Digital Sports Media Group Reports H1 Group Income of €175m and Highlights Emerging Momentum in Prediction Markets
Digital sports media group Better Collective has officially maintained its full-year 2026 financial guidance already in Q2, underpinned by a significant commercial turnaround and robust revenue growth across its North American operations.
H1 2026 Financial Highlights
According to the group’s interim report for the first half of the year, Better Collective delivered solid financial growth despite facing regulatory headwinds and compounding operational costs in secondary regions such as the United Kingdom and Brazil.
Key financial metrics for H1 2026 include:
- Group Income: Reached €175m (£150m), representing a 7% increase compared to €164m reported in the previous year.
- EBITDA (Before Special Items): Rose 17% to €52.1m, up from €44.5m during the same period in 2025.
North America Emerges as the Primary Growth Engine
North America continues to serve as the pivotal growth driver for the group, delivering an improved income contribution of €24.2m, which marks a 35% surge compared to €17m in 2025.
On a year-to-date basis, North American revenues have outpaced management expectations, standing at €50m and accounting for approximately 29% of the group’s total YTD income. Furthermore, operating earnings margins in the region have rebounded sharply to above 25% (up from 5%), pushing Q2 and H1 EBITDA (before special items) for North America to €6.3m and €14m respectively.
Management highlighted Playmaker HQ as a standout asset within the region, driving a 66% surge in sponsorship revenue to €8.7m as its talent-led formats successfully boosted audience engagement and commercial returns. Building on this momentum, Better Collective is now expanding its North American footprint into Alberta, deploying major digital assets including Action Network, The Nation Network, Canada Sports Betting, Playbook, and Paid Media.
Expansion Into Prediction Markets
In addition to core sports betting performance, Better Collective is experiencing positive financial contributions from its recent entry into prediction markets. Following the launch of dedicated editorial hubs across key U.S. brands like Action Network and VegasInsider in March, the company has actively scaled its presence in the sector.
Addressing investors regarding the emerging vertical, Better Collective Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer Jesper Søgaard stated:
“We are pleased with how prediction markets are developing in the US. We started the year with one player active there, and in the second quarter we got one more into the market. We know that for US sports the start of the NFL is a major milestone, we are really excited about the competition the market will have leading up to the start of the NFL. The ambitions the prediction market players demonstrate, all in all we have seen good development in the first half with the prediction market players.”
Summarizing the group’s overall performance and forward-looking strategy, Søgaard concluded:
“We are particularly encouraged by the progress in North America, where growth was driven by revenue share income, talent-led media and prediction markets. The FIFA World Cup provided the expected boost to the quarter. With full-year guidance maintained, we remain focused on profitable growth, continued operating leverage and building an increasingly scalable and efficient Better Collective.”
