Nigel Eccles (born 8 December 1974) is a technology entrepreneur and the CEO of the online crypto casino BetHog. He is best known for being the co-founder and CEO of Hubdub and FanDuel.[1][2][3]
Early life
Eccles was born on 8 December 1974 in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. He was educated at the Cookstown High School and majored in pure mathematics at University of St Andrews.[4][5]
Career
Eccles launched the online political prediction market Hubdub in 2007.[6] Later he stated that Hubdub lacked a sustainable business model, prompting the company’s focus to shift, eventually evolving into FanDuel.[7][8]
Eccles co-founded the daily fantasy company FanDuel in 2009.[9] Beginning in 2016, he oversaw plans for a merger between FanDuel and Draftkings,[10] which was blocked by the Federal Trade Commission in 2017.[11][12]
In November 2017 Eccles left FanDuel to pursue a new venture in the esports industry.[13]
In January 2018, Eccles co-founded an Edinburgh-based video game and social streaming platform Flick.[14]
In May 2020, Eccles co-founded StarStock, a platform for buying and selling sports cards. In March of 2021, StarStock raised $8 million in a round of funding, with investors including Andreesen Horowitz and Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young.[15]
Personal life
Eccles married Lesley in 2004; she was also a co-founder of FanDuel. They have three children.[4]
References
- ^ “FanDuel CEO and co-founder Nigel Eccles is leaving to start an eSports company”. Recode. 20 November 2017.
- ^ “FanDuel CEO and co-founder Nigel Eccles is leaving to start an eSports company”. Digit.
- ^ “FanDuel: Tyrone man Nigel Eccles will soon be Northern Ireland’s newest billionaire”. Belfast Telegraph. 22 July 2015.
- ^ a b Evans, Peter (14 August 2016). “Meet the Eccles — and their billion-dollar fantasy baby”. The Sunday Times.
- ^ Dickie, Mure (8 September 2015). “FanDuel gets ahead of the game in US fantasy sports”. Financial Times.
- ^ ““Twisted And Mischaracterized”: How FanDuel’s CEO Is Fighting Back Against Detractors”. Fast Company. 18 April 2016.
- ^ “Nigel Eccles: knowing when to “pivot” key for entrepreneurs”. The Scotsman. 10 January 2017.
- ^ “The $11,000,000 Round: Interview with “The Godfather” Nigel Eccles”. Rotogrinders.
- ^ “FanDuel founder Nigel Eccles leaves company”. BBC. 20 November 2017.
- ^ “Daily Fantasy Sports Sites DraftKings And FanDuel Agree To Merge”. NPR. 18 November 2016.
- ^ “DraftKings / FanDuel Limited, In the Matter of”. Federal Trade Commission. Metaspins. 2017-06-19. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
- ^ “FanDuel is weighing whether to drop its merger with DraftKings”. Recode. 11 July 2017.
- ^ “FanDuel CEO, Co-Founder Eccles to Leave Company”. The Wall Street Journal. 20 November 2017.
- ^ “FanDuel co-founders launch new esports venture in Edinburgh”. Future Scot. 23 January 2018.
- ^ Tim Casey (April 1, 2021). “StarStock, An Online Sports Cards Marketplace, Raises $8 Million In Series A Funding”. Forbes.