Players' Lounge
Players' Lounge is a US-based real-money skill-based gaming platform where casual and competitive gamers wager on their own performance in popular video games (Madden, NBA 2K, Call of Duty, Fortnite, Apex Legends) through head-to-head matches, tournaments, and challenge-based play, generating revenue via match fees, service fees, and a PL+ subscription tier.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersBrooklyn, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Players' Lounge does
Players' Lounge is a Delaware-incorporated, Brooklyn-based skill-based real-money gaming platform founded in 2015 by Austin Woolridge (CEO), Zach Dixon, and Dan Delaney. The company enables users to wager on their own performance in popular video games — including Madden, NBA 2K, EAFC, MLB The Show, Call of Duty, Fortnite, Apex Legends, and Marvel Rivals — through head-to-head matches, tournaments, and challenge-based gameplay. Its proprietary Players' Lounge Rating System pairs users of similar skill levels to ensure balanced competition, and a Staking feature allows users to back other players attempting challenges while watching live gameplay. The platform is accessed via a web product and two dedicated iOS applications (PL Sports for sports titles, and the Players' Lounge app for shooters/battle royales), with services restricted to US residents aged 18+ outside of 11 prohibited states.
The business model combines a 10% match fee on stakes, service fees on deposits/withdrawals/staking transactions, a $4.99/month inactivity fee on dormant accounts, and a PL+ subscription tier at $8.33/month (billed annually) that bundles free tournament entries, 1.5% cashback on wagers, reduced service fees, and access to exclusive tournaments. Customers are long-tail individual casual and competitive gamers seeking to monetize skill outside of professional streaming, with the user base reported at over 1 million players and cumulative player payouts exceeding $200M. Go-to-market is product-led and community-led, driven by self-serve onboarding, Twitch/Discord community channels, and a network of named professional gamer partners (Henry, Tydebo, KMac, Problem, Dubby, RagUsa, NBA2KW) who host tournaments and stream gameplay.
The company is private and venture-backed, with total disclosed funding of roughly $14–15M across multiple rounds. Investors include Drake ($3M seed in 2019), Griffin Gaming Partners (lead, $10.5M Series A in 2022), Comcast Ventures, Samsung Next, Y Combinator, and several smaller gaming-vertical funds. Investors Griffin, Comcast, and Samsung Next participated in the July 2022 Series A, with stated use of proceeds to expand game portfolio beyond sports titles and to launch the mobile application. Headcount is reported at 11–50, and the company continues to raise opportunistic rounds (including a $750K round in October 2023).
Players' Lounge firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Players' Lounge
- Legal name
- Players' Lounge Inc.
- Website
- https://playerslounge.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Players' Lounge is a US-based real-money skill-based gaming platform where casual and competitive gamers wager on their own performance in popular video games (Madden, NBA 2K, Call of Duty, Fortnite, Apex Legends) through head-to-head matches, tournaments, and challenge-based play, generating revenue via match fees, service fees, and a PL+ subscription tier.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Players' Lounge industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Skill-Based Gaming Platform
- NAICS
- Gambling Industries (7132)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fantasy Player Props & Pick’em (Skill-Based Fantasy) (MPAEAHAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Game Subscription & Membership Services (BPAMAKAD), Fantasy Integrity, Compliance & Responsible Play Services (MPAEAHAJ), Gaming & Virtual World Social Platforms (MPACAJAG)
Keywords
Where Players' Lounge is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brooklyn
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Players' Lounge business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Match Entry Fees: Players pay entry fees to enter tournaments and head-to-head matches. Platform retains 10% of prize amounts as match fee, plus additional service fees deducted from stakes and winnings.
