DraftKings enters prediction markets with CFTC-approved app for real-world events

DraftKings has unveiled a new standalone app for real-money prediction markets, becoming the latest major player to enter a field that includes crypto-native platforms like Polymarket and Robinhood’s event contracts.

The product, called DraftKings Predictions, lets users trade on the outcomes of real-world events, starting with sports and finance, the company announced on Friday.

It is registered with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the National Futures Association and will be available in 38 states to buy and sell event contracts.

To deepen its market offerings, DraftKings will connect to exchanges like CME Group and plans to incorporate Railbird Technologies, which it recently acquired. That integration is expected to broaden the types of available markets and improve economics over time, it said.

This move puts DraftKings in direct competition with Polymarket, a popular crypto-based prediction market platform, and Robinhood (HOOD), which earlier this year launched event contracts for sports outcomes. Unlike Polymarket, which relies on blockchain-based infrastructure and stablecoins, DraftKings operates entirely within the existing financial system and app ecosystem.

Aside from the AI boom, prediction markets have quietly become one of the biggest financial stories of the year. Once a niche corner of crypto, markets for betting on real-world outcomes — from elections to sports to economic data — have surged into the mainstream. Platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi have seen record-breaking volumes, drawing in retail traders and hedge funds alike, and become double-digit billion dollar companies.

What’s driving the shift is a mix of regulatory clarity and cultural momentum. The CFTC’s greenlighting of certain event contracts has opened the door for more structured, compliant products, while the public appetite for real-time, high-stakes speculation has never been stronger.