Michael Burry, the investor who became famous for predicting and cashing in on the collapse of the U.S. housing market in 2008, has made new moves in the sports betting sector — purchasing shares of Flutter Entertainment and DraftKings.
Burry announced Wednesday that he acquired Flutter shares at around $107 each and picked up DraftKings shares “in the low $26s.” Combined, the two investments form a full-sized position in his portfolio, weighted approximately 60% toward Flutter and 40% toward DraftKings, though he noted he may expand each into a full standalone position down the road.
In a post on his website, Burry identified prediction markets as the primary threat hanging over both companies. He explained that these platforms can offer event contracts across the entire country under the oversight of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, all while sidestepping the state gaming taxes that traditional sports betting operators must pay.
Prediction markets work by allowing traders to purchase and sell contracts based on the outcome of various events — ranging from sporting contests and elections to economic data releases.
Burry argued that these platforms are essentially operating through a loophole, existing alongside a gambling industry that faces heavy regulation and taxation. “I believe that the political climate will not tolerate this,” he wrote, expressing his expectation that prediction markets will ultimately be subjected to the same regulatory and tax framework as traditional gambling.
Despite Flutter’s stock falling roughly 50% this year through last close, Burry said the company remains an attractive investment due to its strong fundamentals and significant scale, even after what he described as past capital misallocation. As for DraftKings, whose shares are off about 21%, Burry said the company is showing signs of improvement as an operating business.
Burry also disclosed that he added to his holdings in JD.com, purchasing additional shares at $27.58 and calling it one of his three top positions. He further stated his belief that Hong Kong and Chinese stocks stand to benefit as enthusiasm around artificial intelligence and memory chips begins to cool in South Korea and Japan.