- PL+ Subscription: Monthly subscription ($8.33/month billed annually) offering free tournament entries, 1.5% cashback on wagers, reduced service fees, and access to exclusive tournaments worth $100k+ in monthly prizes
- Staking Service Fees: Service fees deducted when users place stakes on other players, shared between Players' Lounge and the player being staked
- Inactivity Fees: $4.99 monthly fee deducted from inactive accounts (no gameplay for 180+ days) until balance is depleted
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free Tier |
| Subscription | Annual | PL+ Subscription |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Wager Amounts |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Players' Lounge product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Players' Lounge is a real-money, skill-based gaming platform that lets individual gamers wager on their own performance in head-to-head matches, tournaments, and challenges across popular video games such as Madden, NBA 2K, EAFC, MLB The Show, Call of Duty, Fortnite, and Apex Legends. The platform also enables a 'staking' model in which users back or sponsor other players attempting challenges, watch live gameplay, and share in winnings if the player succeeds. The offering is delivered through a web platform (playerslounge.com), two iOS apps (PL Sports and Players' Lounge), and a PL+ subscription service.
Product overview
Players' Lounge is a prize-based gaming platform that operates as a unified product with multiple access points: a web-based platform and two dedicated iOS applications. The PL Sports iOS App serves sports video game enthusiasts (Madden NFL, NBA 2K, EAFC, MLB The Show) for head-to-head and tournament play, while the Players' Lounge iOS App targets shooter and battle royale gamers (Call of Duty, Fortnite, Apex Legends) through self-wagering challenges. The platform is enhanced by a PL+ subscription service offering premium features, and includes a staking feature that enables users to back other players' gameplay. Core functionality includes head-to-head wager matches, daily tournaments with guaranteed prize pools, and skill-based challenges, all supported by a proprietary skill-rating matchmaking system.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PL Plus (PL+): Subscription service offering free tournament entries, 1.5% cashback on wagers, reduced service fees, 24/7 customer support, and access to tournaments with $50k in monthly prizes plus exclusive tournaments worth $100k+ in monthly prizes.
- PL Sports
Products and services
- Players' Lounge Platform (Web) Web-based wagering platform enabling users to compete in head-to-head matches, daily tournaments, and skill-based challenges for real money across popular video game titles including Madden, NBA 2K, EAFC, MLB The Show, Call of Duty, Fortnite, and Apex Legends.
- PL Sports iOS App iOS application for playing head-to-head matches and tournaments in sports video games (Madden NFL, NBA 2K, EAFC, MLB The Show, College Football) on iPhone and iPad for real cash.
- Players' Lounge iOS App iOS application for playing shooter and battle royale games (Call of Duty, Fortnite, Apex Legends, Clash Royale, Rocket League, Marvel Rivals) where users wager on themselves against the house to complete skill-based challenges for cash prizes.
- Players' Lounge Plus (PL+) Subscription service priced at $8.33/month billed annually that provides free entries to tournaments, 1.5% cashback on all wagers, reduced service fees on head-to-head matches, one free instant withdrawal per month ($25 value), and access to exclusive tournaments with $100k+ in monthly prizes.
Quantifiable outcome
- Players have won over $200,000,000 playing on Players' Lounge
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Players' Lounge
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Players' Lounge technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Players' Lounge partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Henry (Professional Madden Player)flagshipProfessional Madden player and content creator who became first Madden millionaire ($1.17M career earnings). Hosts tournaments and creates content for Players' Lounge. Won 7th Ultimate Madden Bowl ($250,000).
- Tydebo (Professional NBA2K Player)flagshipTwo-time NBA2K My Team champion with hundreds of thousands in competitive earnings. Hosts tournaments on Players' Lounge multiple times per week in both My Team and Regular Team modes.
- KMac (Professional Madden Player)coreProfessional Madden player who partners with Players' Lounge to host tournaments (e.g., $1000 Madden 24 tournament).
- Problem (Professional Madden Player)coreProfessional Madden player partner who hosts tournaments on Players' Lounge.
- Dubby (Professional Madden Player)coreProfessional Madden player partner who hosts tournaments on Players' Lounge.
- RagUsa (Professional Madden Player)coreProfessional Madden player partner who streams on Twitch and participates in Players' Lounge tournaments.
