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Abstract Background Several clinical prognostic models for diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) have been proposed, including the most commonly used International Prognostic Index (IPI), the National Comprehensive Cancer Network IPI (NCCN‐IPI), and models incorporating beta‐2 microglobulin (β2M). However, the role of β2M in DLBCL patients is not fully understood. Methods We identified 6075 patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL treated with immunochemotherapy registered in the Danish Lymphoma Registry. Results A total of 3232 patients had data available to calculate risk scores from each of the nine considered risk models for DLBCL, including a model developed from our population. Three of four models with β2M and NCCN‐IPI performed better than the International Prognostic Indexes (IPI, age‐adjusted IPI, and revised IPI). Five‐year overall survival for high‐ and low‐risk patients were 43.6% and 86.4% for IPI and 34.9% and 96.2% for NCCN‐IPI. In univariate analysis, higher levels of β2M were associated with inferior survival, higher tumor burden (advanced clinical stage and bulky disease), previous malignancy and increased age, and creatinine levels. Furthermore, we developed a model (β2M‐NCCN‐IPI) by adding β2M to NCCN‐IPI (c‐index 0.708) with improved discriminatory ability compared to NCCN‐IPI (c‐index 0.698, p