Cincinnati, OH — September 3, 2026 — Sandman Sports, a sports entertainment platform built around strategy, competition and community, today announced the launch of Sandman-hosted public contests. Eligible players across 27 states can now compete for cash prizes in contests designed to deliver greater variety, deeper strategy and more reasons to stay invested in the action week after week.
Launching in time for the start of the professional and college football seasons, the new public contests give sports fans an alternative to one-night betting and short-lived competition.
“Tired of the one-night bet? Play the Long Game” captures the idea behind Sandman’s growing contest lineup. Depending on the format, players can follow their selections, track the standings and compete over several weeks or an entire season.
“Sports are more exciting when you have something to look forward to every week,” said Eric Bierman, co-founder and CEO of Sandman Sports. “We built Sandman for fans who enjoy the strategy, anticipation and friendly competition that unfold over time. The launch of our public contests is a major step forward for the platform - and it is only the beginning.”
Familiar Favorites, New Twists and Original Ways to Play
Sandman Sports was created to offer more variety than the typical sports pool platform. Its expanding selection includes familiar concepts such as Survivor and Pick ’em, new variations on classic contests and original formats such as The Gauntlet.
Sandman’s initial public football contests are player-based, allowing participants to compete using individual-player performance categories such as touchdowns, rushing yards, receiving yards and passing yards. This approach brings a new layer of strategy to familiar contest concepts without relying on traditional team-based selections.
In The Gauntlet, for example, participants build a new lineup each week and compete through a single-elimination bracket until one player remains. Touchdown Jesus, another featured Sandman contest, puts a new spin on Survivor by challenging players to select individual players to score a touchdown each week in order to advance. Other formats currently available on the Sandman platform include One & Done and Guillotine, with additional contest types - including Tiers and Confidence - launching throughout the fall.
“Fans do not all want to play the same way,” Bierman said. “Our vision is to combine formats people already love with creative new contests they cannot find anywhere else. Variety and innovation are at the heart of what we're building, and we're only getting started.”
Football Kicks Off a Year-Round Vision
Although the first major public-contest campaign will spotlight professional and college football, Sandman Sports is being built as a year-round, multi-sport platform. Additional contests, sports, formats, jurisdictions and prize opportunities are planned as the company continues to expand.
The launch also gives players an early opportunity to experience the platform and help shape the growing Sandman community.
“Players joining now are getting in at the beginning of something much bigger,” Bierman added.
Sandman public contests are currently available in eligible jurisdictions, subject to local regulations and age requirements. Players can view current availability and jurisdiction-specific details at sandmansports.com/where-can-you-play.
New players can also receive a 10% deposit playthrough bonus of up to $100 by registering and using promotional code LONGGAME. Eligibility restrictions, playthrough requirements and additional terms apply. https://play.sandmansports.com/legal
Entry fees, prize pools, start dates and registration deadlines vary by contest. Players can explore available contests and join the action at sandmansports.com.
About Sandman Sports
Sandman Sports started with three longtime friends who love sports, fantasy contests and competition. After years of playing in and running contests themselves, they saw the same frustrations over and over again. They believed there was a real gap in the market for something more creative, more flexible and built around what sports fans actually wanted.
That idea became Sandman Sports, a sports entertainment platform built by sports fans, for sports fans. Players can compete in public contests for cash prizes or create customizable private contests for friends, family, coworkers, fantasy leagues, country clubs, organizations and other groups. Sandman combines familiar games with innovative formats, while giving commissioners the tools to easily create and manage their own contests.
Sandman is also home to The Edge, our AI-powered sports prediction and analytics platform. The Edge analyzes thousands of data points to identify potential value, produce model-driven projections and deliver confidence-rated picks, while having the discipline to pass when the numbers don’t support a play.
To learn more, find a contest or create one of your own, visit sandmansports.com.
Sandman Sports is intended for adults 18 and older. Participants must meet all applicable age requirements in their jurisdiction. Public-contest availability is subject to regulatory requirements and may change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-MYRESET.
