This week: Outlier acquires SportsCapital, strengthens live betting product. Also: Kalshi and Polymarket ceos back $35M prediction markets fund, and Blitz:Draft walks Bettingstartups through how DFS can benefit from being more like Tinder. March 26, 2026 Editor's Note: Bettingstartups has reintroduced the popular jobs section to the newsletter! Every week, Bettingstartups'll bring you three curated opportunities with startup and growth stage companies. The news: Outlier has acquired the intellectual property of SportsCapital, strengthening its data infrastructure and enabling a real-time injury and incident feed for its live betting product, React Live. The system captures live game events across major U.S. leagues, including injuries, substitutions, and player status updates, from over a thousand sources. The move adds a new layer of real-time context to Outlier's live betting experience. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Zoom in: React Live will use the feed to surface these in-game signals as they happen, often before they're visible on broadcast or reflected in the odds. The product tracks performance against historical baselines and generates incident reports within seconds, giving users a clearer picture of what's unfolding in real time. As CEO Evan Kirkham put it, "Live betting moves fast, and context is everything." The deal arrives a few months after the company closed nearly $11M in Series A funding. Meanwhile, SportsCapital CEO Aaron Riccio says the acquisition will "put our work in the hands of great people who can scale its applications in the sports betting industry." Why it matters: The addition of SportsCapital's infrastructure pushes React Live closer to a fully real-time betting layer - one built around what's actually happening on the court, not just what's being recorded, per the release. That kind of context has historically been fragmented or inaccessible to most bettors, despite driving market movement. As the category shifts toward faster, more reactive betting experiences, tools that close the gap between live action and market response are becoming increasingly valuable. Kalshi, Polymarket ceos back $35M prediction markets fund. The news: The chief executives of Kalshi and Polymarket are both backing 5(c) Capital, a new $35M venture fund focused on prediction markets. The fund, launched by former Kalshi employees, also counts high-profile investors like Marc Andreessen and Ribbit Capital founder Micky Malka, and will look to back around 20 companies across the ecosystem. Zoom in: 5(c) is targeting the layers beneath the surface - market makers, index design, and other infrastructure plays tied to the "second- and third-order effects" of prediction markets' rise. The involvement of both Tarek Mansour and Shayne Coplan is notable given the companies' tight race for category dominance (and well-documented feelings of disdain for one another), with Kalshi reportedly raising at a $22B valuation and Polymarket nearing $20B. Why it matters: Even as competition intensifies at the operator level, this is a signal that insiders see real opportunity expanding beyond platforms into the underlying stack. It's the same playbook seen in other maturing categories, where the next wave of value shifts to the technology behind it, and a sign prediction markets are evolving beyond a product and becoming a venture-backed ecosystem. Sponsored by SBC The news: First Pitch returns at SBC Summit Americas June 11, giving early-stage betting and gaming startups a chance to pitch live on stage for a prize package valued at over $100,000. Five companies will be selected to present in front of top investors and industry leaders. Applications are now open until April 17. Why it matters: First Pitch has become a direct pathway for startups to get in front of capital and decision-makers in the space. Hosted by BettingStartups and a panel of experienced operators and investors, it's a rare opportunity to validate your product, refine your story, and sometimes get the difficult feedback you need - all at once. Why Blitz:Draft is building the Tinder of DFS. The news: Blitz:Draft is doubling down on a faster, simpler take on fantasy sports, centered around swipe-based, two-minute drafts and small contest sizes. The startup is positioning its product as a more accessible alternative to traditional DFS formats, CEO Toby Bucsescu told Bettingstartups on The BettingStartups Podcast. After launching its iOS app last year, the company is now focused on scaling a product built for speed, repeat play, and casual users. Zoom in: At the core of Blitz:Draft is a Tinder-like draft mechanic where users swipe right to select players and left to pass - removing the need for long lobbies and optimizer-driven lineup building. Contests are capped at 10 entrants with single-entry limits, pushing back against the "shark"-dominated dynamics