mobile app
App store optimization, and which specific tactics help drive organic downloads using ASO
Why and how to use storytelling in content and creative to build brand awareness
Ho...2023-05-3031 minThe Betting Startups PodcastBetting On It, S1 E7: Building a marketing blueprint w/ James McLoughlinBettingStartups.com brings you Season 1 of Betting On It, an 8-episode series that follows one betting industry startup as it gets investor-ready ahead of its seed funding round.
In this episode, Drew and Sahil from BetsBooster are joined by James McLoughlin from Stirling Mac, who shares a ton of practical, actionable marketing advice.
They discuss:
The basic set of 'marketing musts' for any B2C mobile app
App store optimization, and which specific tactics help drive organic downloads using ASO
Why and how to use storytelling in content and creative to build brand awareness
Ho...2023-05-3031 minThe Betting Startups PodcastBetting On It, S1 E6: Financial modeling for startups w/ Kenneth Giles from Forecastr.coBettingStartups.com brings you Season 1 of Betting On It, an 8-episode series that follows one betting industry startup as it gets investor-ready ahead of its seed funding round.
In this episode, Drew and Sahil from BetsBooster are joined by Kenneth Giles from Forecastr.co, who drops a ton of knowledge on everything related to financial modeling for early-stage companies.
They discuss:
Different broad approaches to fundraising strategy, and the pros and cons to each
The importance of doing bottoms-up customer modeling, and how to get started with that process
Understanding which metrics matter most...2023-05-2235 minThe Betting Startups PodcastBetting On It, S1 E6: Financial modeling for startups w/ Kenneth Giles from Forecastr.coBettingStartups.com brings you Season 1 of Betting On It, an 8-episode series that follows one betting industry startup as it gets investor-ready ahead of its seed funding round.
In this episode, Drew and Sahil from BetsBooster are joined by Kenneth Giles from Forecastr.co, who drops a ton of knowledge on everything related to financial modeling for early-stage companies.
They discuss:
Different broad approaches to fundraising strategy, and the pros and cons to each
The importance of doing bottoms-up customer modeling, and how to get started with that process
Understanding which metrics matter most...2023-05-2235 minThe Betting Startups PodcastBetting On It, S1 E5: Running a successful crowdfunding campaign w/ Aaron Basch from SparketBettingStartups.com brings you Season 1 of Betting On It, an 8-episode series that follows one betting industry startup as it gets investor-ready ahead of its seed funding round.
In this episode, Drew and Sahil from BetsBooster are joined by Aaron Basch from Sparket, who shares his experience running a successful crowdfunding campaign.
They discuss:
How to prepare to launch a public fundraising campaign in a compliant way
Determining what incentives to offer backers of a crowdfunding campaign
Where to market and promote your crowdfunding campaign based on what worked well for Sparket
What Aaron s...2023-05-1623 minThe Betting Startups PodcastBetting On It, S1 E5: Running a successful crowdfunding campaign w/ Aaron Basch from SparketBettingStartups.com brings you Season 1 of Betting On It, an 8-episode series that follows one betting industry startup as it gets investor-ready ahead of its seed funding round.
In this episode, Drew and Sahil from BetsBooster are joined by Aaron Basch from Sparket, who shares his experience running a successful crowdfunding campaign.
They discuss:
How to prepare to launch a public fundraising campaign in a compliant way
Determining what incentives to offer backers of a crowdfunding campaign
Where to market and promote your crowdfunding campaign based on what worked well for Sparket
What Aaron s...2023-05-1623 minThe Betting Startups PodcastBetting On It, S1 E4: Embracing the entrepreneurial grindBettingStartups.com brings you Season 1 of Betting On It, an 8-episode series that follows one betting industry startup as it gets investor-ready ahead of its seed funding round.
In this episode, Drew from BetsBooster is joined by Colin Davy from Betscope, who discuss their respective entrepreneurial journeys from a number of perspectives.
They discuss:
What motivated them to take the leap from corporate jobs to entrepreneurship
How they think about the word "sacrifice" within the context of their startups
Why they have chosen to bootstrap their companies to this point, and the relative pros/c...2023-05-0439 minThe Betting Startups PodcastBetting On It, S1 E4: Embracing the entrepreneurial grindBettingStartups.com brings you Season 1 of Betting On It, an 8-episode series that follows one betting industry startup as it gets investor-ready ahead of its seed funding round.
In this episode, Drew from BetsBooster is joined by Colin Davy from Betscope, who discuss their respective entrepreneurial journeys from a number of perspectives.
They discuss:
What motivated them to take the leap from corporate jobs to entrepreneurship
How they think about the word "sacrifice" within the context of their startups
Why they have chosen to bootstrap their companies to this point, and the relative pros/c...2023-05-0439 minThe Betting Startups PodcastBetting On It, S1 E3: A masterclass in gamification w/ Yu-Kai ChouBettingStartups.com brings you Season 1 of Betting On It, an 8-episode series that follows one betting industry startup as it gets investor-ready ahead of its seed funding round.
