FanDuel led Pennsylvania with a $165.7 million July handle, beating DraftKings despite facing challenges with Gen Z engagement. While older fans drive revenue, younger users show higher participation in fantasy football but prefer athlete-driven content over traditional team loyalty.
FanDuel generated $25.4 million in gross revenue from a $165.7 million handle in Pennsylvania during July 2026. This 15.3% hold beat DraftKings, which produced $19.3 million from a $163.8 million handle. The total Pennsylvania handle reached $509.5 million in July. This is a jump from the $412.5 million handle recorded in July 2025. The 23.5% increase in wagering follows the 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout rounds. The state collected $17.6 million in taxable revenue and $1 million in local tax shares.
| Operator | July Handle (PA) | July Revenue (PA) |
|---|---|---|
| FanDuel | $165.7 million | $25.4 million |
| DraftKings | $163.8 million | $19.3 million |
| Fanatics | $35.2 million | $3.9 million |
| BetMGM | $35.1 million | $4.4 million |
| bet365 | $32.2 million | $3.7 million |
The generational shift in sports interest
Gen Z fans report a 63 satisfaction score, while fans over 30 rate their experience at 67. Gen Z fans participate in fantasy football at a 55% rate, which is double the 26% rate seen in fans over 30. They also bet on their favorite teams at a 55% rate, compared to 35% for older fans. Most Gen Z fans discover new teams or players through short-form video. While FanDuel maintains its lead in Pennsylvania with $165.7 million in July handle, the company must still defend its market share against DraftKings’ superior app speed and aggressive reward systems. Does the shift toward personality-driven content threaten the traditional team-based model?
Millennials remain the commercial core of sports media because 85% identify as die-hard or regular fans. This group leads in subscriptions and purchasing intent. Gen Z engagement differs because their loyalty stays with athletes rather than organizations. Their behavior is fluid and shaped by platforms where attention is earned in seconds. In 2023, an estimated 27.3 million youth ages 6-17 participated on a sports team or took sports lessons.
App performance and competitive pressure
I find the DraftKings app much faster for live wagering than the FanDuel version. DraftKings loads almost instantly, while FanDuel lags by several heartbeats. The FanDuel interface is a polished lounge with smoother transitions. DraftKings provides better live betting tools, including a cash-out algorithm that acts like a seasoned trader. You should know that DraftKings also provides superior customer support with human-staffed 24/7 chat. I find the FanDuel email-first approach for customer support frustrating because it feels like shouting into a void.
DraftKings leads the US market in app speed, user experience, and reward systems. FanDuel remains a strong second in the sector. Competition from Fanatics, which holds third place, forces operators to spend more on promotions. Fanatics uses a unique system where users exchange points for merchandise. Flutter, the company that owns 77.4% of FanDuel, cut its US revenue and profit forecasts after FanDuel missed customer targets at the end of 2025. Increased competition and higher state tax rates in places like Illinois make maintaining a lead expensive. Illinois introduced a wager fee on July 1, and a $0.50 fee on each bet placed in the state starts September 1.
The rise of prediction markets and DFS
The fantasy sports industry generates over $15 billion in annual entry fees. Approximately 40 million Americans participate in these games every year. The demographic is 66% male. Typical players spend 18 hours per week on sports, with nine of those hours dedicated to fantasy wagering. The industry is shifting as prediction markets like PredictQ and FanDuel Predicts attempt to capture new users. Sporttrade recently announced it is shutting down its US sports betting operations to pivot to prediction markets.
FanDuel provides a daily fantasy sports platform with 10 sports options. The mobile app allows users to livestream games while they track their picks. This differs from Thrive Fantasy, which is a mobile-only platform with 9 sports and a variety of games like Over/Under. Thrive Fantasy allows deposits as low as $0.05, but it has a poor rating from the BBB and complaints about payouts. Most players use fantasy sports to feel connected to athletics. Many players use these games to demonstrate they can build a team better than professionals. FanDuel’s Same Game Parlay experience remains a major driver of its live betting volumes.