Halloween DealsAmazon USHalloween week deals: useful picks before month-endAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsWindows FixRecommendedWindows errors stealing your time? Find the fix fastScan stability, cleanup and performance issues.Fix NowHalloween DealsAmazon USOctober picks are moving - compare before checkoutAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.See Picks×
FREEDOM251

Freedom251 › Blog › business model

How DraftKings Makes Money: Sports Betting, iGaming, and Revenue Explained

By Freedom251 Team · · 3 min read

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

DraftKings earns most of its revenue from sports betting and online casino games. In fiscal 2025, Sportsbook and iGaming together accounted for 93% of its revenue. Sportsbook revenue is the amount left from settled wagers after payouts; iGaming revenue comes from the casino’s winnings as customers play. Those figures are revenue, not profit, and the company’s latest reporting category called “Sports” also includes Prediction Markets.

How DraftKings earns revenue from sports betting

For a sportsbook, the total amount customers wager is commonly called handle. DraftKings earns revenue from resolved betting markets by subtracting payouts from settled handle. The remainder is gross gaming revenue, also called hold.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

DraftKings describes the calculation in its 2025 Form 10-K: “Revenue is realized by taking the settled handle for betting markets that have been resolved and subtracting the payouts for these betting markets such that the difference is our gross gaming revenue, or ‘hold.’” The company sets odds intended to provide a built-in theoretical margin, but actual results vary with game outcomes and customers’ betting patterns. A busy betting period does not guarantee higher revenue if payouts are also high.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

How DraftKings earns revenue from iGaming

iGaming refers here to online casino play, including slots, blackjack, roulette, and baccarat. Customers play games against the house, and DraftKings recognizes the house’s gross winnings, or hold, as revenue. Its casino content includes both games developed in-house and games licensed from suppliers.

What DraftKings’ reported revenue figures show

DraftKings’ annual and quarterly filings use different reporting categories. The 2025 annual report separates Sportsbook and iGaming; the 2026 second-quarter filing reports Sports, iGaming, and Other, and defines Sports to include online and retail sportsbook as well as Prediction Markets. The periods and labels should not be conflated.

Reporting period and source Sportsbook or Sports iGaming Other Total revenue
Fiscal 2025, DraftKings Inc. 2026 Form 10-K $3,827.1 million (Sportsbook) $1,804.6 million Not stated as a comparable standalone figure in the cited summary $6,054.5 million
Six months ended June 30, 2026, DraftKings Inc. Q2 Form 10-Q $1,986.4 million (Sports; includes Prediction Markets) $923.2 million $179.6 million $3,089.3 million

Sportsbook and iGaming made up 93% of fiscal 2025 revenue, according to the 2025 annual filing. The six-month 2026 values are year-to-date figures, not a full-year total. The 2026 “Sports” amount is not sportsbook-only because the category includes Prediction Markets. “Other” primarily includes Fantasy, Lottery, and interest income on customer deposits in that filing.

Rank #2
Sale
KAIU Sports Betting Log Book – 124 Pages 6''x9'',
  • MORE SPACE FOR REAL TRACKING: Designed with extra writing space compared to typical betting trackers—log bets, strategies, and insights instead of just numbers
  • DISCIPLINED BETTING SYSTEM: Set limits, track units, and stay consistent. Build smarter habits and eliminate emotional betting with structured logging pages
  • BUILT-IN WEEKLY & MONTHLY PROFIT CALCULATOR: Quickly see your performance with dedicated profit tracking pages. Analyze wins, losses, and trends to make smarter bets over time
  • PROFESSIONAL LOGGING STRUCTURE: Organized pages feature betting summary, notes, and detailed logs—ideal for serious sports bettors and data-driven users
  • PREMIUM QUALITY YOU CAN FEEL: Compact 6x9 size, 124 pages, smooth 120gsm paper, durable thick cover, and strong double metal coil—perfect for daily use anywhere

Why betting volume can rise while revenue falls

Sports Consumer Volume is the amount of customer activity DraftKings reports for its Sports category; it is not revenue. In the second quarter of 2026, Sports Consumer Volume was $13.1 billion, up 14.5% year over year, while Sports revenue declined 10.6%. DraftKings reported a Sports Net Revenue Margin of 6.8%, down from 8.7% a year earlier.

Free tools Windows power users keep installed

One-click scans. No signup required.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

The company attributed the margin decline mainly to customer-friendly sports outcomes and increased promotional spending associated with customer acquisition. In other words, the amount wagered can grow even as the share retained as revenue shrinks. iGaming revenue rose 7.5% in that quarter, partially offsetting the decline in Sports. Total second-quarter 2026 revenue was $1,443.2 million, down 4.6% year over year.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Why revenue is not the same as profit

Revenue is the money recognized from gaming activity and other reported sources; it does not show what remains after operating costs. In fiscal 2025, DraftKings reported $3,556.9 million in cost of revenue, $1,379.9 million in sales and marketing, $459.9 million in product and technology expense, and $673.6 million in general and administrative expense.

The filings identify gaming taxes, payment processing, platform costs, promotions, and customer acquisition as relevant expense drivers. Launching in new markets can also require substantial spending to attract and retain customers and encourage them to use more than one product. Therefore, a larger handle or revenue figure by itself does not establish that the company is more profitable.

Best Value
Sports Betting Logbook Sports, 100 Pages with Monthly P&L & Odds Converter
  • CONVENIENT SIZE - Medium size (8.25" x 5.83")
  • RECORDING AND PLANNING - Ideal for recording all your bets with a handy note section on each day page. Ideal for looking back when planning future bets
  • SUITABLE FOR ALL SPORTS - Perfect for horse racing, football, tennis, cricket, baseball, basketball, ice hockey, etc
  • CONVENIENT AND EASY TO USE - Convenient headlines to record all your betting activities
  • Lying Flat The sturdy spiral binding allows the notebook to rotate 360 degrees, making it very convenient to complete the log

How to read DraftKings’ revenue reports

  • Check the period first: a quarter, six-month period, and full fiscal year are not interchangeable.
  • Check the category label: 2025 “Sportsbook” and 2026 “Sports” do not cover exactly the same products.
  • Separate activity from earnings: handle or Sports Consumer Volume measures wagering activity, while revenue reflects the net amount after payouts and other recognition rules.
  • Separate revenue from profit: expenses such as taxes, promotions, marketing, and technology costs affect what remains.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

business modelDraftKingsiGamingRevenueSports betting

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You DownFree scan - exact matches
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?Free scan - under a minute

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.