When it comes to sports betting you have tons of options to choose from. With all of the sportsbooks on the market it might be a big overwhelming, which we get. That’s why we’re digging into two of the most popular betting platforms — BetMGM and DraftKings.
We’ve placed bets on these platforms for years, but now we’re giving them a totally objective look to determine which is better when it comes to BetMGM vs. DraftKings. We’ll take a look at the bonuses, various bet types, the apps themselves, and their overall availability to bettors in the US. Here’s how it worked out.
Winner: BetMGM
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Bonuses are a major draw for any sportsbook. They offer bettors extra value for their money, especially when they’re first signing up.
BetMGM's "First Bet Offer" up to $1,500 in bonus bets if your first bet doesn't win is one of the more lucrative bonus offers we’ve seen. Basically, you can’t lose on your first bet. The sportsbook is willing to cover you up to $1,500, which is easily the highest in the industry. Of course, many bettors won’t be able to max this out, but if you do, you’re starting out on the right foot.
On the other hand, DraftKings has their classic bet $5 and get $150 in bonus bets instantly. This works because when you sign up at DraftKings and place a simple $5 bet on any game, you’ll get $150 bonus bets added to your account automatically. While it’s not as much as the BetMGM bonus offer, it’s not tied to the outcome of your bet, which makes it nice. You get the $150 to use how you’d like. You can’t withdraw the bonus bets, but whatever you win with those bets, you can.
These two bonus offers serve different purposes so it’s relatively hard to compare the two. However, given that BetMGM is willing to give away up to $1500, that’s just too much money to leave on the table, and we’re going to go with them in this category.
Before you run out to get the BetMGM bonus, it’s worth noting that you’re not limited to just one bonus offer. You can take full advantage of both of these offers.
Winner: DraftKings
Both BetMGM and DraftKings provide a huge amount of bet types, including moneylines, spreads, totals, parlays, and live betting. This comprehensive selection ensures that there’s no shortage of options at your fingertips. This is pretty standard across most of the major sportsbooks as they need to offer a variety of bet types to remain competitive.
DraftKings, however, offers a slight edge with its inclusion of more niche markets such as Aussie rules football and cricket. That’s not something you see in most sportsbooks. These additional options cater to bettors interested in international sports or even something more niche, providing a more diverse experience. BetMGM, while we will say it’s fairly comprehensive, focuses more on mainstream sports, with some unique bets like volleyball and darts.
There is not a wide margin between these two powerhouses, but we do have to award a winner for the most variety. For that, we’re giving this category to DraftKings.
Winner: DraftKings
A user-friendly interface and a seamless user experience are two of the most important factors for any online sportsbook. The biggest names in the industry hire some of the best developers in the world to ensure they’re delivering the best possible experience to their users.
DraftKings is renowned for its fast, intuitive app, which is really beneficial for live betting. The app is praised in various reviews for its decent odds and features, such as easy bet slip building, which makes the betting experience even better. We noticed zero lag when going from match to match and even scrolling through our bet slip.
BetMGM's app is also fairly user-friendly and offers a clean design, but it may be slightly slower compared to DraftKings. We didn’t run benchmark tests on these apps; however, we noticed a slight delay at some points. While we will note that it provides a solid experience, the slight lag can be a disadvantage to some, especially when placing live bets on an older device.
Given the importance of speed and ease of use with today’s modern tech, DraftKings takes the win in this category.
Winner: DraftKings
Since we’re looking at these two sportsbooks from a holistic perspective, we figured we have to acknowledge their availability. This might not matter to you if you’re in a state that has both, but it’s worth taking a look at.
Both BetMGM and DraftKings are widely available in states where sports betting is legal. However, DraftKings has a slight edge in terms of state availability, being present in more states than BetMGM.
DraftKings is available in 25 states and they’re continuing to grow. While BetMGM is looking to grow as well, they’re only available in 21 states.
BetMGM States: AZ, CO, DC, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MA, MI, MS, NJ, NV, NY, NC, OH, PA, PR, TN, VA, WV, WY
DraftKings States: AZ, CO, CT, DC, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MA, ME, MI, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, VT, WA, WV, WY
This broader reach means more bettors across the country can get on DraftKings' and place bets, giving it a slight advantage over BetMGM.
After battling both BetMGM and DraftKings across several key categories, it's clear that both sportsbooks offer some of the best sports betting experiences in the US. However, DraftKings consistently edges ahead of BetMGM in several areas. So, overall, we’re giving the crown to DraftKings. Of course, BetMGM is still a good option if that’s all that’s available to you.
Better user experience. DraftKings' app is slightly faster and might even be more intuitive to some. This provides a superior experience for both live and regular betting.
Wider market selection. With more niche markets available, DraftKings gives sports bettors more options. So, if you’re not sure what market is speaking to you, give some of these a shot.
Broader availability. Being present in more states, DraftKings offers more bettors access to its platform. It’s not by much, and this could change over the next few months.
Better bonus offer. We have to hand it to BetMGM for their $1500 first bet offer. It gives users a safety net so they can try out their platform and possibly walk away with some extra cash.
While both sportsbooks are excellent choices and some of the most dominant sportsbooks in the industry, DraftKings' advantages in user experience, market selection, and availability make it the better option for most bettors. We’re not going to knock BetMGM, though. It’s still a great betting platform, and we think you might just like it better than DraftKings.