- NBA2KWcorePartner for NBA2K tournament collaborations. Players' Lounge and NBA2KW partnered for massive NBA2K tournaments.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Players' Lounge competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- DraftKings: Dominant US real-money gaming operator offering DFS and sports betting. Comparable as a regulated real-money gaming incumbent, but operates at vastly larger scale and across sports betting—not specifically video game skill wagering.
- FanDuel: Major US real-money gaming operator offering DFS and sports betting. Comparable as a broad incumbent in skill-based/regulated real-money gaming, though focused on traditional sports rather than video game skill.
Direct peers
- PrizePicks: Largest US skill-based fantasy operator, allowing users to make prop-style picks across sports. Directly comparable as a real-money skill-based platform with similar regulatory exposure and US-only market focus.
- Underdog Fantasy: Skill-based fantasy platform offering pick'em and best-ball contests. Comparable in product mechanics (skill-based real-money play), target demographic (sports/gamers), and regulatory positioning.
- Betr: Real-money gaming platform founded by Jake Paul that pioneered micro-betting and pick'em-style products. Closely comparable as a venture-backed, mobile-first, real-money gaming platform targeting Gen Z sports/gaming users.
Emerging players
- Novig: Skill-based fantasy sports platform with a sweepstakes-model approach to regulatory compliance. Comparable as a venture-backed skill-based fantasy operator navigating similar US regulatory complexity.
- Sleeper: Fantasy sports and gaming community platform expanding into real-money pick'em products. Comparable as an emerging player in skill-based fantasy with strong community/UGC component that overlaps with Players' Lounge's Discord-led approach.
- HotStreak: Skill-based DFS operator with pick'em and marketplace formats. Comparable as a venture-backed peer in the pick'em / skill-based fantasy space serving similar end users with similar regulatory profile.
- Vivid Picks: Real-money pick'em style platform with a peer-to-peer marketplace. Comparable as a smaller, venture-backed skill-based real-money operator targeting similar casual gamer demographics.
- ParlayPlay: Skill-based fantasy platform offering player prop pick'em style contests. Comparable as a directly competitive peer-to-peer skill-based real-money product, though focused on traditional sports.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Players' Lounge social profiles
Digital presencePlayers' Lounge financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Players' Lounge leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Players' Lounge funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds13 records
Investors25 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Players' Lounge M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Players' Lounge
What does Players' Lounge do?
Players' Lounge is a real-money, skill-based gaming platform that lets individual gamers wager on their own performance in head-to-head matches, tournaments, and challenges across popular video games such as Madden, NBA 2K, EAFC, MLB The Show, Call of Duty, Fortnite, and Apex Legends. The platform also enables a 'staking' model in which users back or sponsor other players attempting challenges, watch live gameplay, and share in winnings if the player succeeds. The offering is delivered through a web platform (playerslounge.com), two iOS apps (PL Sports and Players' Lounge), and a PL+ subscription service.
Is Players' Lounge a public or private company?
Players' Lounge is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Players' Lounge founded?
Players' Lounge was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Players' Lounge based?
Players' Lounge is headquartered in Brooklyn, United States, in the North America region.
How does Players' Lounge make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Match Entry Fees are the primary driver. The others are PL+ Subscription, staking Service Fees and inactivity Fees.
Who are Players' Lounge's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are DraftKings and FanDuel. Direct peers are PrizePicks, Underdog Fantasy and Betr. Emerging players are Novig, Sleeper, HotStreak, Vivid Picks and ParlayPlay.
Does Players' Lounge have an API?
No public API is recorded for Players' Lounge.
What industry is Players' Lounge in?
Players' Lounge's product category is Skill-Based Gaming Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAEAHAG, Fantasy Player Props & Pick’em (Skill-Based Fantasy), with a secondary code of BPAMAKAD, Game Subscription & Membership Services. Its NAICS code is 7132 and its SIC code is 7900.