The Betting Startups Podcast

Ep. 141: Building bet slips with a copilot w/ Cal Spears & Jonathan Bales from Gambly

Recorded on the day of their public launch, Ep. 141 features Cal Spears and Jonathan Bales from Gambly, which is your sports betting copilot.
Hear them discuss:
How Cal and Jonathan came together to launch Gambly after their non-competes expired following their last exits
The inspiration for Gambly, and the founding use cases for the product
Why they think Gambly will add value to both casual and sharp bettors alike
How they're thinking about the journey towards finding product-market fit
Why they think that Gambly can catalyze a new affiliate model with sportsbooks
Developing the underlying technology that powers the product, and how they've abstracted its complexity with an intuitive UX
The background on their strategic partnership with Unabated
Choosing to preserve equity by self-funding Gambly's development over raising seed capital
Why Cal thinks that we "might be in a golden age" for smaller affiliates, despite the recent headwinds for larger affiliate companies
Their top pieces of advice to other entrepreneurs building within real-money gaming
 
Catch the video version of this episode here.
 
Cal was also a former guest on Ep. 80 of The Betting Startups Podcast, where he told the full story of his 20-year journey building, scaling, and exiting several businesses within real-money gaming. Catch that episode if you missed it:
Apple Podcast
Spotify
 
 
Learn more 👇
➡️ Gambly website
➡️ Cal Spears on Linkedin
➡️ Jonathan Bales 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/
 
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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. 140 - Building speed trains vs. rocket ships w/ Robert Lenzhofer from Hölle Games

Ep. 140 features Robert Lenzhofer, CEO of Hölle Games, which produces slot games and gaming platforms, with a focus on regulated markets and localized content.
 
Hear Robert discuss:
His journey in gaming, from tech in Austria to founding Hölle Games
The origins and growth of Hölle Games, which focuses on the German market with localized content
The challenges and nuances of slot game development and creating a unique platform
How Hölle Games differentiates in a crowded slot market through compliance and tailored products
The company's dual focus on a slot studio and remote gaming server (RGS) technology
His choice to bootstrap the company, opting for revenue-driven growth over investor funding
The strategy behind launching multiple studios for targeted markets, including upcoming studios for the UK, Brazil, and Asia
Reflections on the impact of AI in game development, both in art and automation
 
Catch the video version of this episode here.
 
Learn more 👇
➡️ Hölle Games website
➡️ Robert Lenzhofer 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/
 
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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. 139 - Acquiring customers through innovative games w/ Adam Wilson from Splash Tech

Ep.139 features Jesse live from the SBC Summit in Lisbon, joined by Adam Wilson from Splash Tech, Hear them discuss:
How Adam's early journey in the betting industry took shape and evolved
The post-mortem on his first startup Bookee, which became known as the "Tinder for Betting"
The origin story of Splash Tech, and how his learnings from the Bookee journey influenced his approach to building Splash Tech
How Splash Tech’s free-to-play games drive customer acquisition and engagement, and what sets them apart from other F2P providers
Why "you are only as good as your integrations" as a B2B supplier in this industry
Splash Tech's product integration with Optimove, and the unique ways that partnership enables operators to engage with their players
Why he wanted "to get to profitability as soon as possible" with Splash Tech in order to avoid raising further capital
His perspective on the betting industry trends driving innovation
What fuels Adam’s motivation and resilience as an entrepreneur
 
Catch the video version of this episode here.
 
Learn more 👇
➡️ Splash Tech website
➡️ Adam Wilson 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/
 
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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. 138 - Innovating the 'money in / money out' experience w/ Rob Rubio from Fluid

Ep. 138 features Jesse live from the SBC Summit in Lisbon, joined by Rob Rubio from Fluid, which is a cutting-edge checkout solution powered by machine learning.
 
Hear them discuss:
Rob’s journey through the industry, and how his time working for an operator helped him identify the pain point that Fluid is now solving
The positive response that Fluid got from the market after launching at ICE earlier this year, and the traction they have experienced since
How is improving the "money in, money out" process though intuitive UX combined with data-driven optimization
Why Fluid opted to commercialize its platform using a straightforward SaaS pricing model
The role of responsible gambling (RG) and KYC within Fluid’s core services
Fluid's new seed funding round backed by HappyHour.io, and what this investment means for future growth
Lessons from Rob’s past investing experience that have shaped Fluid’s growth
What Rob sees for the future of Fluid, including some new verticals he sees opportunity in
 
Catch the video version of this episode here.
 
Learn more 👇
➡️ Fluid website
➡️ Rob Rubio 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/
 
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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. 137 - Creating intelligent sports bettors w/ Jack Andrews and Justin Phan from Unabated

Ep. 137 features Jack Andrews and Justin Phan from Unabated, which is the tools and resources you need to become a winning sports bettor.
 
Hear them discuss:
The recent G2E conference in Las Vegas, and Jack's biggest takeaway from it
What has surprised Jack the most since launching Unabated 4 years ago
Jack's view of how the American betting population "breaks down in cultural generations"
The crazy story of serendipity that led Justin to joining Unabated as their new Managing Director
Why Unabated has been steadfast in its commitment to building the business through subscription revenue
Their commitment to maintaining product velocity, and why that excites Justin
What led them to enter the B2B data business
How they see the trend of operator consolidation impacting the betting public
 
Catch the video version of this episode here.
 
You can also  check out Unabated YouTube channel here.
 
