FanDuel is finding another way to engage its users during the NFL season. The operator announced a new partnership with Real App this week, becoming the platform’s first official sportsbook and prediction market partner. The deal will bring FanDuel odds directly into Real App, which has more than 1.5 million monthly active users. It’s another example of FanDuel trying to innovate at a time when sportsbooks are fighting harder to attract and retain customers.
Real App has grown into a popular way for sports fans to follow games and discuss what is happening in real time. With more than 1.1 million daily active users and 1.5 million monthly active users across 18 sports leagues, FanDuel will now have a direct way to reach that audience.
FanDuel odds and markets will appear throughout Real, including live game feeds and team box scores. Contextual markets will also appear, with eligible users able to click through to the applicable FanDuel product.
For example, if the user is viewing Patrick Mahomes’ player page, they may see what his passing yards prop is at FanDuel.
The initial integration is launching around the start of the 2026 NFL season, with more integrations planned in the future. This can add value for FanDuel because it gives its odds more exposure to viewers while they’re already watching and discussing sports rather than requiring them to open the FanDuel app on their own.
The Real App partnership is only one of several recent changes at FanDuel.
FanDuel recently made Bet Protect+ free for NFL wagers throughout September. The feature normally comes with an additional 3% fee but is being automatically included on eligible NFL bets during the opening month of the season.
Bet Protect+ can provide protection when a player gets injured and doesn’t return to the game, addressing one of the most frustrating ways for bettors to lose a player prop or Same Game Parlay. These updates show how FanDuel is continuing to try to enhance the user experience.
The U.S. sportsbook market has become more competitive, with DraftKings still battling FanDuel for the top spot while Fanatics and bet365 continue trying to gain ground. There are also prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket.
It has been a challenging year for the company, which is why they’re adding more features to their platform in an attempt to bounce-back during the NFL season.
With this new partnership with Real, along with Bet Protect+, there is a clear focus on making FanDuel more useful and accessible to bettors.
These moves show that FanDuel isn’t relying only on its status as a market leader. It’s continuing to look for new ways to stand out as the U.S. betting market becomes more crowded.
