DraftKings and FanDuel are the biggest names in online Daily Fantasy Sports and online sports betting. Though these have always been popular pastimes, they have snowballed since they became available online. So, which has the better offering – DraftKings or FanDuel?
FanDuel and DraftKings each have pros and cons. They are similar in some ways, but DraftKings has a better loyalty program with more benefits, while FanDuel is slightly better for people who bet solely on sports.
Though the differences between DraftKings and FanDuel are often negligible, there are differences, and your experience will depend on what you want from your DFS and sports betting platform. So, let’s compare the two to determine if FanDuel or DraftKings will be better for you.
Where Are DraftKings And FanDuel Available?
It would be pointless to go through an entire comparison of the two only to find that the one you prefer isn’t available in your country or state. So, let’s start by comparing where you may legally use them.
Where DraftKings Is Legal
DraftKings is legal in the following regions:
- Most of the United States (more on that in a moment)
- Austria
- Canada (except for Ontario)
- The United Kingdom
- Germany
- Ireland
- Malta
In the United States, you may legally participate in DraftKings’ complete offering everywhere except:
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Montana
- Nevada
- Oregon
- Washington
- Certain parts of Louisiana (called the “Excluded Regions”)
In the restricted states and excluded regions, you may still legally register for DraftKings and participate in contests, but you will not pay an entry fee nor earn any winnings.
Where FanDuel Is Legal
FanDuel is only legal in the United States and Canada. However, the company recently closed a deal with another company in the United Kingdom for representation so that it may expand to other countries soon. In the United States, however, FanDuel is legal everywhere except for these states:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Louisiana
- Montana
- Nevada
- Texas
- Washington
The Verdict
DraftKings is available in 43 of the 50 states, whereas FanDuel is only available in 40. So, comparing them in terms of local availability, DraftKings wins since it is available in more states across the US.
On a side note, these laws change constantly, so this could be different soon. Also, it is possible to use a VPN to bypass the location restrictions, but this is not permitted, and you could face legal repercussions if you do so.
DraftKings Vs. FanDuel: Signing Up Bonuses
Getting a bonus for signing up is a tremendous benefit, and DraftKings and FanDuel offer such bonuses for new members. How do they differ?
DraftKings Bonuses
DraftKings has a deposit-matching bonus for new members. This means that DraftKings will match 20% of your initial deposit to a maximum of $1,000. So, if you deposit $1,000, DraftKings will give you an additional $200. Depositing $5,000 or more will provide you with an additional $1,000. However, it comes with a 5x playthrough requirement, so you only get the money as you bet.
This makes DraftKings’ bonus an excellent option for seasoned bettors but not really useful for most newcomers to online sports betting.
FanDuel Bonuses
FanDuel calls its bonus the “No-Sweat First Bet,” which is also limited to $1,000.
Once you’ve claimed the bonus, the first bet you make after that (up to a maximum of $1,000) will be guaranteed if you follow specific requirements. If your bet wins, you will receive your payout as usual, but if you don’t win, FanDuel will refund your bet amount ($1,000 or less) back to you as free bets.
You cannot get the amount paid, but you can use them to bet again. If you win, you receive your payout, but if you lose, there are no other guarantees, and you will lose your money.
The Verdict
DraftKings has an excellent bonus that can be valuable for experienced sports bettors or very lucky beginners. However, FanDuel’s bonus is more beneficial for experienced bettors and newcomers alike, so in this case, FanDuel comes out on top.
Added Bonuses: DraftKings Vs. FanDuel
DraftKings started a trend that FanDuel soon followed: offering regular bonuses for deposits. From time to time, both FanDuel and DraftKings will run offers where they will give you perks like:
- Credits for successfully referring someone to the platform
- Bonuses for money that you deposit
- Parlay insurance
None of these bonuses are always available, and they change constantly. However, the trend is that DraftKings runs its bonuses more often (and is also the only platform that offers referral bonuses). In contrast, FanDuel’s offers don’t happen as often but are usually more valuable (FanDuel is currently the only one offering Parlay Insurance as a bonus).
Because there is so much difference between the two, it’s difficult to choose a clear winner in this category. Some users prefer the frequency at which DraftKings offers bonuses, while others would rather wait a bit longer for the better value of FanDuel’s perks. We will call it a draw in this category.
Sports Available On DraftKings Vs. FanDuel
When we compare the sports that are available to bet on with both platforms, there is a much clearer winner.
DraftKings allows betting on 20 different sports: NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, NCAA Basketball, NCAA Football, PGA Golf, MMA (UFC), NASCAR, MLS, Premier League (EPL), Tennis, Boxing, Water Polo, Volleyball, Athletics, Aussie Rules, Darts, Rugby, and Cricket.
FanDuel, on the other hand, has a total of 23 different sports: all the same ones as DraftKings, but adding Horse Racing, Swimming, and Surfing to the mix.
Bettors who want more choice will prefer FanDuel over DraftKings, so in this case, FanDuel takes the prize.
Which One Has Better Betting Odds?
In general, DraftKings and FanDuel offer more or less the same odds and are equally matched in this arena. However, DraftKings Sportsbook has an ace up its sleeve in the form of boosts. The boosts are available as regular promotions and bonuses, so if you have a qualifying token, you can apply a boost to selected events.
There are three kinds of boosts:
- Profit boosts
- Odds boosts
- Odds surges
These boosts can increase your potential earnings exponentially, and the fact that FanDuel does not offer these means that DraftKings wins another point.
User Interfaces For DraftKings Vs. FanDuel
DraftKings and FanDuel both have excellent interfaces through mobile apps and desktop websites. But these are not all equal. Let’s compare each comparable platform to determine which is best.
