In a move that underscores the growing integration of sports betting and mainstream media, DraftKings has struck a multi-year advertising agreement with NBCUniversal. The deal gives the gambling operator exclusive integration and sponsorship rights across NBCUniversal’s sports media assets.
Under the agreement, DraftKings will be visible on linear, digital, and streaming platforms tied to marquee events and leagues, including NFL, NBA, PGA TOUR, Ryder Cup, WNBA, NCAA football and basketball, and the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup as carried on Telemundo. The partnership also grants DraftKings exclusive sponsorship access to categories such as online sports betting, daily fantasy sports, online lottery products, iGaming, and online horse wagering.
DraftKings’ Chief Marketing Officer, Stephanie Sherman, said the company is joining forces with NBCUniversal to enhance how fans experience live sports and strengthen its live betting capabilities. From NBCUniversal’s perspective, partners see DraftKings as a strong fit for expansion across sports entertainment, according to Peter Lazarus, Executive Vice President of Advertising and Partnerships for NBC Sports.
This agreement differs notably from NBCUniversal’s prior partnership with PointsBet, which was announced in 2020 and spanned five years with equity and affiliate fees components. The DraftKings deal is structured purely as an advertising commitment. Analysts estimate the annual value falls below $100 million, significantly lower than the nearly $500 million total value attributed to the earlier PointsBet arrangement over its full term.
The timing of the deal reflects a shift in how sportsbooks approach marketing. With legal sports betting now accessible to more than 67 percent of U.S. adults, operators increasingly emphasize brand positioning in populous states that remain off limits rather than aggressive acquisition in newly opened markets. DraftKings and its main rival, FanDuel, together account for roughly 70 percent of U.S. online sports betting handle.
In the second quarter of 2025, DraftKings reported $233.2 million in sales and marketing expenses, up 8 percent from the same period in the prior year. The company continues to maintain media partnerships with networks such as Warner Bros. Discovery’s Turner and Amazon’s Thursday Night Football, following the end of its earlier deal with ESPN in 2023 after the launch of ESPN Bet.
The NBCUniversal alliance represents a strategic bet by DraftKings: using high-profile media exposure and exclusive sponsorship access to deepen market presence and reinforce its brand ahead of further state-level expansions.
