PrizePicks

SidePrize LLC (operating as Performance Predictions LLC / PrizePicks)

Company type	Private
Industry	Daily fantasy sports
Founded	2015 (2015)
Founder	Adam Wexler, Jay Deuskar
Headquarters	Atlanta , United States
Key people	Mike Ybarra (CEO), Adam Wexler (Executive Chairman), Jay Deuskar (CTO)
Products	Daily fantasy sports contests ("pick 'em"-style games)
Website	prizepicks.com

SidePrize LLC,, operating under the name Performance Predictions LLC,, is a U.S.-based company specializing in daily fantasy sports (DFS) and conducting business as PrizePicks. PrizePicks provides DFS contests, including "pick 'em"-style games, and is headquartered in Atlanta. The firm has encountered legal scrutiny due to its classification as a DFS operator instead of a sportsbook.

Description and operation

PrizePicks holds the distinction of being the largest daily fantasy sports provider across North America and within the United States. According to the Chicago Tribune, PrizePicks functions as a DFS platform rather than a conventional sportsbook. This legal differentiation allows it to operate in jurisdictions where online sports wagering remains prohibited. Its contests, based on a "pick'em" format, share similarities with player prop betting typical in traditional sports betting.

By June 2024, PrizePicks offered paid fantasy contests in 30 U.S. states plus Washington, D.C.

History

The concept behind PrizePicks was created by Adam Wexler in late 2014, who co-founded the enterprise alongside Jay Deuskar under the original name PredictPicks. Various sources cite the official establishment date as falling between 2015 and 2017. Wexler serves as CEO while Deuskar holds the CTO position. In October 2018, the company rebranded itself as PrizePicks. Despite restrictions on sports betting in Georgia, PrizePicks continues operations there by leveraging its DFS status. The company’s headquarters remain in Atlanta, having relocated from Atlanta Tech Village to a new $25 million, 33,000-square-foot office space in West Midtown during April 2024. Both founders are native Atlantans and alumni of local universities.

Since 2019, PrizePicks has been an active supporter of esports, collaborating with Atlanta-based Hi-Rez Studios on the game Smite. From 2022 to 2023, esports entry fees surged by over 110%. Early in 2024, PrizePicks established several marketing collaborations: it partnered with the Stephen A. Smith Show, became the official DFS partner of the Atlanta Braves, and joined forces with State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Additionally, the company teamed up with Kindbridge Behavioral Health to provide free resources for users experiencing gambling problems. PrizePicks also launched "The Esports Lab," a platform offering statistics, live match coverage, and educational content for esports titles such as Counter-Strike 2, League of Legends, and Dota 2.

On August 5, 2024, Mike Ybarra, former president of Blizzard Entertainment, was named CEO of PrizePicks, succeeding Adam Wexler who transitioned into the role of executive chairman.

Legal issues and status

PrizePicks has been subject to shutdowns in multiple states due to activities interpreted as "sports betting." In reaction to these challenges, January 2024 saw the introduction of new wagering products more closely aligned with traditional daily fantasy sports frameworks.

In September 2023, Florida’s Gaming Control Commission issued a cease-and-desist order accusing PrizePicks of offering illegal mobile betting games, specifically "wagers on contests of skill," which are prohibited under Florida law. The company was instructed to halt pick 'em games within Florida by February 2024. Nevertheless, PrizePicks reentered the Florida market in April utilizing a peer-to-peer contest format named "Arena," designed to comply with state gambling regulations by focusing on skill-based competition determined by participants’ decisions rather than operator-set odds.

In February 2024, PrizePicks temporarily suspended paid contests in New York following amendments to state gaming legislation. Although maintaining that its operations conformed with interactive fantasy sports (IFS) regulations in good faith, PrizePicks agreed to pay nearly $15 million to New York’s gaming commission for running without proper licensing. This settlement covered revenue generated from IFS bets placed by New York residents between June 2019 and December 2023. Importantly, New York banned "pick'em" games in October 2023; however, PrizePicks was found non-compliant for offering unauthorized IFS games prior to that prohibition.