Nick, you spent years in wealth management before founding BTA Sports. What did you see in sports betting that convinced you there was an opportunity to bring a different approach to analysing risk and making decisions?
I spent over two decades in wealth management, where understanding probability, risk and value was fundamental to every investment decision. When I looked at sports betting, I saw consumers making financial decisions without access to the same level of analytical tools. Sportsbooks had built sophisticated platforms for taking wagers, but very little existed to help consumers independently evaluate those decisions. That disconnect was the opportunity behind BTA Sports.
BTA Sports describes itself as decision infrastructure rather than a sportsbook. What does that distinction mean in practice, and what problem are you solving that existing betting and fantasy platforms haven’t addressed?
We’re not a sportsbook, and we’re not another picks app. We’re building the intelligence layer between consumers and the platforms where they transact. Our technology delivers independent probabilities, predictive analytics and risk assessments across games, player props and markets. We don’t take deposits or facilitate wagers. We give people the information they need to understand the decisions they’re making before they act.
You’re preparing to launch Version 2 of the BTA Sports app in December. What’s changing most significantly from the original product, and what have you learned from users that’s shaped the new version?
Version 2 represents a significant evolution of our original platform, both technologically and in terms of user experience. We’re bringing our predictive models, risk intelligence and real-time market comparisons together in a much more intuitive platform. One thing we’ve learned is that consumers don’t necessarily want more data; they want better information that’s easier to understand and act upon. That’s been a major focus of the redesign.
You’ve recently acquired PropD, which compares player prop lines and prices across multiple platforms. What attracted you to the business, and how will its technology be incorporated into BTA Sports?
PropD was a natural strategic acquisition because it complements our predictive technology. There’s a significant difference between predicting an outcome and identifying whether the market has priced that outcome appropriately. By integrating PropD’s comparison capabilities with our proprietary models, we can show users where our probabilities differ from available market prices. It brings another important element of the decision-making process into one platform.
Bringing predictive analytics and live price comparison together is an interesting proposition. How much of the opportunity lies in helping users identify value, rather than simply predicting the outcome of a game or player performance?
I think that’s where a significant part of the opportunity lies. Predicting that a team has a 70 per cent probability of winning is useful, but understanding how that probability compares with the market price is where the analysis becomes more meaningful. In wealth management, price and value are two very different things. The same principle applies here. We’re focused on giving users the ability to evaluate both.
Your Risk Analyzer is described as patent-pending technology. How does it help users understand their exposure across multiple bets, particularly where outcomes are correlated, and how does that compare with traditional bankroll management tools?
Traditional bankroll management generally focuses on how much someone is wagering. Our Risk Analyzer takes a more comprehensive approach by evaluating the underlying risk of individual selections, including correlations that can create concentrated exposure across multiple wagers. Just because someone has five different bets doesn’t necessarily mean they have five independent risks. Our technology is designed to make those relationships more transparent and encourage more informed decisions.
BTA Sports has worked with Carnegie Mellon and Syracuse University on its analytical models. What has that academic involvement contributed to the product, and how do you ensure the models remain relevant as markets and player behaviour change?
Our academic relationships have played an important role in developing BTA Sports. Carnegie Mellon has contributed work on sentiment analysis and intelligent parlay optimisation, while our relationship with Syracuse has created additional opportunities for research and talent development. These collaborations bring academic rigour and fresh perspectives to our technology. Our models are continuously evaluated against actual outcomes, allowing us to measure performance, identify weaknesses and refine our approach as new data becomes available.
You’ve appointed Sandro De Mora and Justin Licata to senior product and technology roles. What expertise do they bring, and how important are those appointments as you integrate PropD and prepare for the next stage of development?
Sandro and Justin bring significant experience in technology, product strategy and scaling businesses. Their involvement strengthens our ability to execute our plans as we enter a more sophisticated phase of development. Integrating acquisitions, launching Version 2 and expanding our commercial capabilities all require experienced leadership. We’re fortunate to have them involved as we build the infrastructure for our next stage of growth.
Are you primarily building a consumer-facing subscription business, or do you see opportunities to license your analytics, comparison tools and risk technology to sportsbooks, fantasy operators and other industry partners?
We see tremendous opportunities in both. Our consumer platform allows us to bring the technology directly to users, validate our models and build recurring revenue. But the larger opportunity lies in making that same intelligence available to businesses. Sportsbooks, prediction markets, fantasy platforms and media companies can all benefit from independent predictive analytics and risk technology. Ultimately, we’re building a technology company with multiple distribution channels, not just a subscription app.
Looking beyond the December launch, where do you want to take BTA Sports in 2027? Are you considering further acquisitions, additional sports and markets, or new partnerships, and what would constitute success for the business over the next 12 months?
Our focus in 2027 is on scaling the technology and expanding distribution. That includes additional sports and markets, strategic acquisitions that complement our infrastructure and meaningful B2B partnerships. We’re building a business designed to serve both consumers and enterprise partners. Success over the next 12 months means demonstrating consistent model performance, growing recurring revenue and establishing BTA Sports as a trusted provider of independent sports decision intelligence.