Daily fantasy sports (DFS) contests put fans in the driver’s seat by giving them a chance to build their dream teams and compete against players from around the country for real cash.

Today, daily fantasy sports sites and the best DFS apps are legal in most US states. Some states have passed legislation legalizing and regulating DFS sites, while others allow the industry to operate under existing law.

Best Daily Fantasy Sites

PrizePicks$100 Deposit BonusPrizePicks Promo Code: BUSA Get Bonus
Boom Fantasy$100 First Entry RefundBoom Fantasy Promo Code: BUSA Get Bonus
Underdog Fantasy$100 Deposit BonusUnderdog Fantasy Promo Code: BETUSA Get Bonus
OwnersBox$500 Deposit BonusOwnersBox Referral Code: BUSA Get Bonus
ParlayPlayFree Entry + $100 Deposit BonusParlayPlay Promo Code: BUSA Get Bonus

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Only a handful of states have laws on the books that actively prohibit fantasy sports sites.

Read on for BettingUSA’s most highly recommended daily fantasy sites, reviews of major DFS providers, and detailed explanations of how fantasy sports betting works.

Fantasy Sports Sites We Recommend

PrizePicks DFS

PrizePicks$100 Deposit BonusPrizePicks Promo Code: BUSAGet Bonus

PrizePicks provides a simple form of daily fantasy that feels a lot like traditional sports betting. In each PrizePicks contest, users select a handful of athletes and make over/under predictions on each athlete’s projected fantasy points total.

Unlike standard fantasy contests, PrizePicks players do not play against other users. Instead, they earn payouts based on the accuracy of their predictions. Players can earn up to 15 times their initial buyin for making just five accurate predictions or make fewer predictions for smaller prizes.

Underdog Fantasy

Underdog Fantasy$100 Deposit BonusUnderdog Fantasy Promo Code: BETUSAGet Bonus

Underdog Fantasy is a well-rounded fantasy sports operator with daily fantasy contests, season-long best ball leagues, and instant win pick ’em games. Fans will find some of the biggest GPPs in daily fantasy at Underdog, and its best-ball leagues are arguably the best in the business.

In addition, Underdog Fantasy pick ’em games offer player-vs-house predictions contests that offer instant payouts ranging from 2x to 20x. In each pick ’em contest, players can make predictions on whether specific athletes will score higher or lower in stat categories such as rebounds, passing yards, strikeouts, and so on.

In the “Rivals” variant, players predict which of two athletes will have a better performance in a specific stat, such as picking which of two quarterbacks will finish with the most completions.

OwnersBox DFS

OwnersBox$500 Deposit BonusOwnersBox Referral Code: BUSAGet Bonus

OwnersBox offers weekly fantasy sports contests that combine the best aspects of daily fantasy games and season-long leagues. The result is a form of DFS that offers the fun of live drafts and swaps but without the season-long commitments.

IOwnersBox has standard daily fantasy contests and Lightning Lineup games in which bettors pick one of three randomly generated lineups to outscore the other two for a fixed payout.

ParlayPlay DFS

ParlayPlayFree Entry + $100 Deposit BonusParlayPlay Promo Code: BUSAGet Bonus

ParlayPlay operates similarly to PrizePicks, with pick ’em predictions contests that pay cash prizes to the players who accurately predict athletes’ performances.

In a typical ParlayPlay contest, players select two or more athletes and predict whether they will accumulate over or under their projected statistical totals.

For example, a player might predict whether each of three quarterbacks will pass for more or less yards than their projected passing totals.

The ParlayPlay experience feels similar to sports betting, is legal in most states, and serves as a convenient alternative for fans who live in states without legal sports betting.

Boom Fantasy

Boom Fantasy$100 First Entry RefundBoom Fantasy Promo Code: BUSAGet Bonus

Boom Fantasy offers three types of pick ’em fantasy contests with payouts worth up to 40x players’ buyins.

In toss-up games, players make two to five predictions for payouts ranging from 2x to 10x.

For example, one prediction may involve selecting which of two receivers will finish the day with the most receptions. Another may involve predicting whether the quarterback will pass for more than or fewer than 300 yards.

