The Betting Startups Podcast

Ep. 198 features Pierre Lindh, founder of NEXT.io, returning for his fourth appearance on the Betting Startups Podcast. Pierre reflects on NEXT.io’s breakout year, the transition from scrappy startup to growth-stage business, the role of investigative journalism in iGaming media, and why emerging betting products may go global in 2026.   Hear them discuss: How 2025 became a “12-year overnight success” after more than a decade of compounding momentum The shift from runway preservation to investing aggressively in growth Why founders inevitably become bottlenecks and how to let go without losing vision The importance of finding a true operational counterbalance as a visionary leader Why sustainable scaling beats short-term overexpansion in a cyclical industry How AI is reshaping media and why human journalism may become more valuable, not less The commercial trade-offs of integrity-led investigative reporting Game theory, AI acceleration, and why safety may lose to competitive pressure The explosive growth of NEXT New York and what makes it a senior-level dealmaking event His 2026 prediction: emerging products like prediction markets and sweepstakes expanding globally   If you don't have a ticket for the Next.io Summit in New York event yet, use discount code BETTINGSTARTUPS10 for 10% off your full event pass. Grab your ticket here: https://next.io/summits/newyork/   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ Next.io website ➡️ Pierre Lindh on Linkedin     📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/

Ep. 197 features Benson Bleier and Daniel Prior, Co-Founders of Regen, an automated savings platform built specifically for sports bettors. break down how Regen helps bettors automatically save money on every bet — win or lose — and why they believe savings and investing can become a core part of sustainable gaming.   Hear them discuss: Benson and Daniel’s paths from consulting, VC, and professional poker into building a betting-adjacent fintech startup How the founders met in Argentina through padel and decided to launch Regen How poker bankroll management inspired the original idea behind Regen What Regen does: automated savings triggered every time a sports bet is placed (win or lose) How the product works, including sportsbook connections, bank integrations, and user-set saving rules Why users save on both wins and losses and how typical saving percentages are set How Regen aggregates betting activity across multiple sportsbooks to provide simple performance insights Why Regen positions itself as a fintech, “gambling-adjacent” product for operators and bettors How Underdog’s Guard Dog fund discovered Regen and why it invested Regen’s roadmap, including operator integrations, investing products, and its vision for sustainable betting and financial education   If you don't have a ticket for the Next.io Summit in New York event yet, use discount code BETTINGSTARTUPS10 for 10% off your full event pass. Grab your ticket here: https://next.io/summits/newyork/   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ Regen website ➡️ Ben Bleier on Linkedin ➡️ Daniel Prior on Linkedin     📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/

Ep. 196 features Javier Troncoso and Cristian Barbosa, Co-Founders of InsightPlay.ai, an AI-powered engagement platform using autonomous agents to help operators acquire, retain, and reactivate players at scale. Fresh off a busy ICE Barcelona and a newly announced seed round, Javier and Cristian join Jesse Learmonth to break down how Insight Play is redefining player engagement through conversational AI  and what it takes to build an AI-native startup in global gaming. Hear them discuss: Javier and Cristian’s paths from media, affiliates, and iGaming into building an AI-native startup How InsightPlay.ai was founded and why they went all-in on autonomous AI agents What InsightPlay.ai does: conversational AI agents that drive acquisition, retention, and reactivation Real-world use cases including win-back campaigns, VIP engagement, onboarding, and support A live demo showing AI agents making personalized outbound calls to bettors Why conversational AI changes sportsbook UX from static interfaces to 1:1 interaction Early traction in LATAM, rapid deployments, and lessons from launching with real operators Performance metrics, reactivation success, and how AI complements CRM and call centers Closing a $500K seed round, choosing strategic investors, and founder fundraising realities The roadmap ahead, global expansion plans, and why the World Cup is a major growth catalyst   If you don't have a ticket for the Next.io Summit in New York event yet, use discount code BETTINGSTARTUPS10 for 10% off your full event pass. Grab your ticket here: https://next.io/summits/newyork/     Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ InsightPlay.ai website ➡️ Javier Troncoso on Linkedin ➡️ Cristian Barbosa on Linkedin     📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/

