eSports
Skillz Becomes First Publicly-traded Mobile Esports Platform
Skillz Inc., the leading mobile games platform connecting players in fair, fun, and meaningful competition, became the first publicly-traded mobile esports platform, following the completion of its combination with special purpose acquisition company Flying Eagle Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: FEAC). The combined company is named Skillz Inc. and its common stock will begin trading tomorrow on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “SKLZ”. With $250 million in cash and no debt on the balance sheet, Skillz is poised to capitalize on the massive growth expected in mobile gaming.
“We built Skillz on the founding belief that esports are for everyone, and have made significant progress toward our vision of enabling everyone to share in the future of competition,” said Andrew Paradise, CEO and founder of Skillz. “We stand at the intersection of mobile gaming and esports, perhaps the two most exciting growth opportunities of the next decade. I thank the entire Skillz team for their dedication, passion, and creativity, which have led us to this incredible moment on our journey to build the competition layer of the internet.”
With just a fraction of the world’s 2.7 billion gamers on its platform today, Skillz has a long runway for growth in building its service for the 10 million game developers globally. Skillz is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the rapidly expanding mobile gaming market, which is expected to more than double by 2025 to $150 billion. As Skillz moves beyond casual esports into new genres, adds new monetization models, and enters new geographies, the company’s addressable market will increase substantially. Going international is a significant opportunity for Skillz. The international market is four times larger than the North American market and represents less than 10% of Skillz revenue today.
Skillz has pioneered the future of the gaming industry, enabling developers to monetize their content five times better than ads or in-app purchases. The company’s platform enables game developers to expand the reach of their games and scale their businesses. Leveraging powerful network effects built out of the platform’s data science, Skillz drives more user engagement, higher conversion, and monetization. Core to the company’s proprietary advantages is patented anti-cheat and anti-fraud technology designed to ensure trust and fairness.
“I’ve had a front row seat to the video game and entertainment industry’s evolution over the past two decades, from my role as founding investor and board member of Bethesda Games to recently taking DraftKings public,” said Harry Sloan, Chairman of Flying Eagle. “We believe that Andrew has positioned Skillz to lead the convergence of mobile, gaming, and player enablement into the future of entertainment itself.”
This announcement comes on the heels of a year of continued success. Skillz saw consistent growth and further expanded collaborative efforts with game developers, major brands, influencers, and nonprofit organizations, such as the American Cancer Society, World Wildlife Fund, and the NAACP.
The transaction includes the $158.5 million PIPE investment led by Wellington Management Company, Fidelity Management & Research Company, LLC, Franklin Templeton, and Neuberger Berman. As previously announced, Skillz founders CEO Andrew Paradise and CRO Casey Chafkin will continue to lead the company. They will be supported by Skillz’s highly experienced team, including CTO Miriam Aguirre and CFO Scott Henry.
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PandaScore, the premier provider of esports betting odds, data, and innovative products, has announced an exciting new collaboration with BET99, one of Ontario’s top-ranking sportsbook and casino operators. This marks another major milestone for PandaScore as it continues to build its network of high-profile operators.
The deal gives BET99 access to PandaScore’s industry-leading Odds feed, which delivers comprehensive coverage of the world’s most popular esports titles, including Counter-Strike 2 (CS2), Dota 2, and League of Legends (LoL). Powered by advanced algorithms and supported by a team of specialized traders, PandaScore’s feed enables operators like BET99 to offer competitive odds while hitting a standard-setting margin of 6%.
In addition to PandaScore’s Odds feed, BET99 will integrate cutting-edge features such as BetBuilder and MicroBetting markets. These tools empower players to customize their wagers and enjoy dynamic, fast-paced betting experiences, aligning perfectly with the demands of today’s esports audiences.
The move into esports betting comes at a pivotal moment for the sector, which continues to see exponential growth. PandaScore recently surpassed €1 billion in esports bets processed through its platform, underscoring its expertise and leadership in this space.
Oliver Niner, Head of B2B, PandaScore, said: “Esports betting is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of the betting industry, and we’re thrilled to support BET99 as they take this exciting step. With our powerful Odds feed and innovative products like BetBuilder, BET99 is uniquely positioned to deliver a premium esports betting experience to players across Ontario.
