Leading US sportsbook operator DraftKings has published its Q2 2026 financials, reporting a slight decrease in revenue despite an increase in bets. The company attributed the decline to bettor-friendly sport outcomes and promotional spending.
DraftKings Published Its Q2 Results
In its report, DraftKings said that its handle for the second quarter of the year reached $13.1 billion, up 15% year-on-year. According to the company, this increase was driven by strong customer acquisition and engagement.
Despite the strong volume of wagers, the company’s reported revenue slumped to $1.44 billion, marking a decrease of 5%. DraftKings explained that this decrease was due to customer-friendly results, as well as increased promotional reinvestment associated with new customer acquisition on DraftKings’ sportsbook and prediction offerings.
DraftKings added that its monthly unique payers count increased by 9% to 3.6 million for the three-month period ended June 30. This increase reflected strong payer retention and customer acquisition, the company noted.
The average revenue per monthly unique payer decreased 13% to $132, DraftKings noted. The company said that this was due to the aforementioned spending expenses and player-friendly outcomes.
Despite the setbacks, DraftKings reiterated its FY 2026 guidance, saying that it expects revenue of between $6.5 billion and $6.9 billion, as well as adjusted EBITDA of between $700 million and $900 million for the year.
For reference, DraftKings currently offers mobile sports betting in 27 states, DC, and Puerto Rico, reaching 53% of the US population. The company also operates iGaming in 5 states and recently launched in the Canadian province of Alberta as well.
The Leadership Hailed the Momentum Despite the Setbacks
DraftKings leaders weighed in on the results, expressing confidence in the company’s overall strength. Despite the customer-friendly results in Q2, Jason Robins, DraftKings’ co-founder & CEO, said that he is optimistic about the future of the company.
Our Super App is now live nationwide, and Predictions is already growing faster than we anticipated. The similarity of Predictions customer metrics to Sportsbook customer metrics, our advantaged LTV position, and our playbook to innovate on a leading Predictions offering all underpin our confidence that we can win the category this NFL season and beyond.
Jason Robins, co-founder & CEO, DraftKings
Alan Ellingson, DraftKings’ chief financial officer, added that the business remains on track to deliver its revenue and EBITDA targets for the year. Ellingson said that this will provide the company with further opportunities to invest in the growing prediction markets space.