DraftKings is rolling out a promotion for the NFL season, part of what is expected to be a record-breaking season for sportsbooks.
DraftKings is rolling out a new promotion as the 2025-26 NFL season gets underway, aiming to capture the attention of bettors in what is expected to be a record-breaking season for US sportsbooks.
DraftKings has introduced the Ghost Leg promotion, a first-of-its-kind feature designed specifically for Week 1 and Week 2 NFL betting. The promotion allows customers to remove one losing leg from a 3+ leg parlay and still receive a cash payout on the remaining winning legs.
For example, a bettor who goes 4-for-5 on an NFL parlay will be paid out on the four correct picks rather than losing the entire wager. To use the offer, customers must select the Ghost Leg Token within their betslip prior to submitting a qualifying parlay.
DraftKings highlighted that last season, more than 30 million parlays consisting of three or more legs fell short by just one pick.
By introducing this feature, it hopes to alleviate the frustration associated with near misses while keeping bettors engaged through the beginning of the NFL season.
The offer will apply to both pre-game and live parlays during Weeks 1 and 2, though it is limited to one token per customer.
The push for creative promotions comes as the American Gaming Association (AGA) projects over $30bn in regulated wagers during the 2025 football season, an 8.5% increase over last year.
With betting now ubiquitous across the sports landscape, and even prediction markets getting in on the action, operators face mounting pressure to differentiate their offerings and retain customers in an increasingly competitive market.
FanDuel, BetMGM get creative
Meanwhile, FanDuel recently announced the launch of FanDuel Picks, a new peer-to-peer fantasy sports product.
The game allows customers to build lineups by selecting three to six players and predicting whether each will go “more” or “less” than their projected statistical line.
Entrants then compete for points based on correct selections, with top scores winning a share of the prize pool.
FanDuel Picks offers payouts of up to 1,000 times the entry fee, positioning it as an accessible yet potentially high-reward format. New customers who play at least $5 will receive $60 in bonus funds as part of a sign-up incentive.
By blending fantasy concepts with simplified betting mechanics, FanDuel is seeking to appeal to casual fans and seasoned players alike under a product that sits between daily fantasy sports and traditional sports wagering.
BetMGM, meanwhile, announced a suite of enhancements to its mobile application designed to streamline the betting experience.
The upgraded app integrates real-time research tools, enabling users to study player and team performance without leaving the platform.
Features include displays of recent performance trends, streak indicators, and data from the past five games, all powered by sports content and gamification provider GTG Network.
The technology leverages trillions of data points to deliver personalised insights intended to guide customer wagering decisions.
With the NFL season serving as the most important revenue driver for US sportsbooks, these initiatives underscore operators’ efforts to innovate.
DraftKings is betting on Ghost Leg to help alleviate the frustration of near misses, FanDuel is broadening its ecosystem through a hybrid fantasy-betting product, and BetMGM is focusing on seamless integration of research and wagering.
Each approach represents a different answer to the same conundrum: how to stand out in a market projected to handle billions of dollars in wagers over just a few months.