DraftKings Self-Certifies Nine Football Event Contracts, Parlays

Recent filings with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) indicate that DraftKings self-certified multi-leg event contract wagers and nine football contracts for its namesake prediction market platform.

In a filing with the regulator last Friday, Railbird Exchange, which DraftKings acquired last October, self-certified to offer combos – prediction market vernacular for multi-part wagers commonly known as parlays. Railbird does business as DKeX, DraftKings’ in-house prediction market exchange. That exchange launched in late June.

Under the self-certification process, a prediction market operator informs the CFTC of its intent to offer specific event contracts and the date on which those derivatives will become available to traders. If the commission doesn’t intervene or request more information, the contracts go live on that date.

Inside the Football Event Contracts

Just in the nick of time for the 2026 football season, an Aug. 10 filing with the CFTC by Railbird unveiled plans for nine football event contracts.

Those filings cover an array of football-linked derivatives that are comparable to what bettors would find on the DraftKings sportsbook, including event contracts that are essentially the prediction market equivalent of sides and totals. Railbird also filed to self-certify what amount to be player proposition wagers as well as markets on play awards, such as MVP.

DKeX could begin offering those event contracts as soon as tomorrow, assuming the CFTC doesn’t intervene. The timing is critical because the start of the 2026 NFL season arrives in about a month.

DraftKings Fortifying Its Vertical Integration

Combos aren’t new on DraftKings Predictions. Through a partnership with Crypto.com, the gaming company’s prediction market arm has been offering multi-leg bets since May, but Railbird’s self-certification filings confirm DraftKings wants to solidify its status as a vertically integrated prediction market operator.

It’s a model that gives companies more economic control over their event contract fates and one that’s increasingly popular in the industry.

Still, plenty of other operators maintain partnerships. For example, Crypto.com provides infrastructure and trade routing services to Fanatics and FanDuel, among others, and there’s speculation the brokerage firm is in talks with Robinhood Markets regarding a prediction market deal.