Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
🎙️ NEXT.io Podcast #265 with Alexander Kane, CEO and Founder of Sporttrade
In 2017 - a full year before the US Supreme Court even legalized sports betting - Alex Kane was already building something nobody asked for: a sports exchange.
Now, prediction markets are valued higher than Flutter, the world's biggest gambling company. So was Alex just early, or did he see something everyone else missed?
⏰ Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro & Sponsors
01:33 - Who is Alex Kane and what is Sporttrade?
02:28 - The Robinhood moment that sparked the idea
04:40 - Why Betfair failed and why the US is different
08:11 - The early years: building a sports exchange before it was legal
11:35 - Where Sporttrade fits in the prediction market boom today
16:56 - Why the boom happened now and not before
22:06 -The impossible debate: is this gambling or a financial tool?
28:21 -Both things can be true
31:46 -Exchange model vs. house model and responsible gambling
37:08 - Market manipulation: the hardest unsolved problem
41:18 - Kalshi at $22B vs Flutter: bubble or breakthrough?
45:00 - What are perpetual futures and why do they matter?
49:31 - Prediction markets as a top-of-funnel product
56:08 - What happens to DraftKings and FanDuel?
01:01:44 - Alex's 3 predictions for the industry in 3 years
🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/409DefE...
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-io-podcast/id1515442333
CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO
✩ Website: next.io
This episode of NEXT.io is brought to you by:
Pragmatic Solutions – Leading iGaming platform technology
https://pragmatic.solutions/
Pragmatic Play – Industry-leading content provider
pragmaticplay.com/en
Sponsored by:
Hard Rock Games: hardrockgames.com
Creedroomz: creedroomz.com
🎙️ NEXT.io Podcast #265 with Alexander Kane, CEO and Founder of Sporttrade
In 2017 - a full year before the US Supreme Court even legalized sports betting - Alex Kane was already building something nobody asked for: a sports exchange.
Now, prediction markets are valued higher than Flutter, the world's biggest gambling company. So was Alex just early, or did he see something everyone else missed?
⏰ Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro & Sponsors
01:33 - Who is Alex Kane and what is Sporttrade?
02:28 - The Robinhood moment that sparked the idea
04:40 - Why Betfair failed and why the US is different
08:11 - The early years: building a sports exchange before it was legal
11:35 - Where Sporttrade fits in the prediction market boom today
16:56 - Why the boom happened now and not before
22:06 -The impossible debate: is this gambling or a financial tool?
28:21 -Both things can be true
31:46 -Exchange model vs. house model and responsible gambling
37:08 - Market manipulation: the hardest unsolved problem
41:18 - Kalshi at $22B vs Flutter: bubble or breakthrough?
45:00 - What are perpetual futures and why do they matter?
49:31 - Prediction markets as a top-of-funnel product
56:08 - What happens to DraftKings and FanDuel?
01:01:44 - Alex's 3 predictions for the industry in 3 years
🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/409DefE...
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-io-podcast/id1515442333
CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO
✩ Website: next.io
This episode of NEXT.io is brought to you by:
Pragmatic Solutions – Leading iGaming platform technology
https://pragmatic.solutions/
Pragmatic Play – Industry-leading content provider
pragmaticplay.com/en
Sponsored by:
Hard Rock Games: hardrockgames.com
Creedroomz: creedroomz.com
