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# How to make $160M in 3 years with Alex Monahan. A case study.
- URL: https://www.founderbounty.com/how-to-make-160m-in-3-years-with-alex-monahan/
- Published: 2026-05-19T08:51:53.000Z
- Updated: 2026-05-22T11:21:55.000Z
- Author: Vlad Kozul
- Tags: Stories

In this video, founder Alex discusses the three-and-a-half-year journey of his bootstrapped sports data company, OddsJam, from inception to exit. Its an amazing case study.  
  
The Business Model and Origins  
  
 \* \*\*Company Concept\*\*: Alex describes OddsJam as the "Bloomberg terminal of sports betting," providing tools and data like odds, injuries, and line movements rather than acting as a sportsbook.  
 \* \*\*Inspiration\*\*: The idea originated during COVID while Alex was working as a quant trader on Wall Street.  
 \* \*\*Market Opportunity\*\*: He leveraged the legalization of online sports betting in the U.S., which began in 2018, starting in states like Pennsylvania and New Jersey.  
 \* \*\*Founding Philosophy\*\*: Along with his co-founder, Alex prioritized staying lean and gaining traction before considering outside capital to ensure a better valuation and maintain control over their destiny.  
  
\### \*\*Growth and User Acquisition Strategies\*\*  
  
 \* \*\*Content Marketing\*\*: A major turning point occurred when they began creating YouTube and TikTok content. One viral YouTube video with 1.5 million views significantly increased inbound interest.  
 \* \*\*Authentic Education\*\*: Alex focused on "education first," using his background as a Stanford graduate and Wall Street trader to authentically show how to apply trading strategies to sports betting.  
 \* \*\*Community Engagement\*\*: Before launching, Alex was active in various sports betting Discord and Telegram groups, allowing him to identify unmet needs and secure his first users.  
 \* \*\*Hiring from Within\*\*: Much of the team was recruited directly from their own customer base and email list, ensuring employees were already passionate about the product.  
  
\### \*\*The Decision to Exit\*\*  
  
 \* \*\*Profitability Over Funding\*\*: Although investors reached out when the company hit approximately $200k MRR, the founders declined because they were already profitable and didn't want to spend time on the fundraising process.  
 \* \*\*Personal Motivations\*\*: The decision to exit was partly personal, driven by a desire to spend more time with family and pursue other interests after years of intense focus on the business.  
 \* \*\*Key Advice\*\*: Alex emphasizes the importance of maintaining a "clean business" by focusing on one core revenue stream rather than trying to enter too many markets simultaneously.