In the United States, it is fair to say there are two brands who are vying for the position of leading daily fantasy sports and sportsbook. In terms of sports betting, both FanDuel and DraftKings were well positioned in the U.S. market when the laws were changed regarding sports betting in the country. Prior to the changes in the law, DraftKings and FanDuel offered daily fantasy sports games but it did not take either brand long to produce their sportsbook.
In terms of which company is ruling the roost in the United States, we must make a comparison between the two. FanDuel and DraftKings have both been quick to offer their sportsbook services in several states across the country. However, it is worth noting DraftKings have a greater reach thanks to their operations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Malta, Austria, and Germany. At time of writing, DraftKings is available in a greater number of states than FanDuel, but this is always changing and as highlighted above, there is not a great deal in it.
Currently, the DraftKings sportsbook app is available in Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
Looking at the selection of sports, both brands have extensive coverage of NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, College Football, College Basketball, PGA, UFC, NASCAR, soccer, tennis, and eSports. They have each created sports betting partnerships with some of the leading organizations, including NBA, NHL, and MLB for FanDuel and NFL, UFC, and PGA for DraftKings.
While FanDuel and DraftKings offer close to the same types of sports on their website and apps, the difference comes in the coverage and this is where DraftKings has the edge. For example, you will find the Canadian Football League and EuroLeague Basketball available when using the DraftKings app but this is not on offer on the FanDuel app. There appears to be greater depth of international sports leagues when using the DraftKings app.
However, FanDuel regularly provides the more competitive odds and this is important. You may wish to compare the odds at both brands before completing a wager, as you could stand to win a greater amount of money with more generous odds.
Moving on to the design and navigation of each sportsbook app and they both offer a fantastic experience. In fact, the way the applications are designed is similar and you can easily find the sport and market on which you would like to bet within a couple of taps.
Finally, we come to the bonuses and promotions. Beginning with the DraftKings sportsbook, new players can claim a risk free bet plus a deposit bonus up to $1,000. At FanDuel it is possible to claim a risk free bet up to $500. The main difference between the two is that with DraftKings, the bonus is based on the amount you deposit. So, if you made a first deposit of $5,000 you would be eligible to receive the maximum bonus amount of $1,000. However, with FanDuel the bonus is based on your first bet. If you lose, they will give you a refund of up to $1000 in site credit.