Delta and DraftKings launch SkyPicks for in-flight predictions
DraftKings and Delta Air Lines launched SkyPicks on July 29, a free-to-play sports prediction contest for in-flight entertainment, allowing eligible passengers to anticipate the results of real sports events to compete for airline gift cards. The offering is available to SkyMiles members aged 21 and over on domestic U.S. flights equipped with Wi-Fi, via the Delta Sync platform, and does not allow real-money wagering or betting with miles. Instead, it is structured as a promotional contest where winners receive gift cards based on the accuracy of their predictions.
Participants answer a series of questions about the game, such as who will score first, which team will win, or what the final score will be as a tie-breaker. Correct answers help them climb a leaderboard that rewards the top performers. The company plans several new contests per week, with an initial schedule focused on Major League Baseball and American football league competitions planned for later in the year. The design aims not to cross the legal line set by the Gambling Devices Act of 1962, which prohibits gambling on board commercial flights in the United States. Therefore, eligibility is verified through the SkyMiles account, and prizes are awarded as gift cards instead of money.
The partnership was first announced in January 2025, during a presentation by Delta CEO Ed Bastian at the Las Vegas tech fair, when he stated that gambling had become part of many customers' daily lives and that they shouldn't have to pause it in the air. These statements fueled speculation about a possible incorporation of in-flight sports betting, although the airline later clarified that the possibility of betting was not part of that exploration. The project also received political criticism, with a letter from Senator Richard Blumenthal to the executives of both companies asking them to halt the launch due to its potential impact on problem gambling.
Beyond not allowing real-money wagering, SkyPicks functions as a customer acquisition tool for DraftKings, as passengers need a platform account to participate. This allows DraftKings to present its product to a captive audience and encourage subsequent use in states where online sports betting is legal. For Delta, the contest provides greater interaction and data from its passengers. The company served over 200 million customers in 2025, and younger generation users are the majority in the Delta Sync environment. The airline industry had explored in-flight gambling in the past, with experiences from Singapore Airlines in the 1980s and Swissair in the 1990s, without continuity. Therefore, the company presented SkyPicks as a cautious first step that keeps the focus on sports entertainment without enabling real-money betting in the air.
Tags: DraftKings, Delta Air Lines, SkyPicks, Gambling Devices Act of 1962