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Another Big Player Enters the Prediction Market: FanDuel

fanduel predicts
FanDuel is getting into the prediction space.

FanDuel and CME Group said they have launched FanDuel Predicts, a new event-based trading platform, in five U.S. states, beginning a phased rollout that will continue through early 2026.

The new product expands FanDuel beyond traditional sports betting by offering contracts tied to financial benchmarks, economic indicators, cultural moments, and sports outcomes.

What FanDuel Predicts Is

FanDuel Predicts is a standalone mobile application available in Apple’s App Store and Google Play. The platform allows users to buy or sell contracts priced between $0.01 and $0.99 by selecting “Yes” or “No” on whether a defined event will occur. Contracts settle based on the verified outcome of each event.

How the Platform Works

To access FanDuel Predicts, customers must complete FanDuel’s standard identity verification process. This includes submitting a birth date, Social Security number, home address, banking information, and a government-issued ID before trading.

Once approved, users can trade event contracts directly within the app, with prices reflecting the market’s implied probability of an outcome.

Markets Available at Launch

FanDuel and CME said the platform will offer event contracts nationwide tied to major financial benchmarks, including the S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100, commodities such as oil, gas, and gold, cryptocurrencies, and key economic indicators including gross domestic product and the consumer price index.

In addition to financial markets, FanDuel Predicts will offer sports-related contracts across baseball, basketball, football, and hockey in states where online sports betting is not yet available, excluding tribal lands. FanDuel said sports contracts will be removed in any state once online sports betting becomes available there.

What Executives Are Saying

“We’re giving our customers a new platform to engage with the world around them—whether that’s the next Fed rate decision or a sports event,” said James Cooper, senior vice president of Flywheel and New Ventures at FanDuel. Cooper said the initial launch will help the company refine the product as it expands to additional states in 2026.

“CME Group prediction markets will enable a new generation of users to express their views on global benchmarks, economic indicators, sports and more,” said Lynne Fitzpatrick, president and chief financial officer of CME Group.

Consumer Protection Features

FanDuel said the Predicts app will include built-in consumer tools at launch, including deposit limits, deposit alerts, and self-exclusion options. Mental health support services will be provided through a partnership with Kindbridge Behavioral Health.

Industry Context: Comparable Launches

FanDuel’s move follows a wave of similar expansion across the sports betting and trading ecosystem. DraftKings has publicly outlined plans for its own prediction-market style product, including an app concept designed around event contracts beyond traditional sportsbook wagering.

At the same time, standalone prediction market platforms including Kalshi and Polymarket have accelerated their growth and expanded the range of event contracts available to users, pushing prediction-style trading further into mainstream conversation.

Retail trading platforms have also moved in this direction. Robinhood has tested event-based markets tied to major real-world outcomes, reflecting rising demand for products that blend trading interfaces with simplified “yes/no” contracts.

Rollout Timeline

The companies said FanDuel Predicts will continue expanding to additional states over the coming months, with broader national availability planned through early 2026.

Our Take

FanDuel Predicts is a significant step in the convergence between sportsbooks and event-based trading. FanDuel is using familiar sportsbook mechanics — simple “yes/no” contracts, mobile-first design, and a frictionless interface — to bring financial and cultural event markets to a mass audience.

The partnership with CME is also a strategic signal: FanDuel is positioning this as a serious extension of its ecosystem, not a novelty product. With DraftKings preparing a competing entry and prediction market platforms growing quickly, the race is now about distribution, product simplicity, and whether users adopt event contracts as a daily habit alongside sports betting.

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