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"Last fall, longtime sports fan, technologist and entrepreneur Brandon Ramsey had an epiphany: Fans love to banter over games and matches, but there's not one go-to destination where they can easily talk trash, make friendly wagers and have a convenient record-holder of bets and predictions. \nEnter Fanhood, Ramsey's Facebook app startup that marries sports gaming with the possibilities of Facebook's social graph to entice fans into betting virtual currency on not just games but general sports knowledge. \nJust four months after its October launch, Ramsey says the company has registered 170,000 users; 10,000 of those people use the app daily and more than 40,000 use it monthly. Fanhood's appeal is simple, according to Ramsey. \n\"We saw a huge audience, sports fans, that wasn't being served in a proven category, the social casino,\" he says. \nSEE ALSO: NFL Star 'Marries' 6-Year-Old Fan After Heartbroken YouTube Video\n\nOf course, Fanhood isn't the only company to have noticed that opportunity over the past several months. Pickmoto, DraftDay and StarStreet are just a few of many startups looking to put a digital twist on sports gaming, while major brands such as ESPN have entered the fray as well. \nVariety and ease of use are the main things Ramsey says set Fanhood apart from the rest of the field. Users can bet on individual games, March Madness-style tournaments, bingo-style cards featuring multiple games and more. Facebook's social graph lets the app notify users when their favorite team will go up against a friend's, as well as which of their friends are fans of a particular game or sport. NBA, NFL, college football and basketball, Major League Soccer and the English Premier League are all supported, with more sports to come. \nBut users need not even find an actual live game to attach their betting to. Another feature quizzes on sports trivia, while one called SportsPop briefly flashes famous sports photos to be ID'd. In both cases, users can bet virtual currency against \"the house\" or challenge friends directly. \nFanhood is made up of 10 fulltime employees whose backgrounds include time at Yahoo, Zynga, Slide and a number of startups. Ramsey declined to discuss Fanhood's funding numbers, but firms including First Round Capital, Mayfield Fund and Foundation Capital have all invested. \nNext up for the company: continuing its user growth and beginning to monetize, which Ramsey says will be done primarily through selling virtual currency. \nDo you think Fanhood will be able to monetize its popular sports games? Give us your take in the comments. \nImage courtesy Fanhood"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2013/02/06/fanhood/>