Ep. 195 features Jonathan Baxandall and Gavin Puszczalowskyi, Co-Founders of Bettortainment, for a deep dive into live betting watch-alongs, sportsbook retention, and why most operators still underinvest in in-play engagement.   Hear them discuss: Jonathan’s decade-long career in iGaming, B2B data and acquisition teams Gavin’s 20+ years in radio broadcasting and early in-play content work with William Hill The origins of Bettortainment and why “live” is the most valuable moment to engage bettors What a betting watch-along really is and why it’s more than just commentary Why retention consistently matters more than acquisition, yet remains underserved How sportsbooks lose customers during live play and how to prevent it The balance between data, entertainment, and betting prompts in live content Why community-driven engagement outperforms passive content The limitations of AI in live sports content and the importance of human reaction Bettortainment’s white-label approach and making premium content accessible to smaller operators How affiliates can use live content to drive engagement and differentiation Bootstrapping the company, founder risk, and early startup realities Why the 2026 World Cup represents a massive opportunity for live betting content   If you don't have a ticket for the Next.io Summit in New York event yet, use discount code BETTINGSTARTUPS10 for 10% off your full event pass. Grab your ticket here: https://next.io/summits/newyork/     Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ Bettortainment website ➡️ Jonathan Baxandall on Linkedin ➡️ Gavin Puszczalowskyi on Linkedin     📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/

Ep. 194 features Noah Fulk, Founder and CEO of EWagers, for a deep dive into building compliant, skill-based wagering infrastructure and the hard lessons learned from pivoting a gaming startup from B2C to B2B. Hear him discuss: Noah’s background as a lifelong gamer and the early inspiration behind Ewagers The original B2C vision for peer-to-peer wagering and why the model ultimately failed The pivotal decision to pivot from consumer-facing product to B2B infrastructure What Ewagers does today, including payments, KYC, geofencing, and compliance tooling The underestimated complexity of building regulated gaming infrastructure Fundraising lessons, early structural mistakes, and navigating tougher capital markets Why profitability doesn’t necessarily make scaling easier The importance of advisors and experienced operators in avoiding costly errors Key signals that confirmed the pivot to B2B was the right move What’s next for Ewagers and the long-term vision for the platform   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ EWagers website ➡️ Noah Fulk on Linkedin     📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   --- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.

Ep. 193 features Scott and Warren, founders of PokerLab, for a deep dive into the evolution of online poker and how PokerLab is positioning itself as a modern “Poker as a Service” platform built for today’s operators and players.   Hear them discuss: PokerLab’s origin story and the founders’ decades-long careers in poker and iGaming What “Poker as a Service” really means and how PokerLab differs from legacy poker platforms Why poker remains one of the stickiest products in gambling despite years of decline The rise of short-form poker and why attention spans are changing product expectations The overlap between poker players, sports bettors, DFS users, and prediction market participants Why poker can serve as a powerful acquisition and retention tool for operators Regulatory considerations, taxes, and the divide between professional and recreational players The upcoming Canadian Poker Network launch and what PokerLab hopes to prove Lessons learned from building multiple startups and navigating timing, conviction, and risk   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ PokerLab website ➡️ Scott Wilson on X/Twitter ➡️ Warren Dombowsky on Linkedin     📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   --- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.  

Ep. 192 features Jesse Learmonth in a special "Ask Me Anything" edition of the Betting Startups Podcast, where he flips the script and answers questions from founders, operators, and builders across the gaming ecosystem. Hear him discuss: The biggest lessons from nearly 200 podcast episodes, including why industry experience and distribution matter more than ever for startup success What surprised him most in 2025: prediction markets, the blurring lines between betting, finance, and speculation, and what that means for founders Common mistakes founders make, from confusing personal pain points with real market opportunities to poorly framing “use of funds” in pitch decks How bettors are evolving, why access (not tools) is now the biggest constraint, and how prediction markets are changing the landscape in 2026 Jesse’s vision for Betting Startups in 2026, including new products, events, a tech platform, and plans to raise strategic (non-institutional) capital   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ Jesse Learmonth on Linkedin     📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   --- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.

Ep. 191 features Joshua Swerdlow, from ChatBet AI, an AI-powered sports betting platform built to deliver smarter, more personalized betting experiences through data and conversational technology.   Hear him discuss: Josh’s background and the leap he took moving from England to Tel Aviv  What ChatBet is and how he is using AI to reshape the sports betting experience What his go-to-market strategy was and major lessons from launching  Why Josh believes that the user experience sits at the center of ChatBet’s product philosophy and why it is so key  The realities when it comes to gaining capital in the start up world  How Josh has navigated the startup ecosystem from working with startups to now running his own How Chat Bet AI uses data-driven insights to create better outcomes for bettors Key lessons learned as a first-time founder The vision for 2026 and ChatBet’s long-term growth and engagement strategy, hint the World Cup is involved   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇   ➡️ ChatBet AI website ➡️ Joshua Swerdlow on Linkedin     📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   --- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.