Players who want to play for the biggest payouts can choose the “Longshots” format to win up to 40x their money.

In each Longshots contest, players pick two or three predetermined long-shot predictions, such as a higher-than-usual rushing total for a running back or an above-average number of strikeouts for a pitcher.

Players can win 10x if they get two long shot predictions correct and 40x if they get three correct.

Boom Fantasy’s “Favorites” contests present players with several easier-to-predict propositions for payouts ranging from 1.3x to 3x their buy-ins.

FanDuel DFS

FanDuel DFS$100 Deposit BonusFanDuel Fantasy Promo Code: Not NeededGet Bonus

FanDuel.com opened for business in 2009 and quickly grew to become one of the most prominent players in the fantasy sports industry.

FanDuel.com has earned a reputation for quick payouts and fair games.

FanDuel DFS players can join public events and compete for massive prize pools, start private contests with their friends, or compete in heads-up contests for payouts just shy of 2x.

FanDuel DFS contest buyins range from $1 to $200, sometimes higher for special events.

FanDuel offers DFS players some of the highest payouts in daily fantasy sports, with first-place prizes occasionally exceeding $1 million.

For fans who want to compete for the biggest prizes, FanDuel is an easy choice.

DraftKings DFS

Boston-based DraftKings is home to massive prizes, innovative social features, and varied DFS contest formats such as season-long best ball games.

DraftKings accepts convenient payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, and prepaid gift cards. As a result, DraftKings is one of the easiest DFS sites for new fans to play at for real money.

DraftKings DFS also hosts frequent mega contests with seven-figure payouts to the winners and significant prizes to the runners-up.

Many players prefer DraftKings’ software and mobile app over FanDuel’s because it embeds many features without cluttering the interface or complicating navigation.

Which States Allow Daily Fantasy Sports?

Key

  • Red = Prohibited
  • Blue = Legal
Fantasy Placeholder
Fantasy

Each state takes a different approach to legal daily fantasy sports.

Some states have passed laws to regulate DFS operators, others states prohibit daily fantasy sports, and some states do not regulate the industry at all.

Below are brief overviews of daily fantasy sports legal status in every state.

Alabama formally legalized daily fantasy sports (DFS) in 2019 with legislation establishing a registration process, taxes, and basic consumer protection regulations.

State law requires fantasy operators to register with the Attorney General’s Office and limit participation to customers 19 or older.

Alabama Fantasy Sports

Alaska law does not address fantasy sports, and lawmakers have made no efforts to pass legislation regulating the industry. All major DFS operators accept customers from Alaska.

Alaska Fantasy Sports

Arizona prohibited fantasy sports until 2021 when it passed legislation authorizing sports betting and DFS contests. Under Arizona law, DFS operators must apply for licenses from the Department of Gaming and enforce a minimum age of 21 to participate.

Arizona Fantasy Sports

Arkansas passed legislation in 2017 legalizing and regulating daily fantasy sports. Act 1075 of 2017 taxes DFS operators at an 8% rate and specifically exempts fantasy contests from the state’s definition of gambling.

Arkansas Fantasy Sports

California law does not address the legality of daily fantasy sports, but all mainstream operators offer their services to customers 18 and older.

Attempts to formally legalize the industry in 2016 fizzled before making much progress.

California Fantasy Sports

The Division of Gaming regulates fantasy sports and issues licenses to operators in Colorado. Lawmakers passed legislation in 2016 requiring operators to apply for licenses and adhere to standard consumer regulation measures such as responsibly handling customers’ funds.

Read more: Colorado Fantasy Sports

Connecticut formally legalized fantasy sports in 2017 through budgetary provisions that established a licensing process, tax rate, and consumer protection regulations.

However, Connecticut’s DFS regulations only took effect after the state renegotiated its gaming compacts with the Mohegans and Mashantucket Pequot tribes.

Negotiations between the state and its tribal gaming operators established a tethering provision that requires licensed operators to partner with one of the state’s three entities approved for sports betting (each tribe and the state lottery). As a result, Connecticut only has space for three fantasy sites in total.

