Delta Air Lines is set to launch a DraftKings-themed sports prediction game on its flights, while ensuring compliance with federal aviation regulations that prohibit gambling.
Participation is restricted to individuals aged 21 and over. The airline has designed the game, named SkyPicks, to avoid all forms of betting, deposits, financial stakes, or any risk of loss. Participants vie for Delta gift cards instead.
The prohibition of real-money gambling originates from a 1962 statute that prohibits wagering on commercial aircraft, a point emphasized by Sen. Richard Blumenthal last year, urging Delta and DraftKings to exclude any betting mechanism aboard the flights.
SkyPicks is accessed via Delta Sync Wi-Fi and is compatible with personal laptops or mobile devices, rather than in-flight entertainment screens.
To get started, travelers must log in to an existing DraftKings account or set up a new account, followed by selecting a league to access eight to twelve questions regarding a specific game or series of games.
The game will feature player matchups as well as straightforward predictions on game winners. Players can modify their answers right up until the match begins, ensuring that last-minute injuries or changes in the lineup do not exclude them from participation. Ties will be settled based on predictions of total points or runs scored.
High scorers qualify for rewards in individual challenges and on monthly leaderboards, and new competitions are initiated bi-weekly.
Delta emphasized that passengers can join the ongoing contest, regardless of whether their favorite team is playing on the travel day. SkyPicks begins with MLB matchups, with NFL contests to be added as that season commences.
Delta initially announced its DraftKings partnership at CES in January 2025, prior to finalizing details about the product. Blumenthal’s letter followed soon after, cautioning against the public health risks associated with mobile sports betting and urging both companies to maintain a non-gambling environment aboard flights.
The version that debuted this week appears to honor that guideline: featuring DraftKings branding and sportsbook-like features, yet entirely devoid of any wagering components.
Delta remarked that sports content consistently ranks among the leading categories on its in-flight entertainment systems, aiding the decision to introduce an interactive offering in this realm. The airline conducts approximately 5,500 flights daily to over 300 locations on six continents, transporting more than 200 million guests last year.
“At DraftKings, we hold the belief that fans’ engagement with sports should extend beyond just the event itself—it should encompass every moment that matters to them. As we work to enhance the DraftKings Sports experience, we are investigating innovative ways to keep fans connected to the action beyond conventional venues,” stated Jeremy Elbaum, DraftKings’ Chief Commercial Officer.
“Partnering with Delta presents us with a unique chance to redefine what sports engagement can mean while traveling, providing fans with fresh ways to stay in touch with the games they adore,” added Elbaum.
The launch aligns with DraftKings’ initiative to merge its casino games, sportsbook, lottery, and prediction market services into a comprehensive “Super App,” which also includes the recent rollout of its in-house prediction markets exchange, DKeX.
This Delta partnership offers DraftKings an additional avenue to reach sports enthusiasts outside its conventional betting and casino platforms.