CME Group gets into Sports Betting | PutterBird Taking Chicago by Storm

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CME pushes the boundaries of retail trading with FanDuel bet Retail trading and sports betting share some commonalities. Both depend on mixtures of timing, market knowledge, and a bit of luck. CME Group, based on South Wacker Dr, and FanDuel could revolutionize retail trading…if they aren’t met with legal challenges. CME Group has seen exponential growth among its retail traders, up 20% so far this year. Sports betting is up 20.6% in Q2 2025 compared to Q2 2024, according to the American Gaming Association. If millions of users on FanDuel’s app can wager money on economic indicators such as oil and crypto, you can bet on even higher growth numbers for CME and FanDuel. Critics claim it gamefies financial markets in a risky way for those not fully educated on hedging trades against big losses. Kalshi — an event-trading exchange — is an example from the article that is currently sidestepping around legal challenges to its platform by claiming it’s federally regulated as a financial exchange. Similar to NIL in college, boundaries will continue to be pushed unless or until legislation is enacted to curb some of the enthusiasm, Larry David style. If nothing comes up to stop this partnership from happening, we could see these event-based contracts on FanDuel by the end of the year. Crain’s explores the full implications of this partnership moving forward.

PutterBird, A Portable Mini-Golf Course Born In A West Town Garage, Is Taking Chicago By Storm Matt Dolan created the ultimate business for himself after getting fired from his corporate job. Best of all, it was purely by accident. Dolan picked up woodworking during the pandemic and used his creativity to create customized mini-golf courses. Each of the nine courses he currently offers requires a different strategy to get to the hole. He describes it as more akin to a board game than a cheesy putt-putt course. PutterBird lets players select from different rental options, ranging in price from $200-$1000 for a six-hour period. The makeshift hobby created for his own entertainment has morphed into a legit business that thousands around the city are enjoying. Dolan could even take his company from West Town all the way to Texas, as he considers franchising. It’s one of those homegrown success stories that gives you good vibes anyway you look at it. Block Club Chicago gives you more details on how PutterBird has taken over local weddings and birthday parties.

NWSL’s Chicago Stars will play 2026 season at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium The Stars didn’t have a hard time searching for a way to boost attendance to home games. With their lease expiring at SeatGeek Stadium at the end of this year, the Stars will make the 30-mile trek northwest to Martin Stadium next year. Martin Stadium remains Northwestern’s crown jewel among its sports facilities. It’s a crown Ryan Field will be hard-pressed to overtake once it opens, also next year. Stars fans will have a much easier time getting to Evanston through CTA. The incomparable views make it an easy ticket to buy, regardless of how the team is doing. Perhaps being closer to the city will even help the team get back to its winning ways. If picturesque views of Lake Michigan and downtown help opposing teams lose focus, it would make the move even more worth it and help bring the Stars out of the NWSL cellar. Learn more about the move and where the Stars played when they set an NWSL attendance record.

Over $30 billion expected to be wagered on NFL at U.S. legal sportsbooks this season. Sports betting has become just as synonymous with America’s favorite sport as tailgating and wings are. Even preseason games are getting bets. Football’s return ratchets up fantasy leagues around the country and terrible fantasy team names as well. The industry continues hitting new heights as more states like Missouri open their doors to online sports betting. $30 billion represents a new high, but far from a climax. The NFL is pushing hard to export the game internationally to as many countries as will welcome it with open arms. If it also gets its way with adding an 18th game to the regular season, more people than ever before could enter the world of sports betting. Preseason games may also become more valuable, at least to bet on, if they are reduced further to just two. Yahoo Sports covers how much the industry has grown since last year.

Here’s how the U.S. Open’s signature Honey Deuce cocktail price stacks up against inflation Leave it to NYC to take pride in leading the country in something dubious like inflation. The Honey Deuce is a simple recipe — lemonade, melons, and vodka — with the right mix of marketing and prestige. Its price has risen quicker than home prices have. Revenue generated from selling Honey Deuce is staggering, eclipsing eight figures during last year’s event. If the drink were rising in tandem with inflation, it would be $20.33. Instead, it’s $23, not including tips. Honey Deuce and the U.S. Open fall under the category of funflation items. If you’re not familiar with the term, these are experience-based expenses that Americans have been more willing to spend big money on since the pandemic. Six price hikes on the Honey Deuce since 2012, though, seems a bit advantageous. No surprise this revelation resulted in no comment from the U.S. Open in the article. Here’s exactly how much the Honey Deuce sold last year.

Tennis Star Frances Tiafoe Bets On Pro Padel With Investment In New York Team Investing in sports franchises has been the hottest trend over the last several years for athletes. From Kevin Durant to Serena Williams and Patrick Mahomes, athletes have been eager to gain ownership stakes wherever they can. For padel, it’s experiencing tremendous growth here in the U.S. It has become a force to reckon with worldwide, with over 30 million active players. And based on how inflation works in NYC, Tiafoe knows his substantial investment in the upstart New York Atlantics from the 10-team Pro Padel League will eventually pay off. It’ll take time, as many Americans may still confuse padel with pickleball. But it’s gaining steam. As padel clubs and courts continue to pop up rapidly nationwide, the confusion is becoming less common. For a local example, Alma Padel has rooted itself on the North Shore and continues to gain traction. The New York Atlantics raised over $2 million in their latest funding round to give them a valuation of over $10 million. As padel keeps growing thanks to its fast pace, light load on joints, and squash-like glass enclosed walls, the PPL could reach or even surpass valuations of some of pickleball’s top franchises. Forbes reveals who else invested in the Atlantics and how padel works.

Tennis Legend Roger Federer Is Now A Billionaire As dominant as Roger Federer was on the tennis court, he might be even better in business. He earned $131 million in prize money — third-best all-time — but his moves off-court make that amount look modest. Start with his endorsements. Federer’s playing style made him easy to appeal to brands like Lindt, Mercedes-Benz, and Rolex from his native Switzerland. Maybe his best move came when he invested in rising shoe giant On in 2019, taking on an equity stake. Federer’s 3% equity stake has turned into $375 million as the company’s explosive growth has taken its valuation to almost $15 billion. He’s had success with businesses he’s cofounded as well. A management company he cofounded hosts the Laver Cup, estimated to earn $20 million this year in sponsorship and ticket revenue. There’s a reason only seven other athletes like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods have hit the billionaire status. It takes a rare combination of charisma, business savvy, and widespread appeal to win straight sets in business as consistently as Federer has. And he’s poised to keep it going. Find out more details on Federer’s path to a billion.