Connecticut Fantasy Sports

Delaware legalized fantasy sports in 2017, ending a long period of uncertainty to operators. At one point, all Delaware fantasy sites had to leave the state after the state attorney general issued cease and desist orders to operators.

Today, the Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement regulates and licenses DFS sites.

Delaware Fantasy Sports

Florida law does not directly address daily fantasy sports. All past efforts to formally legalize the industry have fallen short, but most operators are active in Florida despite the unclear legal picture.

Florida Fantasy Sports

Daily fantasy sites are available to Georgia residents, but their legality remains uncertain. In 2016, the office of then-Attorney General Sam Olens opined that daily fantasy sports meet the state’s definition of illegal gambling.

However, the opinion was non-binding, and fantasy sites remain open in Georgia. Lawmakers have attempted to pass legislation legalizing and regulating DFS in Georgia, but those efforts died before becoming law. To date, the state has declined to take action against any providers.

Georgia Fantasy Sports

Hawaii has long opposed most forms of gambling, and strict state laws classify DFS as gambling.

DraftKings and FanDuel offered games in Hawaii until 2016 but stopped after receiving a cease-and-desist letter from a state attorney. Daily fantasy remains prohibited in Hawaii to this day.

Hawaii Fantasy Sports

Daily fantasy sports meet the definition of gambling according to Idaho law, which prohibits most forms of gaming.

FanDuel and DraftKings offered daily fantasy until 2016 but left the market after reaching an agreement with the state’s Office of the Attorney General. Under the agreement, both sites voluntarily exited Idaho in exchange for the state agreeing not to press charges.

Idaho Fantasy Sports

Fantasy providers operated on an uncertain legal footing in Illinois until 2020 due to a 2015 Attorney General opinion that found daily fantasy sports violate state gambling laws.

However, fantasy sites gained some clarity in 2020 after the IL Supreme Court found skill is the predominant factor in determining the outcomes of contests.

As a result, fantasy sites continue operating in Illinois.

Illinois Fantasy Sports

The Sports Wagering and Paid Fantasy Sports Division of the Indiana Gaming Commission regulates and licenses DFS operators.

Indiana formally legalized fantasy sports in 2016 with legislation requiring operators to adhere to consumer protection regulations and apply for licenses.

Indiana Fantasy Sports

Iowa prohibited daily fantasy sports until 2019 when lawmakers passed legislation to authorize the activity. Now, state law requires operators to apply for licenses and conform to standard consumer protection regulations.

Iowa Fantasy Sports

The legality of daily fantasy sports was questionable in Kansas until 2015 due to mixed messages from the state gaming commission.

An Attorney General’s opinion clarified the issue by classifying DFS as games of skill. Later, Kansas passed legislation to legalize fantasy sports contests.

Kansas Fantasy Sports

Kentucky has yet to clarify the legality of fantasy sports. Several attempts to legalize and regulate contests have failed, but providers continue to operate in KY.

Kentucky Fantasy Sports

Louisiana legalized fantasy sports in 2020, ending a years-long legalization effort. Voters overwhelmingly approved legalizing DFS during a statewide referendum in 2018, but lawmakers failed to follow up with additional regulations needed to regulate the industry.

However, Louisiana passed additional legislation in 2020 to implement the will of the voters and establish a licensing process. The first Louisiana fantasy site opened the following year. Today, fans in parishes that approved daily fantasy during the 2018 referendum may enter contests hosted by licensed operators.

Louisiana Fantasy Sports

Maine legalized daily fantasy sports in 2017 with a law requiring operators to apply for licenses and adhere to rules governing the safekeeping of funds and responsible advertising. The Gambling Control Unit is responsible for overseeing operators and issuing licenses

Maine Fantasy Sports

Maryland legalized fantasy sports in 2012 with a law exempting DFS contests from existing gambling prohibitions.

Five years later, the Comptroller of Maryland implemented regulations to govern the industry more closely. Today, all major operators accept Maryland customers.

