Week 47, 2023

Happy post-Thanksgiving to all that celebrated!

Despite last week being a shorter one, there was still plenty to report on as we officially hit the home stretch of 2023.

This issue is brought to you by InPlay.ai, who are using AI to fully automate in-game micro-markets, correlation pricing, and advanced risk management.

Let’s dive in… ⤵️

📰 Headline news

• The American Gaming Association said that U.S. sports betting is on pace to hit $100 billion In wagers this year. (Link)

• Betting exchange Novig partnered with Intelitics to help drive user acquisition in Colorado. (Link)

• Tallysight partnered with Sports Interaction to elevate sports betting in Canada. (Link)

• props.cash hit a new milestone: 100k Twitter followers. (Link)

• Speaking of milestones, Prophet Exchange had a record-setting week:

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

💬 Ink & airwaves

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

• 🎙️ Ep. 91 of The Betting Startups Podcast featured Mike Salvaris from Pro League Network. He explained how they’re creating content purpose-built for betting, the importance of ensuring integrity, and securing investors like Eberg Capital and Kevin Garnett. Listen now (31:32): Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Web

• 🎙️ Steve Rubenfaer, CEO of BettorTakes, talks industry trends, and how the BettorTakes app helps people analyze their betting history to become a better bettor (30:14): Web

• 📚 For those seeking investment: SportsTechX published a list of 31 new funds that represent over $4bn in available capital. (Link)

• 📚 Houlihan Lokey’s CEO Spotlight Series featured Akshay Khanna, co-founder and CEO of Jackpot.com. (Link)

• 📚 Charles Gillespie, CEO of the Gambling.com Group, provided his top “game-changing trends” that will shape the industry in 2024. (Link)

• 📚 Startup profile on Splash Sports. (Link)

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

This issue is brought to you by InPlay.ai, the frontrunner in AI-powered sports gaming technology. We're using advanced AI to build the ultimate second screen experience.

Learn more about the only full-stack solution for micro-SGPs and uninterrupted in-play markets at www.inplay.ai

💼 Great gigs

3 of the top jobs we saw last week with awesome growth-stage companies:

• Splash Sports is looking for a Senior Product Designer. (Link)

• Great opportunity with Sparket for a hybrid role of Senior Software Engineer and Product Manager. (Link)

• Underdog is on the hunt for a VP of Fraud & Payments. (Link)

🗓️ Industry event calendar

Upcoming events relevant to early-stage companies in the space. Keep an eye out for a new discount code below!

• ICE makes its swan song appearance in London February 6-8, 2024 before relocating to Barcelona in 2025. Get your free expo hall pass now and put it on the calendar! Register now.

• The Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association (aka FSGA) is hosting its annual winter conference February 13-14 in Las Vegas. Early bird pricing available if you book by January 15. Register now.

• NEXT Summit New York 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. Btw: we have the ONLY discount codes available for this conference, but they’re very limited, so buy your ticket now. Reply to this email to say hello, and we’ll respond with your $100 discount code. Get your ticket.

🤝 Deal corner

2 new deals hit our inbox this week. Take a look 👇

(Psst, founders: want to get your deal in an upcoming issue? Submit details here)

• 🆕 Raising: Experienced team gamifying in-play betting with 25,000 FTDs in UK, working B2BC with media and B2B with operators. Product built out, closing in on profitability, and $400k left of $1.2m round. $50k minimum participation.

• 🆕 Domains: Portfolio of 50+ quality .com domain names being sold individually, including: Bet.ai, ewager.com, and microbetting.com. Reply to receive the full list with prices.

Existing deals that are still open:

• 🆕 Raising: Company owns and operates a portfolio of niche sports leagues for a wagering audience. 600k social media followers and 18 state-based approvals for wagering. Content available on major sportsbook operators and company has inked large sponsorship and content deals as well as partnerships with major sports creators and athletes. Low six figure investment minimum.

• 🆕 Raising: B2C app using gamification to generate retention and vitality with Gen Z audiences. Mid six-figure TTM revenue with incredible ability to scale. Raising $400k, reasonable valuation, round over 50% committed.

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

(also: our lawyers told us to say that none of this is investment advice, and we have not vetted the opportunities presented here. DYOR.)

That’s a wrap! If you’re getting any value from this newsletter, please consider forwarding it to just one friend - I appreciate the support 🙏

-Jesse