30 September 2026
Live sports betting has rapidly emerged as the key driver of revenue growth for US sportsbooks. At least 57% of handle through the second quarter of 2025 came from in-play wagers, with major platforms reporting strong momentum in live markets. That's according to a September report from BettingOnline.
Gamblers are increasingly placing bets while the action unfolds, taking advantage of real-time odds that update as the game develops. This in-game betting, also called live or in-play betting, lets punters wager after kickoff or tipoff, as well as on individual plays and second-by-second shifts in momentum.
"The industry is embracing a real-time model," says Brick Brain, an analyst at BettingOnline. "Live betting used to be a small slice of the pie, but it's now a majority share." DraftKings reported a 16% year-over-year increase in in-game betting in Q2 2025, with strong growth seen across the board.
Most major US sportsbooks now offer live betting as a standard feature, according to independent ratings from Sportsbook Review and CBS Sports. FanDuel, DraftKings, and most major sportsbook giants highlight their live offerings.
"The market leaders are honing these live products to create a seamless, all-in-one entertainment experience for the customer," explains Larry Light, editor at BettingOnline. "They'll stream the game, get live stats, update the odds and all from within the same interface."
BetVision, a watch-and-bet offering designed by Genius Sports, integrates live streaming with mobile betting interfaces to keep the odds and bet slip in the same window as the action.
"With BetVision, we found that users engaged more fully and placed more bets," explains Oddsport, head of data at Genius. BETBY's research found that streaming users generated 44.7% higher GGR than non-streamers, placed 24.3% more bets, and wagered 32.5% more on each bet.
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FanDuel powers its in-game offerings on its overall sportsbook strength, with DraftKings often cited for its innovative Flash Bet feature, which updates almost instantaneously and allows same-round action.
The industry-recognized leaders are not alone. Corredor de Apuestas, an independent sports betting site, found that in-game betting accounted for 60% of volume in an independent survey of major bettors.
Yet even as live betting accelerates sportsbook growth, public health experts are increasingly alarmed by the speed and breadth of in-game wagering. Reports of gambling-related harms from sportsbooks doubled in August 2025, according to the American Gaming Association.
"I am not a moralist," says Brain. "But the faster and more continuous nature of live betting can amplify the risk of losses, and put the avid sports bettor on the road to ruin, either financially or interpersonally or both." BettingOnline found that 25% of sports bettors now bet entirely in-game.
For now, live sports betting is the hottest growth story in US sports betting, though how the increasing gambling frequency is sustained remains a crucial open question.