San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman is throwing his hat into the daily fantasy sports ring.
The all-pro NFL athlete is launching a DFS site with entrepreneur Tom McAuley called Daily Number. The site will give fans the ability to craft their own lineups using any combination of players.
The goal of the game is to beat a preset target score known as the Daily Number, which is predetermined based on a set of proprietary algorithms that take into consideration a myriad of factors, such as game slate, available players, and matchups.
Users will also be able to control the degree of difficulty and their potential winnings. The game assigns a star-rating for each player based on matchup strength as well as historic and recent performance. Prizes change based on the star power of the selected lineup, with all-star rosters offering smaller prizes and a lineup of role players providing increased winnings, not unlike an odds system in horse betting.
“I’ve been pitched numerous DFS opportunities, but nothing has even come close to comparing to Daily Number,” said Sherman, in a statement. “I’m extremely excited to be a founding partner and look forward to playing an active role in helping the company grow during this very dynamic time in our industry.”
In addition to the title of cofounder, Sherman will serve as chief brand ambassador and will star in an upcoming video advertising campaign.
McAuley, an entrepreneur who previously founded the VC-backed sports media company Hubstar, said Daily Number simplifies the DFS format for the everyday sports fan while maintaining much of the features of traditional fantasy sites that have rocketed the industry in popularity. He also hinted at how the Daily Number might further evolve with the changing gaming landscape in the U.S.
The company, said McAuley, is driven by the opportunity to “develop a proprietary platform and customer database” that he says will be valuable to “industry stakeholders as sports gaming continues to evolve.”
Daily Number will offer paid contests to iOS users in the 23 states where DFS are permitted.
SportTechie Takeaway
With relaxed sports gambling rules in the U.S., daily fantasy sports sites are increasingly turning their attention to gambling and looking for potential entry points to serve both fantasy and real-money wagering. A few months ago, FanDuel agreed to be acquired by U.K.-based betting house Paddy Power Betfair to expand legalized sports gambling capabilities in the U.S. DraftKings recently launched a sportsbook in New Jersey. The Daily Number hasn’t quite said that it plans to follow a similar trajectory, but McAuley has made it clear that his company is eyeing the real-money wagering prize over the long term.