DraftKings Sportsbook Review


DraftKings is a major provider of fantasy sports and sports betting that officially launched its operations in 2012. The platform has seen explosive growth over the past seven years, reaching more than 10 million betting fans worldwide, including bettors from major markets in Europe and North America. The company’s headquarters are in Boston, Massachusetts, but it also maintains offices in New York, London, and Malta.
The operator now provides customers with two ways to bet. DraftKings originally offered only daily fantasy sports contests. In the summer of 2018, the company added an online sportsbook to its offering, which is available to bettors in the state of New Jersey.
Separate accounts are required for the daily fantasy sports section and the sportsbook. Daily fantasy sports contests are offered for popular sports such as soccer, football, tennis, baseball, basketball, and hockey.
Those interested in traditional sports betting have access to an enormous variety of options, including the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, and MMA, among many others. Users can also sign up for the sportsbook through the native apps DraftKings offers for Android and iOS.
Summary of DraftKings Betting Site
| DraftKings Sportsbook in Brief | |
|---|---|
| Launch Date | 2012 |
| Trustpilot Reviews | 714 |
| Trustpilot Rating | 1.2 ⭐ |
| Sports on Offer | Soccer, Baseball, Basketball, and 10+ other sports |
| Minimum Deposit | •Bank Wire: $100; •Most Other Methods: $5 |
| Minimum Withdrawal | •Checks: $15; •Bank Wire: $20,000; •Cashier Cage: No minimum; •Other Methods: $1 |
| Withdrawal Time | •Online Banking: up to 5 days; •Vip Preferred (e-check): 3 to 14 days; • PayPal: up to 2 days; •Debit Card: up to 24 hours; • Cash/Cage: 1 hour; • Venmo: up to 2 days; •Play+ Prepaid Card: up to 4 days; •Trustly: 1 day; •Apple Pay: 1 day; •Bank Wire: up to 2 days |
| Payment Methods | |
| Licenses | • Pennsylvania (117645), New Jersey, Connecticut, West Virginia, Ontario, Michigan, Maryland, Ohio, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, and more; • Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (OPIG1238029) |
| Sponsorships | NYRA, NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, UFC, PFL, PGA Tour, NBC Universal, and NASCAR |
Betting Markets
Successful registration gives bettors access to a broad range of markets and bet types. You can choose from standard point spreads, outrights, over/under, and moneyline wagers, along with more exotic options like prop bets.
In the in-play section, you will be able to place bets on sporting events that are currently in progress. More experienced bettors can experiment with multiple-selection parlays and round robins.
What is on offer in terms of sports? The sportsbook features a broad range of markets for the NFL and CFL. College football also receives a decent amount of coverage. If you do not feel like betting the point spread or the moneyline, you can try more advanced options such as predicting who will be crowned player of the year or who will record the most passing or receiving yards. NFL futures are also available. You can bet on the championship-winning team’s location, the conference winner, or which team will have the fewest wins. The options for NFL fans are quite diverse at this sportsbook.
DraftKings also covers a wide range of MLB events. This section of the sportsbook features a huge variety of bet types, including game props, player futures, game parlays, team futures, and inning markets where you can wager on run lines, inning total runs, and inning winners.
Basketball fans also have plenty of options. There is an extensive number of NBA markets. Apart from the typical moneylines, you can choose from a variety of team and player future markets, including rookie matchups, the regular-season most valuable player, regular-season win totals, and the location of the championship-winning team. FIBA and college basketball markets are readily available, too.
NHL fans can try to predict who will be drafted first or which team will emerge as the Stanley Cup winner. Other major sports and competitions that DraftKings covers well include the ATP, WTA, MMA, PGA, the Masters golf tournaments, motorsports, cycling, darts, cricket, and boxing. The daily fantasy sports section of the website provides bettors with a choice of ten different sports: American football, soccer, NBA, esports, golf, MMA, NASCAR, MLB, CFL, and NHL.