Apple iOS Apps
Both betting platforms have you covered if you’re using the Apple ecosystem. DraftKings and FanDuel each have two apps: one for sports betting and casino and a separate one for Daily Fantasy Sports. The apps are all available in the United States and Canada, and DraftKings is also downloadable from the United Kingdom. App Store reviews look like this:
- DraftKings Sportsbook & Casino: 4.8 Stars from ±360,000 users.
- DraftKings Daily Fantasy Sports: 4.9 Stars from ±491,000 users.
- FanDuel Sportsbook & Casino: 4.8 Stars from ±600,000 users.
- FanDuel Daily Fantasy Sports: 4.8 Stars from ±600,000 users.
Android Apps
Both platforms have all the available apps for Android, too. Once again, all apps are available from the Google Play Store in the United States and Canada, with DraftKings also offering an app for the United Kingdom. The Google Play Store reviews look as follows:
- DraftKings Sportsbook & Casino: 4.6 Stars from ±54,000 users.
- DraftKings Daily Fantasy Sports: 4.7 Stars from ±131,000 users.
- FanDuel Sportsbook & Casino: 4.7 Stars from ±152,000 users.
- FanDuel Daily Fantasy Sports: 4.7 Stars from ±70,000 users.
General Feedback On Mobile Apps
The two platforms are nearly identical in terms of ratings, both scoring excellently on Android and iOS. It’s clear that FanDuel’s sports betting platform is more popular than its fantasy sports app, while DraftKings has the exact opposite, with fantasy sports users being more than double that of the sports betting platform on Android.
Users have mentioned that they find FanDuel’s app more visually appealing with its blue and white color scheme. It’s easy on the eyes and places emphasis on the essential parts.
DraftKings has a green and black color scheme that’s still easy to follow but doesn’t feel as “clean” and open as that of FanDuel.
Another statement that users make is that DraftKings shows less information on its home screen, and you can only see two blocks of results side-by-side, whereas FanDuel’s app shows three. This means you get more info more quickly when you use FanDuel’s mobile app.
Desktop Website Support
FanDuel and DraftKings invest a lot of effort into their websites, ensuring that people can access the correct information quickly. Both websites also have effective location tracking and will block attempts to access them from restricted regions.
This system can easily be bypassed with a VPN, and it doesn’t always pinpoint your location perfectly when you access it from a desktop PC or Mac, but it’s still quite effective.
The websites reflect the theme and style of their respective mobile apps, with FanDuel’s website being blue and white and DraftKings’ website using the green and black color scheme. Both sites are easy to navigate and offer masses of information directly on the home page.
DraftKings’ website is a bit better, though. It shows you more information without the need for extra clicks and manages to do so without cluttering the screen too much. Everything is still easy to see and use, but you can get most of the results without clicking anywhere after logging in. FanDuel’s website may require a few more clicks to get where you want to go.
Verdict On Interfaces
The two are so equally matched in this regard that there’s no clear winner. It’s up to you to choose if you want more or less information on the platform you’re using and if you prefer a clean blue and white interface or a more high-tech green and black/grey one. For our points, we will call this another draw.
Customer Service From DraftKings And FanDuel
Customer service and support are where most companies will always fall short, but there is a clear winner in this department, too.
DraftKings Customer Service
When you open the DraftKings website or app and navigate to the Help Centre, the first thing that greets you is a Frequently Asked Questions section. It makes sense; why pay people to answer the same questions everyone asks?
If you can’t find the answer to your question, you can click on a green question mark icon which will open an automated chat box. Ask the bot your question, and it will try to give you links that might help. It also offers you the “Get In Touch” option, which opens a form you can complete to have someone get back to you, usually within a few hours.
The process is simple, but it can be a pain going through the motions if you have already checked every FAQ section and read every knowledge base article.
FanDuel Customer Service
FanDuel’s website has a convenient Live Chat icon that floats over most pages, but unfortunately, it still connects you to a bot. It will ask you some automated questions related to your query and try to point you in the right direction, but it also won’t take long to offer to connect you with an agent.
The next step is to enter a verification number that the bot will send to your email, but once you’ve done that, you will speak with a human being who can quickly answer your questions.
The process takes only a few minutes, making FanDuel the clear winner in the Customer Service category.
DraftKings Vs. FanDuel: What The Users Say
Looking at comments from users in online forums and bulletin boards like Reddit, we can see that specific comparisons, compliments, and complaints consistently come up. The most common trends we can see are:
- FanDuel is generally more popular than DraftKings, and more users claim to prefer it for various reasons.
- People have had bad customer service experiences from both FanDuel and DraftKings, but more frequently from DraftKings.
- Users love how user-friendly FanDuel’s app is compared to that of DraftKings.
- DraftKings has more issues with state lines than FanDuel.
- People love DraftKings because of the better odds.
- People love FanDuel because of the parlays.
The Final Verdict – DraftKings Vs. FanDuel: Which Is Better?
Throughout the categories, DraftKings scored four points, while FanDuel scored five. The point that gave FanDuel the edge was the customer service and the ease with which you can get through to an actual human.
Our pick for the better app to use in FanDuel. It’s more user-friendly and provides much more bonuses for the user.
However, it’s evident that the two are very closely matched in all aspects, and making a call one way or another is not as simple as giving them points for the things they do right.
Conclusion
DraftKings and FanDuel each have excellent advantages balanced out by a few disadvantages. It is your choice, and you can’t go wrong with either. So decide which factors are the most important to you, and go with the option that’s best in that aspect. Or, better yet, why not just use both? That way, you can get the best of both worlds.