In this episode, Drew and Sahil from BetsBooster are joined by the world's top gamification guru, Yu-Kai Chou.
This episode was an absolute masterclass in game mechanics, which is especially relevant to B2C products.
They discuss:
The Octalysis Framework for Gamification & Behavioral Design
Which game mechanics best align to sports fans' passion for their teams
How to think about designing the optimal user r...2023-04-2835 minThe Betting Startups PodcastBetting On It, S1 E3: A masterclass in gamification w/ Yu-Kai ChouBettingStartups.com brings you Season 1 of Betting On It, an 8-episode series that follows one betting industry startup as it gets investor-ready ahead of its seed funding round.
In this episode, Drew and Sahil from BetsBooster are joined by the world's top gamification guru, Yu-Kai Chou.
This episode was an absolute masterclass in game mechanics, which is especially relevant to B2C products.
They discuss:
The Octalysis Framework for Gamification & Behavioral Design
Which game mechanics best align to sports fans' passion for their teams
How to think about designing the optimal user r...2023-04-2835 minThe Betting Startups PodcastBetting On It, S1 E2: Learnings from the UK market w/ John Gordon from Incentive GamesBettingStartups.com brings you Season 1 of Betting On It, an 8-episode series that follows one betting industry startup as it gets investor-ready ahead of its seed funding round.
In this episode, Drew and Sahil from BetsBooster are joined by guest John Gordon, co-founder & CEO of Incentive Games. They discuss:
Learnings from the mature UK betting market as the guys look at the US opportunity for BetsBooster
John's thoughts on launching a B2C betting product in the current environment, and why having an intuitive UX is critical
Fundraising tips based on John's experience raising capital for...2023-04-2027 minThe Betting Startups PodcastBetting On It, S1 E2: Learnings from the UK market w/ John Gordon from Incentive GamesBettingStartups.com brings you Season 1 of Betting On It, an 8-episode series that follows one betting industry startup as it gets investor-ready ahead of its seed funding round.
In this episode, Drew and Sahil from BetsBooster are joined by guest John Gordon, co-founder & CEO of Incentive Games. They discuss:
Learnings from the mature UK betting market as the guys look at the US opportunity for BetsBooster
John's thoughts on launching a B2C betting product in the current environment, and why having an intuitive UX is critical
Fundraising tips based on John's experience raising capital for...2023-04-2027 minThe Betting Startups PodcastBetting On It, S1 E1: Exploring key assumptionsBettingStartups.com brings you Season 1 of Betting On It, an 8-episode series that follows one betting industry startup as it gets investor-ready ahead of its seed funding round.
In Episode 1, Jesse introduces the startup and its founders that will be featured in season 1.
They walk through the current status of the company, and explore some of the key assumptions that are being used in their business plan as they get investor-ready. To do this, they use the lean canvas framework, which is a quick and easy way to think through and validate new business ideas....2023-04-1424 minThe Betting Startups PodcastBetting On It, S1 E1: Exploring key assumptionsBettingStartups.com brings you Season 1 of Betting On It, an 8-episode series that follows one betting industry startup as it gets investor-ready ahead of its seed funding round.
In Episode 1, Jesse introduces the startup and its founders that will be featured in season 1.
They walk through the current status of the company, and explore some of the key assumptions that are being used in their business plan as they get investor-ready. To do this, they use the lean canvas framework, which is a quick and easy way to think through and validate new business ideas....2023-04-1424 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 14 - Greg Kajewski & James Seils, BettorEdgeEp. 14 introduces you to Greg Kajewski & James Seils of BettorEdge, a no-fee social betting marketplace that is on a mission to democratize sports betting by giving the edge back to the bettor.
Hear them discuss:
How BettorEdge is fundamentally different from other betting products, and why they prefer to be compared to social fintech platforms like Venmo or Robinhood
Why their social betting marketplace is able to operate in 45 states when traditional betting exchanges cannot
Their focus on educating consumers about the "hidden fees" within fixed-odds sportsbooks and betting exchanges2022-02-2525 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 14 - Greg Kajewski & James Seils, BettorEdgeEp. 14 introduces you to Greg Kajewski & James Seils of BettorEdge, a no-fee social betting marketplace that is on a mission to democratize sports betting by giving the edge back to the bettor.
Hear them discuss:
How BettorEdge is fundamentally different from other betting products, and why they prefer to be compared to social fintech platforms like Venmo or Robinhood
Why their social betting marketplace is able to operate in 45 states when traditional betting exchanges cannot
Their focus on educating consumers about the "hidden fees" within fixed-odds sportsbooks and betting exchanges2022-02-2525 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 12: Marvin Sanderson, XpointEp. 12 introduces you to Marvin Sanderson, co-founder and CEO of Xpoint, which provides an essential geo compliance solution to the sports betting and gaming industries globally.
