Draftkings Reviews
If you’ve ever looked into esports betting in North America, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of DraftKings. Founded in 2012, this US-based company took the gambling industry by storm with a wide selection of fantasy contests for traditional sports leagues like the NFL, NBA, and NHL. It also introduced bookmaking services and opened up a separate DraftKings playbook section with opinion articles and comprehensive match breakdowns to help gamblers make more educated decisions.
I have been playing on DraftKings for about three years and I love it. I have one a couple of hundred dollars here and there, but nothing crazy. Reading some of the other reviews, I feel like they are inaccurate. In a 100,000 person tournament, the difference of 10 points can be hundreds of thousands of dollars. DraftKings Review. Fantasy golf has become one of the fastest growing interests in the DFS industry. There are lots of reasons why golf has taken off but one of the catalysts was fantasy sports operator DraftKings introducing it to the masses. Being the first DFS company to offer fantasy golf contests for free or for real money helped make DraftKings one of the biggest fantasy sports companies in the world.
It was only a matter of time before DraftKings branches out into esports betting. Nowadays, it’s one of the few gambling sites available to US customers, so we just had to make an in-depth review of DraftKings esports fantasy offers!
DraftKings Esports: Editor’s Review
DraftKings
- Esports Offered
- Customer Service
- Deposit Options
- Player Value
- DraftKings App
- DraftKings Promo Code
Summary
DraftKings isn’t for everyone. The fantasy contests are only available to US and Canadian residents, and bookmaking markets can be accessed solely from New Jersey, West Virginia, Indiana, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania. On top of that, DraftKings' esports options revolve around 4 offers only: fantasy League of Legends, fantasy CSGO, fantasy Rocket League and fantasy eNASCAR racing. If that doesn’t dissuade you, though, DraftKings is truly one of a kind.
Not only is it one of the few operators available to US customers, but its fantasy offers are second to none. Combine that with generous promotions, responsive customer service, and a fluid DraftKings app for iOS and Android devices, and this site is the definition of first-class gambling experience.
There are several things you need to learn before signing up and pressing the DraftKings login button.
Draftkings Reviews Better Business Bureau
First and foremost, League of Legends fantasy is no longer the only option for players and punters. DraftKings is now also offering CSGO, eNASCAR, and Rocket League fantasy esports.
Secondly, their full services are available online in Alabama, Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, and Washington, and you will only be able to participate in free contests if you reside in one of these states.
Third, you need to know how to actually use this site and this is something we’ll help you with in our detailed Draftkings review.
Image courtesy of DraftKings
This third point won’t be much of a problem if you’re only interested in the sports betting part of this platform, but if you want to make some DraftKings picks, you have to understand how fantasy contests work. Fortunately, DraftKings does a great job of explaining the fantasy play process in its ruleset.
Fantasy Draftkings LoL requires you to pay the buy-in and get a set budget to draft a lineup consisting of a Top Laner, Jungler, Mid Laner, Bot Laner, Support, Captain, and Team. Each member of your lineup will earn points based on how many kills, assists, and objectives they score on Summoner’s Rift, and the gamblers with the most points get a portion of the overall prize pool.
MOBA esports, such as League of Legends, are played by different rules than first-person shooters, hence CSGO fantasy contests are also different. However, the main goal remains the same as players try to assemble the best possible team to earn as many fantasy points as possible. Bankroll management and the ability to identify the most effective players go a long way in all forms of fantasy esports.
One last thing to remember about DraftKings picks is that you don’t necessarily need to win the tournament to get your payout. Depending on the tournament type, you can still make a profit by finishing in the top 10% or even in the upper half.
Is DraftKings Interface User-Friendly?
The design is slick and intuitive, and you’ll have no issues navigating through their esports fantasy contests, expanding your knowledge with the Draftkings fantasy playbook, or even playing custom tournaments with your friends and acquaintances.
Moreover, the site comes with an excellent FAQ section and a responsive customer service via email to ensure that your fantasy experience is as seamless as possible.
DraftKings Opening Offer for New Customers
Your opening offer will depend on whether you’re using the sportsbook or the Draftkings esports fantasy section. Since this Draftkings review focuses on the fantasy options, we’ll talk a bit about the $20 in free play credit awarded instantly with the first deposit.
