Speaker Profile

As a member of the infamous MIT Blackjack Team, Jeff Ma created an ingenious method for counting cards—using talent, creativity, math, and teamwork to win millions in Las Vegas. Ma was the inspiration for the best-selling book Bringing Down the House and the hit movie, 21. He is also an accomplished entrepreneur having started four different companies including GolfSpan (sold to Demand Media), CircleLending (sold to Virgin), Citizen Sports (sold to Yahoo) and tenXer (sold to Twitter).

Beyond his work as an entrepreneur, Ma has been at the forefront of the “Moneyball” movement since 2003 working with professional sports teams like the San Francisco 49ers and the Portland Trail Blazers and media powerhouses like ESPN and Major League Baseball. His business bestselling book, “The House Advantage: Playing the Odds to Win Big in Business” draws on his unique experiences at the table and in the sports world to create a truly accessible book about analytics.

Ma continues to be active in the startup world serving as an advisor and board member to companies like Abnormal Security, Censia, StatsBomb and Pro League Network. Most recently, Ma served as Microsoft’s Vice President of Startups overseeing the company’s program to accelerate the success of developers, startup founders, and students around the world. He is also the Co Host of Bet the Process, the leading analytically based sports betting podcast.

Currently, Ma is the Chief Digital Officer of Troon (the largest global golf management company) where he leads an ambitious effort to revolutionize golf with technology and data.

‍