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DraftKings moved ahead of FanDuel in early NFL-season sportsbook app traction, while New York betting activity rose sharply through most of September before cooling in the final reported week.
According to Sensor Tower data compiled by Citizens JMP Securities and cited by Deadspin, DraftKings accounted for 12% of U.S. and Canada real-money gaming app downloads in Week 4 of the 2026 NFL season. FanDuel was at 8%. Overall, real-money gaming apps generated 2.1 million downloads in the week, up 24% year over year.
DraftKings led FanDuel, but prediction markets drew more downloads
The same data showed much of the early-season growth did not go to traditional sportsbooks. Downloads were up 22% through the first four weeks of the NFL season, but prediction-market platforms captured a larger share of the surge.
Kalshi accounted for 32% of Week 4 downloads, while Polymarket reached 11%. That left DraftKings second among the operators highlighted in the report and FanDuel fourth.
For New York readers, the comparison is a reminder that sportsbook competition is no longer limited to FanDuel and DraftKings alone, even if those brands remain central to the state’s mobile betting market.
New York handle climbed above $600 million before a late-September dip
New York sportsbooks accepted $483.3 million in wagers during the first week of September. That total then climbed to $594.6 million and $611.1 million over the following two weeks before slipping to $573.4 million for the week ending Sept. 27.
Operator hold also moved around from week to week. New York books posted an approximate 9.3% hold in the week ending Sept. 6, followed by 2.9%, then 6.3%, and 8.5% in the final week of September.
That volatility matched a difficult opening stretch for popular NFL sides. Through four weeks, favorites went 28-34-2 against the spread. Teams receiving at least half of all bets went 25-36-2, and publicly backed teams were just 2-10 against the spread in primetime games.
Parlays remain a major revenue driver
The report also pointed to parlays as a key part of sportsbook economics during football season. Preseason projections from Eilers & Krejcik Gaming said parlays could account for more than 40% of NFL betting handle and as much as 75% of sportsbook revenue.
For players in New York, that helps explain why operator results can look very different from week to week even when betting volume stays high. As the NFL season continues, upcoming state handle and revenue reports should offer a clearer read on whether September’s swings were short-term noise or the start of a broader pattern. As always, bet responsibly.
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Source: As reported by Ian Valentino.
