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As the calendar closes on 2025, betting data from DraftKings Sportsbook paints a clear picture of where money flowed, where surprises hit hardest, and which names kept showing up on winning tickets.
The numbers tell a story that goes beyond raw popularity. NFL games ruled attention, star players drove prop volume, and a handful of long-shot results delivered some of the biggest payouts seen all year.
Good to Know
Nothing came close to football in 2025. The Super Bowl matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles drew more bets than any other event on the board.
Championship weekend followed closely behind. The AFC title game featuring Kansas City and Buffalo ranked second, while the NFC clash between Philadelphia and Washington landed third. Two more NFL playoff games rounded out the top five, confirming that postseason football still sets the betting calendar.
Money followed teams as well. Across all sports, the Dodgers, Eagles, Chiefs, Thunder, and Yankees attracted more handle than any other franchises during the year.
Player-focused markets continued to grow, especially in the NFL. Bettors leaned hardest on Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Saquon Barkley, Jalen Hurts, and Jahmyr Gibbs. Barkley finished 2025 as the most-bet anytime touchdown scorer on the platform.
Outside football, familiar stars kept showing up on slips. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led NBA action, Shohei Ohtani dominated MLB interest, Connor McDavid carried NHL volume, and A’ja Wilson drove WNBA betting. Tennis and golf bettors focused on Carlos Alcaraz and Scottie Scheffler throughout the year.
While favorites pulled most of the handle, underdogs delivered the shock value.
The longest odds win of the year came in golf. South Korean golfer Junghwan Lee captured the Genesis championship at +50,000, turning small bets into massive payouts.
Team sports brought their own surprises. The Carolina Panthers stunned Green Bay in Week 9 at +700. In the NBA, the Washington Wizards knocked off Minnesota on Feb. 1 at +950. MLB bettors saw the Colorado Rockies take down Atlanta on June 15 as +320 underdogs.
College sports added another twist when UCLA defeated Penn State as a +1,800 underdog early in October.
Golf again delivered the biggest futures shock. Harris English won the PGA Championship market excluding Scottie Scheffler at +250,000. A $10 wager returned $25,000.
Other long-range bets also hit. Dallas drafting Cooper Flagg at +50,000 cashed for early believers. Tre Tucker leading the NFL in receiving yards in Week 3 paid +30,000. Milwaukee finishing with the best MLB regular-season record returned +25,000.
Profitability did not always follow popularity.
In the NFL, Hurts and Philadelphia topped the profit charts. NBA bettors found value with Aaron Gordon and the Indiana Pacers. NHL returns flowed from Alex Ovechkin and the Florida Panthers. MLB profits leaned toward Kerry Carpenter and the Los Angeles Angels.
Golf belonged to Rory McIlroy, while Alyssa Thomas and the Las Vegas Aces delivered the strongest WNBA returns.
NFL events dominated betting volume, including every one of the five most-bet games of the year.
Saquon Barkley led all players, finishing as the most-bet anytime touchdown scorer.
Junghwan Lee winning the Genesis championship at +50,000 produced the longest odds victory.
Harris English winning the PGA Championship market without Scottie Scheffler paid +250,000.