DraftKings Secures $300MM In Funding from All-Star Lineup

DraftKings, Inc., a leading daily fantasy sports destination, today announced it has secured a $300 Million Series D round of funding led by FOX Sports. Also participating in the round were major North American sports leagues Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League and Major League Soccer; leading sports organizations The Madison Square Garden Company, The Dodger Ownership Group and Legends; as well as existing investors Atlas Ventures, DST Global, GGV Capital, The Kraft Group, The Raine Group and Wellington Management Company LLP. DraftKings will use the additional funding to continue building out its industry-leading web and mobile products, launch its product internationally, and explore new opportunities for vertical expansion.

DraftKings has become the fastest-growing company in DFS since its launch in 2012, having just registered its 100 millionth contest entry this month. The company is expected to award well over $1 Billion in prizes in 2015, up from approximately $300 Million in 2014.

“To receive this type of support from such an outstanding group of organizations, including three major sports leagues, is an incredible milestone for us and reaffirms our leadership position in Daily Fantasy Sports,” said Jason Robins, CEO of DraftKings. “We intend to leverage these resources to develop even more innovative daily fantasy sports contests and provide new exclusive once-in-a-lifetime experiences for our players.”

“Partnering with DraftKings, a clear leader in this field, is a great opportunity for us to capitalize on the growth of daily fantasy sports for the benefit our viewers,” said Eric Shanks, President and COO, FOX Sports. “We’ll work with DraftKings to develop ideas and create content to drive deeper engagement with sports fans across multiple platforms, including our national, local, and digital properties.”

Fresh off a recently announced exclusive multi-year partnership with ESPN, under which DraftKings will become the official daily fantasy partner of the media network across broadcast and digital platforms, today’s announcement builds upon the company’s leadership role in the DFS industry and its commitment to player satisfaction over a broad range of platforms. A recent research study by independent firm Eilers, confirmed DraftKings is the favorite daily fantasy sports site among players and has over 10 times the net promoter score (a measure of customer satisfaction and advocacy) of its next significant competitor.
As the first company to take DFS into the mainstream through its original partnership with MLB three years ago, DraftKings now has five major league deals (MLB, NHL, NASCAR, UFC, MLS). Additionally, DraftKings holds relationships with teams across all major sports, branding at marquee facilities like Madison Square Garden and STAPLES Center, and integrated sponsorships with top sporting events, including this year’s Triple Crown win at the Belmont Stakes.

The Raine Group worked as exclusive advisor to DraftKings on the transaction.