New players who deposit at least $5 will receive the $20 without having to redeem a Draftkings promo code. The money is credited in the form of DK Dollars and is not redeemable for cash; instead, bonus recipients can use these dollars to try Draftkings fantasy esports.
Esports Activity Level
What fantasy esports are available at DraftKings?
We’ve already mentioned this at the beginning of our DraftKings review, League of Legends fantasy is no longer the only option on DraftKings’ esports section. Now, those who have an account with DraftKings can expand their horizon with CSGO, Rocket League and eNASCAR racing.
However, there’s still a question of tournament selection. The DraftKings LoL lineup covers all prominent League of Legends events like the LCS, LEC, LCK, MSI, and LoL Worlds. The same goes for the other popular esports mentioned above, which have their own communities of enthusiastic fantasy esports players.
Unfortunately, smaller events tend to get the short end of the stick, so you will have a hard time finding contests and/or markets for national leagues and minor regions.
What kinds of fantasy leagues offered on DraftKings?
The best way to approach this question is by breaking up the Draftkings review in two parts. If you’re planning to play fantasy esports, you’ll be able to take part in freerolls, satellites, Sit N’ Gos, Double Ups, multi-entry tournaments, head-to-head contests, guaranteed prize pool events, and winner takes all showdowns. Each contest type has its own rules when it comes to the buy-in and payout structure, so make sure to read the small print in the DraftKings playbook before signing up for these events.
But what if you’re interested in the conventional esports gambling or DraftKings live betting? Well, you won’t be able to gamble on match winner, tournament winner, correct score, total maps, race to X maps, team to win at least one map, and other exciting markets. The Draftkings App can’t be used for this type of gambling, so your options will be more limited when wagering on the LCS/LEC regular season. It goes without saying that even the recent additions, of CSGO, Rocket League and eNASCAR Fantasy esports can feel a bit restrictive to traditional punters.
What special features/promotions are offered for fantasy fans?
A DraftKings promo code can lead to individual bonuses but fantasy fans can also benefit from its incredible loyalty program. Even something as simple as participating in fantasy competitions will earn you Crowns, which you can then redeem in the DK Shop for contest tickets and DraftKings merchandise. Press the Draftkings login button to claim daily rewards and long-term missions that grant achievements, additional Crowns, and even extra gambling funds for reaching specific milestones.
Another thing to note about the DraftKings App fantasy experience is the option to create custom tournaments. Fantasy leagues are a lot more fun when you’re playing with friends and acquaintances, so it’s great to have the ability to design your own contests that are far removed from the public’s eye. And the best part? You can do it entirely free of charge or get rewarded for using a Draftkings promo code.
Overall
How do I deposit or withdraw cash from DraftKings?
Draftkings Contest Lobby
This DraftKings review also talks about the wide range of payment options to its customers. With that, you will have an easy time depositing funds via credit/debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express), PayPal e-wallet, and gift cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express). Keep in mind that the payment method has to be registered in your name to be accepted once after a Draftkings login.
Transaction times are nigh instantaneous for deposits, although they can anywhere from 2 to 8 days for withdrawals. Another thing to note in our Draftkings review is the requirement to confirm your identity via a W-9 Form before submitting your withdrawal request, so make sure you have all the documents at hand before you choose to gamble on this platform. You can do this immediately after you press the Draftkings login button, or later on when you attempt the first withdrawal.
What mobile options are available on DraftKings?
If you prefer to play via a smartphone or a tablet, you will be delighted to learn that there’s a separate DraftKings app for iOS and Android devices. The minds behind this platform put in a lot of thought into creating a smooth mobile experience for their customers. That’s why navigating through Draftkings’ esports section on your phone won’t be any harder than on your desktop computer. It’s worth noting that the DraftKings app for fantasy betting allows players to use any Draftkings promo code available on computers.
How to open an account with DraftKings?
The registration process at Draftkings is surprisingly simple and it begins with a simple click on the “Play Now” button, just after clicking our link below. This will take you to the next step, where you need to choose a username and password. During this phase of the registration, a valid email must be entered and you should indicate your address of residence.
Before you can go to the Draftkings login area, you need to agree to their terms and conditions and confirm that you are at least 18 years of age. Once you complete the registration, you can choose a payment method and deposit with our DraftKings promo code.
How to participate in Fantasy Tournaments with DraftKings?
