Ex-Superbet CRO Adam Shaw launches UK sports prize draw platform on £500k seed

Adam Shaw, who previously served as chief revenue officer at Superbet, has launched The Big Leagues, a sports-focused prize draw platform in the UK. The launch was reported on 7 October and follows a £500,000 seed funding round.

The product offers paid prize draws alongside free-to-play prediction games, and the company is looking for brand, sports and charity partners as well as further investment.

What happened

The Big Leagues describes itself as the first UK prize draw platform designed only for sports fans, according to iGaming Future. Prizes include holidays, hospitality packages, season tickets and a share in the ownership of a racehorse.

There are several ways to enter, according to the two reports:

• Customers can buy tickets, which EGR reported start at 20p.
• Customers can earn free entries by playing the company's free-to-play prediction games, which test knowledge of major sporting event outcomes.
• EGR reported that free postal entries are also available.

Shaw founded the business and has 15 years of experience in betting and gaming, according to iGaming Future. Before Superbet he was International Director at Flutter Entertainment. EGR reported that he left Superbet in September 2024 for a career break.

The proprietary technology was built by Daniel Williams and Alexander Wall, co-founders of free-to-play supplier Hunch. iGaming Future describes their specialism as sports gamification and fan engagement. EGR noted that Hunch partnered with Star Sports in January to deliver free-to-play football and racing games.

The company said the £500,000 seed round pays for the launch, and that it is looking at more strategic investment to build up its online community. It also wants to work with brands, sports organisations and charities that aim to engage and monetise audiences, as well as with suppliers of sports inventory.

Shaw said the prize draw market lacks "a real challenger brand" that puts sports fans first. He added that the company is keen to explore further investment and partnerships to speed up its growth.

Why it matters

Operators and affiliates weighing prize draw or free-to-play products may need to check how free-entry routes are structured and which rules apply to them.

The Big Leagues' call for partners is also relevant to brands, sports bodies and charities that are considering audience-monetisation deals. Any partner is likely to want to review the operator's entry mechanics, its approach to compliance and the status of its funding before committing.

iGaming Future reported that the format has drawn growing interest from iGaming and betting operators looking for alternatives to traditional wagering. The addition of an executive with senior experience at Superbet and Flutter Entertainment, and a supplier-built platform, suggests the sector is attracting people from established operators. That could increase competition for sports inventory and partnership deals in the segment.

The use of free-to-play prediction games to generate entries for paid draws also links the prize draw sector to the wider free-to-play supplier market, where Hunch has partnered with Star Sports.

What's next

The Big Leagues said it is exploring further strategic investment and partnerships. Neither report gives a timetable or names any partners.