Week 36, 2023

Hey, we’re back - and so is NFL! Hopefully your eliminator pool is still intact after week 1… 🫣

In this week’s issue:

• First Pitch finalists announced for SBC Barcelona

• The Deal Corner section is back by popular demand, featuring 3 startups currently fundraising

• Exclusive discount codes for 3 upcoming industry events ($1,000 in total savings! 🤑)

This issue is brought to you by GeoComply, a leading provider of cutting-edge anti-fraud and geolocation solutions that detect location fraud and help verify a user’s true digital identity.

Now let’s jump in… ⤵️

📰 Headline news

• Mojo, the sports betting stock market, launches Mojo Fantasy in 20 states, including CA, FL, and TX. (Link)

• Betr’s real money sportsbook reaches third US state with Virginia launch. (Link)

• 5 innovative industry startups selected to compete for €60,000 prize package at this month’s SBC Summit Barcelona. (Link)

• Peer-to-peer daily fantasy platform Verse Fantasy launches in 24 states. (Link)

• Secondary marketplace WagerWire announces integration partnership with Betr (Link)

• Data and AI specialist Future Anthem rolls out personalization product for the sports betting industry. (Link)

Are you an industry startup with news to share? Send us your PR for inclusion here.

Are you an iGaming founder or senior executive launching a business in the US?

We know that building a successful startup is hard and it’s not easy to do it alone, so we’re here to help.

The Challenger Series Summit is a unique networking opportunity to learn from US iGaming founders and entrepreneurs, who will be sharing the hacks, tips, and tricks to achieve high growth.

RSVP to attend the Las Vegas Summit on Oct 8, 2023 before making your way over to G2E!

💬 Ink & airwaves

The best of what we read and listened to last week:

• 🎙️ Ep. 81 of The Betting Startups Podcast featured Megan Lanham, co-founder & CEO of Rithmm. Megan discusses personalized predictive analytics, raising $3.75m for Rithmm, and how her 10-year career as a Division 1 basketball coached prepared her to compete in business. Listen now (29:51): Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Web

• 🎙️ The Money Matters podcast welcomed none other than Dave Portnoy himself. Love him or hate him, nobody can deny that he’s a skillful entrepreneur, and this episode did a fascinating deep dive on his early days building Barstool Sports. Listen now (69:22): Apple Podcasts | Spotify

• 🎙️ The ‘Double Down with Breslo’ podcast featured Dean Sisun from Prophet Exchange. Listen now (33:01): Apple Podcasts | Spotify

• 📚 Ted Birkhahn from Hot Paper Lantern shares his thoughts for startups that are trying to build a new brand during an economic downturn. (Link)

• 📚 The ‘G2E Survival Guide for Founders’ includes useful tips and advice for first-time founders attending the big show next month in Vegas. (Link)

Are you reading (or writing) something that you think belongs here? Hit reply and send it to us for inclusion

Cut through the noise and get the top sports stories from our friends at Savage Sports!👇

🤝 Deal corner

These 3 promising startups are actively fundraising:

• Early stage startup building golf's first real-money super app. Launched real-money gaming app this summer, acquired over 7k golfers, and processed over $250k in gross payment volume. Closing pre-seed round in the next month, less than $100k unsubscribed, $10k minimum check.

• B2C app and the ultimate beginner-friendly funnel into sports betting. Gamification generates retention and vitality with Gen Z audiences. Over $300k TTM revenue with incredible ability to scale. Seeking low-six figure investment to grow and build adjacent revenue streams.

• iGaming startup in SF Bay area seeking seed money for white label tech that can drive handle and profitability for operators. Tech already built. User testing via Free to Play product. Seeking investors with existing network to operators. Minimum $25k.

Are you an investor that wants more details on these opportunities? Hit Reply and we’ll tee up an intro.

Founders: want to get your deal in front of industry investors? Submit details here.

🗓️ Industry event calendar

Upcoming events relevant to early-stage companies in the space:

• SBC Summit Barcelona is around the corner! 15,000+ attendees expected, making it a can’t miss event. If you still need a ticket, let us help lighten the load on your wallet.

  Use code BETTINGSTARTUPSVIP for 50% off your Full Event Pass (€300 discount!) Event Tickets

• G2E is returning on October 9-12. Join over 25,000 industry professionals and 350+ exhibitors for this all-in-one experience in Las Vegas. Use code BSP for a FREE expo hall pass using this link ($269 value!).

• SBC Summit Latinoamérica is coming to Miami Oct 31 - Nov 2! Don’t miss this conference and trade show for senior executives in the Latin American betting and gaming industry.

  Use code BETTINGSTARTUPSVIP for 50% off your Full Event Pass ($300 discount!) Event Tickets

• Registration now open for NEXT Summit New York 2024! The much anticipated iGaming NEXT New York event returns March 6-7, 2024 in a new state-of the-art venue in Manhattans financial district. The summit is focused on connecting startups with investors and operators with suppliers, which makes it THE conference where serious business gets done. Limited tickets available at super early bird rates! Ticket info.

Are you getting value from the newsletter? Please consider helping us get the word out by forwarding to a friend.

Alright, we’re out for now. Until next week! ✌️