NBA Partners With PrizePicks, But Not Without Scrutiny
A deal was recently struck, making PrizePicks the NBA's official DFS partner. However, right off the bat, the deal has been scrutinized over integrity concerns.
It is a multi-year partnership under which PrizePicks now has the rights to use the NBA's intellectual property in its free-to-play contests and DFS products. The Atlanta-based company also has the right to use NBA team emblems. In a separate agreement, PrizePicks also partnered with the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) to use NBA player images in its products.
While the partnership between DFS sites and major sports leagues is commonplace, the integrity issue came up right away, something that has been a hot topic in the NBA. The main issue is PrizePicks' format, which is not the typical way DFS works.
The unique PrizePicks format
PrizePicks not only centers on a DFS format but also on its pick 'em format, where players can create a parlay with two to six players and pick whether their stats will go over or under a certain threshold. Individual state gambling regulators, as well as other critics, have stated that the pick 'em model is the same as the typical proposition (prop) bets offered by state-licensed online sportsbooks.
With a single click, PrizePicks users can switch from the DFS format to the prediction market (pick 'em) PrizePicks Predict that offers sports event contracts. In the recent deal, there was no mention of prediction markets or whether they would be available, but the NBA has hinted at future prediction market deals. However, unlike other major North American sports leagues, the NBA has tried to stay away from prediction format sites. This is one reason critics of the deal have scrutinized it.
It remains to be seen if prediction markets will be available and what restrictions PrizePicks will set, if any. The use of the pick 'em format, which essentially involves prop betting, is being scrutinized because prop bets are the easiest to manipulate. Polymarket is the MLB's prediction market platform, and it has restricted vulnerable markets, such as betting on individual pitches.
State issues
While PrizePicks and the NBA are now partners, the DFS company has been in hot water with states before, and that situation continues to this day. It recently returned to New York after being banned in the state in February 2024, after offering its services unlicensed since 2019. It was granted a DFS license to offer its services after paying a nearly $15 million settlement to the New York State Gaming Commission.
Several other states have either challenged or even banned the services PrizePicks offers. Meanwhile, the NBA and other leagues are urging the CFTC to take more control of prediction markets.
Ongoing NBA gambling problems
The recent deal comes just a few months after a major gambling scandal rocked the NBA. In October 2025, 34 people were brought up on federal charges dealing with illegal sports betting and setting up rigged poker games. Miami Heat player Terry Rozier was among those charged after it was alleged that he faked a foot injury in 2023, allowing bettors to win a prop bet. Another player charged was Damon Jones, who was alleged to have provided bettors with reliable information on player availability for the L.A. Lakers.
Portland Trail Blazers' head coach Chauncy Billups also faced charges for allegedly setting up rigged poker games. This recent scandal comes after former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter was banned for life by the NBA in 2024 for leaving games early and faking injuries to help bettors win their prop bets.
Final thoughts: Is there a conundrum?
The NBA has stepped up its efforts to thwart illegal gambling, cooperating with federal investigators and calling for more stringent regulation of bets that are more prone to manipulation.
However, following the recent partnership with PrizePicks, critics have said the company's offerings are very similar to the types of bets the NBA is trying to avoid.
