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DraftKings Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 7 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 new, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue fell on sport outcomes: Revenue was $1,443 million, down $69 million or 4.6%. Management attributed the decline primarily to customer-friendly sport outcomes and promotional reinvestment for new customer acquisition. Source
  • Operating and net loss versus prior profit: Loss from operations was $68.2 million, against $150.6 million of income a year earlier. Net loss attributable to common stockholders was $67.6 million, or $0.14 diluted per share, against $0.30 of diluted EPS. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA fell to $115 million: Adjusted EBITDA was $114.6 million, against $300.6 million a year earlier. Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.09, against $0.38. Six-month Adjusted EBITDA was $282.5 million, against $403.3 million. Source
  • Sports metrics now include Predictions: The Sports revenue and volume measures now include Prediction Markets, replacing the Sportsbook handle and revenue measures used in the first-quarter release. Source
  • Monthly unique payers rose 9%: Monthly Unique Payers were 3.6 million, up about 9% from the same quarter a year earlier. Source
  • Revenue per payer fell 13%: Average Revenue per MUP was $132, down about 13% or $19 from a year earlier. Management linked the decline to sport outcomes and new customer promotions. Source
  • Sales and marketing rose 38%: Sales and marketing expense was $322.5 million, against $233.2 million a year earlier. Cost of revenue was $891.8 million, against $854.6 million. Source

“We delivered a strong second quarter and enter the back half of the year with real momentum, as our core business grew across handle, users, and engagement,”

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
Core business Adjusted EBITDA Sourcethis yearapproximately $1 billionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: Fiscal 2026 revenue and Adjusted EBITDA guidance ranges were kept at the levels announced on May 7, 2026. Source
  • New: The Super App is now live nationwide. The first-quarter release described it as coming together with market making, a proprietary exchange and combos. Source
  • New: Sportsbook and iGaming are now live in Alberta, Canada. Live provinces now represent about 51% of the Canadian population, against about 40% for Ontario alone in the first-quarter release. Source
  • New: Sports Revenue and Sports Consumer Volume now include Prediction Markets. The first-quarter release reported Sportsbook Handle and Sportsbook Revenue. Source

Results and profitability

  • Revenue fell on sport outcomes: Revenue was $1,443 million, down $69 million or 4.6%. Management attributed the decline primarily to customer-friendly sport outcomes and promotional reinvestment for new customer acquisition. Source
  • Operating and net loss versus prior profit: Loss from operations was $68.2 million, against $150.6 million of income a year earlier. Net loss attributable to common stockholders was $67.6 million, or $0.14 diluted per share, against $0.30 of diluted EPS. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA fell to $115 million: Adjusted EBITDA was $114.6 million, against $300.6 million a year earlier. Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.09, against $0.38. Six-month Adjusted EBITDA was $282.5 million, against $403.3 million. Source
  • Six-month revenue rose 5.8%: Revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2026 was $3,089.3 million, up $168.0 million or 5.8% from $2,921.3 million. Source

Segments and revenue lines

  • Sports revenue fell 10.6%: Sports Revenue was $891.9 million, down 10.6%. Sports Net Revenue Margin was 6.8%, against 8.7% a year earlier. Source
  • IGaming revenue rose 7.5%: iGaming Revenue was $461.9 million, up 7.5% from $429.7 million. Other Revenue was $89.4 million, up 5.2%. Source
  • Sports metrics now include Predictions: The Sports revenue and volume measures now include Prediction Markets, replacing the Sportsbook handle and revenue measures used in the first-quarter release. Source
  • Mobile betting live in 27 states: Mobile sports betting is live in 27 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, about 53% of the U.S. population. iGaming is live in 5 states, about 11% of the population. Source

“Our core business remains on track to generate approximately $1 billion of Adjusted EBITDA this year, providing us with financial flexibility to invest behind the significant opportunity that we are seeing in Predictions,”

Alan Ellingson, DraftKings’ Chief Financial Officer

Customers and volume

  • Monthly unique payers rose 9%: Monthly Unique Payers were 3.6 million, up about 9% from the same quarter a year earlier. Source
  • Payer retention and acquisition drove growth: Management linked the payer increase to strong retention and new customer acquisition across Sportsbook and Predictions, which launched in December 2025. Source
  • Revenue per payer fell 13%: Average Revenue per MUP was $132, down about 13% or $19 from a year earlier. Management linked the decline to sport outcomes and new customer promotions. Source
  • Sports Consumer Volume rose 15%: Sports Consumer Volume was $13.1 billion, up $1.7 billion or 15%. Six-month volume was $27.3 billion, up 7.8%. Source

Costs and non-GAAP items

  • Sales and marketing rose 38%: Sales and marketing expense was $322.5 million, against $233.2 million a year earlier. Cost of revenue was $891.8 million, against $854.6 million. Source
  • Advocacy spend excluded from Adjusted EBITDA: Advocacy and other related legal expenses were $19.9 million in the quarter and $46.2 million for six months. Management excluded them from Adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • Non-GAAP tax rate raised to 28%: The estimated non-GAAP effective tax rate is 28% as of the second quarter of 2026, up from 25% as of the first quarter of 2026. Source

“we are maintaining our fiscal year 2026 guidance for revenue of $6.5 billion to $6.9 billion and Adjusted EBITDA of $700 million to $900 million.”

Alan Ellingson, DraftKings’ Chief Financial Officer

Cash and shareholder returns

  • Cash balance lower since December: Cash and cash equivalents were $983.9 million at June 30, 2026, against $1,127.5 million at December 31, 2025. Cash reserved for users was $395.0 million. Source
  • Six-month operating cash flow: Net cash from operating activities was $63.0 million for six months, against $54.9 million. Capital spending included $11.7 million of property and equipment and $75.1 million of internally developed software. Source
  • Buybacks lower than prior year: Stock Repurchase Program purchases were $154.2 million for six months, against $242.7 million. Purchases for RSU withholding were $43.5 million, against $101.9 million. Source
  • Diluted share count lower: Adjusted diluted EPS used 496.1 million weighted average diluted shares for the quarter, against 529.5 million a year earlier. Source

Predictions and strategy

  • Predictions growing faster than expected: Management said Predictions is growing faster than it anticipated, and that Predictions customer metrics are similar to Sportsbook customer metrics. Source

Coming up, as management said on 7 August 2026

  • Predictions push for NFL season: Management said it is confident it can win the Predictions category this NFL season and beyond, citing customer metrics, lifetime value and its playbook. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Sports Consumer Volume Source$13.1 billion
Monthly Unique Payers Source3.6 million
Average Revenue per MUP Source$132
Sports Net Revenue Margin Source6.8%
Mobile sports betting states Source27 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico
IGaming states Source5 states

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management cited customer-friendly sport outcomes as a primary driver of the revenue decline this quarter. Source
  • Financial: New customer promotions across Sportsbook and Predictions reduced revenue per payer, according to management. Source
  • Demand: Average revenue per payer fell about 13% to $132 compared with a year earlier. Source
  • Regulatory: Management described non-recurring advocacy costs for legalization efforts, which are excluded from Adjusted EBITDA. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management said the core business remains on track for approximately $1 billion of Adjusted EBITDA this year. Source
  • Ahead: Management said Predictions is growing faster than it anticipated. Source

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.