DraftKings Sportsbook Review
Along with FanDuel, DraftKings has one of the most popular and well-established sportsbooks in the country. Both FanDuel and DraftKings have exclusive perks and more pros than cons. Let’s take a look at what DraftKings offers its users in comparison to others. Throughout this review, we will be comparing and contrasting with FanDuel Sportsbook.
Learn more about the basics of sports betting!
The Legality of DraftKings Sportsbook in the United States
DraftKings Sportsbook is available and legal in the following states:
- New York
- New Jersey
- Connecticut
- Pennsylvania
- Louisianna
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- Road Island
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
- Colorado
DraftKings Sportsbook continues its mission to be legal and at the top of the industry in the majority of states. Expect more states to be added to this list by the end of the year.
Bonuses & Promos (4.5 Stars)
DraftKings offers its users a very fair amount of bonuses and promos. Their sportsbook offers the standard same-game parlay insurances and $10-$25 bet matches for returning users each week. New users currently have up to a $50 free bet and a first-time deposit match of up to $1,000.
Where DraftKings Sportsbook shines is in offering its users free-to-play contests. The platform consistently offers users the opportunity to place a wager and participate in a betting pool without having to spend a cent. While it is highly unlikely for anyone to win these contests and the prize pool is quite small, it is one way DraftKings differentiates itself from other prominent online sportsbooks. DraftKings allows users to bet “fake money” and users with a small bankroll appreciate the opportunity.
In terms of betting promotions, DraftKings offers its users profit boosts, odds boosts, and even parlay boosts. For instance, they are currently offering a promotion called “The Masters No Laying Up Foursome Boost” for four golfers to make the first cut of the tournament for odds boosted to +200. Perhaps the original odds were +150 or +170. An example of a profit boost promotion they are running at the moment is for the Champions League. If you clicked the button to “opt-in” and placed any winning parlay (even a small two-leg parlay) on Champions League matches on April 5 and April 6, you earned an additional 20% of your normal winnings. They are currently running an 18% profit boost on certain bets placed on the Masters.
While these promotions mean that users have to win their bets, sports bettors of all skill levels are more incentivized due to the potential lucrative winnings. The quantity of boost promotions on DraftKings Sportsbook each week makes their platform stand out as one of the most generous in the industry.
Mobile App & Website (4.5 Stars)
The dark interface of DraftKings Sportsbook is comparable to Ceasar’s. Personally, I think it’s slightly less user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing than FanDuel’s bright white and blue contrast. It can sometimes be difficult to scroll down the pages of Same Game Parlays and find the specific betting prop that you are looking for.
Besides the colors, the website and mobile app are well organized and user-friendly. DraftKings is also one of the only sportsbooks that offer legitimate betting content to help you get up to speed with the latest sporting events. They have several talented content contributors on DK Nation who cover every single sport you can think of, including the WNBA, horse racing, NASCAR and F1, boxing, UFC, tennis, and even Division III college sports! DraftKings dominates its competition when it comes to providing sports betting content that attempts to help its customers win. DraftKings’ “How To Bet” guide goes above and beyond in getting new sports bettors acclimated and comfortable, even for newbies just testing the water in the sports betting industry.
Registering, Depositing, Withdrawing (4 Stars)
For the most part, registering, depositing, and withdrawing money are all relatively smooth on DraftKings. I’ve never had to wait more than 48 hours to receive money that I withdrew from my account. Some sportsbooks have more complicated withdrawal protocols tailored to make the process difficult for users to encourage bettors to spend more. This isn’t the case for DraftKings or FanDuel.
One issue that has occurred for me this week was attempting to make deposits by connecting my DraftKings account directly to my bank account. After going through the two-step verification process and DraftKings indicating that I had verified my bank account, I arrived TWICE on an error page. Both times, I went through my bank’s mobile application to complete the necessary steps. Therefore, I ultimately decided to make my deposit with Paypal. Obviously, deposits making use of a full credit card number, zip code, and security code are easy on DraftKings like most platforms. At least on its mobile application, DraftKings fails where FanDuel does not. This is one minor glitch I noticed with DraftKings’ mobile application. Even if this glitch is for my particular bank (a major U.S. bank and mobile application), I was legitimately unable to make direct deposits into my account after completing all the verification and security steps. Such issues shouldn’t be happening on DraftKings, and haven’t personally happened to me on FanDuel, where I easily make direct deposits from my linked bank account without any errors.
Betting Options (5 Stars)
DraftKings offers users the ability to bet on NASCAR drivers and F1 pilots to finish Top 3, Top 6, or Top 10. There are also exclusive props that DraftKings offers that you cannot find on FanDuel at the moment. As an F1 fan whose favorite mobile sportsbook is FanDuel, I was let down when I realized that I could only wager on the outright winner of a motorsport event.
DraftKings also sticks out in terms of its betting options in offering users tons of unique props while usually matching the odds set by FanDuel. Many bettors create accounts on both platforms to take advantage of their perks. Ultimately, DraftKings is neck and neck with FanDuel in terms of offering the best betting options and the best odds in the sports betting industry.
Pros
- Great Promotions: Odds boosts, profit boosts, parlay boosts, and weekly free bets.
- Solid content on DK Nation on just about every sport you can list off the top of your head.
- Easy registration and verification process.
- Better betting options than FanDuel in certain sports (F1 & NASCAR)
- Amazing customer service.
- One of the sportsbooks with the most options for different sports and exclusive bets.
- Quick payouts with most major banks.
Cons
- Some glitches with withdrawals/depositing directly from banks.
- Restrictive and sometimes misleading promotions for existing users.
- Low maximum bet limits for odd boost promotions.
- Does not offer the best odds in the industry but is close.
Conclusion
It truly comes down to your preferences when it comes to the two most popular sportsbooks in the country -- DraftKings and FanDuel. For that reason, it’s difficult to say one is better than the other. Both platforms offer similar perks. But what I dislike about DraftKings, such as the black and green interface, you might like. DraftKings is just about the perfect online sportsbook, outside of a few fixable glitches in regards to withdrawals and deposits.
FantasySP is developing betting tools to provide users with something nobody else in the industry can offer. Upgrade to an Edge+ account today and get 50% off your first year at just $99.99 for the year. After a year, the price is going to increase to $199. Lock in your special early-bird deal today using the promo code: earlybird.
Not interested in DraftKings? Try FanDuel! Now is the perfect time with their amazing Masters promotion!
