With a polished design, a native mobile app, and regular bonuses and promos, DraftKings sure stands out from the crowd.
DraftKings was co-founded by Jason Robins, Matt Kalish, and Paul Liberman in 2012, quickly gaining an impressive reputation in the daily fantasy sports (DFS) industry.
When the Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Act (PASPA) in May 2018, DraftKings was quick to seize the opportunity. The operator launched its Kambi-powered sportsbook in New Jersey in August that same year.
In the time since, governors across the country have given the green light to legal sports betting and – in some cases, online casino gambling too. In response, DraftKings has launched its sportsbook product into several states, gaining an army of new fans in the process.
To find out more, check out our DraftKings review, which tells you everything you need to know about the site’s features, bonuses, and betting markets.
What we like:
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A top brand with a great reputation
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Excellent variety of sports betting markets
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Regular bonuses and promos
What we don't:
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Not available in every state with legal sports betting
Draftkings Welcome Bonus
Instant free bet up to $500
Deposit bonus: After a user’s first deposit, that user is eligible to receive up to $500 in bonus funds in the form of site credits that can only be used on DraftKings. Bonus amount is equal to 50% of the user’s deposit amount (min. $5), not to exceed $500 (the user must deposit $1,000 to be eligible to receive the maximum possible bonus amount of $500). 21+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
The current welcome bonus at DraftKings allows sports bettors to claim up to $1,000 in matched deposit bonus funds.
To take part, you need to sign up for a new account and make a minimum first deposit of $5. You’ll then receive bonus funds equal to 20% of your deposit. This means in order to claim the maximum $1,000 bonus, you’d have to deposit $5,000.
This bonus is not given all at once. Instead, the site will drip-feed $1 of the bonus amount into your withdrawable balance for every $25 you wager on DraftKings’ sportsbook, daily fantasy sports, or casino games.
This 25x playthrough requirement is pretty steep, and there’s also a 90-day limit to complete the playthrough requirement and receive the full bonus. Any bonus funds unclaimed after those 90 days will be voided.
Sports available at Draftkings
There are close to 20 different sports on the A-Z list at DraftKings, including fan favorites like football, basketball, tennis, and golf.
The list of sports doesn’t tell the whole story at DraftKings, as clicking on a sport often reveals an impressive line-up of betting markets. Fire up the soccer tab, for example, and you’ll discover more than 70 markets including the English Premier League, the Europa League, and Major League Soccer. It’s a similar story for tennis, where the dozens of betting options include ATP games, Wimbledon, and the US, French, and Australian Opens.
While not every possible sport is here – volleyball is notably absent, for example – there’s enough to keep most sports bettors busy.
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Baseball
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Basketball
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Boxing
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Football
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Golf
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Hockey
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Motorsports
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Nascar
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Soccer
Odds
The betting odds available at DraftKings are competitive, with regular odds boost offers available for players. These daily deals offer enhanced prices on special bets. Maybe you’ll be predicting whether Max Scherzer will record 10+ strikeouts in the next Dodgers game, or whether Italy and Spain will both score in the second half of their Nations League matchup, to name just two of countless possibilities.
Overall, the odds boost offers at DraftKings are great fun and can potentially allow bettors to reap greater rewards on sports wagers.
Live Betting & Streaming
The DraftKings sports betting site comes complete with a roster of rich features to enhance your online betting experience. The in-play betting markets are among the best of these features.
DraftKings offers a host of live betting opportunities on major sports like the NFL, basketball, and hockey, as well as more niche options including table tennis and handball.
DraftKings’ partnership with Sportsradar has allowed the company to offer live streaming since the summer of 2020. In July 2021 DraftKings announced its first live-streaming deal with a major US sports league, Major League Baseball.
DraftKings also provides a cashout tool, meaning you can close active bets early. This means you can choose to bail out with a profit if you’re worried things may suddenly turn against you during an event, or simply cut your losses if you feel your bet is doomed. The cashout option allows for a more flexible approach to betting.
Design & Usability
DraftKings deserves kudos for its design. The site has an easy on the eye, muted black and gray look. The site is easy to navigate, with a top menu bar and quick links to DFS, the casino, the marketplace, and the sportsbook.
Firing up any of those tabs opens a navigation column with further links. In the case of the sportsbook, these include the different sports you can bet on, along with individual teams and markets for various sporting events.