Ep. 190 features Irakli “Marcus” Davarashvili, Founder & CEO of Promofy, for a deep dive into the global rise of AI-powered gamification and how operators are rethinking loyalty, engagement, and retention. Hear him discuss: His 13-year journey across advertising, brand building, and iGaming leadership and how operational pain points at scale inspired him to build Promofy What Promofy is: an AI-driven, no-code gamification platform that lets operators launch loyalty systems, missions, sports predictors, prize drops, kiosks, and full-page engagement experiences in minutes How Promofy’s rapid traction and product innovation led to winning “Launch of the Year” at the Starties, and why that recognition validated the team’s vision and executio Why global operators misunderstand “gamification,” and how true gamified ecosystems differ from simple bonuses, cashbacks, and tournament The massive market shift away from bonus-led retention to personalized and behavior-driven engagemen Regional adoption trends across LATAM, Europe, Asia, CIS, and North America plus why gamification is becoming “must-have” instead of “nice-to-have How Promofy differentiates itself with AI design tools, content generators, sports prediction engines, casino loyalty, and a full library of mechanics that operators can test and optimiz The challenges and realities of fundraising as a first-time founder, why saying “yes” and “no” matter equally, and what kinds of investors Promofy is seeking today The transition from operator to entrepreneur expectations vs. reality, resilience, failure tolerance, and why agility is a survival skil Why 2026 will be a breakout year driven by global expansion, new product launches, and massive demand heading into the World Cup   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇   ➡️ Promofy website ➡️ Irakli  Davarashvili on Linkedin     📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   --- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.

Ep. 189 features the three co-founders of Golden Camel, Artie, Ben, and Ryan, for a lively deep dive into building a sports-betting lifestyle app rooted in community, fun, and authenticity. Hear them discuss: How a series of career pivots led them to partner up on Golden Camel a number of years after the original idea was sparked Why Golden Camel rejects “beat the house” culture, instead leaning into fun and community - while also still providing utility  Why they see brand as a differentiator within the betting tools category, and how they plan to leverage that to acquire users The state of U.S. betting culture in 2025, the rise of prediction markets, and why they feel they're in the right place at the right time with Golden Camel Their go-to-market strategy in Arizona, and why authentic content + in-person community building is their biggest growth engine Why they think that Silicon Valley VC's have largely been absent from the sports betting industry, and how they see that evolving   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇   ➡️ Golden Camel website ➡️ Artie Baxter on Linkedin ➡️ Ben Ramirez on Linkedin ➡️ Ryan Magrum on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   --- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.

Ep. 188 features James King, CEO & Co-Founder of Flows, for a deep dive into building a no-code automation platform powering some of the biggest operators in global gaming. Hear him discuss: His 16-year industry journey across iGB Affiliate, Clarion Events, and Gaming Innovation Group and how industry-wide tech frustration inspired the founding of Flows What Flows actually is: a no-code automation layer that ingests real-time data and lets teams build alerts, bonus engines, jackpots, omnichannel loyalty, and more all without developers How operators integrate Flows, the speed of deployment, and why its Zapier-like interface is built to handle billions of gaming events The company’s commercial model, recent traction, and major U.S. launches Why the U.S. remains the biggest long-term opportunity despite slow sales cycles, and how Flows is navigating sweeps, prediction markets, and regulated operators Why Flows sees itself as a tech company in gaming and how its technology can extend to fintech, retail, and other enterprise verticals The rationale behind choosing a strategic investment from Light & Wonder over traditional VC, and how the partnership has helped accelerate growth A candid look at the overloaded conference landscape, which events actually deliver ROI, and which ones startups should prioritize What’s coming in 2026, new products, AI-driven innovation tools, expanded U.S. growth, and deeper empowerment for teams to build and automate faster than ever   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇   ➡️ Flows website ➡️ James King on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   --- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.

