DraftKings Expands into Prediction Markets with Railbird Acquisition
One of the best sports betting sites and DFS operators, DraftKings, has completed the planned acquisition of Railbird Technologies Inc. and its subsidiary, Railbird Exchange, LLC. The move into the regulated prediction market industry comes as the 2025 NFL season is in full swing, the NBA regular season begins, and more people start betting on seasonal major league sports.
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has granted Railbird a license, which means that DraftKings can legally trade on prediction contracts for future events, including sports competitions.
The acquisition, first disclosed in July, gives DraftKings the infrastructure and federal license it needs to offer event-based trading products linked to real-world results. The initiative expands DraftKings' offerings beyond sports betting and daily fantasy sports.
Jason Robins, DraftKings' CEO, stated that adding Railbird's platform is a natural step for DraftKings as it grows. The company expects that its massive user base, mobile-first product experience, and well-known brand will help it get off to a good start in the new event-trading sector. This announcement follows Robins’s recent statements, which played down the threats posed by prediction markets to traditional sports betting operators.
Miles Saffran, Railbird's CEO, said the deal would change the game and that DraftKings' size would speed up innovation in the industry.
With the upcoming DraftKings Predictions mobile app, anyone will be able to trade event contracts in sports, finance, and culture. Industry analysts think DraftKings will first use CME Group's exchange infrastructure before rolling out an in-house alternative.
They might do this by offering regulated prediction markets in places where sports betting is still not available, that we track with our legal sports betting states tracker, which would open up a new source of income for the company.
NHL partners with Polymarket and Kalshi in prediction market deals
Continuing this trend of prediction markets accessing mainstream sports, the National Hockey League (NHL) announced it has signed multiyear US partnerships with Polymarket and Kalshi, naming both as official prediction market partners as major sports leagues deepen engagement with alternative wagering formats.
The agreements grant both platforms access to official NHL data, logos, and designations for use on their trading interfaces and promotional materials. Kalshi and Polymarket will also receive visibility through Digitally Enhanced Dashboards and blue line slot virtual signage during national broadcasts of regular season games, the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and major outdoor events such as the NHL Winter Classic and Stadium Series.
NHL Business President Keith Wachtel said the partnerships highlight the league's commitment to new forms of fan interaction as prediction markets evolve. He noted that working with both Kalshi and Polymarket enables the NHL to connect fans to the action through a growing market segment that merges entertainment, finance, and sports engagement.
Polymarket Founder and CEO Shayne Coplan said the partnership will make the NHL experience more interactive, allowing fans to engage with league storylines and outcomes in real time
