FanDuel’s New “Predicts” App Launching in December

FanDuel is preparing for one of its most ambitious product launches ever: a standalone prediction-markets app called FanDuel Predicts, scheduled to go live in December. The platform will introduce sports prediction markets to millions of U.S. users — not through the sportsbook, but through a separate trading-style interface built in partnership with CME Group.

This launch doesn’t just expand FanDuel’s product line. It could reshape how fans interact with sports outcomes, financial markets, and real-time probability in the years ahead.

What the Announcement Says

• FanDuel Predicts launches in December as a standalone prediction-markets app.
• Users can trade event contracts priced from $0.01 to $0.99, with payouts of $1.
• Launch includes sports, financial indices, commodities, crypto, and economic indicators.
• The platform rolls out in states without legal online sports betting (excluding tribal lands).
• FanDuel’s partnership with CME Group brings Wall Street-level stability and credibility.
• Competitors like DraftKings and PrizePicks are also entering the prediction-market space.
• FanDuel includes strong consumer protections and full KYC verification.
• Regulatory debates may determine the duration of sports contracts in certain states.

What Is FanDuel Predicts?

FanDuel Predicts is a mobile app designed to let users trade event contracts — simple “Yes/No” style predictions — on both sports outcomes and financial/economic benchmarks. Instead of placing a traditional sports bet, users will buy or sell a contract priced between $0.01 and $0.99:

• If the event happens, the contract settles at $1
• If it doesn’t, it settles at $0
• Users can buy, sell, or exit positions before settlement

This creates a market-driven experience that feels more like a mini stock exchange than a sportsbook.

Where It Will Be Available

A key detail:

• Sports event contracts will only be available in states where online sports betting is not yet legal.
• The app will automatically geoblock tribal lands, meaning users physically located on tribal territories will not be able to trade.
• As states legalize sports betting in the future, FanDuel will phase out sports contracts in those newly regulated states — keeping the product strictly aligned with regulators.

Sports Available at Launch

At launch, FanDuel Predicts will include markets for:

• Baseball
• Basketball
• Football
• Hockey

Users will be able to trade on a wide variety of outcomes, from game winners to season milestones. Because markets behave dynamically, contract prices will shift as public sentiment and real-time developments change.

More Than Sports: Financial Prediction Markets Too

Alongside sports, FanDuel Predicts will also include financial and economic event contracts. These may include markets tied to:

• Major stock indexes (S&P 500, Nasdaq-100)
• Commodity prices (oil, gas, gold)
• Cryptocurrency movements
• Economic indicators (GDP, CPI)

This is where the CME Group partnership shines. CME brings decades of expertise in derivatives, clearing, and market infrastructure — while FanDuel brings distribution, user experience, and a massive U.S. customer base. Together, they aim to make prediction markets far more mainstream.

How Sign-Up and Trading Will Work

The onboarding process will follow FanDuel’s standard Know Your Customer verification, requiring:

• Date of birth
• Social Security number
• Home address
• Banking information
• A government-issued ID

Once verified, users can buy or sell event contracts just like they would trade shares. Each contract reflects the likelihood of a particular outcome. For example, a contract priced at $0.67 suggests the market believes there is a 67% chance the outcome will occur.

Users can:

• Hold contracts to settlement
• Buy or sell instantly based on price movement
• Trade small amounts with low financial exposure
• Manage risk using in-app tools

Responsible Trading Features

FanDuel is extending its full consumer-protection suite to the new app. Users will have access to:

• Deposit limits
• Spend tracking
• Real-time exposure monitoring
• Educational resources on how prediction markets work
• Self-exclusion and cool-off tools that apply across all FanDuel products

FanDuel’s goal is to make the product approachable for new users while ensuring responsible participation.

Why Prediction Markets Are Taking Off Now

Prediction markets represent one of the fastest-growing segments of fintech and sports engagement. Several factors have accelerated their rise:

1. New regulatory clarity

Event-contract trading is regulated differently from sports betting, allowing FanDuel to enter states where its sportsbook cannot operate.

2. Growing user interest in data-driven engagement

Fans increasingly want dynamic experiences tied to probabilities, analytics, and real-time shifting sentiment.

3. Major competitors entering the space

DraftKings and other platforms have announced their own prediction-market launches, signaling a broader industry shift.

4. Appeal to new audiences

Prediction markets attract not only bettors, but also:

• Fantasy players
• Stock-market enthusiasts
• Crypto traders
• Fans of analytics and probabilities

This is a much wider demographic than traditional sportsbooks typically serve.

The Potential Impact on the Sports Industry

FanDuel Predicts could influence the sports ecosystem in several major ways:

1. New way to follow games

Instead of simply betting on a result, fans can watch probabilities shift with each possession, drive, or inning.

2. New content economy

Creators will have endless opportunities to discuss:

• Market movement
• Pricing anomalies
• Sentiment shifts
• Real-time probability charts
• Game-driven volatility

This will fuel new styles of analysis on YouTube, TikTok, and social media.

3. State-level pressure

Prediction markets may intensify pressure on states to modernize sports-betting laws — especially if users engage heavily with contracts before sportsbooks are even legal.

4. Financial-sports crossover

The inclusion of economic event contracts may blur the line between retail trading and sports engagement, creating a hybrid experience unlike anything currently on the market.

The Competition Heats Up

The timing is notable. FanDuel is entering the prediction-market space just as:

• DraftKings prepares its own launch
• PrizePicks announces a prediction-market expansion
• Polymarket and other crypto-native platforms grow
• Regulators revisit how event contracts should be classified

This creates an arms race for user acquisition — especially in non-betting states, where prediction markets represent a clear path to early market dominance.

A Seamless Extension of FanDuel’s Ecosystem

FanDuel Predicts is not part of the main sportsbook app — but its design philosophy mirrors FanDuel’s core strengths:

• clean UI
• intuitive navigation
• fast onboarding
• trust and familiarity
• integrated account tools across the company’s products

This ensures existing FanDuel users will feel at home, while newcomers can learn quickly through built-in education modules.

Final Thoughts: December Could Be a Breakthrough Moment

The launch of FanDuel Predicts represents far more than another feature update — it’s a strategic bet on a new category of sports and financial engagement.

By offering prediction markets in states that still lack legal online sports betting, FanDuel is positioning itself ahead of the curve. As more states legalize online wagering and as prediction markets become normalized, this could become one of the biggest shifts in sports entertainment since the rise of mobile betting apps.

This December, sports fans, data geeks, fantasy players, and curious newcomers all get a new way to interact with the games and markets they love.  Stay in the loop with Sports News U.S.A — your go-to source for breaking updates, expert insights, and everything happening across the sports world.

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