This special episode features Seb Butterworth from Flutter and Dan O’Sullivan from the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), for a deep dive into the future of horse racing — and how the sport is preparing to engage a new generation of fans.   Hear them discuss: The origins and findings of Project Beacon, and what the research reveals about younger and casual audiences Why horse welfare, race education, race day experience, and behind-the-scenes access are the four critical innovation themes How behind-the-scenes content can build emotional connection and improve understanding of horse welfare Why racing struggles with context and “the why” for non-core audiences — and how narrative and storytelling can change that Flutter’s approach to modernizing a tradition-rich sport while preserving what makes racing special How simplifying the race card (without removing complexity) can make the sport more accessible to newcomers The role of technology, wearables, and data in creating richer fan experiences and improving equine welfare Early signals from other sports and how innovations like ref-cam, jockey cam, and training-yard content could shape racing’s future Why digital platforms will be essential to reaching the next generation of fans Details of the Future of Racing startup program: application window, pitch event, evaluation criteria, and potential commercial opportunities Applications for the program are open until November 23, culminating in a Shark Tank style pitch at York Racecourse in February 2026. Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ Daniel O'Sullivan on Linkedin ➡️ Sebastian Butterworth on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/

The Gamble & The Glory showcases founders that built their companies into category leaders in the betting and gaming industry. In S2 E2, we speak with John Levy, founder and former CEO of theScore. John shares the remarkable 25+ year journey behind one of Canada’s most iconic sports media and betting brands from its roots in cable television to becoming a digital powerhouse and ultimately exiting for over $2 billion. Hear him discuss: The early days of Sportscope and how it evolved into theScore How selling the TV network unlocked theScore’s digital transformation Selling the media assets to bet the future of the company on digital media and technology Why Penn’s acquisition derailed early and what went wrong with the integration Lessons from scaling a family-run business and defining clear leadership roles His candid thoughts on ESPN BET, Barstool, Dave Portnoy, and partnership misalignment How theScore Bet could have continued to grow under an independent model The future of sports betting across AI, microbetting, and next-gen fan behavior How theScore was able to punch above its weight, and John's advice to startup founders on how to do the same Why authenticity, resilience, and focus define long-term winners What’s next for John Levy, and whether another venture is on the horizon For more of John's comments on the recent ESPN Bet news, check out his recent podcast with Steve McAllister on Gaming News Canada: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2uocQx14rRzS92YF8wlnqC?si=ce3b2267cfad4a57 Video version of this episode can be viewed here. Learn more 👇 ➡️ theScore website ➡️ John Levy on Linkedin     The Gamble & The Glory is made possible by Segev LLP, a full solutions law firm purpose-built for the gaming and betting industry. To learn more, visit: www.segev.ca.

Ep. 187 features Jake Benzaquen, Co-Founder and CEO of ProphetX, for a deep dive into the company’s latest evolution from regulated exchange to sweepstakes model, to now filing with the CFTC to operate as a fully regulated marketplace for sports event contracts. Hear him discuss: The journey from launching in New Jersey as an OSB to building a national presence under the sweepstakes model Why ProphetX is now pivoting to the CFTC model and what it means for the future Lessons from scaling a sports betting exchange across multiple states How product validation and customer feedback shaped ProphetX’s direction Building an RFQ (Request for Quote) system for parlays, and why it’s a game-changer Why ProphetX will focus on sports-first markets, and why it's not launching with political or pop culture markets The two primary reasons why they decided to launch without an affiliated trading arm Competing with industry giants like Kalshi, Polymarket, and DraftKings through product innovation The growing cultural influence of prediction markets How distribution partnerships and B2B integrations will drive user acquisition Jake’s reflections on seven years of startup grit, team growth, and finding motivation for the next phase   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇   ➡️ ProphetX website ➡️ Jake Benzaquen on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   --- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.

Ep. 186 features Marek Suchar, Co-founder and Managing Director at Oddin.gg, a leading B2B provider of end-to-end esports betting solutions for global bookmakers.   Hear him discuss: His journey from nearly a decade in finance at Citibank to co-founding one of the industry’s fastest-growing esports betting platforms How an early pivot from B2C to B2B set Oddin.gg on the path to success Why esports audiences are fundamentally different, and how authenticity and community are key to engaging them The challenges of building a live in-play esports betting product, from latency to constantly evolving game metas How Oddin.gg differentiates itself with a one-stop-shop offering, including data feeds, odds models, risk management, simulators, and marketing support Why Oddin acquired a marketing agency to help partners connect with esports fans through influencers, teams, and content The company’s focus on profitability, M&A opportunities, and building a larger tech-driven group beyond esports betting What Marek sees as the next wave of growth for esports betting and why consolidation is accelerating across the sector Lessons learned transitioning from startup survival to scale-up leadership and the importance of process and structure as the team grows past 300 people   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇   ➡️ Oddin.gg website ➡️ Marek Suchar on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   --- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.

