Effective Dec. 1, ESPN Bet will be no more.
Less than two years after its branded online sportsbook first launched, ESPN announced that it has mutually agreed to terminate its partnership with Penn Entertainment. Come Dec. 1, Penn’s online sportsbook will become “theScore Bet,” as the two sides exit what was originally a 10-year $1.5 billion first signed in 2023.
The announcement comes on the heels of various sports betting scandals, including the recent arrests of Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups. The situations called into question ESPN’s ability to cover such stories objectively while still actively promoting its own branded sportsbook, with Get Up even erasing a banner promoting the sportsbook midway through a segment covering the breaking news of the NBA arrests.
In addition to the questionable optics, ESPN Bet also failed to find its footing its footing with customers, with 2025 considered by analysts to be a “make or break” year. The Disney-owned company also possessed an opt-out clause in the agreement that would have allowed it to terminate the deal as early as the end of 2026.
In order to rebrand to ESPN Bet, Penn Entertainment exited its previous agreement with Barstool Sports, famously selling the sports brand back to founder Dave Portnoy. In both instances, Penn believed that promotion from sports media personalities would help establish a foothold in the online sportsbook field, with neither attempt proving to be a success.
“When we first announced our partnership with ESPN, both sides made it clear that we expected to compete for a podium position in the space,” Jay Snowden, CEO and President of PENN Entertainment, said in a statement. “Although we made significant progress in improving our product offering and building a cohesive ecosystem with ESPN, we have mutually and amicably agreed to wind down our collaboration. We plan to refocus our digital strategy on our growing iCasino business, while continuing to capitalize on our omnichannel advantage as the nation’s leading regional retail casino operator.”
Added ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro: “Together, ESPN and PENN created a truly unique offering with unparalleled integrations across our various media assets. ESPN drove over 2.9 million new users into the PENN ecosystem, with a strong uptick in first time bettors this fall. We appreciate the collaboration we had with PENN and are now pursuing other media and marketing opportunities within this space.”
According to a release, Penn Entertainment will continue to be an ESPN advertising client. As first reported by, Front Office Sports Ryan Glasspiegel, ESPN announced that it will enter a sizable multiyear endorsement deal with DraftKings following the end of ESPN Bet.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.