Key Moments:
- ESPN has formed an exclusive, multi-year deal with DraftKings to launch December 1, 2025
- The agreement replaces ESPN’s existing ESPN BET arrangement with Penn
- DraftKings will be embedded in ESPN’s app as the official sportsbook and odds provider
Strategic Shift: DraftKings Becomes ESPN’s Sole Betting Partner
Starting December 1, 2025, ESPN will roll out a comprehensive partnership with DraftKings, positioning the Boston-based company at the heart of its sports betting products. As ESPN winds down its ESPN BET deal with Penn, DraftKings will become the exclusive Official Sportsbook and Odds Provider across ESPN’s digital platforms. This strategic integration is set to accompany multiview features, in-app statistics, short-form video, and personalized content, all aimed at keeping fans engaged inside the ESPN ecosystem during live game broadcasts.
BREAKING: ESPN and DraftKings announced an agreement to make DraftKings the exclusive official sportsbook and odds provider of ESPN, beginning on December 1, 2025.
This morning, the network revealed that it was ending its current sports betting partnership with Penn… pic.twitter.com/BQ6bz2nnvh
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) November 6, 2025
Integration Details and Launch Plans
From December, users will encounter a dedicated betting section within the ESPN app powered by DraftKings. This launch feature will support sportsbook access, daily fantasy contests, and Pick6 directly through ESPN’s digital products, with a full-scale rollout planned by 2026.
ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro stated: “Our betting approach has focused on offering an integrated experience within our products,” adding: “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.”
Jason Robins, DraftKings’ co-founder and chief executive, commented: “ESPN’s unmatched visibility across the world of sports make this collaboration a natural fit,” he said. “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.”
Penn Deal Winds Down, Marking a New Era
This exclusive tie-up with DraftKings marks the end of ESPN’s prior 2023 sportsbook initiative with Penn Entertainment. While ESPN once signaled an openness to partnering rather than operating its own book, the transition accelerates the company’s move toward a deep, one-partner integration. Bob Chapek, then-Disney chief executive, previously stated: “We at ESPN have the ability to do that. Now we’re going to need a partner to do that, because we’re never going to be a book, that’s never in the cards for the Walt Disney Company,” he said. “But at the same time, to be able to partner with a well-respected third party can do that for us.”
Pitaro had framed the original approach simply: “Our primary focus is always to serve sports fans and we know they want both betting content and the ability to place bets with less friction from within our products,” he said.
Implications and Future Direction
This transition equips ESPN with a seamless alignment between its betting, streaming, and sports rights offering. The network is restructuring its football coverage to bring more NFL content, live games, complementary programming, and whip-around coverage into its direct-to-consumer app. The vision: transforming the ESPN app into a single hub where fans can watch, follow, and wager—if legally permitted—within one space.
For DraftKings, the partnership means top billing as the default sportsbook across all ESPN digital channels, amplified by ESPN’s marketing muscle and large audiences. Its reach will cover most legal U.S. jurisdictions and Ontario, supporting ongoing customer growth strategies in a maturing betting market.
| Company | Role in Partnership | Integration Launch |
|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | Exclusive Official Sportsbook, Odds Provider | December 1, 2025 |
| Penn Entertainment | Previous ESPN BET partner | Partnership ending |
- Author
Daniel Williams
