ESPN partners with DraftKings as exclusive sportsbook after PENN deal ends
Summary
ESPN and DraftKings have agreed a multiyear deal making DraftKings the exclusive Official Sportsbook and Odds Provider for ESPN, effective 1 December 2025. The announcement follows ESPN and PENN Entertainment mutually ending their 10-year partnership after ESPN Bet failed to meet certain performance benchmarks. PENN will rebrand its US app to theScore Bet on 1 December, while ESPN Bet will pivot to a content-focused brand with DraftKings integrations.
Key Points
- DraftKings becomes ESPN’s exclusive Official Sportsbook and Odds Provider from 1 December 2025.
- The ESPN–PENN 10-year, $2bn arrangement was terminated mutually after underperformance against benchmarks.
- PENN will rebrand its US app to theScore Bet on 1 December 2025.
- DraftKings products (sportsbook, daily fantasy, DraftKings Pick6) start integrating across ESPN’s ecosystem in December 2025, with a full rollout expected in 2026.
- DraftKings currently operates in 28 US states, Washington, D.C., and Ontario, Canada, and will help run responsible-gaming campaigns with ESPN.
- ESPN BET shifts to a betting-content brand anchored by ESPN BET Live on ESPN2 and expanded digital/social coverage.
- ESPN leadership frames the deal as a way to deepen direct-to-consumer offerings; DraftKings highlights the fit with ESPN’s reach and storytelling.
Content summary
The article outlines the new ESPN–DraftKings partnership and places it within the immediate fallout of ESPN’s ended agreement with PENN Entertainment. It explains operational changes: PENN’s rebrand of its US betting app, ESPN BET’s repositioning as a content brand, and the phased technical and product integration of DraftKings features into ESPN’s apps and broadcasts, beginning December 2025 and completing through 2026.
Quotes from ESPN’s Jimmy Pitaro and DraftKings’ Jason Robins stress fan engagement, integration of technology and products, and a joint emphasis on responsible gaming as core aims of the collaboration.
Context and relevance
This is a notable development in sports-betting and media convergence. ESPN choosing DraftKings as an exclusive partner reshapes distribution of betting flows across a major sports media ecosystem and signals continued consolidation in the US wagering market. Operators, advertisers and content partners should watch rollout plans and how ESPN monetises betting integrations within its direct-to-consumer strategy. The move also highlights the commercial risk of media–operator tie-ups: PENN’s large-scale deal underperformed and has been wound down.
Author style
Punchy: This is big for both sports media and wagering firms — ESPN swaps out a $2bn, decade-long tie-up for DraftKings, and that switch will ripple through product placement, app behaviour and affiliate flows. If you work in betting, media rights, or digital fan engagement, dig into the rollout details.
Why should I read this?
Quick and straight: if you follow sports betting or sports media, this changes who controls the fan-to-bets pathway on ESPN. It affects affiliate traffic, in-app features, and who gets the eyeballs when fans want odds — worth a skim now and a deeper read if you’re in the industry.
