Next week, ESPN is rolling out a shiny new app and if you thought it was just for checking scores and watching highlights, think again. Now you’ll be able to track your parlays right alongside LeBron’s box score.

At an employee town hall earlier this week, ESPN previewed its reimagined app, which will feature an ESPN Bet tab front and center. Think of it like SportsCenter meets DraftKings. Users will be able to:

• Place wagers through links that jump to the ESPN Bet app (run by Penn Entertainment).
• Track live, upcoming, and settled bets while streaming games.
• Pretend they were “always confident” about that underdog pick that hit in double OT.

Money still has to be deposited through the ESPN Bet app itself, so ESPN proper isn’t holding your cash just your dignity when your “can’t-miss” parlay flames out.

The betting integration will be formally unveiled at a press conference on Aug. 19, and the revamped app launches Aug. 21.

ESPN has released a teaser for its upcoming ESPN direct-to-consumer & enhanced ESPN App launch

The campaign features @JohnCena & ESPN's first-ever mascot, App-E

ESPN will be available for fans beginning Aug. 21

More: https://t.co/bSjR5n7ZKy pic.twitter.com/WktBafyOAK

— ESPN Front Row (@ESPNFrontRow) August 11, 2025

This is all part of ESPN’s $2 billion licensing deal with Penn Entertainment, signed in 2023. Penn’s CEO Jay Snowden has been clear: ESPN Bet has ground to make up against juggernauts FanDuel and DraftKings. There’s even an opt-out clause in 2026 if things don’t work out. Translation: the next two years are a big test.

Early signs look promising, though. Snowden says ESPN Bet has seen:

• 50% growth in first-time bettors year-over-year in July.
• More than double first-time deposits compared to last summer.

And ESPN isn’t stopping there. A new FanCenter feature will let fans bet directly on their favorite teams, players, and even fantasy lineups. The ESPN Fantasy app will also have a “Find a Bet” button that pulls up wagers tied to your roster and sends them straight to your bet slip.

Oh, and if that wasn’t enough new content, ESPN is also launching its long-awaited direct-to-consumer network next week at $29.99/month — or $39.99 bundled with Fox One.

So in short: ESPN is no longer just a place to check highlights. It’s becoming a place to watch, stream, bet, and possibly cry when your same-game parlay misses by one rebound.