of traditional DFS. As Bucsescu put it, "Blitz Draft is fantasy sports times Tinder, times speed chess," designed to "give the users back their time while giving them more fun." Why it matters: Fantasy sports has remained largely unchanged for years, creating an opening for products that better match how modern users consume content - fast, interactive, and repeatable. Blitz:Draft is targeting the large cohort of casual fans who have been sidelined by complexity, while still offering enough depth to keep experienced players engaged. If it works, it's another signal that short-form, swipe-first mechanics are starting to reshape even the most established gaming formats. News, money, and alpha. * idPair lands backing from Game Changers Ventures to build a national data layer for self-exclusion across U.S. betting markets. * Ahead of Opening Day, Handigraphs has rolled out a major product update, including a new AI agent and odds integration. * Will Ventures makes the case for VC-backed online casinos as the next big category in real-money gaming. * Blitz has tapped MLB broadcaster Ryan Spilborghs as advisor ahead of the 2026 season. * Zero Labs is hosting its Sports Innovation Launchpad, a special edition of its 3-day accelerator focused on spor-ts media, fan engagement, and venue experience, in Las Vegas July 6-8. Applications are open now. Great gigs. Big opportunities with awesome growth-stage companies * Speedlabs is looking for a "0 | 1 product leader" with strong experience building and designing consumer apps from the ground up. * PokerLab is looking for a full stack engineer to support the planning, development, and execution of a scalable back-office solution. * AIstats is looking for marketing, product, and sales-facing personnel to fill a variety of open roles. From the studio. Catch up on the latest episodes of The BettingStartups Podcast. You've made it to the end of the newsletter - seems like you should probably subscribe if you haven't already. Are you a startup in real-money gaming looking to announce a new product launch, partnership, or funding round? Get it on its radar! Email: [email protected]

This week: Outlier banks $11M Series A led by Discerning Capital. Also: the app that wants to bring the Vegas sportsbook experience to your pocket, and BeeBettor's founder on shuttering his app and pivoting into content creation. Outlier banks $11M Series A led by Discerning Capital. The news: Outlier has raised $10.7M in Series A funding to scale its sports betting analytics platform, combining $5.7M in equity led by Discerning Capital with $5M in dedicated user-acquisition financing. The company will use the capital to expand its product line, advance its underlying data models, and continue building out engineering and customer teams in New Orleans. Zoom in: Outlier differentiates itself with a subscription-only model, which allows the company to focus on "delivering value directly to its users," via access to real-time data, historical trends, and sportsbook odds. Co-founder and CEO Evan Kirkham tells BettingStartups that the momentum comes with both advantages and pressure: "We benefit from the trust and economies of scale that come with market leadership. But, we're challenged with having to continually innovate and question our own business assumption as headcount and subscriber growth frustrate our ability to stay nimble and open minded." Kirkham adds that the "burden" the company faces is to continue educating the circle of prospective users that betting tools like Outlier exist and have a purpose even amongst the most novice bettors. Why it matters: Outlier's trajectory also highlights the growing momentum of Louisiana's tech ecosystem, where the company has anchored its product development and continues to scale a full-time engineering team in New Orleans' Warehouse District. Kirkham says the milestone hasn't slowed their focus: "The journey has been completely and utterly wild, with intense emotions and lasting friendships materializing along the way. As for Outlier, our vision for the company is the same today as it was before the Series A... We're just building, building, building." Golden Camel wants to bring the Vegas sportsbook experience to your pocket. The news: Golden Camel, the new all-in-one betting companion, is taking a contrarian stance in a category dominated by sharper tools and optimization engines. The idea traces back to a night nearly 10 years ago at the opening of Levi's Stadium, when cofounders Ryan Magrum and Artie Baxter spent the entire game toggling between offshore sportsbooks instead of enjoying it. "We realized two things... we lost every bet and we missed out on an amazing experience because we were glued to our phones," Magrum said. That frustration became the seed for an app that keeps betting in one place rather than pulling fans away from the action. Zoom in: The pair