PrizePicks Hackathon 2025 Submission
Track: Next-Gen Game Flow - Re-imagining Real-Time Sports Engagement
A revolutionary sports engagement platform that combines AI-powered player analysis, real-time game simulation, and innovative betting mechanics to create an immersive, beginner-friendly experience for NBA fans.
Traditional sports betting platforms can be intimidating for newcomers and lack the real-time insights needed to make informed decisions. We set out to solve this by building a platform that:
- Democratizes Sports Betting: Makes prop betting accessible to beginners with AI-powered explanations
- Provides Real-Time Intelligence: Uses machine learning to simulate games and predict player performance
- Gamifies the Experience: Introduces innovative "Demons & Goblins" modifier system for dynamic risk/reward
- Offers Safe Practice: Paper betting with virtual currency lets users learn without financial risk
Our flagship innovation that transforms traditional prop betting:
-
Demon Players 🔥: High-risk, high-reward modifiers that boost projections and multiply payouts
- Projected stat increases by 4.0-5.5 points
- Payout multipliers: 10x to 2000x (scales with lineup size)
- Visual indicators: Red borders, badges, and stat highlights
-
Goblin Players 👺: Conservative plays that lower projections but provide safer bets
- Projected stat decreases by 3.0 points
- Payout reductions: 0.5x to 0.2x (compound multiplicatively)
- Visual indicators: Green borders, badges, and stat highlights
-
Dynamic Toggle System: One-click modifier activation with real-time payout calculations
-
Smart Restrictions: Prevents conflicting selections (e.g., LESS disabled when demon modifier active)
Leveraging AWS Bedrock and advanced ML models:
- Beginner-Friendly Explanations: AI breaks down complex stats into easy-to-understand insights
- Game Simulation Engine: Monte Carlo simulations predict player performance across 10,000+ game scenarios
- Machine Learning Predictions: ML models analyze historical data, matchups, and trends
- Real-Time Odds Calculation: Instantly see win probabilities for any prop or parlay
Risk-free practice environment:
- Virtual Currency: Start with $10,000 in paper money
- Full Betting Simulation: Place Power Plays (2-6 legs) and Flex Plays with real payout structures
- Live Result Tracking: Simulate bet outcomes based on AI predictions
- Leaderboards: Compete with friends to build the best virtual bankroll
Powered by NBA stats and PrizePicks API:
- Live Player Projections: Up-to-date stat lines for Points, Rebounds, Assists, 3-Pointers, and more
- Daily Props: Curated props for popular players updated daily
- Injury Tracking: Automatic filtering and warnings for injured players
- Schedule Integration: Complete game schedules with matchup analysis
Built with modern design principles:
- Dark/Light Theme Toggle: Personalized viewing experience
- Smooth Animations: Scroll-triggered reveals and falling confetti celebrations
- Responsive Design: Optimized for desktop, tablet, and mobile
- Real-Time Payout Calculator: See potential winnings update as you build your lineup
- Welcome Tutorial: Guided onboarding for new users
- React 18 with TypeScript for type-safe component architecture
- Vite for lightning-fast development and optimized builds
- Tailwind CSS v4 for modern, utility-first styling
- Lucide React for beautiful iconography
- LocalStorage for persistent state management
- FastAPI (Python) for high-performance REST API
- NBA API for real-time player stats and game data
- AWS Bedrock for AI-powered analysis and natural language generation
- NumPy/Pandas for statistical analysis and simulation
- PrizePicks API integration for prop lines
- Docker for containerized deployment
- ESLint for code quality
- Git for version control
- Node.js 18+ and npm/yarn
- Python 3.9+
- Docker (optional, for containerized deployment)
# Navigate to frontend directory
cd frontend
# Install dependencies
npm install
# Start development server
npm run devThe frontend will be available at http://localhost:5173
# Navigate to backend directory
cd backend
# Create virtual environment
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
# Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt
