ESPN and DraftKings Announce Plans to Provide Account Linking
Posted on: March 9, 2026, 09:31h.
Last updated on: March 9, 2026, 09:31h.
- Customers will be able to unlock a more personalized experience by linking their accounts
- Madness Madness collaboration just the start, ESPN spokesperson said
- Close ties with fantasy play
DraftKings and ESPN are taking their partnership up another level, announcing the company’s respective customers can link accounts, cross-platform collaboration that will bring exclusive, personalized features, starting with “Bet Your Bracket”, in time for March Madness men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments, which gets going March 17.
$3.1 Billion
Details were unveiled at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference. March Madness ranks as the top sports betting event in the U.S. The Super Bowl is the most bet on one-off game, with $1.4 billion wagered on Super Bowl LX last February
According to H2 Gambling Capital, sportsbook handle this year for March Madness will hit $4 billion, a 6.7% increase from last year’s tournament. Continued handle growth plus the launch of regulated sports betting in Missouri are the factors at play there.
Then there are prediction markets – H2 said it would be “disingenuous” to blame any softness in wagering for traditional sportsbooks on the presence of prediction markets in those states. H2 estimated that prediction markets are likely to generate a handle equivalent volume of $135-150 million in states where there is legal sports wagering, 3.5% of the total market handle.
March Madness Betting Dominance
DraftKings customers can open their sportsbook app, then hit the “Bet Your Bracket” tab to link to their ESPN account, and from there they can access a personalized betting experience, including wagers aligned with their bracket picks and tailored suggestions on how to further engage with the tournament.
“DraftKings and ESPN share a deep passion for sports and a commitment to enhancing how fans engage with the moments that matter most—especially during the pinnacle of the college basketball season,” said Stephanie Sherman, Chief Marketing Officer of DraftKings.
More to Follow
“As we work toward bringing the full DraftKings sports experience together nationwide through our upcoming Super App, DraftKings Sports & Casino, integrating account linking with ESPN is a natural step in creating a more seamless, connected platform for fans.”
“Bet Your Bracket” is just the start of the relationship, according to Mike Morrison, Vice President of ESPN Betting & Fantasy.
“Account linking creates a level of personalization that no one else in the market can match,” he said. “Soon fans will be able to seamlessly track upcoming, live and settled bets within the ESPN app and on ESPN.com, and receive bets and timely promotions based on their favorite sports, teams, players, and fantasy rosters.”
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