DraftKings is set to take over Penn Entertainment’s role in the ESPN Bet partnership, after Penn said its agreement with ESPN will end on 1 December. The ESPN Bet app is expected to continue using DraftKings’ odds and technology; financial terms of the new arrangement have not been disclosed.
The change could affect the operation and commercial terms of a major US sportsbook partnership.
Quarter ended 30 September 2026
Quarter ended 30 September 2026
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ESPN and PENN Entertainment agreed to end their exclusive US online sports betting arrangement on 1 December 2025, while ESPN named DraftKings its exclusive odds provider from December, with full implementation planned for 2026. PENN plans to rebrand its US betting service as theScore Bet, subject to regulatory approvals, and said the launch is projected for 1 December.
ESPN signed a multi-year agreement with DraftKings to make it its official sports betting and odds provider, with the services due to appear across ESPN platforms from December, the companies said. The terms were not disclosed. ESPN and PENN are transitioning their existing US online betting offer to ESPN BET Score by December, and PENN’s payments to ESPN are due to stop in Q4 2025.
DraftKings and ESPN plan to introduce account linking before March Madness, enabling customers to connect the two platforms. ESPN said linked users will receive betting selections informed by their app use, access to a bracket-based betting feature and one free month of ESPN Unlimited.
Missouri launched legal sports betting on 1 December, with eight brands opening in the state. DraftKings and Circa Sports hold independent licences, while other operators partnered with teams or casinos; ESPN Bet ended operations as PENN shifted its US betting business to theScore Bet.
The North Carolina State Lottery Commission reported a record $811.4 million in total sports wagering handle for October 2025 across the state’s eight licensed online sportsbooks. Paid wagering revenue was $784.3 million, and bettors received $728.9 million in winnings, the highest monthly payout since the market launched.