cover of episode I Bootstrapped OddsJam to $160M—Everything I Learned Along the Way | Ep 221 with Alexander Monahan founder of OddsJam

I Bootstrapped OddsJam to $160M—Everything I Learned Along the Way | Ep 221 with Alexander Monahan founder of OddsJam

2025/5/16
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Founder's Story
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Alex Monahan
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Host
知名财务顾问和广播主持人，通过拉姆齐网络提供广泛的财务管理和职业发展建议。
Topics
Alex Monahan: 我最初对体育博彩的热爱源于我对赌博、扑克和股票交易的兴趣。在交易公司工作期间，我发现体育博彩合法化后，办公室里的人都在谈论它。我开始认真研究体育博彩，并意识到市场上缺乏数据驱动的产品和优质内容。我看到了一个机会，可以创建一个像彭博终端一样的平台，为体育博彩玩家提供实时赔率和有价值的信息。为了实现这个目标，我辞掉了工作，与我的联合创始人一起努力，最初通过 Reddit 和体育博彩小组发帖来吸引客户。我们还尝试了网红营销，但效果并不理想。后来，我们决定自己制作内容，包括 YouTube 教程，这为我们带来了巨大的增长。随着公司的发展，我面临着许多挑战，包括招聘、管理和资本配置。我还学会了如何克服公开演讲和将自己展示在公众面前的恐惧。最终，我们成功地将 OddsJam 打造成了一个拥有数据优势和优秀团队的企业，并以 1.6 亿美元的价格售出。 Host: 成功的企业家往往会发现一个他们想要解决的问题，然后根据自己的需求来构建产品。在这个过程中，他们需要不断地调整和改变，并专注于为客户创造价值。在市场营销方面，他们需要找到合适的平台和渠道，并提供有价值的内容。在团队建设方面，他们需要招聘和管理人才，并确保团队成员都朝着共同的目标努力。最终，他们才能成功地将企业打造成一个有竞争力的品牌。

Deep Dive

Chapters
Alex Monahan, a Stanford engineer, shares his journey of bootstrapping OddsJam, a sports betting platform, to a $160 million exit. He discusses his passion for data and how it led to the creation of a product that filled a gap in the market. The platform's success was fueled by a data-driven approach and effective content marketing.
  • OddsJam was dubbed the 'Bloomberg Terminal for Sports Betting'
  • Alex's passion for data, poker, and probability sparked the startup idea.
  • The platform provided real-time odds and valuable data analysis for sports bettors.

Shownotes Transcript

Alex Monahan, Stanford engineer turned sports betting entrepreneur, joins Founder's Story to reveal how he bootstrapped OddsJam)—dubbed the Bloomberg Terminal for Sports Betting—to a $160 million exit. From obsessing over data to outworking every competitor, Alex shares the gritty journey from side hustle to acquisition, the power of YouTube for growth, and why he’s still not done building. If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to win in a high-stakes, high-growth niche—this is the playbook.

Key Discussion Points

The Obsession That Sparked a Startup: Why Alex's love for data, poker, and probability planted the seed for OddsJam.

From Reddit to Revenue: How early Reddit posts and $6 subscriptions helped them land their first customers.

The $20K MRR YouTube Days: Why DIY content outperformed influencers—and how one video changed the game.

The Math Behind the Millions: How understanding sports betting odds led to a product users couldn’t find anywhere else.

Exit Without Burnout: Why selling didn’t change his life—and how growing slowly kept him grounded.

Building a Data Moat: How they acquired their data provider and outpaced competitors with speed and accuracy.

Founder Lessons in Focus: Why juggling multiple startups never works—and why you need to outwork everyone.

Key Takeaways

  • Don’t build for hype—build what you wish existed.
  • Your edge is what you obsess over when no one’s watching.
  • Distribution is a weapon—master YouTube, Twitter, and content that teaches.
  • Staying focused beats being flashy—especially when billion-dollar markets are on the line.

Closing Thoughts

OddsJam wasn’t built on luck. It was built on obsession, precision, and the relentless grind of a founder who knew where his edge was—and ran with it. Whether you’re launching your first business or gunning for your own exit, Alex’s journey is a reminder: master your niche, own your platform, and never stop betting on yourself. Our Sponsors:* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY* Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com* Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com