NFL Renews Betting Deals With DraftKings and FanDuel, Adds Fanatics
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The NFL, America's biggest sports league, has announced new official partnerships with three sports betting companies for the 2026 season.
The league has renewed its existing deals with DraftKings and FanDuel, two of the largest sportsbook operators in the United States. Both companies have worked with the NFL before, and these agreements will continue.
In addition, the NFL has added Fanatics as a new official partner. Fanatics is well known for selling sports clothing and merchandise, but it has also built a sports betting business in recent years.
With these three deals, the NFL will have three official sportsbook partners for the upcoming season. This shows how important sports betting has become for major sports leagues in the United States.
However, the NFL has also made clear that it will not sign any deals with prediction market companies for 2026. Prediction markets let people bet on the outcome of events, but they work differently from traditional sportsbooks and are not regulated in the same way.
Sports betting has grown quickly in America since it became legal in many states a few years ago. Leagues like the NFL now earn money through official partnerships with betting companies, allowing them to advertise and use league data.
The decision to avoid prediction markets for now suggests the NFL is being careful about which types of betting products it connects itself with. This could change in future seasons as the industry continues to grow.
Vocabulary10 words
- official partnerships
- agreements that a company is approved to work with a group
- renewed
- made an agreement continue longer
- sportsbook
- a company where people bet money on sports
- prediction market
- a place where people bet on future events
- merchandise
- products sold with a team or brand's name on them
- regulated
- controlled by official rules
- industry
- all the businesses of one type together
- outcome
- the result of something
- legal
- allowed by law
- data
- information, often numbers or facts
Quiz
Answer key
1. Three 2. Fanatics 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
The NFL, America's biggest sports league, has announced new official _____ with three sports betting companies for the 2026 season.
The league has _____ its existing deals with DraftKings and FanDuel, two of the largest sportsbook operators in the United States.
In addition, the NFL has added Fanatics as a new official partner, a company known for selling sports _____.
With these three deals, the NFL will have three official _____ partners for the upcoming season.
However, the NFL has also made clear that it will not sign any deals with _____ companies for 2026.
Prediction markets let people bet on the outcome of events, but they are not _____ in the same way as sportsbooks.
Sports betting has grown quickly in America since it became _____ in many states a few years ago.
The decision to avoid prediction markets for now suggests the NFL is being careful about which types of betting products it connects itself with, as the _____ continues to grow.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think the NFL wants official partnerships with betting companies?
- What might be the risks of a sports league working closely with betting companies?
- Why do you think the NFL chose not to sign deals with prediction market companies?
- Do you think sports betting advertising affects how fans watch games? Why or why not?
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