DraftKings: NFL Betting on the Rise Amid Prediction Market Expansion

DraftKings is looking at a strong start to the 2026 NFL season, with sportsbook betting volume up significantly compared to last year. At the same time, the Boston-based digital sports entertainment and gambling company is recording growing interest in its prediction markets, adding another part to the company’s business. 15% Rise YoY Speaking at the Wells Fargo 9th Annual Consumer Conference, DraftKings chief executive officer and co-founder Jason Robins said the company’s sportsbook handle went up 15% year-over-year during the first two weeks of the NFL season. The figure strictly refers to the company’s traditional sportsbook operations and does not include its DraftKings Predictions business. Robins also pointed to improving trends in iGaming, saying DraftKings had begun to regain market share as growth accelerated. He said the company was still on track for around $1 billion in adjusted EBITDA in 2026, with that figure expected to increase materially in 2027. Prediction Markets, “Huge Growth Story” While sports betting and online casino operations remain central to DraftKings, prediction markets are becoming an increasingly important part of the company’s plans. Robins described the prediction market business as a “huge growth story,” saying trading volume has increased by nearly 2.5 times since July. The timing is significant, as prediction market activity also benefited from increased interest surrounding the World Cup earlier this summer. DraftKings launched its Predictions product in December 2025 and has continued expanding its offering. Robins said the company now has an almost double-digit share of the broader sports market, with an even higher share in NFL betting. He also highlighted the number of markets available through DraftKings, saying the company offers roughly three times as many NFL markets as its competition and about 1.5 times as many college football and MLB markets. The company still sees areas where its prediction market product can improve. Robins specifically mentioned smaller sports such as tennis, suggesting that DraftKings is concentrating its efforts on sports that attract the largest betting audiences. Spending Could Also Increase DraftKings and Flutter Entertainment have both been investing heavily as competition in sports betting and prediction markets kept growing over the last few years. However, as expected, those higher expenses have raised questions among some investors about the companies’ near-term spending plans. Robins said DraftKings could invest “meaningfully more” if current trends continue on the same path. The company expects the additional spending to support higher revenue and gross profit next year, in 2027. For the time being, the early NFL numbers, improving iGaming performance, and rapid growth in prediction market activity are giving DraftKings several areas of the business to watch as the season progresses.