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DraftKings Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 8 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 17% on acquisition: Revenue was $1,646.1 million, up $237.3 million from $1,408.8 million. Management attributed the increase to efficient customer acquisition over the past year, healthy engagement and higher Sportsbook net revenue margin. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose to $167.9 million: Adjusted EBITDA was $167.9 million against $102.6 million, and adjusted diluted EPS was $0.20 against $0.12. Management said profitability is inflecting. Source
  • Sportsbook revenue rose 24.1%: Sportsbook revenue was $1,094.9 million, up 24.1% from $882.0 million. Management attributed part of the increase to higher Sportsbook net revenue margin. Source
  • Monthly payers fell on Lottery exit: MUPs fell 4% to 4.2 million, mainly from Lottery after the 2025 Texas exit. Fourth-quarter 2025 MUPs were 4.8 million per the prior release. Source
  • Management intends Predictions leadership before year-end: Management intends to establish a leadership position in Sports Predictions before year-end, combining the Super App, market making, a proprietary exchange and combos. Source
  • Advocacy spend reached $26.4 million: Advocacy and other related legal expenses were $26.4 million, excluded from Adjusted EBITDA, against nil a year earlier and $2.0 million in the fourth quarter per the prior release. Source

“We are off to a fantastic start to the year as our first quarter results exceeded our expectations”

Jason Robins, DraftKings’ Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue Sourcefiscal year 2026$6.5 billion to $6.9 billionKept
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefiscal year 2026$700 million to $900 millionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: Fiscal 2026 revenue and Adjusted EBITDA guidance ranges were maintained, with no change from the fourth-quarter release. Source
  • New: Management named a Predictions product set: Super App, market making, a proprietary exchange and combos, described as coming together. The prior release did not list these components. Source
  • New: Mobile sports betting is live in 27 states, up from 26 in the prior release, with population coverage of about 53% versus 52%. Source
  • New: The non-GAAP effective tax rate used for adjusted diluted EPS is 25% as of the first quarter of 2026, up from 23% in 2025. Source

Results and profit growth

  • Revenue rose 17% on acquisition: Revenue was $1,646.1 million, up $237.3 million from $1,408.8 million. Management attributed the increase to efficient customer acquisition over the past year, healthy engagement and higher Sportsbook net revenue margin. Source
  • Net income positive after prior loss: Net income attributable to common stockholders was $21.1 million, or $0.03 diluted per share, against a $33.9 million loss, or $(0.07) per share, a year earlier. Income from operations was $5.8 million against a $46.3 million loss. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose to $167.9 million: Adjusted EBITDA was $167.9 million against $102.6 million, and adjusted diluted EPS was $0.20 against $0.12. Management said profitability is inflecting. Source

Segments and revenue lines

  • Sportsbook revenue rose 24.1%: Sportsbook revenue was $1,094.9 million, up 24.1% from $882.0 million. Management attributed part of the increase to higher Sportsbook net revenue margin. Source
  • IGaming revenue rose 8.9%: iGaming revenue was $461.3 million, up 8.9% from $423.5 million. The documents give no driver for the change. Source
  • Other revenue fell 13.0%: Other revenue was $89.9 million, down 13.0% from $103.4 million. Total revenue was $1,646.1 million. The documents give no driver for the decline. Source

“Our core business is strong, and profitability is inflecting.”

