Sports at about 82% of Kalshi volume, with monthly U.S. contracts at 49.0B in July

Sports accounted for approximately 82% of Kalshi’s U.S. prediction-market volume over the last twelve months, according to an August report from Eilers & Krejcik cited in an October 16, 2026 NewMediaWire release. The research firm estimated total monthly U.S. prediction-market activity at 49.0 billion contracts in July 2026, describing growth of approximately 49x versus 0.9 billion in August 2025.

The release was originally published on Benzinga and disclosed as sponsored content produced with a third-party partner. Its figures provide a snapshot of the industry’s expansion, while its discussion of Sportradar reflects the company’s case for serving that market.

Sports activity gains weight

Eilers & Krejcik estimated that U.S. sports prediction markets represented 30% of combined prediction-market and online sports betting handle in June 2026, compared with 1–2% one year earlier. That comparison uses “handle-analog,” a prediction-market measure comparable to the total amount wagered, rather than the contract count used in the July estimate.

U.S. prediction-market app downloads peaked above 6 million in June 2026, led by Kalshi and Polymarket, according to the research cited by NewMediaWire. Eilers & Krejcik also identified exchange fundraising targets implying valuations of up to $40 billion. The release describes Kalshi and Polymarket as regulated by the CFTC rather than state gaming authorities, giving them access to states without regulated sports betting, and says FanDuel and DraftKings are developing prediction-market products.

Sportradar targets the supporting infrastructure

Sportradar (NASDAQ: SRAD) argues that this expansion creates demand for services it already supplies to sports betting and media businesses: sports data, live odds, fan engagement, customer acquisition capabilities and integrity tools. Founder and CEO Carsten Koerl said prediction markets could broaden the company’s U.S. addressable market through additional states, participants and sports engagement, supporting higher revenue over time.

According to NewMediaWire, Sportradar says its existing technology, infrastructure, sports rights and league relationships can support prediction-market customers without requiring an entirely new operating foundation. Its prospective customers include exchanges, market makers and brokers that need data for pricing, liquidity and settlement. The company says it works only with authorized, registered, licensed operators and follows applicable regulations in each market where it operates.

What it means for prediction markets

• Sports dominate Kalshi’s reported activity: The approximately 82% share makes sports central to interpreting its volume trends, rather than a secondary category.
• The metrics measure different things: July’s 49.0 billion contracts, June’s 30% handle-analog share and June’s app-download peak should not be treated as interchangeable indicators.
• Growth extends beyond exchanges: Sportradar’s stated opportunity includes supplying market makers and brokers, linking its strategy to broader ecosystem activity rather than a single platform’s success.
• Source context matters: The industry estimates are attributed to Eilers & Krejcik, but the release carrying them is sponsored content, and Sportradar’s revenue opportunity remains a company expectation.