brought on San Francisco-based designer and startup veteran Ben Ramirez, who spent 20 years in tech, to turn that seed into a working product. When they pitched him the idea, Ramirez saw the opportunity through a slightly different lens, arguing the real value wasn't just streamlining box scores and bets, but capturing the emotional energy of betting itself. "We wanted it to feel like a sportsbook in your pocket... we wanted to capture that emotion," he said. Today, Golden Camel aggregates wagers across multiple sportsbooks, tracks live scores and props, and surfaces clean, confidence-driven AI insights without overwhelming users - resulting in a unified hub that strips out clutter and keeps the focus on the game. Why it matters: With more states legalizing, prediction markets reshaping expectations, and betting culture moving from taboo to mainstream, the team feels they're early in a big shift. Ramirez sees a widening audience finally ready for a product like this: "If we have an app that's approachable and easier to use... it's easier to dip your toe in." The Business of Betting Podcast is one of the longest-running and most popular betting industry podcasts, with over 250 episodes in the back catalogue. Hosted by Jeff Edelstein, Senior Analyst at InGame.com, the Business of Betting features conversations from some of the most influential personalities across all sides of the sports betting industry. With over 10,000 subscribers across Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube, and an additional 10,000 followers on social media, Business of Betting remains one of the most recognized podcasts covering the industry. Now, it's seeking a new headline sponsor for 2026. This is a unique and valuable opportunity to align your brand with a respected voice in the industry and position your offering to a diverse and engaged audience. Headline sponsorship info packages are available now, but move fast - it won't last long! BeeBettor founder on shutting down his app, and the evolution of the betting tool ecosystem. The news: BeeBettor co-founder Jordan Murphy joined The Modern Edge podcast to break down his path from early EV bettor to tool builder - and ultimately to full-time educator in the betting tools ecosystem. Murphy offered a transparent look at why he launched BeeBettor, how the EV-tool category evolved around him, and why he eventually chose to shut the app down. His journey began like many new bettors: convinced that "ball knowledge" was enough to beat the market. "I definitely fell in that category and I wasn't very good," he said, noting it wasn't until discovering pricing principles that things finally clicked. Zoom in: As a math major, the logic behind pricing and EV resonated immediately, pushing Murphy deeper into tools like OddsJam and eventually inspiring him to build BeeBettor. The frustration he felt with existing EV tools - especially the "lack of customizability" - shaped the core of the product. But as the ecosystem matured, Murphy saw the landscape shift into a commoditized "race to the bottom," driven by copycat features and price competition. Meanwhile, he found himself more energized by teaching bettors how tools work rather than running one. "Educating new people and seeing that journey that I went on... it was really rewarding," he said. Going tool-agnostic, he added, let him create content that was "easier, better, more informative, and just better for the customer." Why it matters: Murphy argues that the core of smart betting isn't memorizing EV formulas - it's price awareness. "I think to try and put it concisely is price... I wouldn't even say sensitivity. I would say awareness," he said. The real edge comes from understanding where your number sits in the market and why. His advice for beginners: slow down, think, and build the habit of checking price even before fully grasping the math. As tool-driven wagering continues to scale, Murphy's shift from builder to educator reflects an important truth about modern bettors: they're not just looking for automation - they're looking for understanding. News, money, and alpha. * DraftKings co-founder Matt Kalish revealed he will step down as the company's president on Tuesday, but will remain involved as one of its Board of Directors. * Waterhouse VC dives into why same-game parlays have become the most important (and profitable) product in modern sports betting. * Betty has appointed Yotam Yogev as Group Chief Product Officer to lead product strategy and new ventures beyond Betty Canada. * Applications are open for Zero Labs' seventh Innovation Launchpad Cohort, a mentorship-driven accelerator on the hunt for startups shaping Las Vegas' future economy. From the studio. Catch up on the latest episodes of The BettingStartups Podcast. You've made it to the end of the newsletter - seems like you should probably subscribe if you haven't already.