“Our collaboration with BET99 is representative of the incredible momentum PandaScore has built in expanding our operator network. We’re excited to collaborate with BET99 and support their ambitious plans to become a leader in esports betting.”
Andre Bewerungen, Head of Sportsbook, BET99, added: “At BET99, our mission has always been to deliver a world-class player experience through personalization and innovation. With esports rapidly emerging as a key vertical, we see an incredible opportunity to engage the next generation of bettors who are passionate about this dynamic space.
By collaborating with PandaScore, we can provide tailored, engaging, and cutting-edge betting options that resonate with esports fans. Their comprehensive odds feed and advanced betting tools allow us to create a seamless, interactive experience that enhances player engagement and builds lasting connections with this growing audience. We’re excited to collaborate with PandaScore and take esports betting to the next level in Ontario.”
BETER and VeliTech Partner to Enhance Betting Esports and Sports Content
BETER, an award-winning supplier of fast betting content and data, has joined forces with technology B2B provider, VeliTech, in a deal that will significantly increase the reach of its fast betting products.
Through this collaboration, the VeliTech platform will feature BETER’s 24/7 esports and sports content, including live streams, real-time data, and odds. It includes ESportsBattle tournaments, which offer round-the-clock action on popular titles such as eFootball, eHockey, and eBasketball. This addition enables operators to enhance engagement and diversify offerings in the competitive sports betting market.
Besides that, BETER provides the platform with an esports odds feed covering 450+ tournaments worldwide, with 40,000+ live and pre-match events per year. Odds are based on official data for popular titles such as CS2, Dota 2, LoL, Valorant, and more.
BETER’s sports content, such as Setka Cup table tennis tournaments, will also be available on the VeliTech platform. In total, bettors can wager on over 46,000 fast-paced esports and sports monthly events.
Gal Ehrlich, CEO of BETER, said, “This is an important partnership for us as it significantly expands the reach of our sports and esports products among high-calibre operators in core markets worldwide.
“VeliTech offers a suite of solutions powered by advanced technologies that sportsbooks rely on to deliver superior bettor experiences. Fast betting content is now a must-have for operators, and our products are recognized as the best in the industry.
This makes the deal between BETER and VeliTech a win for both parties, but more importantly, for the sportsbooks that can now access our in-demand products.”
Tamar Skhirtladze, Head of VeliSports at VeliTech, stated, “Partnering with BETER allows us to provide high-quality betting content like Dota 2, LoL, CS2, ESportsBattle tournaments, and Setka Cup to our clients, reinforcing VeliTech as a trusted technology partner supporting leading operators.”
The post BETER partners up with VeliTech appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Australian wagering giant Tabcorp selects French supplier PandaScore as its dedicated esports data and odds provider
One of Australia’s biggest operators, Tabcorp, has partnered with specialist esports supplier PandaScore to expand its esports offering in Australia.
Tabcorp will initially incorporate PandaScore’s esports data and odds services for the Big 3 esports titles: Counter-Strike, League of Legends and Dota 2. Tabcorp is keen on integrating the full suite of PandaScore titles, markets and products to drive future expansion in esports.
The agreement will see Tabcorp offer an expanded range of markets and market lines, including PandaScore’s lucrative player markets.
Powered by PandaScore’s market-leading esports products, Tabcorp’s multichannel distribution will see its levelled up esports offering available over digital and physical options, including web, mobile app, betting shops and terminals in licensed venues.
For Tabcorp Trading General Manager, David Beirne, “this partnership with PandaScore is invaluable to our investment in esports. It gives us access to dedicated esports trading and odds creation services for the most popular titles, with eyes to build out a full esports offering fit for the next generation of bettors. This partnership is another step in creating the ultimate sports entertainment experience for our customers.”
Oliver Niner, Head of B2B at PandaScore stated that he’s “very excited about working with one of the biggest operators in Australia. Tabcorp is an Australian institution with outstanding visibility and market penetration and a pedigree for success. Rolling out our best-in-class esports products to a market leader in Australia builds on our existing successes in this market, and it’s one we’re confident we can continue fostering growth in.”
The post PandaScore signs landmark deal with Tabcorp appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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