Better Collective has moved to reinforce its North American commercial operations, describing the region as the key “growth engine” driving its overall financial recovery in 2026.
The digital sports media group recorded a North America income contribution of €24.2m, representing a 35% increase compared to the 2025 comparative figure of €17m.
Better Collective has maintained its full-year 2026 guidance, with management expressing confidence that targets will be met on the back of a significant North American turnaround.
Group income for the first half of the year reached €175m, up 7% against the prior year result of €164m, reflecting steady progress across the business despite several external pressures.
EBITDA before special items grew 17% to €52.1m, compared to €44.5m recorded in the first half of 2025, signalling a meaningful improvement in underlying profitability.
The group did face headwinds during the period, with regulatory pressures in the UK and Brazil compounding costs and partially offsetting the stronger North American performance.
Better Collective’s leadership told analysts that prediction markets are “already making a positive contribution” to the group’s overall financial performance, highlighting confidence in the new vertical.
The company entered the prediction markets space in March this year, launching dedicated editorial hubs across major US brands including Action Network and VegasInsider.
On a year-to-date basis, North American revenues of €50m are running ahead of management expectations, contributing approximately 29% of the group’s total year-to-date income of €175m.
North American operating metrics have improved substantially, with the operating earnings margin recovering to above the 25% mark, a sharp rebound from the previously reported figure of just 5%.
That improvement helped deliver North American EBITDA before special items of €6.3m for Q2 and €14m across the full first half of the year.
To protect the momentum of North American growth and ensure operational stability, Better Collective has kept period costs steady at €18m, broadly in line with the €17m recorded in Q2 2025.
The combination of a recovering North American margin profile, new vertical contributions, and disciplined cost management positions Better Collective firmly on track for the remainder of 2026.
