Kalshi Signs First Professional Athlete Partnership with Bryson DeChambeau

The deal, first reported by Front Office Sports and later confirmed by Kalshi on X, will feature DeChambeau in TV commercials, social media campaigns, live appearances, branded content, and promotional activities tied to Kalshi markets.

In addition, the partnership will include prediction markets on events in which DeChambeau competes. That would be in addition to those that Kalshi already offers tied to him. That consists of a contract on how many course records he will break in his YouTube course record series in 2026. The prediction market operator has not disclosed financial terms or the length of the agreement.

DeChambeau is a two-time major championship winner. He’s one of the most famous players on the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Tour. In the announcement, he said:

“Kalshi is building something completely different. As the world’s largest prediction market and one of the fastest-growing companies in the world, Kalshi is creating a fun and more engaging experience for people to predict and forecast the future.”

The partnership is notable not only for being Kalshi’s first with an individual athlete but also for its integration of prediction markets with athlete performance content and branded storytelling.

First Athlete Follows First League as NHL Embraces Prediction Markets

Kalshi’s partnership with Bryson DeChambeau comes approximately three months after the NHL became the first major U.S. professional sports league to formally partner with prediction market platforms.

In October 2025, the NHL announced partnerships with Kalshi and Polymarket. Through the deals, the companies receive brand exposure through games and have access to using NHL logos, trademarked items such as the Stanley Cup, and the names of teams.

After the deal’s announcement, the American Gaming Association, a trade group representing gambling operators, urged other leagues, such as the NFL, NBA, and MLB, not to follow the NHL.

In early December, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell indicated that the league has no plans to enter prediction markets until the regulatory landscape clears. Shortly after, an August MLB memo surfaced, in which the league warned players that prediction markets are off-limits.

The NHL has defended the partnership. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has stated that the deal is structured to provide the NHL with more oversight over the types of event contracts offered. That includes the ability to require Kalshi or Polymarket to remove or restrict specific markets if they raise integrity issues.

Those league-level partnerships have already translated into team-level partnerships. That includes the Chicago Blackhawks’ deal with Kalshi and the New York Rangers’ partnership with Polymarket, both of which include in-arena, broadcast, and digital promotion of prediction-market products.

Prediction Markets and Professional Sports Teams: A Broadening Footprint

In addition to the Blackhaws and Rangers, prediction market companies have been increasingly forging partnerships with professional sports franchises.

A recent Event Horizon analysis reveals that more than a dozen professional sports teams have existing deals with companies offering sports event contracts. That’s either directly or via sponsorships.

• Crypto.com is a shirt sponsor of the Philadelphia 76ers. The arena where the Lakers (NBA), the Sparks (WNBA), and the Kings (NHL) play is called Crypto.com Arena.
• Robinhood: A shirt sponsor of three NBA teams: The Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies, and the Washington Wizards.
• Coinbase: Before entering prediction markets in December, Coinbase signed partnerships with the Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors.
• PrizePicks: The DFS and prediction-market hybrid has partnerships with several MLB teams. They include the Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and San Francisco Giants. It is also a partner of State Farm Arena, home of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks.
• Underdog: Before pivoting into prediction markets, Underdog signed deals with teams such as the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Blues.

Notably, many of these partnerships were struck before some of these operators entered prediction markets in the past few months.

What the DeChambeau Partnership Signals for Kalshi and the Industry

Expansion Into Athlete Branding and Fan Engagement

Kalshi’s deal with DeChambeau signals a pivot into athlete-driven marketing. Elite sports stars offer direct access to mass-market fan bases, enabling prediction markets to reach a broader audience. That’s especially important as sports event contracts now account for over 90% of trading on Kalshi.

The DeChambeu deal also allows Kalshi to increase fan engagement through social media, branded content, and live appearances.

Competitive Positioning Versus Traditional Sports Betting

High-profile partnerships — both with athletes and pro teams — may help elevate consumer recognition and reposition these platforms as complementary to, rather than competitive with, sportsbooks.

Regulatory and Integrity Considerations

While partnerships with professional leagues, such as the NHL, provide legitimacy to the public, the broader regulatory landscape remains complex.

Prediction markets continue to face scrutiny from state regulators and governing bodies. A recent example is the NCAA’s request that prediction markets halt offering collegiate sports contracts.

Regulatory clarity will be critical as these platforms scale.