BetAmerica, which made its name in online gambling in horse racing, is branching out into fantasy sports with the launch of FanEx Sports.
The new site is a hub for daily fantasy sports leagues where players can bet on fantasy teams and win real money. It’s not considered gambling because it is considered a game of skill (at least in 41 states). Daily fantasy sports games are a big industry now, and there’s a lot of competition.
Every day, players can log in, pick a new team, and then watch the outcome. The sports offered include, NFL Football, Major League Baseball, and NBA Basketball. Coming soon: PGA Golf and horse racing. John Ford, head of BetAmerica, said in an interview with GamesBeat that FanEx hopes to set itself apart with its EasyScore system, where the games are simplified.
“We think we can broaden the audience,” Ford said.
In the “QB Throwdown,” for instance, you just pick a team of quarterbacks. The team with the most passing yards at the end of the day wins. In “Rushing Roulette,” you pick a team of running backs and the team with the most rushing yards win. In baseball, you can play in a “Home run derby,” where the team with the most homers wins.
With those games, BetAmerica hopes to turn fantasy sports on its head. The company says it has already built a reputation as a trusted site, where it can hold lots of money in accounts for horse racing fans. Now it is turning to fantasy sports to attract a wider audience.
San Francisco-based BetAmerica has paid out more than $100 million to players since 2007, so the company believes it will be able to handle the demand if the sports category grows.
“We hold player money in safekeeping and we provide good customer service,” Ford said.
The company has had its site running for a few weeks and it is drawing growing numbers of users. BetAmerica has 35 employees and it uses a common platform across its games. Rivals include FanDuel.