Daily Fantasy Sports
Assessing the esports DFS opportunity in the US
Oliver Niner, Head of B2B says that DFS remains a compelling vertical with huge growth potential especially if operators expand their offering into esports
The roll out of legal online and mobile sports betting across US states has presented a significant opportunity for operators, but the market has proved harder to crack than many anticipated.
The cost of customer acquisition is skyrocketing, building brand equity is taking much longer than expected, and there’s been a slowdown in new states embracing regulation and licensing.
This has led to a run of operators exiting the market as the numbers simply don’t add up.
But while this is happening, the daily fantasy sports space continues to thrive and remains a compelling opportunity for operators.
DFS has a unique legal standing in many states where sports betting is still restricted, allowing operators to reach audiences they otherwise couldn’t.
It also fosters deeper engagement with those who play – players aren’t just betting on outcomes; they’re actively managing lineups and pitting their knowledge and skills against others.
This is the perfect combination for retention and loyalty – something sportsbooks struggle to achieve with players easily swayed to join another brand simply because of a generous free bets offer.
There’s also an untapped opportunity in bringing the worlds of esports and daily fantasy sports together, allowing operators to connect with an entirely new audience.
Until now, traditional DFS brands have focused on the major sports, but the younger, digital-native audiences are more interested in esports such as CS2 and LoL than the NFL.
Why the DFS model works:
Before discussing how operators can get in on the esports DFS action, it’s important to understand why the DFS model works so well in the US, especially for those looking to diversify their offering.
The first is regulatory accessibility. DFS is legal in more states than traditional sports betting, allowing operators to enter markets where sportsbook licensing is unavailable or complex.
DFS has much lower acquisition costs while serving as a gateway to paid gaming. It often attracts a younger, more engaged audience at a lower CPA compared to traditional sports betting.
Strong user retention is another upside. Unlike one-off bets, DFS players return regularly to manage lineups, track stats and compete in contests, driving retention rates way beyond sports betting.
It’s also esports ready. Esports fans are highly engaged with player performance stats, making DFS a natural fit. It can then serve as an introduction to real-money esports betting when regulations allow.
The esports DFS opportunity to be explored:
DFS is an established and thriving vertical and while some operators offer esports within their proposition, it often lacks depth, innovation and mainstream adoption.
Esports fans are naturally engaged with stats, player performance metrics and in-game analytics, so easily segue into the DFS format.
Titles like LoL, CS2, Dota 2 and Valorant offer rich data sets that allow for creative and competitive fantasy formats, but most operators are yet to really get into it.
This leaves a major gap in the market and a huge opportunity for those who put together a compelling esports DFS product, especially as the popularity of esports betting grows.
What a compelling esports DFS product looks like:
The foundation of any esports DFS product is reliable, real-time data and the ability to provide a range of engaging contest formats.
This is where companies such as PandaScore come in. We provide operators with comprehensive esports data including player and team stats across all the major disciplines.
We supplement this with accurate odds and DFS pricing models, helping operators to set accurate and competitive odds – both our data and odds feeds are integrated seamlessly via API.
We also provide unrivalled market expertise; the team has years of experience powering esports betting which we leverage to ensure our partners can succeed with esports DFS.
In addition to markets and odds, players need to be able to access deep performance metrics so they can make informed decisions.
It’s also important for the operator to provide a smooth and intuitive experience via a seamless UX and mobile first approach to site and app navigation.
The diversity of the contests offered needs to be considered, too. This includes classic salary cap formats as well as pick’em games and more.
It goes without saying that social interaction needs to be baked into the experience through features such as leaderboards, private leagues and head-to-head challenges.
Operators need to get ahead in a rapidly evolving market:
The US sports betting and iCasino market is fast moving with the landscape constantly changing – just look at the conversation around sweepstakes casinos.
For me, DFS and especially esports DFS remain an underutilised growth channel that operators need to take advantage of.
As esports betting gains traction – PandaScore recently surpassed €1bn in bets through its platform – DFS serves as a vital entry point through which operators can build brand recognition and engage a digital-first audience primed and ready to play.
This audience might not be familiar with real-money betting today, but by providing them with an experience they are familiar and comfortable with, they can become the bettors of tomorrow.
At PandaScore, we are here to help operators capitalise on this opportunity with best-in-class data, pricing models and strategic support.
For operators, this means the numbers will always add up when it comes to esports daily fantasy sports.
The post Assessing the esports DFS opportunity in the US appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Dabble announced that its platform has officially entered and is now live in the state of Arizona. This further expands Dabble’s regulated U.S. market presence and makes its Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) offering available to users in one of the country’s most active gaming jurisdictions.
With over 3.4 million Dabblers and $300M+ paid out, Dabble’s community-driven DFS gaming experience shows no signs of slowing down. The app has seen almost 9 million installs and over 102 million entries placed. The social aspect of the app is evident, with 13.6 million messages sent across the Dabble community, where 78% of players follow at least one other player and 42% of all picks are made by players copying or tailing other players’ picks.
The Arizona launch represents a strategic milestone for Dabble as it continues to grow its footprint across legalized gaming markets in the US. Users in Arizona can now access Dabble’s platform in compliance with applicable state regulations.
