Prophet strengthens executive team with the appointment of three new VPs

The first peer-to-peer U.S. sports betting exchange, Prophet, announced Tuesday the addition of three senior sports betting iGaming and gambling experts Thomas Phillips, Matt Garrigan and Michael Halperin as VPs of Marketing, Strategy and Operations, respectively.

Prophet’s new VP of Marketing, Thomas Phillips has 14 years of experience in the sports betting, iGaming and gambling industries, as he has worked across multiple international territories and products including exchanges, sportsbooks and gaming products. His first professional steps were in MotoCaddy, a startup focused on the golf market, before moving into the iGaming business with InterCasino in 2007. He joined Betfair Exchange marketing team in 2009, Ladbrokes in 2013, and he finally established himself as a digital marketing consultant specialized in high profile betting and gaming brands. 

VP of Strategy, Matt Garrigan, joins Prophet from FanDuel where he most recently was Director, New Market Strategy. He brings over 11 years of experience in the casino and tech industries, combining both brick and mortar and digital gaming, and retail sportsbooks knowledge. He started in MGM Resorts International in 2011, and has then worked for companies such as Caesars Entertainment Corporation, Konami Gaming, Penn National Gaming, Scientific Games, Penn Interactive (Barstool Sportsbook) and FanDuel. He joined Prophet on September 1. 

New VP of Operations is Michael Halperin, who most recently worked with DraftKings where he was part of the VIP Promotions & Strategy management group. Halperin was with DraftKings from 2018 until joining Prophet in 2021, starting as a Senior Sportsbook Operations Associate and moving up to the VIP Promotions & Strategy role in early 2021. He was an original member of the DraftKings Sportsbook team and helped launch the first digital-focused sportsbook after the repeal of PASPA in 2018. He has also helped lead the digital operations of the DraftKings sportsbook from operations in one state in 2018 to the more than 10 states in which DraftKings are now operational in 2021, overseeing product operations, promotions and VIP strategy..

In an official press release, Dean Sisun, Prophet CEO and Cofounder spoke about the appointment of the three new VPs and said: "We are delighted to welcome Thomas, Matt and Michael to the Prophet team and are excited to have them bring their experience and market knowledge to us as we look ahead to our full consumer launch in Fall, 2021”.

"Having people of their caliber join us from FanDuel, DraftKings and with Thomas' experience from Betfair, InterCasino and Ladbrokes Coral reinforces what an exciting future everyone at Prophet has ahead of us. We want to attract the best in the business, and the knowledge, experience and skills Thomas, Matt and Michael bring is another key foundation for us as we continue to grow”, he added. 

Thomas Phillips also commented: "I am thrilled to be joining Prophet as VP of Marketing. Having previously worked with Dean and Jake [Benzaquen, Prophet COO and Cofounder] in the UK market, I am looking forward to joining a dynamic and innovative team that is set to make the industry stand-up and take notice." 

Matt Garrigan added: "From the first time I spoke with Dean and Jake, it was clear we share the same passion and focus to help Prophet fill the gaps that exist in sports wagering from a customer perspective. We are underway with our planning and it's feeling really good. We have a team that is extremely eager, believes in this unique product we will be bringing to the market, and is laser focused on the customer. There is nothing more exciting than planning for a go-live." 

Michael Halperin concluded: "I am beyond excited to be joining Prophet as VP of Operations. Jake and Dean are building a first-class team of experienced individuals who share a passion for sports betting and a hunger to disrupt the U.S. gaming landscape. Prophet's commitment to building a customer-focused betting exchange will make it the top choice for players looking to get bigger and better returns on their wagers."