DraftKings LoL fantasy play uses a different system from classic esports bookmakers. Players are given a starting bankroll worth $50,000 and are tasked with spending the amount intelligently to create the best fantasy team. These virtual funds are used to acquire fantasy professional players and assemble a roster of eight, with the goal to produce the best team composition. ADC, support, mid and top laners earn points based on how the players compete in real-life tournaments.
Beginners can try freerolls before making a deposit and those who choose the latter will accumulate DK dollars based on their success. Classic tournaments, as well as Head 2 Head and 50/50 game fantasy bets make DraftKings League of Legends more exciting. Punters don’t have the option of betting on the first blood, tower, Dragon or Baron, but they earn fantasy points if their team secure these in-game objectives.
As for DraftKing’s lineups for Counter-Strike, Rocket League and eNASCAR, the rules are essentially the same, as winners are decided based on how many points each of your chosen players earn. What differs is the in-game objective and the number of players in your team.
Parent Company Information
The DraftKings sportsbook was founded in 2012 by the eponymous company. It was created by three friends – Matt Kalish, Paul Liberman, and Jason Robins – with the goal of providing quality fantasy sports and betting services to US and Canadian customers.
The DraftKings headquarters are located in Boston, Massachusetts, with recent new offices opened in Las Vegas. Over the years, the company attracted hundreds of millions of dollars in investments and signed exclusive advertising deals and sponsorship agreements with the likes of ESPN and Major League Baseball. On top of that, DraftKings holds gambling licenses from the UK Gambling Commission and Malta Gaming Authority, which is a clear sign that this operator wants to expand its services to Europe in full compliance with local regulations.
DraftKings is one of the biggest and most highly respected daily fantasy sports sites out there, but are they really worth all of the hype and are they Legit?
Bottom line: YES. DraftKings is a great site for daily fantasy sports and they have a lot to offer. Recent changes in U.S. laws also imply that the site will be offering a lot more in the future.
If you want to learn more about DraftKings, you’ve come to the right place. Here, we will give a brief overview of the site, what they offer, and highlight some of the specific contests they offer and give some insight into how to effectively play those games. We’ll even talk a little about where the site is headed. Here is a look at Draftkings in 2018-2019.
Draftkings Top 2021 Promotion
If you are new to DraftKings, they are currently running a promotion for a free $3 contest entry when a first time deposit of at least $5 is made. The ticket is worth $3, and eligibility restrictions apply. See the website for details.
History
DraftKings is based out of Boston, Massachusetts. The company was founded in 2012, and soon surpassed other DFS sites offering similar games in terms of popularity. The company has inked deals with Major League Baseball, Fox Sports, and the National Hockey League over the last few years. These partnerships have helped the company to continue to grow and eventually become the biggest name in fantasy sports.
It is estimated that there are about 8 million users of the site. The site currently has several different types of contests and continues to expand its offerings and audience.
Legality
One of the big questions about fantasy sports is, “is this legal?” For the most part, yes. Daily fantasy sports are legal, even when money is put at risk, in most of the U.S. There are a handful of states that do not allow this. These states currently include Alabama, Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, and Washington. Residents of these states cannot win cash prizes at DraftKings, or any other DFS site. In some of these states, residents can open accounts, they just can’t win cash prizes. If you have more questions about the legality of DFS in your state, feel free to get in touch with a legal expert on the matter.
Other than that, sites like DraftKings are completely legal. In fact, there are changes coming that will lead to even more features from DraftKings. Things like sports betting can now be decided on a state by state basis, so it is expected that DraftKings will offer this feature in the near future.
What You Will Find
DraftKings offers a number of exciting contests, spanning a wide variety of sports. Current sports offered include MLB, NHL, NBA, NFL, PGA, NASCAR, Soccer, WNBA, CFL, League of Legends, and MMA. These do change from time to time, but you will find that DraftKings is at the forefront of the industry when it comes to sports offered. They have more sports than any other major DFS site out there. Automatically, this puts DraftKings at the front of the pack when it comes to a potential audience.
As far as the games that are offered, the vast majority of contests offered come in a similar form. You have a certain number of roster spots that need to be filled, and a certain amount of salary cash that you can use. This naturally restricts the quality of the athlete that you can draft, especially after you have started filling roster spots. This, obviously, requires a very specific strategy. This topic will be covered in its own section.
