On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jeff Edelstein is joined by Daniel Zimmerman, CEO and Co-Founder of Verse Picks, the app bringing a “parlay anything” experience to the next generation of bettors.
Hear him discuss:
How his college experience running Barstool Syracuse sparked his entrepreneurial journey
The early days of Verse Gaming and the pivots from DFS to skill games to prediction markets
Why the team spent years building toward a “bet on anything” model — and how legality shaped its evolution
How Verse’s new “Parlay Anything” feature bridges the gap between traditional betting and prediction markets
Lessons from operating under the sweepstakes model and navigating shifting state regulations
His perspective on DraftKings, Kalshi, and the future of CFTC-approved prediction exchanges
The retention challenges facing prediction markets and how Verse plans to gamify the experience
Building a lean, agile startup team — and the value of staying alive through constant pivots
How younger generations see gambling differently, shaped by crypto, trading, and gamified culture
The long-term vision: becoming a top-tier prediction operator within five years
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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. Get your first month free: https://optimove.com/businessofbetting
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E260 - Adam Robinson from American Bettor’s Voice
On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jeff Edelstein is joined by Adam Robinson, CEO of Hireology and board member of the American Bettor’s Voice.
Hear them discuss:
02:00 – Adam’s background building Hireology and how he found his way into gaming policy
04:00 – Why he joined American Bettor’s Voice and how player limits inspired his advocacy
06:00 – The challenges of parenting in an era where gambling ads are everywhere
08:00 – Breaking down the “One Big Beautiful Bill” and the real risks of the proposed gambling tax
12:00 – How tax policy could drive bettors offshore and reshape state revenues
14:00 – New data from Massachusetts proving sharp bettors get limited more often
16:00 – The sports betting business model vs. prediction markets — and where regulation may land
18:30 – The “grand bargain” path for prediction markets, following Uber and Airbnb’s playbook
21:00 – Parallels between sports betting, financial markets, and probabilistic thinking
23:00 – Predicting human fit at work vs. predicting outcomes in sports — and how both rely on data
27:00 – How thinking like a gambler can improve decision-making in business and life
Check out Adam's paper here.
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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. Get your first month free: https://optimove.com/businessofbetting
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E259 - Gadoon “Spanky” Kyrollos
On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jeff Edelstein is joined by legendary professional bettor Gadoon “Spanky” Kyrollos.
Hear them discuss:
02:00 – The origins of Spanky’s nickname and early identity in the betting world
03:00 – The story of Bet Bash: from rooftop meet-up to industry-defining event
06:00 – Founding the American Bettor’s Voice and advocating for players
07:30 – Balancing industry ventures with running a betting team
09:00 – How the betting landscape has changed, from bookies to account limitations
11:00 – Prediction markets: why Spanky hasn’t gone deep (yet)
12:00 – Escaping the Wall Street “rat race” and building a career in betting
16:30 – Lessons from gambling applied to parenting and life with a child with autism
22:00 – Growing up in Jersey City: hustling, losses, and turning points
26:00 – Spanky’s pro wrestling detour and the painful lessons learned in the ring
32:00 – Reflections on Jersey pride, diversity, and raising kids in the suburbs
⚡️ Follow BoB on Twitter/X
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⚡️ Apply to be a guest here
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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. Get your first month free: https://optimove.com/businessofbetting
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E258 - Adhi Rajaprabhakaran
On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jeff Edelstein is joined by Adhi Rajaprabhakaran, writer, and author of the Substack 50 Cent Dollars.
Hear them discuss:
02:10 – Adhi’s background in economics and how he discovered prediction markets
04:15 – Lessons from trading during January 6th: finding edges in uncertainty
07:00 – Influence of Nate Silver’s The Signal and the Noise on his trading approach
09:50 – Key differences between prediction markets and traditional gambling
12:00 – Why Adhi writes about prediction markets
16:00 – Takeaways from the SEC–CFTC roundtable on prediction markets
20:15 – The introduction of parlays on Kalshi and their industry impact
25:30 – Forecasting when prediction markets could break into the mainstream
27:10 – Market controversies and rule challenges
32:00 – Prediction markets as information vs. sportsbooks as entertainment
Learn more 👇
➡️ 50 Cent Dollars substack
➡️ Adhi Rajaprabhakaran on Twitter
⚡️ Follow BoB on Twitter/X
⚡️ Watch BoB on Youtube
⚡️ Apply to be a guest here
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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. Get your first month free: https://optimove.com/businessofbetting
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E257 - Jeff Edelstein from InGame
On this special episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jason Trost is joined by Jeff Edelstein, writer at InGame. After hosting 86 episodes, Jason signs off as the show’s host, passing the microphone to Jeff as the new voice of the podcast.
Hear them discuss:
01:10 – Jason announces this will be his final episode and passes the torch to Jeff
01:51 – Jeff’s background and ambitions for the podcast
05:00 – Jeff’s vision for the future of the show
08:01 – Why Jeff aims to get to know each future guest on personal levels
12:19 – Jeff’s perspective on the sports betting industry and his relationship to it
15:20 – How Jeff approaches his role as a journalist in the industry
18:21 – Should sports betting and financial trading be regulated differently?
21:26 – Jeff’s view on the prediction markets and speculation vs. investment
23:10 – What the gambling industry might look like in 30 years
25:32 – Jason’s farewell and his next steps
25:40 – Reflecting on three years of hosting and what the podcast has meant to Jason
⚡️ Follow BoB on Twitter/X
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⚡️ Apply to be a guest 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. Get your first month free: https://optimove.com/businessofbetting
A podcast covering the sports betting industry from the perspective of bettors, operators, and industry insiders. Hosted by Jeff Edelstein, Senior Analyst at InGame.com. Presented by Optimove.
Brasil