Draftea
17 known investors
Draftea is a mobile app for online sports betting, offering live in-game betting with real-time odds across sports such as soccer, American football, basketball, baseball, and Formula 1. It serves consumer bettors in the Spanish-speaking market (Mexico, with prizes stated in pesos).
Also known as Draftea
Founders & leadership
Investors · 17
Also in the syndicate · 12
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Draftea is a Mexico-based real-money sports gaming company serving Spanish-speaking Latin America. It launched in 2022 with Mexico's first daily fantasy sports (DFS) game, initially centered on Mexican soccer, in which users assemble lineups of real players, earn points based on those players' real-world performances and compete against other users rather than against a central bookmaker. The company has since become a real-money online sportsbook (OSB) platform covering more than 20 leagues across six sports: soccer, American football, basketball, baseball, Formula 1 and tennis.
The consumer product is a mobile app distributed through the major app stores. Current features promoted by the company include live in-game betting with odds (momios) that update minute by minute, a redesigned interface, and an early-payout mechanic for the NFL that triggers when a user's team takes a 17-point lead. Beyond sports betting, the app includes a Gaming section with casino-style titles carrying published RTPs and a Rewards program in which users accumulate XP from bets and Gaming play to progress through levels that unlock benefits and missions. Account operations supported in the product include identity verification, CLABE bank-account validation for withdrawals, card and OXXO Pay deposits, referral promotions, and responsible-gaming controls such as taking a break.
Draftea is operated in Mexico by Producciones Móviles S.A. de C.V., holder of permit DGAJS/SCEVF/P-06/2005-TER, together with Unocapali la Paz Operadora S.A. de C.V. under official communications DGJS/1580/2021 and DGJS/DCRCA/2450/2022, and the company states that its games are prohibited for minors.
Founding story
Alán Jaime Misrahi, a Mexico City native, lawyer and lifelong soccer player who pursued a professional playing career, studied a master's degree in Sports Business and later an MBA at Stanford; on graduating in June 2021 he set out to combine soccer and business, seeing that Latin American fans lacked a social, skill-based way to engage with sports beyond casual betting and traditional fantasy contests. He co-founded Draftea with Joe Cohen, a technology entrepreneur who had led engineering at Vercel, scaling that company from 12 to 150 employees. Misrahi also brought on Nigel Eccles, founder and former CEO of FanDuel, as a mentor.
Business model
Draftea operates a consumer mobile platform for real-money sports gaming in Mexico. It began with paid daily fantasy sports contests in which entrants ("entradas") at varying price points compete against each other for prize pools, and has since added an online sportsbook with live odds as well as a Gaming (casino-style) vertical. Users fund accounts by card, bank transfer and OXXO Pay, and withdraw to a validated CLABE bank account. A Rewards loyalty program grants XP for betting and Gaming activity, unlocking level-based benefits.
The company monetizes real-money play on its platform through paid daily fantasy contest entries, sportsbook wagering and Gaming titles with defined RTPs.
Traction
The company states more than 100 million pesos have been distributed in prizes on the platform and highlights user ratings from the major app stores. It reported week-on-week user growth in its first month of operation in early 2022, a team of more than 40 people at that time that had doubled since its seed round, and coverage of over 20 leagues across six sports by 2025.
Latest developments
In April 2025, co-founders Alán Jaime Misrahi and Joe Cohen were selected as Endeavor Entrepreneurs at Endeavor's 51st International Selection Panel through the Mexico office. The company's current app promotes live betting with real-time odds, a redesigned interface, NFL early payout, plus Gaming and Rewards programs, with support documentation updated through 2025.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
Draftea has been described as the first daily fantasy sports platform in Spanish-speaking Latin America and launched Mexico's first DFS game. It was Sequoia's first investment in a Mexican startup. The company positions its product as distinct from traditional bookmaker-based betting because DFS players compete against each other rather than against a house.
