WHY I BUILT FOOTiPICKS
THE STORY BEHIND THE GAME AND THE VISION FOR THE FUTURE
FOOTiPICKS FOUNDER’S STORY
Firstly, thank you for taking the time to read this.
Whether you have found us through a friend, heard about the game somewhere, or simply wanted to know what FOOTiPICKS is all about, I genuinely appreciate you being here. There is a personal story behind this business, and it is one I never really expected to share publicly.
For years, gambling played too big a part in my life. Like a lot of people, it started small: a football bet here, a tip from a mate there, and a bit of extra excitement added to a Saturday afternoon. Over time, though, it stopped being fun. The more I won, the more I wanted to win again. The more I lost, the more I wanted to get it back, until eventually I was gambling on things I knew very little about and convincing myself that the next win would sort everything out.
It never did.
Tom
Founder & CEO, FOOTiPICKS
Things Had to Change
By 2021, I had reached a point where I had to face reality. The losses had become serious, I entered an IVA and I signed up to GamStop. It was not an easy period, but it was the right decision.
Over the next few years, I focused on rebuilding. By 2024, with a lot of support from my partner, I had cleared my IVA and got myself back onto the property ladder.
That felt like a huge milestone, not because a house fixes everything, but because it showed me that bad decisions did not have to define what happened next.
What I Actually Missed
Once gambling had disappeared from my routine, I realised something that surprised me. I did not really miss gambling itself; what I missed was the competition.
I missed making a call and seeing whether I was right, the buzz of winning, the banter with mates and the little rivalries that develop when everyone thinks they know football better than everyone else. That got me thinking about whether it was possible to keep the competition, the football and the fun without the constant feeling of having to keep spending money.
From an Idea to FOOTiPICKS
The idea was simple: make your football picks, follow the results, score points and compete with your mates across the season.
I wanted to give fans another reason to follow matches they might otherwise overlook, from a Championship fixture on a Friday night to a League Two clash on a Saturday afternoon. That vision became FOOTiPICKS: a season-long competition built around football, friendly rivalry and plenty to play for, where a bad result does not mean you are out.
What I Want FOOTiPICKS to Be
FOOTiPICKS should always feel like a football game built for football fans. It is about making your picks, competing with your mates, following results, climbing the standings and having something to play for across the season.
Yes, there are prizes, but the real value is in the competition itself: the arguments, the group chats, the unexpected wins, the terrible picks and the person who gets one result right and suddenly starts talking like a Premier League manager.
That is the part I want people to enjoy.
I also want people to feel they are getting real value from taking part. One commitment, one season and plenty of football along the way, without the constant feeling that you have to keep dipping back into your pocket or that one bad result means the fun is over.
Where it Goes From Here
We have plenty of ideas for the future, but I want FOOTiPICKS to stay true to the idea behind it: competitive, social and fun. It should give football fans another reason to care about matches across the leagues and, most of all, give mates another reason to take the mick out of each other.
If you decide to join us, I genuinely hope you enjoy it. I hope you make some great picks, win something and get plenty of bragging rights along the way.
There is just one thing I would ask.
Whatever happens, please do not let me win.
I WILL BE ABSOLUTELY UNBEARABLE!
Did My Story Resonate With You?
If you connected with the story, felt inspired by it or simply want to know more about FOOTiPICKS,
you are always welcome to get in touch with any questions or thoughts.