The U.S. sports betting world moves quickly and unpredictably in 2026. In order to properly take stock of it all, we offer InGame’s “EndGame,” an end-of-week compilation of the top storylines, some overlooked items, and all the other news bits from this past week that we found interesting.
G2E to welcome ‘The Great One’
Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, aka “The Great One,” will join BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt for a conversation about the intersection of sports, sports betting, and digital innovation Sept. 29 at the annual Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas, conference organizers announced Wednesday. Gretzky, the NHL’s all-time points and assists leader, won four Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers and is a BetMGM brand ambassador.
Gretzy and Greenblatt will discuss what kind of preparation, discipline, and focus it takes to achieve greatness, and the G2E press release said Gretzky will also share his thoughts on those who shaped his career.
The conversation will follow the opening keynote, during which CNBC’s Contessa Brewer will moderate a discussion including Caesars Entertainment CEO Tom Reeg, MGM Resorts International CEO Bill Hornbuckle, and Wynn Resorts CEO Craig Billings. Activist Elizabeth Smart, who was thrust into the national spotlight after her kidnapping in 2002 and subsequent rescue in 2003, will speak about resilience and overcoming adversity.
— Jill R. Dorson
Fanatics Markets to offer ‘injury insurance’
“Injury insurance” has become fairly commonplace among U.S. sportsbooks — most offer some provision under which consumers will have certain prop bets credited back to their account if a player leaves a game early. Fanatics Markets on Wednesday announced that it is extending its version, “Fair Play,” to sports event contracts.
The company didn’t have to wait long to put the program into action, as in Wednesday’s season-opening NFL game Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold left early after he injured his hip on the first possession. For eligible NFL prop trades, Fanatics is offering the trade amount back in FanCash on single trades. For combos, if the injured player’s departure causes the combo to lose, the trade amount will be credited in FanCash. Fanatics Markets is currently offering Fair Play for pro football and baseball.
— Jill R. Dorson
If you backed the Spurs all season …
The New York Knicks may have been the NBA team that made their fans happiest by winning last season’s championship, but that doesn’t mean they brought bettors the most joy, according to data compiled by Sports Illustrated.
It was instead the San Antonio Spurs, who lost to the Knicks in the finals, who fared best for their betting backers over the course of the regular season by going 62-20. Sports Illustrated used a methodology calculating results of betting $100 on a team’s moneyline in each game, and it estimated doing so for the Spurs would have resulted in a $2,352.84 profit.
“While championship contenders often dominate the headlines, the biggest winners for bettors have largely been the teams that consistently outperformed bookmakers’ expectations,” according to the findings. The report said betting $100 on every game of three other teams also would have produced earnings exceeding $1,000: the Denver Nuggets (a 54-28 record and $1,477.84 profit); Detroit Pistons (60-22, $1,273.05); and Boston Celtics (56-26, $1,10.58).
Odds and ends
- Betr has launched a phased rollout in beta of Betr 2.0, providing integration with Polymarket’s prediction market product for customers in select states. Entourage stars Jeremy Piven and Adrian Grenier and basketball brothers Lonzo and Gelo Ball are part of a Betr marketing campaign announcing the new “Super App.”
- BetMGM on Thursday announced a new Canadian sports betting and online casino partnership with the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings, per a press release, “continue to deepen their connection with Vikings fans across Canada.” BetMGM is live in Ontario and Alberta.
- BetRivers announced Thursday that it is waiving per-bet fees in Illinois. The state imposed a first-of-its-kind per-wager fee in 2025, and many operators in the state pass that fee directly to consumers
- Real App has a new partnership with FanDuel, the social sports app announced Thursday. Under the deal, FanDuel’s odds and contextual markets will become part of Real App’s live sports experience, “giving members another way to understand, discuss, and engage with the games they follow together on the platform.”
ICYMI
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Kalshi Has Best Volume Day But Pays Out Controversial Football Game Too Early
Kalshi At Risk Of Utah Criminal Charges After Appellate Court Denies Emergency Injunction
New Mexico Tribes Say Kalshi Can’t Ignore Their Rules
Illinois Rep Wants To Repeal State’s New Prediction Market Tax Structure
Sydney Sweeney Stars In Racy Ad For Novig
Judge Denies Clase, Ortiz Motions To Dismiss Wire Fraud Conspiracy Count
Underdog Surrenders Its Fantasy Sports Licenses In Seven States