 
Learn more 👇
➡️ Unabated website
➡️ Justin Phan on Linkedin
 
 
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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. 136: Fueling betting model development w/ Matt Bresler from Odditt

Ep. 136 features Matt Bresler, Founder and CEO of Odditt, a suite of world-class sports betting tools and analytics. This episode was recorded in person with Jesse at the G2E conference in Las Vegas.Hear them discuss:
Why Matt relocated to Las Vegas to work on Odditt, and the value that move has brought to the company
Matt's experience participating in ZeroLabs' inaugural cohort, and more recently as a mentor in the latest cohort
How developing his own betting models uncovered the problem that Odditt is now solving
The distinction that prompted Odditt to pivot from its original idea
How Odditt's platform helps to bring closer alignment between quant teams and trading teams within sportsbooks
The challenges of compiling a data set that spans thousands of leagues, 150+ countries, and 30+ sports
Why Matt is thinking about launching "a data accelerator with early stage startups"
News that Odditt has recently closed a new round of funding, and why Matt chose to avoid institutional capital for the round
 
Catch the video version of this episode here.
 
Learn more 👇
➡️ Odditt website
➡️ Matt Bresler on Linkedin
 
 
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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. 135 - Investor Vibe Check - Q3 2024

Ep. 135 is our quarterly Investor Vibe Check, where we chat with 3 industry investors to get their perspective on the landscape from their side of the table.The vibe check for Q3 features Evan Meyer (Astralis Capital), Paris Smith (Life Winning), and Joel Simkins (XST Capital).
Hear them discuss:
Their investing background, and current focus areas within real-money gaming
Recent consolidation amongst micro-betting technology providers, and how they see that shifting the dynamics within the category
Why legacy media has struggled integrating betting content, while many startups are seemingly make it work
Why new media strategies have greater impact driving player behavior
Brazil market expectations post-regulation, how it's similar/different to the US, how operators are preparing for regulation, and opportunities for startups in that market
Their perspectives on the sweepstakes model, and its attractiveness as capital allocators
Advice for founders on seeking mentorship and support from industry veterans
 
📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribed to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/
 
Catch the video version of this episode here.
 
--
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. 134: Life after product-market fit w/ Evan Kirkham from Outlier

Ep. 134 features Evan Kirkham from Outlier, which is a cutting-edge sports betting app that helps users make smarter bets, no matter the sportsbook. 
 
Hear him discuss:
How life has changed for Evan and the Outlier team after finding product-market fit since his last appearance on the podcast
Insight into Outlier's internal product development process, and how they maintain a strong shipping cadence with a lean team
The flywheel that has led to Outlier pushing over 500,000 bets per week to sportsbook partners
His guiding principles on team building and scaling headcount
Why Outlier has eschewed affiliate revenue despite it being an obvious monetization channel
His assessment of the competitive landscape within the betting tools category
What he learned after launching a fundraising process earlier this year, and why he ultimately abandoned it in favor of organic growth
His approach to doing cold outreach to get calls with in-demand people
 
G2E Quick Hits interest form 👇 https://forms.monday.com/forms/396c8ee610fafa76488de31ab2522442?r=use1
📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribed to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/
Catch the video version of this episode here.
 
Learn more 👇
➡️ Outlier website
➡️ Evan Kirkham on Linkedin
 
 
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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. 133 - Winning the SBC First Pitch w/ Radek Psurny from Match Hype

Ep. 133 features the winner of SBC's First Pitch, Radek Psurny from Match Hype.
 
Hear them discuss:
Radek's reflections on winning the SBC First Pitch competition and pitching on the big stage
The journey of building Match Hype, a platform for dynamic sportsbook video content
How Match Hype automates videos with real-time stats, predictions, and content in 30+ languages
The tech behind Match Hype being built by an experienced team
Match Hype's future plans with live content
The opening of their seed fundraising round to embrace growth.
Radek's 5-year vision to make Match Hype a global leader in sports content
 
G2E Quick Hits interest form 👇 https://forms.monday.com/forms/396c8ee610fafa76488de31ab2522442?r=use1
 
Video version of this episode can be viewed here.
 
Learn more 👇
➡️ Match Hype website
➡️ Radek Psurny on Linkedin
 
 
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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. 132 - Driving golf's betting culture w/ Keith Stewart from Read the Line

Ep. 132 features Keith Stewart from Read the Line, which delivers actionable golf betting insights & analysis from the perspective of a PGA Professional.
 
Hear him discuss:
His life's journey in golf and how becoming a PGA Professional has elevated his career
Four reasons why golf is one of the best sports for betting
The origins of Read the Line and how it's filling a gap in the golf content space.
The importance of why Read the Line covers the LPGA
How proactive content is a key differentiator in the golf media industry
His efforts on growing Read the Line's media partnerships
The three main revenue drivers for Read the Line
The plan to grow and scale Read the Line, including venturing into additional secondary sports
G2E Quick Hits interest form 👇 https://forms.monday.com/forms/396c8ee610fafa76488de31ab2522442?r=use1
 
Looking to attend SBC Summit? If you don't have a ticket for the event yet, use discount code BETTINGSTARTUPSVIP for $300 off your pass. Grab your ticket here: https://sbcevents.com/sbc-summit/tickets
 
Video version of this episode can be viewed here.
 
Learn more 👇
➡️ Read The Line website
➡️ Keith Stewart on Linkedin
 
 
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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.