FanDuel was founded on July 21, 2009, by Nigel Eccles, Lesley Eccles, Tom Griffiths, Rob Jones, and Chris Stafford in Edinburgh, Scotland, but it has its current headquarters in New York City, USA. The company launched after pivoting from a previous startup called Hubdub, focusing on fantasy sports and daily contests where users compete for real cash prizes. Initially starting at the 2009 SXSW Interactive festival, FanDuel has grown into a major player in online sports entertainment and mobile sports betting.
The platform offers fantasy sports contests including daily and weekly competitions in football, basketball, baseball, and more, where users build fantasy teams from real players and compete based on actual game statistics. FanDuel has developed advanced features like live scoring updates and player news to enhance user engagement. They have expanded significantly within the US market, becoming a driving force in the multibillion-dollar sports betting industry.
FanDuel has completed multiple successful funding rounds, raising hundreds of millions of dollars and achieving a valuation exceeding a billion dollars. Over the years, the company has made strategic acquisitions, such as sports analytics firm numberFire and esports-focused DFS service AlphaDraft, to increase its market footprint and improve its offerings.
The company is known for its highly popular mobile app and user base of millions, positioning itself as a leader in the US sportsbook and fantasy sports sector. FanDuel also operates FanDuel TV, a digital cable and satellite network focused on sports betting content and live coverage of horse racing and other sports.
FanDuel’s mission centers on transforming fantasy sports into a real-money gaming experience that is simple, accessible, and engaging, allowing fans to compete and win on any given day rather than waiting for a season’s end. They emphasize playing anytime, anywhere, on any device, driving growth in sportsbook participation and viewership of live sports through an integrated gaming experience.