Beyond that, there are some unique differences between the games and the sports that are covered. For example, in a PGA or MMA tournament, all of the athletes are on the same standing. They all do the same thing during their performance time. In a baseball game, that’s very different. Because of this, you can’t draft a team with nine first basemen. Depending on the sport, you will be restricted by position played, too. Each sport also offers its own unique scoring system. Again, to maximize your ability to score fantasy points in your contest of choice, a very specific strategy will be necessary. Keep reading to learn more about this.
When it comes to specific contests offered, DraftKings has a few different options. One of the more popular contests offered is called a Showdown. Here, you will see fantasy team managers draft a team and compete for a small number of cash prizes. These tend to have really low entry fees with proportionally higher payouts. For example, you might pay a quarter to win a top prize of $35. Or, you might pay $33 to win a top prize of $135. The number of entrants can vary, depending on the specific contest. This might be as few as ten people, or it can go up into the thousands.
DraftKings also offers Pick ‘Em contests. With these, you are asked to select players from specific tiers. There’s no salary cap in these leagues, like there are in the previously described in this section. For example, in an MLB contest, you will select one player from Tier 1, one from Tier 2, and so on, until you have filled up all of your roster slots. This is a different type of contest because of the lack of salary but is very similar and easy to understand if you’ve mastered a salary cap approach to drafting teams.
Prizes
Most prizes are in cash form. What you need to do to win a cash prize will vary depending on the format you’re in.
This is not the only prize structure that’s offered, though. There are satellite contests out there, where you can win a ticket for free entry into another, bigger tournament. These can be quite exciting, especially if you don’t want to pay for some of the larger entry fees, but still want access to the biggest prizes offered at DraftKings.
Prizes range in size. A first place finish can return as little as a couple bucks, or as much as over a million dollars. Lower ranked finishes can return a fraction of the entry fee, to many thousands of dollars. Again, these prizes depend on the size of the contest, the payout structure, and the entry fee that you paid. Typically, the more you pay to enter, the higher the payout will be when you win.
Strategy
There are a lot of different strategies that you can use to effectively win DFS contests at DraftKings. There’s not nearly enough space on this web page to go into all of those strategies, but we can highlight a couple here for you. But, if this is something that you are interested in learning more about, we do have more information available for you. Feel free to search around on the site to go into more detail on this very rich topic.
Value
In a salary cap league, value is one of the biggest factors in determining success. This concept is a fairly simple one and can be transferred over to other aspects of life, like shopping at the grocery store or buying shares of stock in a company. Think about it like this: would you pay $4.00 for a loaf of bread when you can get the same thing at another store for $1.50? Of course not! Not if you have the choice, anyway. No one wants to pay more than they need to for something.
Value is similar in a fantasy league. If you can get a strong Quarterback on your roster for $8,000 of your salary, why would you pay $9,000 for another QB that is expected to return the same results? When you go with the cheaper QB, you are expecting the same results, but you save $1,000 that can then be applied to another position that will eventually help you to score more fantasy points as a result.
There are many different ways to approach value, but however you do, these basic principals will guide your decisions.
Tier Systems
In their Pick ‘Em leagues, DraftKings employs a tier system for ranking players. In these leagues, team matchups are extremely important. For example, if you are looking to draft LeBron James as a top tier player, but the Cavs are playing the top defensive team in the NBA, then James might not be a good choice here. Sure, he’s a great player, but in this particular instance, his point scoring capability is limited just because of who he’s playing.
This same concept can be applied in a salary cap league. If you have two players of similar quality and price range, the one who has the most favorable matchup will end up being the better choice. In fact, sometimes the more expensive player will be better, or sometimes the player with a lower fantasy point expectation will be the better choice. Matchups can account for variations in expected fantasy point total, and that ultimately influences what they will do come game time.
Now, it’s important to remember something. The end goal of a fantasy sports contest is to score as many points as possible—not save money or choose good matchups. Sometimes you will need to take these things into account, but they are only methods of achieving your overall goal. If you remember this, then whatever strategy you employ will have more efficacy when it comes to winning your contest.
The Future at DraftKings
DraftKings is currently the biggest daily fantasy sports site on the web. FanDuel, the next largest DFS site, was once the leader of the industry, but DraftKings passed them a few years ago, and has kept growing since then. The question is, what does this growth say about the future of DraftKings?
