DraftKings Ups Monetization With Mobile-First Personalization

In a perfect world, profitability and innovation go hand-in-hand.

For DraftKings, which is currently live in 25 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., covering 49% of the U.S. population, that was the story the company’s executives shared with investors during Thursday’s (Aug. 7) second-quarter 2025 earnings call.

Amid an intensifying landscape for online sports betting and iGaming, DraftKings recorded $1.513 billion in revenue for the second quarter of 2025, an increase of 37% year over year, alongside record net income and adjusted EBITDA.

DraftKings Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder Jason Robins cited “product enhancements” as driving the strong revenue growth.

“We set records for revenue, net income and Adjusted EBITDA in the second quarter, driven by an acceleration in revenue growth,” he told investors Thursday. “We are pleased to be maintaining our fiscal year 2025 guidance, with revenue expected to be closer to the high end of our range [of $6.2 billion to $6.4 billion], highlighting the strength of our platform as we prepare for an exciting new state launch.”

While the current guidance assumes the launch of mobile sports betting in Missouri in 2025, it excludes any upside from the potential rollout of federally regulated prediction markets. With increased political interest in the prediction market space, DraftKings appears to be positioning itself ahead of regulatory tailwinds.

Across existing business lines, sportsbook revenue grew 45% year over year to $997.9 million, outpacing the 6.3% increase in total handle, which reached $11.5 billion. The growth in net revenue, driven by both an improved hold and better customer monetization, highlighted DraftKings’ operational momentum.

The parlay mix, in particular, increased by 430 basis points year over year, supporting higher margins and greater user engagement. Live betting, a focal point of DraftKings’ product roadmap, saw handle rise 16% year over year as the company continues to push in-game wagering experiences.

Product Innovation at the Speed of Sports

Underneath the financials, DraftKings continues to double down on its core thesis: that product differentiation will separate winners from laggards in online sports betting. The company emphasized during the investor call that the three pillars of its sportsbook strategy are live betting, content and personalization and social engagement.

For live betting, DraftKings achieved over 90% availability for live MLB and NBA markets. New UX improvements in micro-betting and the rollout of “Live Bet Tracking” through iOS Live Activities have resulted in over 1.5 million users engaging with the feature YTD.

Separately, more than 50% of sportsbook users engaged with content cards designed to highlight personalized betting opportunities. DraftKings executives stressed that the company also continues to leverage its proprietary in-house merchandising engine.

And with over 25 million “tailed” social bets from 600,000+ unique users and a 180% YoY increase in handle through its social platform, DraftKings is increasingly integrating communal experiences into betting. Social media engagement also spiked, with Discord community growth exceeding 400% YoY.

Taken together, these features form what Robins described as “an experience that moves uniquely at the speed of sports,” a mantra that reflects the company’s focus on immersive, real-time, mobile-first design.

See also: DraftKings Cuts 2025 Outlook, Says Favored Teams Winning Drives Lower Margins

DraftKings’ customer base also grew in Q2, though at a more moderate pace than topline revenue. Monthly Unique Payers (MUPs) increased 6% year over year to 3.3 million, a figure that includes Jackpocket users following DraftKings’ acquisition of the lottery-focused platform. Average revenue per MUP (ARPMUP) rose significantly — up 29% to $151 — driven by improved hold, product optimization, and more efficient promotions.

The company continues to leverage its data infrastructure and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to deliver hyper-personalized user experiences, improve merchandising, and reduce churn. These efforts are enabling DraftKings to lean into efficiency at a time when many of its competitors remain in land-grab mode.

Despite the glowing quarter, some normalization is inevitable. Sportsbook-friendly outcomes added a temporary $110 million boost to revenue — events that are unlikely to repeat with consistency. Management acknowledged that sports outcomes tend to normalize over time, underscoring the importance of durable product and operational improvements to sustain momentum.

Another looming headwind is taxation. DraftKings has incorporated into its 2025 outlook higher tax rates in states like New Jersey, Louisiana and Illinois. While the company is confident in absorbing these impacts through revenue growth and margin expansion, it remains a variable that could weigh on future profitability.