Badass Capital Launches New AI-First Hedge Fund, Targeting Sports Betting, Trading, and Prediction Markets

Founder Mark Thomas Brings Multiple Exits and Decades of Technology, Gaming, Sports Betting, and Crypto Experience to a New Class of AI-Driven Systematic Investing

Miami, FL, May 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Badass Capital today announced its launch as a new AI-first hedge fund, deploying proprietary artificial intelligence models and agents across three high-growth, inefficiency-rich markets: sports betting, TradFi and crypto trading, and prediction markets. The firm was founded by serial entrepreneur, Mark Thomas, whose background spans two successful technology exits, regulated gaming operations, and years of personal trading and sports betting analytics.

The fund operates as BA Capital Fund I LP, a Florida limited partnership, and is independently capitalized at launch, with the majority of Fund I committed from the founder’s own capital. A limited amount of outside investment is being accepted under a combined Rule 506(c) of Regulation D and Regulation S private placement offering, targeting accredited investors in the United States and qualified non-U.S. investors abroad.

AN AI-FIRST APPROACH TO SYSTEMATIC INVESTING

Badass Capital is a systematic firm that models, prices, trades, and manages risk across three domains connected by a common thread — markets where participants trade on beliefs, and where superior information and execution still produce a persistent structural edge.

According to Thomas, “We treat every market as a pricing problem: build the model, quantify the edge, execute with discipline. The convergence of platform proliferation and AI is creating an opportunity that most funds simply aren’t built to take.”

The firm’s investment strategies span three domains:

/ A · Sports Betting.  Quantitative models built on the founder’s years of sports betting experience to go up against sportsbooks, exchanges, prediction market makers, and P2P contest players. The fund’s thesis is simple: sports = math, and the edge belongs to whoever has better numbers.

/ B · TradFi & Crypto Trading.  Medium-term swing trading, momentum-driven scalp trading, and asset rotation across markets as conditions change. AI models and agents handle all research, trade alerts, and analysis.

/ C · Prediction Markets.  Event contract trading across sports, economics, and politics — operating as maker or taker depending on liquidity and cost profile. Advanced event hedging using prediction market contracts is a core component of the strategy.

“The firm targets markets where institutional capital has historically been absent or under-deployed,” said Thomas. “The explosion of new platforms, regulatory tailwinds, and AI capabilities are creating a unique structural opportunity window that we’re excited to take advantage of.

THE OPPORTUNITY: WHY NOW

Three converging forces are creating the conditions that make Badass Capital’s strategy uniquely positioned:

Liquidity Boom.  Trillions now flow annually through sports betting, crypto, and prediction markets globally — and volume continues to accelerate.

Platform Explosion.  New exchanges, sportsbooks, and prediction platforms launch constantly, each representing new pricing inefficiencies to be exploited.

The AI Unlock.  AI agents can now plug into all of these platforms simultaneously — processing data and acting on edges at a speed no human team can match. This is the moment. Most funds aren’t built for it.

ABOUT THE FOUNDER

Mark Thomas is a serial founder and operator with a background spanning consumer and enterprise technology, gaming, trading, real estate, and staffing. He's had multiple exits, including an executive staffing firm, a real estate SaaS platform, and a mobile sports betting app.

Most recently as the principal operator and key person of a licensed mobile sportsbook, Mark held Nevada and Tennessee gaming licenses — regulatory experience that is directly relevant to sports betting and prediction markets. He brings decades of personal sports betting analytics experience to the fund's model development, and has been an active high-volume trader of crypto and digital assets for several years.

The fund and Thomas are based in Miami, FL.

This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. Any such offer will be made only pursuant to definitive subscription documentation to verified accredited investors (Rule 506(c)) or qualified non-U.S. persons in offshore transactions (Regulation S). Interests in BA Capital Fund I LP have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 or any state securities laws. Investment involves significant risk, including possible loss of the entire amount invested. Past performance of any strategy or individual is not indicative of future results.

Press Inquiries

Mark Thomas
mark@badasscapital.ai
https://badasscapital.ai/
200 S BISCAYNE BLVD. FLOOR 20
SOUTHEAST FINANCIAL CENTER
MIAMI, FL 33131

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.