The sportsbook is well laid out and retains DraftKings’ trademark green and black color scheme. The main navigation bar gives you access to the most popular leagues and championships, but you can reveal the other available sports by clicking the drop-down menu. Odds are offered in three formats: American moneyline, decimal, and fractional.
| DraftKings Features | |
|---|---|
| Sports Coverage | Australian rules, baseball, basketball, cricket, football, golf, rugby league, rugby union, soccer, volleyball, and others |
| Minimum Bet | Not specified |
| Supported Bet Types | point spread, outrights, over/under, moneyline, live betting |
| Early Cashout Option | No |
| Live Streaming | No |
| Live Statistics and Scores | No |
| In-Play Betting | Yes |
| Available Odds Styles | decimal, American |
| Bet Slip Features | compact view |
Bonuses and Promotions
First Deposit Bonus Up to $1,000
New members of DraftKings can enjoy a very generous promotion right from the start of their sportsbook experience. As a new patron, you can receive up to $1,000, which will be granted on your first deposit at DraftKings. The bookmaker’s welcome offer matches your first deposit at 20%, with $5 being the minimum deposit required to qualify.
The bonus is released when new bettors wager their deposit on sports at DraftKings. To enjoy the bonus, you must meet a 5x rollover requirement on your deposit. This means that for every $25 wagered in the sportsbook, bettors receive $1 in bonus funds. If you want to unlock the maximum bonus amount of $1,000, you must deposit $5,000 and wager $25,000 on sports. The qualifying bets must be placed on sports with odds of -300 or longer.
Once you make your first deposit, you will have 90 days to complete the rollover and enjoy your sportsbook bonus. It should be noted that the bonus can also be unlocked by placing bets in the daily fantasy or casino sections of DraftKings.
Special Odds Boosts and Profit Boosts
DraftKings members receive daily odds boosts for some of the largest sporting events in the MLB, NBA, and World Cup. The enhanced odds on select outcomes enable you to generate larger returns on your winning bets. You must add your preferred outcome to your betting slip to see the enhanced odds.
DraftKings members are often treated to profit-boost tokens, which enable them to increase their winnings from specific outcomes. For instance, if you back the New Orleans Saints with $10 at odds of +110 and accept a 25% boost on your profits, your return will increase from $21 to $23.85.
Friend Referral Bonus
Bettors who invite friends to DraftKings can become eligible for a referral bonus that can award a free bet of up to $100. This amount is subject to change, so you may want to check the sportsbook regularly to see what referral bonuses are currently available.
To qualify for the offer, the friend you refer must click on the unique referral link you send them. The referred person should be a new customer who does not hold an account in the daily fantasy section of DraftKings.
Another condition is for your friend to make a minimum deposit of $25 to the sportsbook. You are limited to a maximum of five referrals during the promotional period. The amount of the bonus you receive depends on the first deposit made by the referral. If your friend deposits between $25 and $49, both of you will receive a $25 free bet. If the referral deposits between $50 and $99, both you and your friend will receive a $50 free bet. Finally, both you and your friend can enjoy a $100 free bet if the referral makes a first deposit of $100 or more.
The free bets must be used within 30 days after redemption before they expire. Note that it is not possible to redeem them for cash. You can withdraw only the winnings that result from your free bets.
| Promotional Incentives at DraftKings | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonus | Minimum Deposit Required | Rollover | Minimum Odds Requirement | Eligible Markets & Bets | Country Restrictions | Expires After |
| 20% First Deposit Bonus Up to $1,000 | $5.00 | for every $25 wagered on sports, punters unlock $1 bonus amount | -300 or longer | all sports | restricted states | 90 days |
| Free Bet up to $100 for Friend Referral | referred punters must deposit at least $25 | no rollover | not specified | all sports | restricted states | 30 days |
Banking
Players with verified accounts can use cards by several brands like Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. Using gift cards is also a possibility. It should be noted that some issuing banks are still unwilling to process sports betting transactions.
For this reason, the card you used to fund your daily fantasy sports account may not work when you try to use it for deposits to your sports betting account. If you experience issues with your card, we suggest you use bank transfers or PayPal instead.
Both methods enable you to transfer funds to your DraftKings account quickly and efficiently. You can initiate a bank transfer online from the comfort of your home and will not incur any additional charges from DraftKings. PayPal, on the other hand, requires you to set up an e-wallet account and fund it with your debit or credit card, but bank transfers can also be used for this purpose.