When you’re ready to start placing wagers, all you need do is select your bets and they’ll appear on a pop-up betslip on the right-hand side of the page.
Overall, a hassle-free experience awaits sports bettors at DraftKings.
Cashier
As you might expect, DraftKings offers customers several ways to deposit and withdraw funds. As DraftKings works with most major banks, online banking should prove a suitable method for many users. Alternative payment methods include credit and debit cards, Play+, electronic gift cards, and physical deposits at participating retail outlets and cage locations.
In terms of e-wallets, PayPal is available, with Neteller and Skrill being the most notable absences. No matter how you choose to deposit, your funds will typically land in your account instantly, so you can start betting straight away
Deposit and Withdrawals Times/Limits
Many of the payment methods available at DraftKings also double as withdrawal options. Most withdrawals take between three and five working days to reach you, though there are a few exceptions. Checks can take a little longer depending on their value, while wire transfers will usually arrive within 48 hours.
The minimum withdrawal depends on your chosen banking method. For example, there is no minimum for online banking and Play+, and just $1 for PayPal. On the other side of the spectrum, your first wire transfer has a whopping $50,000 minimum, dropping to a still steep $10,000 for future withdrawals.
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Min deposit
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Minimum Withdrawal Limit |
Withdrawal Processing Time
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Online banking
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$5 |
None |
3-5 days
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Credit & debit cards
(Visa, Mastercard, Discover)
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$5 |
N/A |
N/A
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Electronic gift cards
(Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express)
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$5 |
N/A |
N/A
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DraftKings gift card
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$5 |
N/A |
N/A
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PayPal
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$5 |
$1 |
3-5 days
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Play+
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$5 |
None |
2-4 days
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Cash (via barcode at retail locations or participating cage locations)
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$5 |
None |
1 hour
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VIP Preferred e-check
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$5 |
None |
3-5 days
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Wire transfer
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$100 |
$50,000 first withdrawal
$10,000 successive withdrawals |
24-48 hours
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Check
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$5 |
$15 |
3-7 days
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Cage
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$5 |
None |
1 hour
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App Review
Since debuting in New Jersey in August 2018, the DraftKings sportsbook app has received plenty of praise from bettors.
The mobile sports betting app follows a similar layout to the desktop site, ensuring a seamless experience whether you’re placing bets from a computer or a mobile device. The DraftKings app is free to download for iOS users from the App Store and the Google Play Store. Android players can also access the app directly from the DraftKings site.
No matter how you get your hands on the app, you’ll be glad you did. It’s crammed with all the great features you’ll find on the browser-based site, including in-play betting, expert stats, and cash-out options. Plus, you’ll be able to access betting markets with just a few taps.
The DraftKings sportsbook offers a host of exciting sports betting features
History of Draftkings
2021
In January, the DraftKings Sportsbook arrives in Michigan. It is the company’s first new market launch of the year. Days later, the site launches in Virginia, with Wyoming and Arizona following in September.
2020
After completing a merger with SBTech, DraftKings is publicly traded on the Nasdaq in April. DraftKings goes live in Iowa in February and Colorado in May. This is followed by launches in Illinois in August and Tennessee in November.
2019
DraftKings Sportsbook arrives in West Virginia in August and in Indiana in October. In November, the sportsbook goes live in Pennsylvania, before the company sees out the year in style by debuting in New Hampshire in December.
2018
In August, DraftKings makes history by becoming the first operator to launch online and mobile sports betting in New Jersey. This comes less than three months after the Supreme Court repeals PASPA.
2013
Major League Baseball becomes the first major sports league to invest in daily fantasy sports by partnering with DraftKings.
2012
Entrepreneurs Jason Robins, Matt Kalish, and Paul Liberman launch DraftKings as a daily fantasy sports site from Liberman’s apartment in Massachusetts.
Site design
DraftKings Sportsbook is currently only available to bettors located in New Jersey. Whether you’re betting at home or on the go, both mobile and desktop platforms use geolocation technology to confirm that you’re within New Jersey state lines at the time of betting. You’ll need to download a plug-in to verify your location.
Although DraftKings Sportsbook is only available in New Jersey at the moment, there are plans to launch the platform in other states as the US sports betting market opens up.