Well, for one, it’s safe to say that DraftKings is not going anywhere. This is especially true considering that the U.S. government recently ruled that sports betting is an issue that must be addressed on a state by state basis. It’s likely that the states mentioned above will continue to restrict the use of DraftKings by its residents. However, because it is a state decision, the status of DFS, and now sports betting, will be determined by the state. One single decision by Congress cannot overturn this now. DraftKings, and DFS in general, is now more protected than it ever has been. Thanks to their strong reputation and increased security when it comes to data, DraftKings is safer to use than every before. That’s a big win for the fantasy sports fan.
Next, we can look forward to an expansion of services from DraftKings. Sports betting is going to be added in the near future, and this means that more people will be coming to the site. This will only help as the site continues to grow and add more features to help benefit their clientele. It’s still unclear exactly what the DraftKings sports betting platform will look like, but it will be a strong one. The site has been working on this platform since 2016 when they were able to introduce sports betting in the UK, so we can be assured that when it comes to the U.S., we will have a strong product.
Finally, advances in technology will help to make DraftKings a better overall site. The blockchain technology is quickly being integrated into industries beyond the Bitcoin business and has helped companies like IBM and beyond to increase security on their sites. This will be beneficial to any site that has financial transactions conducted on them to be safer and faster. DraftKings will likely incorporate this technology in the coming years and speed up cash transfers, all while making them even more secure. They are already one of the safest sites on the web, and this will only make them stronger.
Draftkings Frequently Asked Questions
- Does it take a long time to get your Money from Draftkings?
- We’ve seen payouts within 24 hours and we’ve seen it take over a couple of weeks. This will all be dependent on how secure everything is when you signed up and the method you are receiving your money. With so many factors these days, just be sure to have everything in order to receive your payout quick.
- Is DraftKings better than FanDuel?
- In essence they are very similar. The objective is the same for both DFS sites. It will come down to which interface you like more and the customer service factor. A lot of people will end up with accounts at both sites, so that helps you pick which will be better for your needs. As a whole we like DK better, but FanDuel is still a great site.
- Is playing on Draftkings legal?
- Yes, There has been a lot of chat over the past couple of years whether daily fantasy sports is legal or not. It turns out that there are many different factors when it comes to DFS. Now that the US Supreme Court has left it up to the states to make their decision in sports betting, things should get a lot easier. Currently, there are nine states in the United States that forbid DFS. Will this change for those states; is still unknown. With the latest ruling, you would think most states will allow it for revenue purposes. No matter where you live, make sure you follow all laws when it comes to these activities.
- Are there strategies someone can follow to make them a better player?
- There are defeinitely strategies you can use when it comes to making selections. No matter the sport, it helps to have some kind of method to the madness. Learning about DFS strategies may not be the most exciting thing, but if it gives you some help compared to just guessing you may be better off.
- Does Draftkings offer a cryptocurrency deposit method?
- Currently there is no deposit method for Cryptocurrency. We’ve heard rumors of a Bitcoin deposit method or other coins. Sportsbooks around the world do offer some kind of Bitcoin payment, but until this is fully announced by DK, there is nothing you can do with this method.
- When will the DraftKings Sportsbook Open to residents in the US?
- This is what DK is banking their future on. As soon as states give the green light you can be sure they will jump on it. The platform and customer service is fully in the works, but they do have to follow the laws. A Draftkings sportsbook is what a lot of fantasy players are looking for to go on top of their fantasy play.
- Are there sites or apps that help make picks on Draftkings?
- Yes, currently there are dozens of services and apps to help you make a better lineup. The growth of DFS has also grown widely in the development of all kinds of new technology. If you can search for these things you will see the top 10 makers offering all kinds of methods and strategies.
September 2020 Update – A lot has changed in the world of online sports betting. Check out perkybets.com for all of the latest information about betting on sports in your state.
Final Thoughts on DraftKings
DK is the leader in the world of daily fantasy sports. Whether you’re a casual sports fan, or a diehard stats geek, DraftKings has something to offer you. Playing fantasy sports can help us to enjoy the sports that we already love even more by helping us to get more into the games. If you’re looking for a great, safe place to play fantasy sports, DraftKings is one of the first places that you should be looking. We hope this Draftkings review will help you make the right decision. Be sure to check out the latest look at FanDuel vs. Draftkings.