Dabble continues its impressive growth in the U.S. market, and the launch aligns with the company’s broader expansion strategy as it targets regulated markets and builds long-term scale across the U.S. gaming landscape. Arizona marks the 30th U.S. state in which Dabble is available.
“Arizona is exactly the kind of market built for Dabble – passionate sports fans, high engagement, and a community that loves to play together. This launch reflects our continued commitment to expanding the Dabble community responsibly while delivering an engaging product experience,” said Tom Rundle, CEO at Dabble.
The post Dabble Continues to Expand U.S. Footprint with Launch in Arizona appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Allwyn International AG, the lottery-led gaming entertainment company, and PrizePicks, the leading daily fantasy sports operator in North America, announced the completion of Allwyn’s previously disclosed agreement to acquire a 62.3% stake in PrizePicks. The closing consideration for the stake is $1533 million, subject to customary post-closing adjustments and excluding performance-based earnouts. PrizePicks had no outstanding loans or borrowings at closing.
PrizePicks brings highly complementary capabilities in fast-growing, opportunity-rich markets. Crucially, the business shares Allwyn’s conviction in both the power of technology and the importance of commitments to responsible play and community impact. PrizePicks is a strong addition to Allwyn’s expanding portfolio in casual entertainment, in line with its vision to become the world’s leading global gaming entertainment company.
Since the initial transaction announcement on 22 September 2025, PrizePicks has continued to execute its growth strategy successfully. This includes the launch of its regulated prediction markets offering in November, extending PrizePicks’ footprint to nearly every U.S. state. As a sports entertainment operator registered as a Futures Commission Merchant by the National Futures Association, PrizePicks is well positioned to scale responsibly.
Within the PrizePicks app, two new offerings have been added: Team Picks, which allows customers to make predictions on team-based outcomes rather than individual player performance, and is currently live in 30 states and the District of Columbia (D.C.); and, Culture Picks, which lets customers predict outcomes on trending cultural and entertainment events, and is currently live in 48 states and D.C. PrizePicks has also partnered with both Kalshi and Polymarket, reinforcing its growth potential in the emerging prediction markets space. This innovation expands PrizePicks’ customer experience, creating new engagement opportunities within the gaming entertainment space. With Allwyn’s global reach and operational expertise, PrizePicks is well positioned to sustain growth and deepen user engagement.
PrizePicks continues to build on its strong momentum through a growing customer base, disciplined execution, and a differentiated product offering. Its scalable technology platform and unique approach to engagement make PrizePicks a highly attractive long-term partner for Allwyn. Together, the companies will leverage their combined strengths to accelerate product innovation. The partnership establishes a strong foundation for long term growth while preserving the culture, leadership continuity, and agility that have defined PrizePicks’ success.
Robert Chvatal, Chief Executive Officer of Allwyn, said: “We are excited to support and participate in the next phase of PrizePicks’ growth. This investment advances Allwyn’s strategy to build a diversified global entertainment platform and significantly strengthens our presence in the United States. I look forward to working closely with Mike and the talented PrizePicks team to deliver even more compelling experiences for fans around the world.”
Mike Ybarra, Chief Executive Officer of PrizePicks, said: “Today marks a defining moment for PrizePicks. Allwyn’s global scale, operational expertise, and long-term approach make them an ideal partner as we continue to grow and evolve. Together, we will build on our strong momentum and deliver innovative products that deepen engagement with our growing community of players.”
Adam Wexler, Founder and PrizePicks Board Member, said: “From the beginning, we built PrizePicks by putting our community first and focusing on delivering an industry-leading member experience. As we looked ahead to the next phase of PrizePicks’ growth, it became clear that Allwyn shares our customer-first philosophy and our vision for the future of entertainment. I could not be more excited to collaborate with the Allwyn leadership team as PrizePicks continues to innovate in the world of sports and culture predictions.”
The post Allwyn Completes Acquisition of Majority Stake in PrizePicks appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Underdog has successfully relaunched its Champions pick’em daily fantasy sports product in Mississippi.
Underdog pulled the entirety of its pick’em products from Mississippi in February 2024, including its traditional and Champions pick’em games. Now, it relaunched the peer-to-peer pick’em DFS product in the Magnolia State.
“Mississippi fans are going to love our Pick’Em Champions games, and we were able to launch in time for football season. The gaming commission applied a professional, thorough, and thoughtful process to ensure our product measured up to the state’s standards, and we look forward to continuing to work with the commission as a licensed operator in Mississippi,” Stacie Stern, SVP of Government Affairs and Partnerships at Underdog, said.
Currently, Underdog is the only licensed operator in Mississippi to offer real-money pick’em DFS games. PrizePicks offers a free version of its pick’em product in the state, while FanDuel and DraftKings only offer traditional draft fantasy games.
Underdog pulled all of its pick’em contests from Mississippi in February 2024. Prior to prohibiting the contests, Underdog Fantasy offered its classic pick’em games and its peer-to-peer pick’em games in Mississippi after acquiring a DFS license in the state in 2021.
The post Underdog Relaunches Champions Pick’Em DFS Games in Mississippi appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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