ESPN’s emphasis on sports betting isn’t going away following the termination of its deal with PENN Entertainment.
Key Takeaways
- DraftKings will provide ESPN with odds as the media company’s official sportsbook.
- ESPN will integrate DraftKings into its programming and highly popular app.
- The collaboration brings two massive brands together.
The World Wide Leader in Sports wasted no time in announcing a new partnership with DraftKings Sportsbook on Thursday. The sports betting operator with the second-most market share in the U.S. is soon to be the official sportsbook and odds provider of ESPN.
The agreement goes into effect on Dec. 1. ESPN and PENN ended a 10-year, $2 billion deal on Thursday, just two years after ESPN BET launched in the U.S.
ESPN BET Sportsbook will close Dec. 1 and be rebranded in the US as theScore Bet, per release; $PENN hopes to go live with theScore BET in the US on Dec. 1
— Ryan Butler (@ButlerBets) November 6, 2025
Terms of the multi-year partnership with DraftKings were not announced.
“ESPN’s unmatched visibility across the world of sports makes this collaboration a natural fit,” said Jason Robins, CEO and co-founder of DraftKings. “As an innovative leader in digital sports entertainment, DraftKings is uniquely positioned to integrate our technology and products with ESPN’s iconic brand and storytelling power. Together, we’re delivering a seamless, engaging, and responsible experience that elevates how fans connect with live sports.”
Fully integrated
Under PENN’s umbrella, ESPN integrated many of its sportsbook themes and features into the media brand’s primary app. That isn’t going away. DraftKings will now be heavily featured in the ESPN app.
“Our betting approach has focused on offering an integrated experience within our products,” said Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN. “Working with DraftKings, a leader in the space, will allow us to build upon that foundation, continue to super-serve passionate sports fans and grow our ESPN direct-to-consumer business. We are excited about this new collaboration with DraftKings.”
DraftKings’ sportsbook, fantasy, and Pick 6 offerings will be accessible through the ESPN app beginning in December through a tab dedicated to the operator. Full integration is planned for early 2026.
DraftKings customers will receive ESPN promotions for the media company’s direct-to-consumer product, ESPN Unlimited, which offers all live sports in one app.
ESPN’s betting show, which airs weekdays at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2, will also shift to DraftKings integrations and branding.
Sensible marriage
ESPN is giving up on its own sports betting operation, but it’s leaning into a heavy hitter with DraftKings, a more massive brand in the gaming industry. The online sportsbook is live in 28 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., and Ontario. It ranks only behind FanDuel across the country, and owns the most market share in multiple states.
Pitaro said ESPN drove “over 2.9 million new users into the PENN ecosystem” since 2023. DraftKings has more than 10 million customers and was one of the first brands to launch a sportsbook in the U.S. after years of building a reputation in fantasy sports.
ESPN’s venture with PENN didn’t go as either side would’ve liked, as the ESPN BET brand failed to challenge DraftKings or FanDuel in most markets. This new deal could allow both DraftKings and ESPN, as well as their customers, to benefit from what both entities have to offer.