The operator accepts deposits between $5 and $2,000. You can ask the support team to increase your limits via email, in which case you should also send copies of your driver’s license or ID as well as scans or photos of the front and back of the credit/debit card you initially used for deposits. Be sure to attach a copy of a utility bill issued in your name within the last 60 days.
Cashing out your sports betting winnings from DraftKings is equally simple and convenient. The withdrawal options include PayPal, checks, and bank transfers. If you are near Atlantic City’s Resorts Casino, you can drop by and pick up your money in person at a cashier cage. You can request a withdrawal of as little as $20.
The financial department of DraftKings processes withdrawal requests on business days only, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Once processed, your withdrawal may take between 2 and 7 business days to reach you. Check withdrawals require approximately a week. If you want to receive your money faster, you should withdraw via the PayPal e-wallet.
Sports bettors should also keep in mind their profits are subject to taxes under US federal laws, particularly if they equal or exceed $600. Bettors with cumulative net winnings within a calendar year that exceed this amount need to request DraftKings to issue them the 1099 form. The form is used to report your net profits to the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Winnings under $600 are not reported.
| Banking at DraftKings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payment Method | Deposit Limit and Timeframe | Withdrawal Limit and Timeframe | Deposit & Withdrawal Fees | Bonus Restrictions |
| Visa | $5 – $2,000, instant | N/A | free | No |
| Mastercard | $5 – $2,000, instant | N/A | free | No |
| Discover | $5 – $2,000, instant | N/A | free | No |
| PayPal | $5 – $2,000, instant | $20 – $14,999, 2-8 days | free | No |
| Checks | N/A | $20 – $2,000, up to 7 days | free | No |
| Bank Transfer | $5 – $2,000, instant | $20 – $2,000, 2-8 days | free | No |
| Cash Point | $5 – $2,000, instant | $20 – $2,000, 1 hour | free | No |
Mobile Support
Mobile users can stake money on the in-play markets. They can choose from different types of bets, including moneylines, props, futures, parlays, and more. Apple users can install the app on devices running iOS 10.0 or a newer version of the operating system.
The DraftKings sportsbook is also available for Android via a native app. Punters can download it from the DraftKings website because Google restricts gambling-related applications in its official Play Store.
When you tap the Android logo on the DraftKings website, you will receive a security prompt to allow the installation of software from outside the Google Play Store. You need to sign up in order to place bets on the go. The registration process requires only a couple of minutes.
While you must be at least 17 years old to download either mobile application, you will be unable to deposit or place bets if you are under the legal age of 21. The sportsbook is not available via web browsers on mobile because of location-services requirements. You must also be physically located within the state of New Jersey to use the DraftKings app.
Because of this, the app will prompt you to enable the geolocation feature on your smartphone so it can detect whether you are outside the state’s boundaries. If you are, it will not allow you to place bets until you return to New Jersey.
| Mobile Support of DraftKings | |
|---|---|
| Dedicated iOS App | Yes, iOS 10.0 or higher |
| Dedicated Android App | Yes |
| Browser Compatibility | Google Chrome, Safari, Opera Mini, Firefox Mobile |
| Supported Languages | English |
| Supported Devices | Apple iPhone 12, Apple iPhone 11, Apple iPhone XS, Apple iPhone XR, Apple iPhone X, Apple iPhone 8, Apple iPhone 7, Apple iPad, Huawei Y5, Huawei Y6, Huawei Y7, Huawei nova, Huawei P10, Huawei P20, Huawei P30, Infinix S4, Infinix Smart 5, Infinix Smart 6, Infinix Hot 7, Infinix Hot 8, itel A16, itel A33, itel A56, Nokia 2.1, Nokia 2.2, Nokia C1, OPPO A3s, OPPO A5s, OPPO A1K, Safaricom NEON RAY, Samsung Galaxy A01, Samsung Galaxy A10, Samsung Galaxy A10s, Samsung Galaxy A11, Samsung Galaxy A20, Samsung Galaxy A21s, Samsung Galaxy A30, Samsung Galaxy A40, Samsung Galaxy A50, Samsung Galaxy A51, Samsung Galaxy A70, Samsung Galaxy A71, Samsung Galaxy Grand, Samsung Galaxy J5, Samsung Galaxy J7, Samsung Galaxy S7, Samsung Galaxy S8, Samsung Galaxy S9, Samsung Galaxy S10, Samsung Galaxy S20, Samsung Galaxy J2, Samsung Galaxy J4, Samsung Galaxy Note8, Samsung Galaxy Note9, Samsung Galaxy Note10+, Tecno Pop 2, Tecno Pop 3, Tecno Camon 11, Tecno Camon 12, Tecno Camon 13, Tecno Camon 14, Tecno Camon 15, Tecno F1, Tecno K7, Tecno Spark 2, Tecno Spark 3, Tecno Spark 4, Tecno Spark 5, Tecno Pouvoir 2, Tecno Pouvoir 3, Vodafone 100, Vodafone Smart Kicka 4, Xiaomi Redmi Note 7, Xiaomi Redmi Note 8, Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 |
Licensing and Restricted Jurisdictions
With that said, residents of the Garden State who join DraftKings must comply with several restrictions imposed by their local regulatory authority. For instance, they are not permitted to use DraftKings’ sports betting platform to wager on college sporting contests that take place within the Garden State.
