Strategic $2.5M deal launches global incubator model for sports, wellness, and entertainment startups
Lottery.com has finalized a stock purchase agreement to acquire a 90% stake in Nook Holdings, a Dubai-based sports and wellness business incubator. The $2.5 million all-cash deal is expected to close by 30 June 2025, and will see Nook fully rebranded under the Sports.com platform, Lottery.com’s flagship brand for sports innovation and community engagement.
From Dubai to the World: A Scalable Blueprint for Growth
Nook, based at One JLT in Dubai, is a co-working and licensing hub that supports early-stage companies in the sports and wellness sectors. Under the new ownership, it will serve as Lottery.com’s Middle Eastern headquarters and act as a launchpad for international operations. The acquisition reflects what executives describe as a “modular and repeatable” incubator model for emerging markets.
“This is not a one-off transaction – this is a scalable blueprint,” said Matthew McGahan, Chairman and CEO of Lottery.com and Sports.com. “We operate a modular model that enables us to bolt on high-potential, cash-generative businesses that expand both brands quickly and globally.”
Sports.com Incubators: The Future of Early-Stage Acceleration?
The deal is part of a broader strategy to build Sports.com-branded hubs around the world. Following Dubai, the next launch is planned for Al Quoz in Q4 2025 – a rapidly developing commercial zone near Dubai’s financial centre and iconic Burj Khalifa. Additional locations are being lined up in Riyadh, Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, and Greater Miami.
Mark Bircham, Director of Lottery.com and Head of Acquisitions for Sports.com, commented: “We’re creating a repeatable model that connects high-growth markets to a shared infrastructure. With the right businesses in place, the potential to scale across multiple verticals is enormous.”
Financials, Forecasts, and Legal Clean-Up
According to internal figures, Nook recorded a net profit of $354,000 for FY 2024, with projected growth of 38% to $490,000 in 2025. These fundamentals made the acquisition not only strategic but financially accretive, aligning with Lottery.com’s emphasis on acquiring cash-generating assets.
The acquisition follows positive legal developments for Lottery.com, including the dismissal of a lawsuit in Texas, allowing the company to pivot from crisis management to forward momentum. It also builds on an $18 million investment secured in late 2023, aimed at revitalizing and scaling the Sports.com brand.
The Bigger Picture: Sports, Tech, and Wellness Collide
Lottery.com’s strategic pivot to building a global incubator ecosystem marks an evolution beyond gaming and lotteries. It positions the firm at the intersection of sports, technology, wellness, and media, riding a wave of growing consumer and investor interest in integrated lifestyle platforms.
With market expansion focused on high-growth, digitally enabled cities, and a tested incubator model at its core, the company appears ready to turn Nook into a blueprint, not just a bolt-on – for its next growth phase.
