Sidelines

About Sidelines

Sidelines operates as a sports technology and digital media company, established in 2017 by former Google employees Or Lifshitz and Rotem Haber. Based in Tel Aviv, Israel, the firm was created to provide tools and information to sports fans, making the betting landscape more approachable. Prior to launching Sidelines.io, the founders first developed a daily fantasy sports (DFS) tool in 2017 named Fantasy Advantage.

The company's core business revolves around a platform that furnishes sports betting consumers with data-driven insights. This platform utilizes machine learning and custom algorithms to deliver sports analysis, real-time odds comparisons, injury reports, and news feeds. The service pulls data from numerous regulated operators and sports analysts to identify market opportunities and present them to users. The client base consists of sports betting and iGaming consumers in regulated markets, such as various U.S. states. Revenue is primarily generated through a performance marketing model, where Sidelines directs high-value traffic to major sports betting operators like MGM, DraftKings, and FOX Bet. The company offers comparison sites and other content to attract and engage users, earning referral fees and advertising revenue in the process.

In March 2019, Sidelines was acquired by Natural Intelligence, a global intent marketing firm, and its employees joined the Tel Aviv office to lead U.S. sports activities. Despite the acquisition, Sidelines was later branched off as a separate entity in 2021 to pursue further growth. This led to a significant Series B funding round in February 2022, where the company raised $25 million from investors NFX and MoreTech Ventures to expand its platform and user base.