Sports betting has taken off, with sports-focused outfits such as DraftKings competing with casino titans like Caesars and MGM Resorts to attract gamblers.
Since 2018, sportsbooks have generated $20 billion in gross revenue from more than $247 billion in bets across the 34 states, plus the District of Columbia, where sports betting is legal.
DraftKings, Inc., is the largest company with a sportsbook by market capitalization. The company is a relative newcomer, founded in 2012 as a fantasy sports platform. It has swayed investors with major media partnerships and by quickly launching sportsbooks in legal states after the Supreme Court allowed states to legalize sports wagering in 2018.
Read on for a full report into the biggest sports betting companies.
Key findings
- Flutter Entertainment, the owner of FanDuel, is the largest online sportsbook operator in the U.S. with a market capitalization of $31 billion as of Aug. 16, 2023.
- Sportsbooks have earned $20 billion in gross revenue on more than $247 billion worth of sports wagers since 2018.
- Most online sportsbooks are owned by companies that have other gambling and hospitality operations.
Biggest sports betting companies
Sports Betting Company | Market Cap (as of Aug. 16, 2023) |
|---|---|
Flutter Entertainment (LSE:FLTR; OTC:PDYPF; OTC:PDYP.Y) | $31 billion (converted from British Pounds) |
MGM Resorts (NYSE:MGM) | $15.4 billion |
DraftKings (NASDAQ:DKNG) | $12.77 billion |
Caesars Entertainment (NASDAQ:CZR) | $11.54 billion |
Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ:WYNN) | $10.82 billion |
Bet365 | $3.6 billion (converted from British Pounds). (Revenue is for the financial year ending March 27, 2022). |
Penn National Gaming (NASDAQ:PENN) | $3.54 billion |
Rush Street Interactive (NYSE:RSI) | $968 million |
PointsBet (OTC:PBTHF) | $318 million (converted from Australian dollars) |
Flutter Entertainment
Flutter Entertainment (LSE:FLTR; OTC:PDYPF; OTC:PDYP.Y) is a sports betting and gaming behemoth, with operations in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and the U.S. It runs the most popular online sportsbook in the U.S., FanDuel.
Flutter estimates that it commands a 47% share of the U.S. online sportsbook market and 23% of the iGaming market as of the second quarter of 2023. FanDuel alone generated $100 million EBITDA in the first half of 2023. In 2022, FanDuel became the first U.S. online sportsbook to generate a profit.
Flutter also operates big international online gambling platforms, including Betfair, Sportsbet, PokerStars, and Sky Betting & Gaming.
Flutter operates online sportsbooks via FanDuel in 32 states and the District of Columbia.
MGM Resorts
MGM Resorts (MGM +4.26%) operates a sports betting and online gaming segment under BetMGM. It has a variety of partnerships, including with Buffalo Wild Wings, the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Baseball (MLB), and a range of professional sports teams.
In the second quarter of fiscal year 2023, BetMGM reported its first positive EBITDA quarter.
BetMGM estimates that it is third in U.S. market share for sports betting and iGaming and first in market share for iGaming.
BetMGM offers sportsbooks in 24 states, plus the District of Columbia. MGM Resorts has a sprawling international presence as well.
DraftKings
Founded in 2012 as a platform for fantasy sports, DraftKings, Inc., (DKNG +1.49%) quickly became a household name for fantasy sports and eventually sports betting by inking deals with big hitters, including MLB, NHL, and ESPN. It also received investments from Fox Sports (an investment now owned by Disney) and the Kraft Group, which owns the New England Patriots.
DraftKings was the first sportsbook to market in New Jersey, launching after the Garden State legalized sports betting in 2018.
DraftKings went public via a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) in 2020.
The company operates mobile sports betting in 21 states. In the second quarter of fiscal year 2023, DraftKings had 2.1 million average monthly unique paying customers, a 44% increase year over year. Average revenue per unique paying customer was $137, up $33 year over year.
About the Author
Jack Caporal has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2025 $25 calls on Penn Entertainment and short January 2025 $30 calls on Penn Entertainment. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.