Its original DFS format has users draft lineups and compete against one another for prizes based on real-world player performance, offering daily engagement rather than only fixed-odds wagering against a bookmaker. The current app adds real-time live odds, an NFL early-payout feature triggered by a 17-point lead, and a loyalty layer spanning both betting and casino-style Gaming.
Technology
Draftea's product is a mobile application for iOS and Android with real-time odds updating minute by minute, live in-game betting, automatic odds-change acceptance settings, identity verification and bank-account (CLABE) validation flows, and a Gaming module with certified return-to-player percentages. Co-founder Joe Cohen previously led the engineering team at Vercel.
Go-to-market
Draftea acquires users through a mobile app supported by sports marketing and celebrity association: it signed an alliance with the Mexican Soccer Federation and the national team, partnered with the NFL to launch "NFL by Draftea," and has recruited high-profile athlete and entertainment investors including Cristiano Ronaldo, Travis Kelce, Iker Casillas, Pau Gasol, César Azpilicueta and Odell Beckham Jr., whom it features on its site. Promotions such as free-bet coupons and a referral program support acquisition and retention.
Spanish-speaking sports fans in Latin America, initially in Mexico, who follow soccer, the NFL, basketball, baseball, Formula 1 and tennis; the company points to Mexican fan passion for soccer and to Mexico being described by its CEO as the NFL's second-largest market globally.
Geography
Headquartered in Mexico and operating its regulated product there under Mexican gaming permits; the company described talent spread across the Americas and stated a medium-term intention to expand into South American markets including Colombia, Chile, Argentina and Peru.
History
Draftea's story began in 2021, and by March 2022 the company had raised $13.2 million from Sequoia, Kaszek and Bullpen before announcing a $4 million round backed by athletes and celebrity funds while still in beta. It launched in 2022 with Mexico's first daily fantasy sports game focused on Mexican soccer, added American football and basketball that year, and in September 2022 announced a $20 million Series A led by StepStone Group alongside a partnership with the NFL to launch NFL by Draftea. The platform subsequently expanded into a real-money online sportsbook covering more than 20 leagues across six sports, and in April 2025 its co-founders were selected as Endeavor Entrepreneurs through Endeavor's Mexico office.
Risks & controversies
Draftea operates in a regulated real-money gaming sector, running in Mexico under third-party permits (Producciones Móviles S.A. de C.V. and Unocapali la Paz Operadora S.A. de C.V.) rather than its own, and its offering is restricted to adults, with responsible-gaming features such as self-imposed breaks.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 6
launches, deals, and filingsAlán Jaime Misrahi and Joe Cohen were selected as Endeavor Entrepreneurs at Endeavor's 51st virtual International Selection Panel, held April 21-23, 2025, through the Endeavor Mexico office.
Series A round led by StepStone Group with participation from existing investors Sequoia, Kaszek, Bullpen and Courtside Ventures, plus athlete angel investors including Cristiano Ronaldo.
$20M source ↗
Draftea partnered with the NFL to launch NFL by Draftea, letting users draft lineups for the upcoming NFL season.
While still in beta, Draftea announced the completion of a $4 million investment round including Pau Gasol, César Azpilicueta, Iker Casillas, Kevin Durant and Thirty Five Ventures, Travis Kelce, Odell Beckham Jr., Jay-Z's Arrive, The Chainsmokers' Mantis, Courtside Ventures and NNS Advisers.
$4M source ↗
Draftea struck an alliance with the Mexican Soccer Federation and the national soccer team as part of its brand-building strategy.
Draftea launched in 2022 with Mexico's first daily fantasy sports game, initially focused on Mexican soccer, later expanding into a real-money online sportsbook.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
In the news
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- Drafteadraftea.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Draftea do?
- Mexican real-money sports gaming company offering daily fantasy sports and an online sportsbook app for Latin America.
- Who founded Draftea?
- Draftea was founded by Alán Jaime Misrahi, Joe Cohen.
- Who are Draftea's investors?
- Draftea's investors include Bullpen Capital, Mantis Capital, Courtside Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Stepstone Group.