Hear Marvin discuss:
How Xpoint sees geolocation compliance as a business opportunity for partners instead of a utility or "a box to be checked"
The importance of getting market validation as a new B2B supplier, and how the deal came together with Sporttrade as the first customer
The biggest differences he sees between the US regulated market and other non-US markets
Why i...2022-02-0922 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 12: Marvin Sanderson, XpointEp. 12 introduces you to Marvin Sanderson, co-founder and CEO of Xpoint, which provides an essential geo compliance solution to the sports betting and gaming industries globally.
Hear Marvin discuss:
How Xpoint sees geolocation compliance as a business opportunity for partners instead of a utility or "a box to be checked"
The importance of getting market validation as a new B2B supplier, and how the deal came together with Sporttrade as the first customer
The biggest differences he sees between the US regulated market and other non-US markets
Why i...2022-02-0922 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 11: Martina Åkerlund, TriggyEp. 11 introduces you to Martina Åkerlund, CEO of Triggy, which develops products that connect sports data, live odds, and user insights to increase customer engagement, acquisitions, and lifetime value.
Hear Martina discuss:
How Triggy has been able to secure partnerships with international betting operators, while also expanding to work with leagues and teams in the US market
Why the founders of Triggy decided to bring in an external CEO at this stage of its growth, and how that transition has been going
The feedback she is hearing from investors about t...2022-02-0224 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 11: Martina Åkerlund, TriggyEp. 11 introduces you to Martina Åkerlund, CEO of Triggy, which develops products that connect sports data, live odds, and user insights to increase customer engagement, acquisitions, and lifetime value.
Hear Martina discuss:
How Triggy has been able to secure partnerships with international betting operators, while also expanding to work with leagues and teams in the US market
Why the founders of Triggy decided to bring in an external CEO at this stage of its growth, and how that transition has been going
The feedback she is hearing from investors about t...2022-02-0224 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 10: Daniel Kustelski, ChalklineEp. 10 introduces you to Daniel Kustelski, co-founder and CEO of Chalkline, the leading independent provider of free play and real money games for operators and media companies
Hear Dan discuss:
How the experience of founding and operating an online sportsbook in South Africa gave him the insights that led to Chalkline
Why Chalkline is focused on developing sports betting products that help drive the "education and acclimation" of the US market
The importance of tapping into local fan bases to help convert sports fans into sports bettors in the US market2022-01-2629 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 10: Daniel Kustelski, ChalklineEp. 10 introduces you to Daniel Kustelski, co-founder and CEO of Chalkline, the leading independent provider of free play and real money games for operators and media companies
Hear Dan discuss:
How the experience of founding and operating an online sportsbook in South Africa gave him the insights that led to Chalkline
Why Chalkline is focused on developing sports betting products that help drive the "education and acclimation" of the US market
The importance of tapping into local fan bases to help convert sports fans into sports bettors in the US market2022-01-2629 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 9: Kelly Brooks & Danijela Covic, Quarter4Ep. 9 introduces you to Kelly Brooks and Danijela Covic, co-founders of Quarter4.io, an AI-driven predictive sports data and analytics provider.
Hear them discuss:
The opportunity they see in the current "landscape of convergence" with media and leagues entering the regulated betting ecosystem
How their prediction platform is being leveraged by B2B customers to engage users and audiences with AI-driven content
How they responded to adversity when their planned launch in March 2020 was postponed due to Covid's arrival, and how they used that time to their advantage
...2022-01-2023 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 9: Kelly Brooks & Danijela Covic, Quarter4Ep. 9 introduces you to Kelly Brooks and Danijela Covic, co-founders of Quarter4.io, an AI-driven predictive sports data and analytics provider.
Hear them discuss:
The opportunity they see in the current "landscape of convergence" with media and leagues entering the regulated betting ecosystem
How their prediction platform is being leveraged by B2B customers to engage users and audiences with AI-driven content
How they responded to adversity when their planned launch in March 2020 was postponed due to Covid's arrival, and how they used that time to their advantage
...2022-01-2023 min
The Betting Startups PodcastEp. 8: Lloyd Danzig, Sharp Alpha AdvisorsEp. 8 introduces you to Lloyd Danzig, Managing Partner at Sharp Alpha Advisors, a venture capital firm specializing in sports betting & online gaming.
Hear Lloyd discuss:
Why he thinks "there is a massive innovation gap" in the betting industry today, and how that underpins his firm's investment thesis
How he views sports betting as part of a broader category he calls "competitive entertainment", which includes several betting-adjacent business types
How founders should determine whether their business is a suitable candidate to receive venture capital funding
The 4 core questions he...2022-01-1238 minThe Betting Startups PodcastEp. 8: Lloyd Danzig, Sharp Alpha AdvisorsEp. 8 introduces you to Lloyd Danzig, Managing Partner at Sharp Alpha Advisors, a venture capital firm specializing in sports betting & online gaming.
Hear Lloyd discuss:
Why he thinks "there is a massive innovation gap" in the betting industry today, and how that underpins his firm's investment thesis
How he views sports betting as part of a broader category he calls "competitive entertainment", which includes several betting-adjacent business types
How founders should determine whether their business is a suitable candidate to receive venture capital funding
The 4 core questions he...2022-01-1238 min