Verse Gaming Pivots from DFS, Relaunches as Parlay-Focused Prediction Platform

A New Focus on the Parlay

Verse Picks will allow users to combine between two and eight predictions into a single parlay-style entry. What makes the platform unique is the breadth of its offerings, with users able to bundle picks across a wide range of categories, including sports, politics, entertainment, and breaking news.

“The industry is shifting, new styles of play are emerging, and Verse is stepping forward with something entirely our own,” said Verse CEO Daniel Zimmermann.

The decision to focus exclusively on parlays is a strategic one, based on the product’s immense popularity and profitability in the traditional sports betting market. Zimmermann cited data showing that parlays accounted for 71% of New Jersey’s regulated sportsbook revenue at the start of last football season.

“Parlays are the path to a risk-a-little, win-a-lot experience most gamblers chase,” Zimmermann wrote in a recent blog post.

A Sweepstakes Model for Nationwide Reach

A key part of Verse’s strategy is its business model. Unlike traditional sportsbooks or federally regulated prediction markets, Verse Picks will operate nationwide using a sweepstakes model. This allows the product to be available in 39 states and the District of Columbia, as contests are free to enter with real cash prizes available to eligible winners.

This model provides a significant competitive advantage in terms of market access, allowing Verse to reach a much broader audience than state-licensed sportsbooks.

A New Chapter in the “Prediction Wars”

The relaunch of Verse comes at a time of intense activity and innovation in the U.S. prediction market space.

• FanDuel and Underdog have both recently announced their entries into the market through partnerships with major financial and crypto exchanges.
• Kalshi, a leading prediction market, is reportedly on the verge of launching its own user-created parlay feature.

Verse is aiming to carve out its own niche in this “prediction wars” by staking its ground firmly around the parlay. Zimmermann believes that the future of the industry will not be won on single-event contracts alone, but on a more social and accessible parlay-style product.

The company is now focused on leveraging its significant social media reach (it recorded over 250 million views on its content last year) to drive sustained engagement for its new platform. With the DFS chapter now closed, Verse is betting its entire future on the idea that it can scale its unique brand of parlay predictions into a new consumer category.