How EdgeSports used its own predictive AI bets to fund development

Ben Howard didn’t set out to build a betting startup. He just tracked NFL player trends in a spreadsheet to help make better bets.

He was working at Penn Entertainment during the Barstool Sports acquisition when a coworker caught wind of his “consistency sheet,” who then used it to build a 13-leg parlay. It was “the most absurd thing you can possibly put together,” Howard recalled of the wager.

But the bet hit, netting his coworker a several-thousand dollar payout and earning Howard a reputation for predictive wagers in the process. More importantly, it seeded an idea for something much larger than his personal hobby.

Today, it's EdgeSports—a betting tool using AI to help users find value and edge. 

The startup’s flagship product is a consumer-facing iOS app, using proprietary models to present users with data-backed predictions on bets. Today, NFL is the flagship market for EdgeSports—but NBA and MLB are coming up next. 

Later this month, EdgeSports is gearing up to release its live modelling product, which can plug feeds directly into community platforms on Discord and Telegram for users to bet on. Throughout its closed beta, those predictions hit 75% against the moneyline and 64% against the spread. 

“It was an absolutely incredible test,” Howard said, which led to more inbound and curiosity from other online sports betting communities. 

EdgeSports is directing serious energy behind the live product—and for good reason. Sportradar estimated that in-play wagers would account for 75% of all U.S. sports bets in 2025. 

The tech needs to identify moments where their model sees value faster than the books can adjust. It’s easier said than done, Howard explained, but that’s where deep linking and speed-to-bet tech come in—helping users act before the lines move.

On the business side, EdgeSports has taken a scrappy, startup-first approach. The company has spent nothing on marketing to date, and instead leans on social proof and word of mouth. That includes publicly tracking its prediction accuracy on social media and letting users see the value first-hand—it also creates a layer of transparency that helps EdgeSports build relationships with its audience. “That creates a lot of trust in our brand,” Howard said.

It’s a strategy that’s paying off so far, with the company recently crossing 10,000 users. Howard also notes that over 80% of the product’s App Store traffic is through direct, organic search. 

Rising app activity is fueling B2B expansion, too. EdgeSports is seeing more appetite to license its live feed to other online communities, while exploring peer-to-peer exchange integrations with partners like BetOpenly. 

Early on, before EdgeSports had users and traction, Howard and his team used their own prediction modeling to bet and fund early development. Not only did that create some runway for the startup, but it also helped to validate the product. “It worked out pretty well for a while until we started getting limited,” Howard said.

Now, with a full product suite on deck and the NFL season looming, they’re preparing to raise their first round of external capital.

“We’re ready to actually take on some capital now,” he said. “We’ve proved it—and here’s the next steps.”

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