Kyle
Sportspicks.cz is a Czech startup that offers sports picks for sports betting from some of the top betting professionals in Prague and the Czech Republic. The best sports pickers offer their picks in a premium package of 30 picks at a time so that those who bet on sports can get the best handful of picks to place their bets on.
According to their founder Jakub Chovanec, SportsPicks.cz has done pretty well but he wanted to branch out to the rest of the world. Not only that but he wanted the opportunity to crowdsource picks from the best amateur sports pickers as well. That’s why they created Pickerio.com
Pickerio is a social network of sorts for people that enjoy sports betting. As an amateur sports picker you can write blog posts and add your favorite sports picks to share with your followers and the community. As you prove yourself as a sports picker opportunity opens up for you to start selling your sports picks to other sports gamblers.
Chovanec is relying on the experience of sportspicks.cz to pave the way for a more community based site. While online sports betting is technically illegal in the United States, buying sports picks is not. You could equate this to the several traditional publications that exist out there for sports betters and folks who wager on horses use to base their decisions on.
Pickerio’s unique quality is the fact that amateur sports pickers can actually gain traction and start making money on the side by offering up their picks (provided they are panning out).
We got a chance to interview Chovanec about Pickerio in the interview below:
Pickerio.com is internet startup allowing people to share Sport Picks, either Free Picks or Premium Picks, which cost small fee.
Our team consist of 3 members:
Jakub Chovanec – programmer, designerTomas Stepan and Tomas Pribyl – community managersWe are all students at this time – Economics, IT and so. Approximately 2 years ago, we have started SportPicks.cz, where both Tomases were selling Sport Picks. Betting is very exciting business and we see an opportunity with Pickerio, which is global statrup and is not restrained only to our small market in Central Europe
We are studying in different city, but this changes next year. I would like to bring Pickerio to Prague/Czech republic.
In Prague, there are few projects for startups – TechSquare which is business accelerator project – incorporates modern and original office spacewith professional services providing. Another project is Node5 – incubator, coworking.
We wanted to move Sport Picks to another level and engage more users/customers. I´ve come up with idea letting all users share their Sport Picks and Pickerio taking only few percent commision.
Pickerio allows all users not only share Free Picks, but also sell Premium Picks. It is unique feature and it´s why should people visit and sign up on Pickerio. If you are either betting professional who wants make some cash or you just don´t know what to bet today, you should request invite on our homepage!
I think we came up with good idea, which is viable. It has good business opportunity. We are not burning any money at this moment. We are not one of these startup, who doesn´t know 3 years after start, what will be their business model.
First dilemma was if the idea of “sport picks sharing website” is not bullshit. I was thinking over the idea for few weeks before I finally end up with solid business model.
One of the many problems was where to find good data source of matches and their odds.
One million could skyrocket our marketing activities.
Now we are building our user base in beta version. We know we will receive many new ideas and comments to our product, so we will be developing Pickerio in short cycles.