Betting on single games involving teams from New Jersey is also not allowed, even if the event is held elsewhere. New Jersey bettors must be at least 21 years old to use the DraftKings sports betting platform. Individuals from Mississippi are allowed to place wagers on sporting events, but they must do so in person by visiting the land-based DraftKings facility.
Currently, the sportsbook also accepts wagers from bettors based in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, New Hampshire, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. DraftKings plans to expand its online betting operations to other US states as soon as they introduce proper regulatory frameworks. After PASPA was overturned by the US Supreme Court in 2018, each state can introduce its own sports betting regulations.
It makes sense for DraftKings to reach bettors outside New Jersey as long as the law allows it. For the time being, DraftKings is known to deny access to bettors from the states of Hawaii, Iowa, Washington, Arizona, Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, and Alabama.
| Player Protection & Security at DraftKings | |
|---|---|
| Encryption | Not specified |
| Custom Deposit Limits | Yes |
| Cooling-Off Period | Yes |
| Self-Exclusion | Yes, 3 months – 5 years |
| Minimum Age Requirement | 21 years old |
Customer Support
A glossary is also included in case you are unfamiliar with any terms you encounter. There is even a map of the United States where you can find information concerning the legalities. It shows you which states already offer regulated sports betting and which ones are currently in the process of passing legislation to legalize it. Those who are entirely new to wagering on sports can learn more about how the odds work in the Quick Start Guide.
The FAQ content is so detailed that bettors are unlikely to experience any issues with registration, funding their accounts, or free-bet redemption. Nevertheless, those who need additional assistance can rely on customer support around the clock. There are several communication channels. You can use the live chat after you introduce yourself by providing your name and email address.
There is a ready-made contact form on the website, but sending an email to sportsbook@draftkings.com is also an option. No telephone number is available for direct phone contact, but you can fill out a brief form to request a callback from DraftKings. Writing to them the traditional way is yet another option. You can find the postal address in the website’s help section.
| DraftKings Sportsbook Contacts | |
|---|---|
| Contact Details | Live Chat: Yes |
| Social Media | |
Conclusion
All sports and leading leagues popular in the US receive sufficient coverage. US sports fans will also benefit from very competitive prices. In addition, they are treated to a wide array of generous promotional incentives, including free bets, profit boosts, and odds boosts that can further increase the value of the wagers they place with DraftKings.
Best of all, you can literally carry DraftKings’ sportsbook in your pocket and place bets on the go with the help of the sleek mobile apps for iOS and Android. The betting operator currently does not offer that many alternatives when it comes to payments, but this is likely to change in the future.
| DraftKings Strong Points | DraftKings Pitfalls |
|---|---|
| Bettors can make use of different offers | Bettors cannot bet on college football played in the state of New Jersey |
| Provides dedicated sportsbook apps for Android and iOS devices | Does not offer live streaming |
| Offers competitive odds on top sports | Supports a limited number of payment solutions |
| Offers Live Betting | Most withdrawal options take up to one week to be processed |
| Properly regulated sportsbook for US bettors | There is no phone support |