PlayerProps.ai has just landed the Fantasy Sports and Gaming Association’s Sports Betting Business of the Year award for 2025. First time anyone outside FanDuel and DraftKings has claimed it. For an AI-powered education platform that’s quietly reshaping how newcomers approach sports betting, it’s a significant moment.

I caught up with CEO Trevis Waters this week to understand his mission: turning casual bettors into informed decision-makers rather than walking casualties of their own ignorance.

The Literacy Problem Nobody’s Addressing

Waters makes a straightforward observation that most of the betting market suffers from what he calls “suboptimal betting literacy.” Put simply, nobody’s ever taught casual bettors how to actually think about their wagers. While sophisticated analytics platforms cater to serious gamblers, PlayerProps.ai targets complete beginners.

His evidence is compelling. Waters runs one of the largest US sports betting communities on Facebook, with roughly 200,000 members. What he witnesses daily is genuinely alarming: bettors placing wagers on outcomes they don’t even understand. “I’m seeing decisions that I didn’t even think were humanly possible,” he says. People betting on things without understanding what actually needs to happen in the game for them to win.

Prevention Over Putting Out Fires

The criticism is obvious: isn’t encouraging uneducated gamblers to bet irresponsible? Waters flips this on its head. Traditional responsible gambling focuses on harm reduction after damage is done. He’s pushing for something more valuable: proactive education that stops problems before they start.

“Responsible gambling is firefighters putting out fires,” he explains. “I’m teaching you how to cook so you don’t set your house on fire in the first place.”

It’s a distinction that matters. Regulators typically only push responsible gambling messaging at high-risk users already showing warning signs. Waters believes everyone deserves foundational knowledge before bad habits take root.

The 20-80-20 Rule

The cornerstone of his platform is brutally simple: bankroll management. Waters teaches what he calls the “20-80-20 rule.” First absolute rule: never risk more than 20% of your total bankroll on any single bet. Beyond that, allocate most of your betting budget to lower-risk wagers, with only a small portion reserved for high-risk bets like parlays.

Most casual bettors don’t even realise they should manage a bankroll at all. Around 105,000 users have registered on his platform, and those who’ve stuck with it for six months consistently report the same thing: bankroll management changed everything.

The Hard Conversations

At $500 annually, PlayerProps.ai isn’t cheap. Waters frames it as roughly $1.37 a day for anyone risking more than $10 daily on bets. Fair value, in his view, given what it prevents.

But here’s where his philosophy gets tested. Some users complete his education, apply his principles, and realise they shouldn’t be betting at all. One user wrote to say they couldn’t afford to lose money and needed to step away entirely. Waters admits losing revenue stings, but he sees it differently: “If that person gets back in a good spot financially, I’m the only app they’ll use again because I got them to recognise their situation.”

That’s the kind of long-term thinking you don’t often hear in iGaming. Whether it proves commercially sustainable, we’ll see. For a sector often accused of targeting vulnerable players, though, it’s refreshingly honest.

What the team thinks

PHILIPPA ASHWORTH: Carl’s piece highlights something the major operators have missed, and it’s refreshing to see. PlayerProps.ai winning FSGA recognition signals the market is hungry for education-first platforms that build customer lifetime value rather than chasing quick conversion metrics. If Waters executes on scaling this model, we could see meaningful margin compression in the traditional sportsbook space.

SHEENA McALLISTER: I’d add that from a regulatory perspective, this shift toward informed betting behaviour is precisely what the UKGC has been pushing for under its recent consumer protection frameworks. Platforms that genuinely educate rather than exploit are positioning themselves well ahead of stricter licensing conditions coming in 2026.

PHILIPPA ASHWORTH: Absolutely right, and that’s the underappreciated moat here. As compliance costs rise and responsible gambling mandates tighten, the platforms that have already built trust through education will have lower acquisition costs and better retention. It’s not just the right thing to do, it’s the smart business play.