# Start FastAPI server
uvicorn app.main:app --reloadThe backend API will be available at http://localhost:8000
# Build and run with Docker Compose
docker-compose up --build- Filter by category (Popular, Guards, Forwards, Centers)
- View live projections for all major stat categories
- See injury status and game matchups
- Select 2-6 players for a Power Play or Flex Play
- Choose OVER or UNDER for each stat projection
- Activate Demon or Goblin modifiers for dynamic gameplay
- Real-time payout display updates as you build
- Power Play multipliers: 3x to 37.5x
- Flex Play multipliers: 0.4x to 25x
- Demon/Goblin modifiers apply additional multipliers
- Run AI simulations to see win probabilities
- Get beginner-friendly explanations of each pick
- View Monte Carlo simulation results (10,000+ game scenarios)
- Submit bets using virtual currency
- Track your balance and betting history
- Compete on leaderboards
- Beginner-Friendly: No jargon, AI explains everything in plain English
- Visual Clarity: Color-coded modifiers (red for demons, green for goblins)
- Instant Feedback: Real-time payout calculations and stat updates
- Gamification: Demons & Goblins add strategic depth beyond traditional betting
- Risk Management: Flexible play styles from conservative (goblins) to aggressive (demons)
- Social Competition: Leaderboards and shareable results encourage community
GET /api/daily-props/today # Today's props for popular players
GET /api/daily-props/tomorrow # Tomorrow's props
POST /api/daily-props/simulate-bet # Simulate single prop outcome
POST /api/daily-props/place-bet # Place paper bet
POST /api/daily-props/place-parlay # Place multi-leg parlay
GET /api/daily-props/balance/:user # Check balance
POST /api/simulation/single-game # Simulate one game
POST /api/simulation/bet-outcome # Simulate bet result
POST /api/simulation/multi-leg-ticket # Simulate parlay
GET /api/simulation/quick-odds/:player # Get quick odds
GET /api/beginner/players/:name/beginner-analysis # Get AI explanation
POST /api/beginner/analyze-prop/beginner # Analyze single prop
POST /api/beginner/analyze-ticket/beginner # Analyze full ticket
Full API documentation available at http://localhost:8000/docs (Swagger UI)
✅ Hybrid Simulation Engine: Combines Monte Carlo methods with ML predictions
✅ Real-Time Multiplier Calculations: Complex payout logic with modifier stacking
✅ Type-Safe Architecture: Full TypeScript implementation prevents runtime errors
✅ Optimized Performance: Lazy loading, code splitting, and efficient state management
✅ One-Click Modifiers: Toggle demons/goblins without complexity
✅ Smart Validation: Prevents invalid selections (e.g., LESS with active demons)
✅ Visual Storytelling: Borders, badges, and colors communicate game state instantly
✅ Progressive Disclosure: Advanced features accessible but not overwhelming
✅ Lower Barrier to Entry: Paper betting removes financial risk for newcomers
✅ Educational Value: AI explanations teach users about sports analytics
✅ Engagement Hooks: Modifiers and simulations keep users coming back
✅ Scalable Architecture: FastAPI + React ready for production deployment
This project was built by a team of 4 passionate developers for the PrizePicks Hackathon 2025.
- User authentication and profile management
- Historical bet tracking and analytics dashboard
- Social features (share lineups, follow friends)
- Push notifications for game starts and bet outcomes
- Live in-game stat tracking and mid-game betting
- Expanded modifier system (Wizards, Trolls, etc.)
- Tournament mode with prize pools
- Mobile app (React Native)
- Multi-sport support (NFL, MLB, NHL)
- Advanced AI: Personalized prop recommendations
- Blockchain integration for provably fair simulations
- API marketplace for third-party integrations
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
- PrizePicks for hosting the hackathon and inspiring this project
- NBA.com for comprehensive player statistics
- AWS for Bedrock AI capabilities
- Open Source Community for the amazing tools and libraries
Built with ❤️ for the PrizePicks "Next-Gen Game Flow" Hackathon
Live Demo: [Coming Soon]
Documentation: See /frontend and /backend directories for detailed guides
# Quick Start (from project root)
npm install --prefix frontend
pip install -r backend/requirements.txt
npm run dev --prefix frontend &
python3 run.py