Cars wrapped around the block early Wednesday morning as DraftKings took over a gas station in North Miami-Dade, handing out free full tanks of gasoline to drivers who lined up as early as 8 a.m. The giveaway, fronted by Miami native and former NFL wide receiver Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, ran from around 10 a.m. until about 2 p.m. and drew residents eager to save money on a fill-up.
The event was part of a broader promotion by DraftKings, which teamed up with Johnson to give away gas to residents of the North Miami-Dade community, according to WSVN 7News. Johnson, who was born and raised in Miami and played high school football at Miami Beach Senior High before his 11-year NFL career, briefly signed with his hometown Dolphins during the 2012 offseason, though he was released that August before playing a regular-season game, according to Pro-Football-Reference. He said the giveaway helped people avoid paying for gas and framed it as a way to welcome Dolphins fans ahead of the team's season and a matchup against Tampa Bay at Hard Rock Stadium, where fans were expected to attend.
Drivers Line Up Hours Before the Pumps Open
One father of four, who lives near the gas station, called the giveaway a beautiful gesture, per the station's report. A woman who arrived around 8 a.m., two hours before the event started, was among the drivers waiting in a line that wrapped around the block. Christian Florestan said he showed up with no money and an empty gas tank, while an unemployed woman told the outlet the extra money in her pocket meant a lot.
Stephan Mortimer said the free gas saved him money and called it a blessing, noting that filling his car would normally have cost him $60 to $65. In total, DraftKings gave away 35,000 gallons of gasoline during the single-day event, per the same account.
Why Free Gas Landed Differently This Year
The giveaway came as Florida drivers faced some of the steepest fuel costs in months. The national average gas price stood at $4.12 per gallon, according to AAA, while Florida's average was $3.98 per gallon at the time of the event, per WSVN's reporting. Separately, Florida's statewide average had hovered near $3.92 per gallon over the preceding 45 days before settling at $3.89 heading into Labor Day weekend, according to NorthEscambia.com.
AAA data reported in late August also showed Florida drivers paying 81 cents more per gallon than the same time in 2025, adding roughly $12 to the cost of filling a 15-gallon tank, as reported by CubaHeadlines. Locally, Miami-Dade County drivers were paying an average of $3.91 per gallon, while neighboring Broward County averaged $3.93 and Palm Beach County reached $4.05, the outlet reported, making the South Florida region one of the priciest corners of the state for motorists filling up before the holiday weekend.
A Multi-City Push Tied to Football Season
The North Miami-Dade stop was one piece of a nationwide marketing campaign DraftKings called “DraftKings Gameday,” which included parallel “Gameday Fuel” free gas pop-ups in Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta, and Detroit timed to the start of college and NFL football, according to a Business Wire announcement. In the Atlanta area, DraftKings recruited former NFL and Georgia running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel to pump gas for local drivers at its regional event, per 11Alive. DraftKings also pledged a $50,000 charitable donation as part of the overall campaign kickoff, according to Action Network.
Why DraftKings Can't Take Bets in Florida
The splashy gas giveaways also reflect a regulatory reality DraftKings faces in Florida. Under the state's 2021 gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe, mobile sports betting is legally monopolized by Hard Rock Bet, meaning DraftKings Sportsbook is not authorized to accept sports wagers from Florida residents, according to OutSFL. Because standard sports gambling is off-limits in the state, DraftKings has instead pushed state-specific marketing for “DraftKings Predictions,” a Commodity Futures Trading Commission-regulated futures app that operates as an alternative product in non-sportsbook states including Florida, Texas, and California, per GamingToday. Events like the North Miami-Dade gas giveaway allow the company to keep its brand in front of South Florida sports fans even without a licensed sportsbook product to sell them.