Jason Robins, DraftKings’ Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder

Customers and engagement

  • Monthly payers fell on Lottery exit: MUPs fell 4% to 4.2 million, mainly from Lottery after the 2025 Texas exit. Fourth-quarter 2025 MUPs were 4.8 million per the prior release. Source
  • Revenue per payer rose 21%: Average revenue per MUP rose $23, or 21%, to $131, primarily from higher Sportsbook net revenue margin. The fourth-quarter 2025 figure was $139 per the prior release. Source
  • Core payers grew excluding Lottery: Excluding Lottery, MUPs rose 2%, which management attributed to retention and acquisition across Sportsbook and iGaming offerings. Source

Costs and margins

  • Cost of revenue rose to $949.4 million: Cost of revenue was $949.4 million, up from $843.8 million. Sales and marketing was $401.7 million, up from $343.7 million. Source
  • Product, technology and G&A rose: Product and technology was $123.2 million against $103.3 million. General and administrative was $165.9 million against $164.4 million. Source
  • Non-operating items reduced EBITDA reconciliation: Other non-recurring and non-operating items were a $28.6 million reduction in the Adjusted EBITDA reconciliation, against $22 thousand a year earlier. The items are mainly fair-value changes. Source

“The business continues to scale efficiently as we grow revenue, expand profitability”

Alan Ellingson, DraftKings’ Chief Financial Officer

Predictions and product strategy

  • Management intends Predictions leadership before year-end: Management intends to establish a leadership position in Sports Predictions before year-end, combining the Super App, market making, a proprietary exchange and combos. Source
  • Core business gives Predictions firepower: Management said the core business and profitability inflection provide the means to press its advantage in Predictions. Source
  • Predictions run under CFTC oversight: The company describes DraftKings Predictions as a federally regulated product offering event contracts under CFTC oversight. Source

Advocacy and legalization spend

  • Advocacy spend reached $26.4 million: Advocacy and other related legal expenses were $26.4 million, excluded from Adjusted EBITDA, against nil a year earlier and $2.0 million in the fourth quarter per the prior release. Source
  • Advocacy covers several state efforts: Management said the spend mainly covers iGaming legislative efforts, a Sportsbook ballot measure and other advocacy in certain states. Source
  • Ordinary-course advocacy stays in EBITDA: Ordinary-course advocacy and legal costs are not adjusted out of Adjusted EBITDA; only non-ordinary spend is excluded. Source

Cash, capital and buybacks

  • Operating cash outflow narrowed: Operating cash flow was an outflow of $48.4 million, against an outflow of $119.0 million a year earlier. Source
  • Buybacks and RSU withholding both fell: Repurchases under the program were $98.6 million against $142.3 million, and RSU withholding purchases were $24.3 million against $74.3 million. Treasury shares rose to 42.5 million from 38.2 million. Source
  • Cash balance declined in quarter: Cash and cash equivalents were $999.4 million at March 31, 2026, down from $1,127.5 million at December 31, 2025. Cash reserved for users fell to $378.7 million from $469.4 million. Source
  • Internal software and capex spend: Internally developed software costs were $37.1 million and property and equipment purchases were $7.1 million in the quarter. Source
  • Convertible notes and Term B debt: Convertible notes were $1,259.8 million and the Term B loan $575.6 million, both net of issuance costs. Term B principal of $1.5 million was repaid in the quarter. Source

Coming up, as management said on 8 May 2026

  • Predictions leadership targeted by year-end: Management intends to establish a leadership position in Sports Predictions before year-end, once the listed capabilities are coming together. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Monthly Unique Payers Source4.2 million
Average Revenue per MUP Source$131
Sportsbook Handle Source$14,083,061 thousand
Sportsbook Net Revenue Margin Source7.8% (6.4% in prior-year quarter)
Mobile sports betting footprint Source27 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico; about 53% of U.S. population
IGaming footprint Source5 states; about 11% of U.S. population

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Lottery payer decline after the Texas exit reduced reported MUPs. Source
  • Regulatory: Legalization advocacy requires non-recurring spend, which is excluded from Adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • Financial: Management said it cannot assure that all components of the Adjusted EBITDA calculation can be predicted. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The prior release said growth capital would be deployed in Predictions to build the customer experience and acquire customers. The first-quarter release does not report progress on this.
  • Not stated: The prior guidance reflected expected Predictions investment and line-of-sight jurisdiction launches. The first-quarter release does not state progress against these.

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.