BLUFF Raises $21 Million to Power Betting Innovation

TheNewsCryptoPublished on 2026-02-03Last updated on 2026-02-03

Abstract

BLUFF, a next-generation betting and entertainment platform, has raised $21 million in a funding round led by blockchain fund 1kx, with participation from Makers Fund, Delphi Ventures, and sports investor Tristan Thompson. The platform, built by former executives from major betting companies like Stake and Bet365, focuses on speed, transparency, and social engagement for modern users. It has already processed over 125 million bets during its beta phase, attracting 600,000 sign-ups. BLUFF combines sports betting, prediction markets, and creator-led events, offering instant onboarding, real-time settlements, and a VIP program. The funds will support platform development and large-scale launch.

Los Angeles, California, February 3rd, 2026, Chainwire

Backed by Top Consumer, Crypto and Cultural Investors, BLUFF Quickly Emerges as a Fast-Growing Betting Platform Boasting More Than 125M Bets in Beta

BLUFF, the next-generation betting and entertainment platform, has raised $21 million in strategic investment led by global blockchain technology fund 1kx, with participation from Makers Fund, Maximum Frequency Ventures, Delphi Ventures Founders and other high-profile backers, including sports champion & tech investor, Tristan Thompson. The team includes former senior executives from Stake, Bet365, William Hill and Bodog, drawing on experience operating the world’s leading betting platforms to deliver a truly novel gaming experience. The team will use the funds to advance the innovative betting platform and launch at scale.

BLUFF is building a social centric betting platform and sportsbook designed for the next generation of players. The platform prioritizes speed, transparency and player alignment, with instant onboarding, real-time settlement, provably fair games and reward systems that allow users to participate directly in the ecosystem they help grow.

“When we began building BLUFF, we set out to create a betting platform for the new generation of betters who prioritise fast, high-engagement gameplay, real-time experiences, real stakes and the social energy that defines how players engage online today,” said BLUFF’s Founder. “This funding, and the investors who have backed us, validates our mission of what the future of online betting can look like. Novel content, user-experience obsessed, deep community focus, and hyper-engaging for all users.”

The raise follows an exceptional pre-release phase, during which BLUFF has attracted over 600,000 sign-ups, sustained tens of thousands of daily active users and processed over 125,000,000 bets through its beta in 3 months alone. This early traction positions BLUFF as one of the fastest-scaling new betting platforms in the market with strategic partners across crypto, gaming and consumer entertainment.

“The speed of execution and level of organic demand we’ve seen from BLUFF is rare,” said Peter Pan, Partner at 1kx. “They’re building a category-defining platform with the potential to become the number one destination in betting and entertainment. BLUFF is exactly what the next generation of users is demanding.”

Beyond traditional iGaming and sports betting, BLUFF is building a unified experience that blends betting, live prediction markets, binary outcomes, and creator-led community events within a single platform. Bluff also provides a VIP matching program to make the transition from legacy platforms such as Stake, Shuffle and Rollbit to Bluff as seamless as possible, offering market-leading bonuses, rewards and world-class VIP service through a 24/7 VIP concierge.

“We are thrilled to back the BLUFF team,” said Andrew Willson, Partner at Makers Fund. “They bring a deep, nuanced understanding of player needs combined with an innovative approach to company building and platform design. By prioritizing players and offering a differentiated experience, we expect BLUFF to become a disruptive brand in the betting space.”

To learn more and play now, visit Bluff.com.

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About BLUFF

BLUFF is built for the new generation of players. A global sports betting and iGaming platform where gaming, real stakes, culture, and community merge into a single, continuous loop to meet today’s users’ demands. It starts as a betting platform and sportsbook and evolves into something much bigger, with novel bet types, loot boxes, and trading that make for a unique betting experience. Backed by global blockchain technology fund 1kx, the founding team includes senior executives and operators from Stake, Bet365, William Hill, Bodog, YOLO and other category-defining platforms, bringing decades of experience at the highest levels of betting and gaming.

About 1kx

1kx is a research-driven, fundamentals-focused global investment firm. Founded in 2018 by tech entrepreneurs Lasse Clausen and Chris Heymann, 1kx invests at key inflection points for blockchain technologies to create breakthrough opportunities across industries. The firm’s mission is to develop the domain expertise and thought leadership required to accelerate the most consequential markets emerging at the intersection of blockchain and the broader economy. As one of the top-performing and most institutionalized funds in the blockchain space, 1kx partners with a diverse global investor base, including sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, endowments, foundations, fund of funds, corporations, and family offices. Renowned for its hands-on approach, technical rigor, and unwavering long-term commitment to founders, 1kx has empowered over 150 visionary startups to scale transformative projects while delivering enduring returns for its investors.

To learn more, visit https://1kx.capital/ or @1kxnetwork on X.

Contact

BLUFF
press@bluff.com

Related Questions

QHow much funding did BLUFF raise and who led the investment round?

ABLUFF raised $21 million in a strategic investment round led by global blockchain technology fund 1kx.

QWhat are the key features of BLUFF's betting platform?

ABLUFF's platform prioritizes speed, transparency, and player alignment with instant onboarding, real-time settlement, provably fair games, and reward systems that allow users to participate directly in the ecosystem.

QWhat notable traction did BLUFF achieve during its beta phase?

ADuring its beta phase, BLUFF attracted over 600,000 sign-ups, sustained tens of thousands of daily active users, and processed over 125 million bets in just 3 months.

QWhich companies' former executives are part of BLUFF's team?

ABLUFF's team includes former senior executives from Stake, Bet365, William Hill, and Bodog.

QWhat types of betting experiences does BLUFF aim to unify on its platform?

ABLUFF aims to unify traditional iGaming, sports betting, live prediction markets, binary outcomes, and creator-led community events within a single platform.

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