As SBC Summit Americas approaches, Affiliate Leaders caught up with Caleb Dykema, co-founder of Vault Sports, to talk about scaling from a betting app to a fast-growing affiliate network.
He provides insight into how the company is aiming to redefine affiliate marketing with creator-first tools, smart compliance, and lessons learned from DFS.
On your website, you briefly share your story. Broke graduates who were tech-savvy enough to create something good enough to make money. Could you walk our readers through your company’s journey?
Caleb Dykema: My co-founder, Zach Nichols, and I met in high school and went on to work together on a few startups during college, including a tailgating game and a wedding registry software. While none of those ventures really took off, everything changed in 2019.
At a Christmas party, right before I was about to graduate, Zach proposed an idea: using his AI expertise (proven through his work with professional sports teams like the Minnesota Wild) to revolutionise the way the average fan experiences sports betting.
Together, we formed a vision: to empower everyday bettors with AI-driven insights that help them navigate the complexities of sports betting.
In early 2020, we started building. Zach turned down a coaching analytics position with the Miami Dolphins, and I left my corporate job six months after graduation. I started bartending nights to fully focus on building Vault, with the goal of educating and simplifying the industry for everyone.
One of the early tools that we developed for our audience was a dynamic spreadsheet for bet tracking. It quickly gained popularity, and it inspired us to create something more user-friendly: the Vault Sports app. The app synced with sportsbooks, giving bettors a seamless dashboard to track bets, stats, and bankrolls. It hit the App Store Top 100, racking up 40,000 downloads in a single NFL season (Aug 2022 – Feb 2023) — entirely through organic content.
In 2023, we partnered with a handful of influencers and betting sites to promote our app and sportsbook partners ahead of the upcoming football season. Within just a couple of months, the success was undeniable, so much so that we decided to pivot from focusing on the app to expanding our affiliate network full-time. This shift was also shaped by our earlier experiences with a competitor, which showed us exactly what an affiliate network shouldn’t be: poor support, outdated tracking tools, and little to no guidance. That experience was pivotal in shaping Vault Sports into what it is today—a supportive, tech-driven affiliate network that now reaches over 7 million sports fans across North America.
Do you have any tips for navigating varying compliance requirements across states? Which states do you find the easiest or most challenging to navigate, and why?
CD: Staying organised is critical. We maintain meticulous records of each state’s regulations and rely on a proactive legal team to keep us ahead of changes. This fast-evolving industry can be a challenge or an opportunity, and our ability to pivot swiftly gives us a competitive edge.
Missouri’s legalisation is on the horizon—likely in 2025—and we’re preparing now. By onboarding affiliates focused on Missouri teams and players, we’re ensuring compliance readiness and a strong market presence the moment it goes live.
How do you go about identifying and onboarding content creators, influencers, and brands, and how do you then make sure that they hit the mark in delivering good results?
CD: We vet potential affiliates thoroughly, ensuring their past content meets compliance standards and aligns with our partner brands. Once approved, onboarding includes in-depth training on compliance, responsible gaming, and effective brand promotion.
After launch, our internal monitoring ensures affiliates remain compliant and deliver high-quality content. Each affiliate is assigned a dedicated account manager who uses Vault’s Internal Dashboard to analyse performance and optimise campaigns.
Affiliates use Vault’s Affiliate Dashboard for real-time insights into clicks, conversions, and commissions. This empowers them to fine-tune their own campaigns and boost results.
When building the dashboard for your affiliates, what were the key considerations regarding its usability, and how could it help your partners optimise their results?
CD: We knew that managing multiple operators from siloed dashboards—each displaying different data—was out of the question. So, we designed the Vault Affiliate Dashboard as a unified hub, accessible to novices and experts alike, with enhanced insights that go beyond what operators provide.
Influencers and new media channels demand fast feedback, unlike traditional SEO. We prioritised speed and clarity, allowing affiliates to adjust campaigns daily, or even hourly.
We also tackled the hassle of frequent offer and link changes. Our dashboard organises everything, and automated emails notify affiliates instantly when updates go live. This enables our affiliates to minimise downtime and maximise revenue.
There’s a lot of discussion about the crossover between sports betting and DFS. You’re no stranger to this topic, so give us a sneak peek—where does this crossover occur, and how can operators best serve both worlds?
CD: DFS brands have long set the pace in this industry, and sportsbooks should learn from their playbook, namely in three areas. First, influencers: DFS has harnessed online communities and creators to drive explosive growth, building loyal audiences that return weekly. Sportsbooks should follow suit, especially as retention becomes key.
Second, affiliate codes: unlike clunky links, codes give influencers ownership and work better for video or audio channels—a tactic DFS leans into and sportsbooks should revive.
Finally, daily promos: DFS excels with simple, player-focused offers like free squares, paired with affiliate-ready creatives. Sportsbooks often overcomplicate promos and leave affiliates to fend for themselves—a missed opportunity.
At SBC Summit Americas, you will be on another panel discussing UX, marketing, retention, and everything in between. As player behaviors continue to evolve, what are the key acquisition and retention trends shaping the way you currently work?
CD: Players crave authentic, repeatable experiences. Think video breakdowns or tight-knit betting communities. This trend is not slowing down anytime soon.
We are also seeing a shift from acquisition to retention, with models like revenue-share or handle-share gaining traction. At Vault, we’re doubling down on ‘stickiness’ by equipping affiliates with tools for consistent, fresh content—whether it’s a creator’s weekly picks or real-time dashboard insights. That’s how you stand out in a crowded market.
Apart from speaking on two panels, which aspects of SBC Summit Americas are you most looking forward to?
CD: The networking after the conference is my favorite part. Having been in this industry for over five years, it’s great to relax over drinks with the friends I’ve made along the way—and to meet new ones too!
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