DraftKings Sportsbook Review

Overall Grade: 4.75/5

DraftKings is one of the country’s premier sportsbook brands. It has a competitive welcome bonus and is a market leader in deposit and withdrawal options. Bettors get great odds – especially on the favorite to win – and get good value for the money they wager at DraftKings. Its user-friendly website and app welcome newbies and sharps alike with open arms. There are many sports to choose from and many leagues within each sport. And if there are any issues, DraftKings has a robust customer service system for resolving complaints. 

If you’ve been anxious about trying sports betting, DraftKings is a good place to start betting for the first time. Its help center has many guides that will get newbies started. Sign up for a DraftKings account and put your sports knowledge to the ultimate test. 

Related: Check out our sports betting guide if you need help getting started! 

Sign-Up Bonus 

$1,000 Deposit Bonus at 20% Match Rate

Sign-Up Bonus Grade: 4.5/5

DraftKings’ $1,000 deposit bonus may seem eye-popping. But that number needs context. Bettors aren’t just going to get $1,000 when they put money into their accounts for the first time. DraftKings will add $1 in site credits to a bettor’s account for every $5 bettors deposit. That means bettors would have to deposit $5,000 to get $1,000 in site credits. 

But bettors also have to use the money to wager. DraftKings requires bettors to play $25 at their sportsbook before adding $1 of site credits into bettor accounts. That means bettors won’t reach $1,000 in bonus site credits without wagering $25,000 on DraftKings. 

However, bettors will be rewarded in proportion with how much they deposit and play. If they want to play a little bit at a time, then they’ll get a few site credits. But if high rollers want to play big, then they’ll be rewarded handsomely, too. The bonus is only a maximum bonus amount. Most bettors won’t reach that limit, and they won’t need to, either. 

Legal States of Operation 

Sign-Up Process and Payment Options Grade: 5/5

Sportsbooks want to make it easy to accept money, and DraftKings excels at taking bettor money. It has one of the easiest signup processes on the market. Bettors just have to hit the sign-up button in the top right corner of the DraftKings screen. Then, bettors will fill in basic information like their name, address, and email. A lot of it is the kind of information anyone with internet access is used to entering.

However, DraftKings also asks for the last four digits of bettors’ social security numbers. That may surprise new bettors. But sportsbooks need to know who they’re taking money from and sending money to. Thanks to legal quirks in the Bank Secrecy and Patriot Acts, sportsbooks are required by law to know the identities of all their users. Asking for part or all of bettors’ social security numbers is standard sportsbook practice.

But once that’s done, bettors can make their first deposits. Deposit options include:

• Credit and debit cards
• Online banking
• PayPal
• E-Check
• Play+ Card
• Wire Transfer 
• Gift Card
• Cash

However, withdrawal options are more limited: 

• Advanced checking
• Mailed check
• PayPal
• Casino cage pickup 

Each withdrawal option allows DraftKings to match a bettor to their identity. It’s why DraftKings has so much fewer withdrawal options than deposit options. But it’s still easy for bettors to move money between their DraftKings and bank accounts. 

Odds Value Grade: 4.5/5

DraftKings’ odds follow two important patterns. First, DraftKings odds tend to favor the favorite to win. Here are its odds on a Chiefs/Raiders NFL game that shows what this trend looks like: 

In this moneyline bet, DraftKings is one point shy of having the best odds on the Chiefs. However, it sacrifices odds on the Raiders. Odds are a tug-of-war between the favorite to win and the underdog. DraftKings’ favorite odds tend to be closer to even than its competitors. On this line, bettors who wagered $100 at DraftKings would win $15 more dollars than a bettor who wagered on this line at FanDuel.

But DraftKings also offers better odds to its bettors than its competitors on this line. Odds are also a tradeoff between sportsbook profit and competitive odds for bettors. Here are the expected profit margins for each sportsbook offering this line: 

DraftKings expects to take less profit off this line than its competitors. That means it offered more generous odds across both sides of the line than its competitors. If bettors are looking for a sportsbook with must-check odds, DraftKings is a strong choice. Underdog bettors may consider betting elsewhere. But bettors who like to wager on the favorite may find a match in DraftKings.

User Experience Grade: 4.5/5

It’s easy to get around the DraftKings website and app. The bright green pops against the black background, so everything is easy to read. They’re also among an elite few who can make white text readable. The betting lines are easy to read, too, which is crucial for bettors spending a lot of time scrolling through DraftKings.

However, bettors can find the sports they’re looking for, too. The bottom of the app includes tabs for in-game betting, an A-Z list of every sport DraftKings offers, and the bet slip. These options let bettors hop between the most important sportsbook sections. The A-Z list is a great way to flip through the major sports leagues and see what’s interesting. But anyone who wants to jump into a live game can hit the in-game tab and go from there.

Whether you’re new or seasoned, DraftKings makes it easy to find what you’re looking for.

Available Sports and Wagers Grade: 5/5

Every sportsbook has had to offer new sports and leagues during the coronavirus outbreak. But some of them still have wider varieties than others. DraftKings has one of the largest selections of sports on the market. It has mainstream professional leagues like football, basketball, and baseball. But it also has niche-interest sports like Gaelic hurling. It has multiple dart leagues, table tennis leagues, and rugby leagues. Most bettors may not be Swedish hurling fans. 

However, each league has several betting options, too. Bettors will find game lines, parlay bets, and futures bets in most leagues. Soccer lines are especially ripe with bet types and international leagues. If you have a favorite sport or want to try something new, DraftKings offers virtually everything under the sun.  

Customer Service Grade: 5/5

Big brands tend to have big customer service outreach, and DraftKings is no exception. DraftKings’ help center is full of helpful FAQs that should handle most customer inquiries. Bettors will find:

• Betting basics
• House rules
• Sport rules

But if the help center isn’t enough, DraftKings’ contact portal is a useful help source, too. Bettors just have to leave their name and email before writing their message to customer support.

However, bettors seeking professional help for their gambling habits will also find the responsible gaming hotline near the contact button. Sportsbooks are required to display it by law, and it’s a good resource for bettors who need it.

Whatever bettors need, DraftKings probably has an option for it.

Related: If this review leaves you itching to sign up, here’s how to create a sportsbook account.