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- Underdog Fantasy
Underdog Fantasy Acquisition, Valuation, Funding & Investors
Underdog Fantasy was acquired by IG Group for $1.3B in July 2026, a 2.8x multiple on $466M of revenue.
Underdog Fantasy revenue at acquisition
$466M
Last twelve months · Jul 2026
Underdog Fantasy revenue multiple at acquisition
2.8x
EV/Revenue · Jul 2026
Underdog Fantasy EBITDA multiple at acquisition
28.3x
EV/EBITDA · Jul 2026
About Underdog Fantasy
Underdog Fantasy is a daily fantasy sports operator offering Pick'em contests and best ball tournaments for NFL, NBA, MLB, and esports. Users build lineups via mobile app for cash prizes and withdrawals. Authorized for sports betting in 18 states, it features analysis from former athletes and expands through media podcasts. Launched in 2020 from Atlanta headquarters.
Founded
2020
HQ
Website
Status
Acquired
Customer focus
B2C
Revenue model
Commission
Revenue
$500M (Jul 2022)
Valuation
$1.2B (Mar 2025)
Sectors
Underdog Fantasy Acquisition
Underdog Fantasy was acquired by IG Group for $1.3B on 29 July 2026.
The acquisition price implies a 2.8x revenue and 28.3x EBITDA multiple on $466M of revenue.
Before the acquisition Underdog Fantasy had raised $115M across 3 funding rounds.
IG Group agreed to acquire Underdog Sports Holdings, Inc. for total consideration of up to approximately USD 1,300 million, structured as upfront consideration based on an enterprise value of approximately USD 1,100 million plus an earnout of approximately USD 200 million payable to Underdog shareholders. The upfront equity value is expected to be approximately USD 963 million, to be settled with roughly 24.1 million new IG ordinary shares and about USD 380 million in cash, and IG will also repay about USD 160 million of Underdog debt at closing. The earnout is tied to 2026 net gaming revenue targets and conditional on positive 2026 EBITDA.
| Acquirer | Date | Type | Price | EV/Revenue | EV/EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Jul 2026 | Strategic M&A | $1.3B | 2.8x | 28.3x |
Underdog Fantasy Valuation
Underdog Fantasy is currently valued at $1.2B, based on its Series C in March 2025.
The $70M round was led by Spark Capital.
Underdog Fantasy's valuation has grown 2.5x from $485M at its Series B in July 2022 to $1.2B in March 2025, across 2 priced rounds.
Underdog Fantasy valuation by funding round
Revenue multiple| Date | Stage | Valuation | Revenue Multiple |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2025 | Series C | $1.2B | - |
| Jul 2022 | Series B | $485M | 1.0x |
Underdog Fantasy Revenue
Underdog Fantasy's latest recorded revenue is $500M, as of its Series B in July 2022. At a $485M valuation, that implies a 1.0x revenue multiple.
Underdog Fantasy revenue by funding round
| Date | Revenue * | Valuation | Revenue Multiple | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2022 | $500M | $485M | 1.0x | Series B |
* Revenue (or ARR) figures are the values recorded alongside each funding round. Typically run-rate revenue at the time of the deal, or a reported LTM (last 12 months) revenue.
Underdog Fantasy Funding History
Underdog Fantasy has raised a total of $115M across 3 funding rounds.
Underdog Fantasy's first fundraising round was a $10M Series A in May 2021. The most recent completed round was a $70M Series C in March 2025.
