Jackpocket, the first and only licensed third-party app in the U.S. to provide a secure way to order official state lottery tickets, announced today the conclusion of a $50M Series C funding round. After seven years of operation, Jackpocket has won regulatory approval in New York and New Jersey, and has also worked with eight other states to provide consumers with the easiest, most compliant way to play the lottery today. The company's new investment is already paying off; in January alone, new user growth surpassed the entirety of 2020. After launching in New York last month, Jackpocket hit 7% of all Powerball tickets sold in the state.
The Series C funding was fueled by diverse companies, groups, and individuals who share Jackpocket's vision to revolutionize the lottery and gaming market. This group includes major firms such as Raine Group, Greenspring Associates, Circle K Ventures, TEGNA Ventures, BRV Capital, and Gaingels, and a number of new high-profile individual investors, such as David Blitzer, the owner of the NJ Devils & 76ers, Sean Hayes, actor and producer best known for his role in Will & Grace, and Jon Ledecky, the owner of the NY Islanders.
"Lottery is the next major form of entertainment to go mobile, and Jackpocket is proud to lead that movement by partnering with state lotteries and legislators in the pursuit of a more accessible, convenient, and responsible lottery experience," said Peter Sullivan, CEO and Founder of Jackpocket. "Our growth over the past 12 months highlights our ability to reach a new demographic of lottery players looking for fun and safe mobile experiences. This next round of funding will allow us to significantly grow our user base as we launch in new jurisdictions, expand our team, and continue to build the lottery of the future."
The Series C funding will fuel new growth marketing campaigns and a series of new additions to the Jackpocket team to support aggressive expansion. The future for Jackpocket looks bright, as the app continues to reach previously untapped lottery audiences. New data found that nearly half of Jackpocket's first-time players are 18-35 years old, and the overwhelming majority of Jackpocket's users are under 45 years old.
"Mobile lottery represents a tremendous area for growth in the $300-billion global lottery industry, and Raine is pleased to invest in this latest round for Jackpocket, the premier and proven leader in this space," said Gordon Rubenstein, Managing Partner of Raine Ventures. "Jackpocket's success is a testament to their deep understanding of the lottery consumer and regulatory environment, their cutting-edge, proprietary technology platform, and clear vision for the future of mobile gaming. From our experience in real money gaming, we fully expect Jackpocket to become a household name, and are delighted to partner with them as they continue to expand."
About Jackpocket
Jackpocket is on a mission to create a more convenient, fun and responsible way to play the lottery. By being the first company to automatically lock a customer's account to their ticket serial number, Jackpocket makes the lottery even more secure. Jackpocket is currently available in Arkansas, Colorado, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, and Washington, D.C., and is expanding to many new markets. Download the app on iOS or Android and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.