Saturday, July 4, 2026

Micro Bets Are Big Business

Simplebet/Design: Alex Brooks

Micro betting is on the rise and appears primed to become more of a factor in the U.S. sports wagering market, which JPMorgan estimates will be worth $9.25 billion by 2025.

As the market grows, companies like Simplebet are gaining traction. 

Founded in 2018, the same year sports betting was legalized in the U.S., the tech company was one of the first to capitalize on micro betting, focusing on details of a game — for instance, who scores next — rather than the overall outcome.

  • After completing a $15 million financing round earlier this year, Simplebet is now furthering its goal of “reimagining the way fans engage with live sports” through a multiyear deal with DraftKings. 
  • Simplebet also currently has a yearlong deal with FanDuel.

PointsBet acquired B2B software company Banach for $43 million in March, spurred by an interest in adding in-play betting opportunities and algorithms to its platform.

“The trend in this industry, especially in the U.S., will be all around in-play betting,” PointsBet CEO Johnny Aitken told CNBC. “Within three years, our expectation is roughly 75% of bets will be in-play.”

Live wagering already accounts for 75% of all sports bets in the United Kingdom.

Editor’s note: DraftKings is an FOS partner.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

FILE PHOTO: Signage is seen outside of the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 30, 2020.

Novig Founder Isn’t Worried About Kalshi, Polymarket’s Head Start

The Novig CEO says prediction markets are a better product than traditional sportsbooks.

Is Anyone Using FIFA’s Official Prediction Market?

The World Cup’s prediction-market partner is not available in the U.S.
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman sits for an interview at his office in Frankfort, Ky., on Dec. 18, 2025.

CFTC Sues Kentucky After State Takes Aim at Kalshi, Polymarket

Kentucky is the ninth state the CFTC has sued since April.
Kalshi's logo is displayed on a smartphone placed on a reflective surface onto which a betting curve is projected in Creteil, France, on March 9, 2026, during a major scandal and a $54 million lawsuit concerning bets related to recent strikes in Iran. (Photo by Samuel Boivin/NurPhoto)NO USE FRANCE

Kalshi’s Tarek Mansour Talks Giannis, Don Jr., Supreme Court

The Kalshi cofounder discussed critics, CFTC rulemaking, and more.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

7/3/26 – USMNT Round of 16 Ticket Frenzy, NBA Tests New Free Throw Rule, Ovechkin Returns, Country Roads Takes Over

0:00

Featured Today

ATLANTA, GA - September 05: Georgia Lottery fireworks after the game against the Seattle Mariners at Truist Park on Friday, September 5, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Inside the Spectacle and Science of MLB Fireworks

Postgame fireworks are lighting up baseball for America250.
Kansas City Chiefs
July 1, 2026

NFL Teams Push to Turn Futbol Fans Into Football Devotees

NFL teams are courting international soccer fans during their World Cup visits.
June 26, 2026

What We Saw Traveling the U.S. for the World Cup Group Stage

The knockout stage begins Sunday.
June 26, 2026

In an Era of $1,000 Tickets, $10 Watch Parties Bring Fans Together

Stadium watch parties now rival home-game experiences.
June 25, 2026

Italian Americans Have Severe World Cup FOMO

Bars and restaurants in Boston, Philly, and beyond are missing the Azzurri.

Jordan Spieth Says Betting Is Changing Golf—and Could Affect Outcomes

The golfer suggested U.S. Open fans were betting against Wyndham Clark.
Reuters FILE PHOTO: Kalshi logo appears in this illustration created on April 22, 2026.
June 17, 2026

Kalshi CEO Downplays Polymarket Rivalry

Tarek Mansour says Polymarket’s scandals risk sullying the entire industry.
June 29, 2026

Malik Beasley Latest NBA Player Indicted in Federal Gambling Probe

Beasley coordinated with Ed Davis to fix games, according to the indictment.
Sponsored

Josh Childress: Why Now Is the Time for NBA Expansion

Josh Childress on why he invested in the Portland Thorns, the case for NBA expansion, and donating to Stanford NIL.
In this photo illustration, a mobile device displays the Kalshi logo while a laptop displays the webpage of the prediction market platform in Copenhagen, Denmark, on February 10, 2026. (Photo by Kristian Tuxen Ladegaard Berg/NurPhoto)
June 11, 2026

CFTC’s Proposed Rules Won’t Quiet Prediction-Market Critics

Markets tied to physical altercations or referee decisions would be flagged.
Courtesy: Jake Epstein
June 10, 2026

Knicks Run Is New Front in the Kalshi-Polymarket Marketing War

Prediction-market platforms have capitalized on the Knicks’ Finals run.
Fanduel
June 8, 2026

FanDuel Is Latest Gambling Company to Cut Jobs

Sources tell FOS a few hundred people were laid off last week.
Reuters FILE PHOTO: Kalshi logo appears in this illustration created on April 22, 2026.
June 1, 2026

DraftKings Cofounder ‘Loves’ Prediction Markets Despite Attacks

Matt Kalish credits Kalshi with fighting legal and regulatory battles for the entire industry.