Underdog Fantasy funding rounds
| Date | Stage | Investors | Raised | Valuation | Deal Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2025 | Series C | Spark Capital (lead) | $70M | $1.2B | Underdog Fantasy, a Brooklyn-based sports gaming company founded in 2020, offers fantasy sports games, licensed sports betting, and original sports programming like Gil’s Arena, serving nearly 4 million US customers across 41 states and ranking as the fourth-most downloaded sports gaming app. The company raised $70 million in the first close of its Series C funding round on March 26, 2025, led by Spark Capital, with the round expected to exceed $100 million, bringing total funding to over $140 million from investors including BlackRock, SV Angel, Mark Cuban, and Kevin Durant. This investment, described as the largest single VC bet on sports gaming by a top-tier Silicon Valley firm, values Underdog at $1.225 billion pre-money, nearly tripling its $485 million Series B valuation from 2022 and achieving unicorn status. Spark Capital's participation highlights Underdog's product innovation and talent attraction in the competitive sports gaming sector, where it differentiates through customer-focused experiences combining fantasy, betting, news, and media. CEO Jeremy Levine emphasized the funding as an accelerator for investing in people, product development, and expansion to make sports more fun. General Partner Will Reed praised Underdog's dominance in product and potential in the growing market. Previous rounds included a Series B in 2022 and earlier investments from sports figures like Kevin Durant and Jared Goff. The proceeds will fuel rapid growth in product creation and hiring top talent from gaming, tech, and sports, positioning Underdog against established players in fantasy sports and betting amid evolving regulations. |
| Jul 2022 | Series B | BlackRock (lead); Acies Investments; Corner Ventures; Electric Feel Ventures | $35M | $485M | Underdog Fantasy, a New York-based paid fantasy sports company founded in 2020, closed a $35 million Series B funding round on July 26, 2022, led by funds and accounts managed by BlackRock with participation from Acies Investment and existing investors including Mark Cuban, Kevin Durant, Trae Young, Odell Beckham Jr., Breon Corcoran, Eilers & Krejcik, Liontree Partners, Kevin Carter, Mark Pincus, SV Angel, The Chainsmokers, Kygo, Steve Aoki, Nas, and Future. The round valued the company at $485 million post-money. Proceeds were earmarked for building innovative licensed sports betting products, hiring over 100 new employees, and continuing leadership in daily fantasy sports innovation. In just over two years since launch, Underdog had rapidly acquired a significant user base and launched a $10 million season-long NFL Best Ball tournament, the largest such prize pool in history. The company's mobile-first platform emphasizes pick’em contests and draft-style games, achieving best-in-class customer acquisition costs—reportedly a fraction of the $500+ typical for sportsbooks—and superior retention through innovative games and experiences. Acies Investments highlighted Underdog's product-led competitive advantages as it expanded into sports betting. The Series B built on prior raises, including a $10 million Series A in May 2021 led by Kevin Carter and a seed round in October 2020 backed by Mark Cuban. Underdog positioned itself as the fastest-growing paid fantasy sports operator, focusing on exclusive user experiences amid U.S. sports betting legalization. Later developments included a Series C in March 2025 raising $70 million led by Spark Capital at over $1.2 billion valuation, further expanding platform technology and user acquisition. |
| May 2021 | Series A | Kevin Carter (lead) | $10M | - | Underdog Fantasy is a fantasy sports app offering innovative games such as season-long NFL Best Ball tournaments. The company raised $10 million in its Series A round in May 2021, led by angel investor Kevin Carter, an advisor at SV Angel. Additional investors included Mark Cuban, Kevin Durant, Jared Goff, Adam Schefter, and others like Future, Gunna, Nas, and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment. The funding supported customer acquisition and retention through new games, including a $3.5 million prize NFL Best Ball tournament. Founded by Jeremy Levine, previously of daily fantasy sports startup DRAFT sold for $48 million in 2017, Underdog operates in the competitive fantasy sports industry. In a later Series B round in July 2022, Underdog raised $35 million at a $485 million valuation from BlackRock and Acies Investments to expand into sports betting and hire over 100 employees. |
Who has invested in Underdog Fantasy?
6 investors have backed Underdog Fantasy across its funding rounds, including Spark Capital, BlackRock, Corner Ventures, Electric Feel Ventures, Acies Investments and Kevin Carter.
Lead investors include Spark Capital, BlackRock and Kevin Carter.
Underdog Fantasy Investors
| Investor | HQ | Rounds | Role | First check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Participant | Jul 2022 | ||
| 1 | Lead | Mar 2025 | ||
| 1 | Lead | Jul 2022 | ||
| 1 | Lead | May 2021 | ||
This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all 6 Underdog Fantasy investors. Start Free Trial | ||||
Benchmark 350K+ Funding Rounds and Disclosed VC Valuation Multiples
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Start Free TrialAcquisitions by Underdog Fantasy
Underdog Fantasy has acquired 2 companies to date.
Last acquisition by Underdog Fantasy was on March 8th 2026. Underdog Fantasy acquired Aristotle Exchange DCO for undisclosed valuation.
