TLDR Michael Jordan joined DraftKings CEO Jason Robins and Sportradar CEO Carsten Koerl for the opening keynote at SBC Summit Lisbon on Sept. 29. Jordan said athletes should focus on winning, not betting lines, stats or spreads. Robins said fans yelled at athletes long before legal betting existed. Koerl said detailed player data and AI agents will drive the next phase of sports betting. Robins said the future of US prediction markets depends on regulators, and DraftKings is preparing for either outcome.
Michael Jordan spoke about sports betting at SBC Summit Lisbon on Tuesday, Sept. 29. He joined DraftKings CEO Jason Robins and Sportradar CEO Carsten Koerl for the opening “Leadership in Sports Business” keynote.
Broadcaster Kirsty Gallacher moderated the session. It focused on how sport, data, technology and betting connect.
Jordan is an investor in both DraftKings and Sportradar. His other holdings include the Charlotte Hornets, Cincoro Tequila and the 23XI NASCAR team.
Jordan Says Winning Is All That Matters
When asked how he would play in today’s data-heavy world, Jordan said he would ignore betting. “I can’t worry about what people are betting on, I can’t worry about what the stats are, I never worried about stats,” he said.
“All I care about is if we win,” Jordan added. He said an athlete can only control what he does on the court.
The NBA has changed a lot since Jordan joined in 1984. League revenue was about $165 million then. It reached as high as $14.3 billion in 2026, and the league now has an 11-year media deal worth $76 billion.
Jordan said today’s players face more pressure off the court. They must build a brand and think about their contract numbers. He said this can pull focus away from the team.
Robins pushed back