Ep. 185 features Adam Rosenberg, co-founder of HandiGraphs, a betting analytics platform built by and for baseball fans.   Hear him discuss: His journey from political fundraising and brand strategy to PR and marketing in the sports betting industry How a friendship in the Outlier Discord led to co-founding HandiGraphs with CJ Buskey Why baseball’s intimidating data landscape inspired the creation of a simpler, more visual analytics tool How HandiGraphs identifies edges using proprietary plate appearance metrics (30/60/90 PA splits) Lessons learned from building a sticky, subscription-based product with near-zero churn Why education and “over-teaching” users became central to their go-to-market strategy Balancing side project and startup life — and what comes next for HandiGraphs in 2025 The role his podcast Dads Bet Baseball plays as both creative outlet and marketing engine Common mistakes early-stage founders make in PR and how to tell a clear, differentiated story Why Adam lives by the philosophy “Be helpful” — and how generosity and curiosity drive success in this industry   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇   ➡️ Handigraphs website ➡️ Adam Rosenberg's socials   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   --- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.

Ep. 184 features Brian Birt, founder of Griddy, the fantasy football puzzle game bringing year-round engagement to sports fans.   Hear him discuss: His journey from childhood sports fanatic to building products at Sleeper and launching Griddy How Griddy turns fantasy football into a strategic, bite-sized mobile game playable 365 days a year Solving the seasonality problem in fantasy sports with an innovative “chemistry” team-building mechanic Why he intentionally built Griddy as a free-to-play game without real money components How a community-driven approach led to 30,000 users and 3M+ games played with zero ad spend The role of Reddit and storytelling in driving organic, founder-led growth Lessons from Sleeper: building trust and community before monetization Finding product–market fit through retention and user obsession, not growth hacks Getting early believers on the cap table, including Joel Simkins from XST Capital, and why he seeks to preserve optionality for future capital needs How psychological resilience and consistency fuel startup success What’s next for Griddy, from new game modes and rewards to expansion into other sports and fandoms     Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ Girddy website  ➡️ Brian Birt on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   -- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.

Ep. 183 features Tom Lemke, founder of Savage Tech, the world's first true gamified retention engine for the iGaming industry. Hear him discuss: His review of the recent SBC Summit conference in Lisbon How his experience co-founding esports teams shaped his understanding of player engagement How avatars, achievements, and progression systems improve retention and customer loyalty Why being likeable is an underappreciated quality when it comes to B2B sales The importance of continuing to show up "on the circuit" at iGaming industry events and conferences Why he decided to retire from participating in industry startup pitch competitions Lessons learned from Adar Ziv, the self-proclaimed "Chief Linkedin Officer" His experience having just closed a seed round, and the importance of smart money over just money How Savage Tech is approaching localization for markets like Asia, Brazil, and Africa   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ Savage Tech website  ➡️ Tom Lemke on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   -- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.  

Ep. 182 features Pranav Tadikonda from Pikkit, which is a social sports betting tracker that automatically aggregates bets, analyzes performance, and connects users through community and content.   Hear him discuss: • Why he and co-founder Anthony Jonikas started Pikkit after learning big tech wasn't for them • The switch from fantasy to sports betting after PASPA’s repeal • How they validated the idea through real user frustrations with bet tracking • Their early decision to ban manual entry to ensure transparency • The infrastructure behind syncing 30+ sportsbooks through their in-house platform BookSync • His view on the explosion of tools in the betting category • The controversial Twitter API shutdown and their diplomatic response • Their decision not to commercialize BookSync as a B2B product for now • Their $9M fundraising journey across three rounds and now hitting cashflow positive   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ Pikkit website  ➡️ Pranav Tadikonda on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   -- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.  

Ep. 181 features Tony Ryan from Bet Caddy, which is building the ultimate sports remote to personalize and streamline the fragmented sports streaming experience.   Hear him discuss: • How betting and fantasy sports make every game moment meaningful for modern fans • The origin story of Bet Caddy, sparked by college sports bars and basement brainstorming • How Bet Caddy delivers a RedZone-style experience for every day of the sports calendar • Using real-time notifications to surface key betting moments before they happen on TV • Drawing inspiration from Spotify’s model to curb piracy through a superior experience • What they learned from their March Madness beta launch and how it shaped the product • Preparing for NFL and college football season with weekly product updates and improvements • How they racked up 25 million organic social views using short-form viral videos • Their monetization strategy combining sportsbook affiliate deals and streaming referrals • The reality of building a complex product as non-technical founders learning along the way • Why Golden State Warriors guard Pat Spencer became their first athlete investor   Catch the video version of this episode here.   Learn more 👇 ➡️ Bet Caddy website  ➡️ Tony Ryan on Linkedin   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/   -- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.