Latest Acquisitions by Underdog Fantasy
| Description | Aristotle Exchange DCO is a registered Designated Contract Market regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. | Aristotle Exchange DCM is a registered Designated Contract Market regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. |
| HQ Country | - | - |
| HQ City | - | - |
| Deal Date | 8 Mar 2026 | 8 Mar 2026 |
| Valuation | undisclosed | undisclosed |
| EV/Revenue | ||
| EV/EBITDA | ||
This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all Underdog Fantasy acquisitions and their M&A valuation multiples. Start Free Trial | ||
Underdog Fantasy Competitors
Underdog Fantasy competitors include listed companies like DeNA, MNC Digital Entertainment and Better Collective, and private ones like KingMakers, Mobile Premier League and Skybound Entertainment.
| Company | HQ | Status | Revenue | EBITDA | Valuation | Revenue Multiple |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Publicly listed | $950M | $177M | $1.5B | 1.1x | ||
| Publicly listed | $216M | $73M | $1B | - | ||
| Private | - | - | $969M | - | ||
| Private | $128M | - | $2.3B | 18.0x | ||
| Publicly listed | $388M | $100M | $693M | 2.4x | ||
| Private | $64M | - | $651M | - |
Underdog Fantasy Public Comps
Underdog Fantasy is no longer listed, but its public comps include DeNA, MNC Digital Entertainment, Better Collective, HUYA, Firy, NIP Group, Crisp Momentum, GameSquare and Acer Gaming.
| Last FY | EV/Revenue | EV/EBITDA | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | EBITDA | Last FY | LTM | 2027E | Last FY | LTM | 2027E | |
| $950M | $177M | 1.1x | 1.1x | 5.8x | 6.5x | |||
| $216M | $73M | 4.7x | - | 14.0x | - | |||
| $388M | $100M | 2.5x | 2.4x | 9.8x | 7.7x | |||
| $970M | ($27M) | 0.1x | 0.1x | (4.2x) | 11.3x | |||
| $104M | ($63M) | 1.3x | 1.2x | (2.2x) | (3.3x) | |||
| $127M | ($237M) | 1.2x | - | (0.6x) | - | |||
| $0K | ($8M) | 170152.8x | - | (5.6x) | - | |||
This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all Underdog Fantasy competitors and their valuation data. Start Free Trial | ||||||||
Common questions about Underdog Fantasy
| When was Underdog Fantasy founded? | Underdog Fantasy was founded in 2020. |
| Where is Underdog Fantasy headquartered? | Underdog Fantasy is headquartered in New York City, NY, United States. |
| Is Underdog Fantasy publicly listed? | No, Underdog Fantasy was acquired by IG Group in July 2026. |
| Who acquired Underdog Fantasy? | Underdog Fantasy was acquired by IG Group in July 2026. |
| How much was Underdog Fantasy acquired for? | Underdog Fantasy was acquired for $1.3B in July 2026, a 2.8x revenue multiple. |
| What is Underdog Fantasy's valuation? | Underdog Fantasy was last valued at $1.2B in its Series C in March 2025. |
| How much funding has Underdog Fantasy raised? | Underdog Fantasy has raised $115M across 3 funding rounds. |
| What was Underdog Fantasy's last funding round? | Underdog Fantasy's last funding round was a $70M Series C in March 2025, led by Spark Capital. |
| Who are Underdog Fantasy's investors? | Underdog Fantasy's investors include Acies Investments, Spark Capital, BlackRock, Kevin Carter, Corner Ventures and Electric Feel Ventures. |
| What is Underdog Fantasy's revenue? | Underdog Fantasy's latest recorded revenue is $500M (July 2022). |
| What is Underdog Fantasy's revenue multiple? | Underdog Fantasy's latest valuation implies a 1.0x revenue multiple ($485M valuation on $500M of revenue). |
| Which companies are comparable to Underdog Fantasy? | Companies comparable to Underdog Fantasy include DeNA, MNC Digital Entertainment, KingMakers, Mobile Premier League, Better Collective and Skybound Entertainment. |
| How many companies has Underdog Fantasy acquired? | Underdog Fantasy has acquired 2 companies, including Aristotle Exchange DCO and Aristotle Exchange DCM. |
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