DraftKings Inc. (NASDAQ:DKNG) stock surged 8% on Thursday after Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) announced the sports betting company as ESPN’s new official betting partner, replacing Penn Entertainment Inc.

On Thursday, Penn Entertainment and ESPN announced the early termination of U.S. online sports book ESPN Bet, effective Dec. 1, 2025. ESPN is pulling its name and marketing power from the partnership; ESPN Bet will be rebranded theScore Bet.

Disney is bouncing out of its gambling partnership with Penn Entertainment, the operator behind the crummy ESPN Bet sportsbook platform. The unholy partnership, forged in 2023 between the wheezing multinational entertainment conglomerate and the trumped-up regional racetrack operation,