Matchbook has completed the acquisition of Betdaq, in a deal it says will deepen its liquidity as it looks to capitalise on the surge of peer-to-peer betting.
The deal, announced on Wednesday, brings together two of the longest-established betting exchange operators, with Matchbook stating the agreement “underlines its long-term commitment” to the sector.
The existing Betdaq service will remain operational until 21 October to ensure a smooth transition, with withdrawals available for players until 4 November.
By bringing the two platforms together, Matchbook expects customers to benefit from a deeper pool of liquidity, tighter spreads and larger bets being matched at their desired prices.
Matchbook CEO Ronan McDonagh said the acquisition would reinforce the company’s ambition to make exchange betting the first choice for bettors.
“Betdaq and Matchbook grew up proving the same idea – that bettors get a better deal when prices are made by a market rather than a margin,” he said.
“A quarter of a century on, that idea is winning: exchanges and prediction markets are bringing peer-to-peer pricing to new audiences around the world, and this acquisition deepens the pool at the heart of everything we build.
“Our first priority through this transition is Betdaq’s customers: their funds are safe, their options are clear, and in one combined pool they should find better prices and deeper liquidity than either exchange could offer alone.”
Matchbook cites ‘renewed momentum’ of peer-to-peer betting
A rise in peer-to-peer betting has been particularly apparent in the US, where prediction market operators such as Kalshi and Polymarket have made a big splash.
Matchbook, which was first established in 2004, has made several moves in recent years to leverage this new-found momentum beyond conventional betting.
In 2024 Matchbook partnered with EasyGroup, the conglomerate behind the airline EasyJet, to start the betting exchange brand EasyBet.
It has also expanded into prediction markets. Around the 2026 World Cup, Matchbook partnered with the tournament’s official predictions partner ADI PredictStreet.
Kyle Goldsmith
Kyle has been with Clarion since December 2023, joining from the world of sports journalism, subsequently becoming a LatAm-facing senior reporter with iGB.