Sometimes the best stories start with the simplest ideas. When Billy Cundall, Senior Manager in FanDuel's Acquisition Strategy team, moved from London to New York, he didn’t know a single person. One casual Slack chat and a shared love of soccer changed that — and sparked a journey that captures the true spirit of Flutter. The experience brought a team of colleagues together in such a surprising and memorable way, it had everyone thinking: What the Flutter?
It began as a one-off before a Leeds United match. “I set up a speculative Slack group chat where a bunch of us tried to raise enough numbers to have a pickup game,” Billy recalls.
What started as a casual kickabout quickly grew legs. “After that morning, we realized just how many people were interested in soccer around the business,” he says. “We started playing regular weekend games, and that’s when the dream of creating a proper 11-a-side team really took hold.”
Colleagues from across the company — from Media Associates to VPs— stepped forward with hidden soccer skills. Tom Lodge, Senior Manager for Customer Marketing Strategy, remembers it clearly:
"Billy announced the formation of the team during a sportsbook all-hands meeting. Soccer is my passion, and it was a great chance to meet more people at the company, so I immediately reached out to him over Slack."
From casual games to a fully-fledged squad, FanDuel FC came together fast — soon becoming the only company-based team competing in a competitive New York league against established local clubs. What could have stayed a weekend activity turned into something much bigger.
Having worked across Flutter brands — Sky Betting & Gaming, PokerStars, and now FanDuel — Billy had seen firsthand how the Flutter Edge connects talent across borders. That same one-team culture became FanDuel FC’s advantage.
With teammates who worked closely together day-to-day, collaboration on the pitch came naturally — so much so that the newly formed squad went on to win the league in their debut season.“It’s cool knowing we won the title while being the only company-based team in the league,” says Tom. “It really showed the strength of our one-team mentality.”
Jake Ryan, Media Associate, felt that bond too:
"By our third game, I realized this was not like any other team I’d been on before. These are my co-workers, some much more senior than me, but we’d built this friendship through a sport we love.”
Every great underdog story has a turning point. For FanDuel FC, it came late in the season against fierce rivals Barnstonworth Rovers FC. Billy remembers it vividly:
“With just a handful of games to go, we faced them in a heated top-of-the-table clash. The level of commitment from both sides was off the scales. In a tight-fought affair, the points looked to be split—until a late set-piece goal broke the deadlock and helped us win 1-0. That’s when I thought, ‘Woah, this is happening — promotion is on the cards!’”
Senior Analyst Eric Gooden had his “What the Flutter?!” moment even earlier:
“Pregame nerves were definitely there. But seeing the team in our royal blue uniforms with the FD badge — knowing this was just an idea months earlier — we pulled through with a win. That was special.”
Operational Excellence Senior Analyst Drew Budinsky adds: “We grew as a team each game, got more comfortable playing with each other, and somehow ended on a 14-game winning streak.”
It wasn’t always easy. “Games were not super easy to get to,” Drew says. “It often involved carpooling, subway rides, biking or walking to Randall’s Island. But rain or shine, we always fielded a full team.”
That dedication forged friendships that carried back into the office. “Going into the office and seeing a teammate I might never have spoken to otherwise — that’s such a nice feeling,” Jake says.
Eric echoes the impact: “FanDuel FC has definitely strengthened relationships at work. It’s brought together people from across the business and helped us connect with colleagues we might not have met otherwise.”
For Tom, the post-match rituals sealed those bonds: “Playing together and sharing a pint after the game is the perfect way to get to know colleagues. I’ve made friendships that extend well beyond work thanks to this team.”
Billy reflects on how far they’ve come:
"Coming over to NYC, I didn’t know anybody. Now, a lot of my best friends in the city come from FDFC and from work. It’s been incredible to combine work and sport like this.”
The hard work paid off with a league title and promotion. Drew remembers the celebrations: “We went out for drinks after clinching the league title, and everyone shared what the team meant to them. There was such a wide range of experience playing soccer, but everyone grew more eager to show up and play as the season went on.”
Tom still feels the buzz: “Lifting the championship trophy at the end of our final game was amazing. It felt surreal considering this was our first season playing together. The success we achieved is summed up by the ‘one team’ mentality that’s so ingrained in the culture at FanDuel.”
With promotion secured, the team is thinking bigger. Billy jokes: “Being megged by Lionel Messi would be a bucket-list moment. I’d quite fancy our chances versus Inter Miami in the US Open Cup.”
Eric looks ahead: “I hope we can keep building on this success and bring even more people into the team. The community we’ve built is something I see continuing to grow.”
Tom dreams of taking it global:
“My pie-in-the-sky idea would be to organize a Flutter World Cup where teams from across the Flutter umbrella compete for bragging rights.”
Jake keeps it closer to home: “I’d love for us to win more titles. But at the end of the day, as long as we’re playing, having fun, and growing as colleagues and friends — I’m happy with wherever this team ends up.”
From a single Slack message to silverware, FanDuel FC shows what’s possible when you give people the freedom to connect, collaborate, and dream big.
As the only company-based team in their league, they didn’t just compete — they dominated, powered by the same one-team spirit that fuels Flutter’s success globally.
From Brooklyn kickabouts to championship glory, from arriving in New York alone to forming incredible friendships — FanDuel FC is a What the Flutter story that’s only just getting started.
