Week 32, 2023

What happened last week in the betting industry's early-stage ecosystem

Author

Betting Startups
August 14, 2023

Hey! Any guesses on the over/under on # of references to the ESPN/Penn deal in this issue? The total is set at 0.5 🫣

Now allow us to remind you what happened last week before you logged off on Friday ⤵️

📰 Headline news

  • Underdog bites back. A run-down ICYMI:

    • The Wyoming Gaming Commission sent a cease-and-desist letters to Underdog in early July, insisting that what the sites offer is sports wagering, not fantasy. The Maine Gaming Control Unit reportedly sent a similar complaint to Underdog.

    • Last week, Underdog CEO Jeremy Levine posts a Twitter thread suggesting that “FanDuel and DraftKings are coordinating their lobbyists”, which led to the recent action.

    • Underdog remains committed to its fantasy business in spite of the recent action.

  • Epoxy.ai launched its new AI-powered same-game parlay product for football bettors ahead of NFL season. (Link)

  • Splash Sports launched a new peer-to-peer, real-money gaming platform in 33 states - including FL, TX, and CA. (Link)

  • Low6 launched the ‘Million Pound Predictor’ game for Oddschecker (Link)

  • Sobet launches app to bring 41 influencers under one banner offering insight, picks, and conversation. (Link)

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

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💬 Ink & airwaves

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

  • 🎙️ Ep. 77 of The Betting Startups Podcast featured Jack Taylor, CEO of ProfitDuel, which is bringing matched betting to the US market. Guest hosted by Dean Sisun from Prophet Exchange. Listen now (30:21): Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Web

  • 🎙️ The Business of Betting Podcast released a new episode with Evan Kirkham from Outlier, who discusses the sports data landscape, sports betting in Texas, and of course his journey building Outlier. Listen now (34:50): Apple Podcasts 

  • 📚 The cofounders of bet tracking app Vault were named to Forbes 30 Under 30 in Austin. (Link)

  • 📚 “To The Underdogs”, Jeremy Levine’s letter to the Underdog community about their commitment to fantasy sports. (Link)

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

Heads up!

Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech finds, funds, and fast-tracks the most innovative startups from around the world.

Applications close on August 15th for the Comcast SportsTech class of 2024.

🗓️ Industry event calendar

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

  • SBC Summit Barcelona is September 19-21, and it’s shaping up to be the biggest yet. The packed agenda includes First Pitch, which brings together some of the most exciting industry startups to compete for a prize package valued at over €60,000.

    Use code BETTINGSTARTUPSVIP for 50% off your Full Event Pass (€300 discount!) Event Tickets | Apply to First Pitch

  • 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. Ticket info.

  • Pre-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.

💼 Great gigs

New jobs from leading early-stage companies in the space:

  • 🆕 Lucra Sports is looking for a senior software engineer. Fully remote and open to all US locations! (Link)

  • 🆕 Betty is on the lookout for a senior frontend engineer. (Link)

  • 🆕 Prophet Exchange is hiring business development interns in NJ. A great way to get a foot in the door! (Link)

And that’s it for now! Have a great week ahead & we’ll see ya again next Monday ✌️