Maryland Fantasy Sports

In 2016, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed a bill into law implementing regulations that the Attorney General had recommended the previous year.

The regulations Governor Baker approved would have expired in 2018, but the legislature approved additional legislation in 2018 to end the sunset clause and leave the existing rules in place indefinitely.

Massachusetts Fantasy Sports

A package of gaming and sports betting bills approved at the end of 2019 included legislation legalizing and regulating daily fantasy sports.

Providers gained legal certainty with the passage of the Fantasy Contests Consumer Protection Act. Now, fantasy sites must acquire a license from the Michigan Gaming Control Board, adhere to customer protection regulations, and pay an 8.4% tax to the state.

Michigan Daily Fantasy Sports

Minnesota lawmakers have attempted to pass legislation legalizing and regulating the industry several times, but they have been unable to get anything past the finish line.

Despite the uncertain legal situation, the nation’s leading fantasy apps continue to accept customers from MN.

Minnesota Fantasy Sports

The Mississippi Gaming Commission regulates daily fantasy and requires operators that serve more than 100 members of the public in any calendar year to apply for licenses.

Fantasy sites exited Mississippi in 2016 after receiving an unfavorable opinion from the Attorney General but resumed services later that year with the approval of temporary regulations. Later that year, Mississippi adopted permanent legislation to clarify the legality of DFS for good.

Mississippi Fantasy Sports

Missouri legalized fantasy sports in 2016 by passing the Fantasy Consumer Protection Act. Under the Act, operators must acquire licenses from the Missouri Gaming Commission and conform to regulations adopted by the Commission.

Missouri Fantasy Sports

Montana law prohibits all fantasy sports except limited fantasy games offered by the MT Lottery. An effort to legalize daily fantasy sports in Montana failed in 2017, leaving the state off-limits to commercial operators.

Montana Fantasy Sports

Nebraska does not regulate daily fantasy sports, but the major DFS brands accept residents as customers under an interpretation of state law that considers fantasy sports contests of skill. Lawmakers have made multiple attempts to formally legalize fantasy sports, but they have been unable to pass proposed legislation into law.

Nebraska Fantasy Sports

Daily fantasy operators exited the Nevada market in response to a 2015 statement issued by the Nevada Gaming Control Board explaining that fantasy contests are a form of gambling and must be licensed as such.

Mainstream operators such as FanDuel and DraftKings have declined to apply for gambling licenses and remain unavailable to residents.

Nevada Fantasy Sports

New Hampshire approved legislation in 2017 that legalized and regulated fantasy sports. Under the law, operators must register with the New Hampshire Lottery Commission and follow various consumer protection regulations. The Lottery Commission provides information on registered operators here.

New Hampshire Fantasy Sports

The legality of daily fantasy was unclear in New Jersey until lawmakers passed legislation in 2017 exempting DFS from existing gaming laws and establishing regulatory oversight over the industry. Now, the Fantasy Sports Unit under the Division of Consumer Affairs licenses and regulates fantasy operators.

New Jersey Fantasy Sports

New Mexico law does not address fantasy sports, but DFS operators accept customers from the state. Lawmakers introduced a bill to regulate the activity in 2016, but the bill died well before becoming law. Currently, all major fantasy sports brands welcome New Mexico customers.

New Mexico Fantasy Sports

Lawmakers in New York passed legislation to legalize and regulate fantasy sports in 2016. The law requires operators to register with the New York State Gaming Commission and comply with regulations regarding advertising, fair games, and security.

multi-year lawsuit put the legality of DFS in jeopardy even after the passage of the law, but the nation’s most popular DFS apps operate in New York to this day.

New York Fantasy Sports

Gaming laws in North Carolina do not address daily fantasy sports, but operators are active in North Carolina, and the state has not taken action against them to date.

Lawmakers attempted to regulate fantasy sports in 2017 and again in 2019 but failed in both instances.

North Carolina Fantasy Sports

North Dakota law does not explicitly mention daily fantasy sports, and no attorney general has issued a formal legal opinion on the matter.

Even so, all major fantasy apps accept customers from North Dakota.

North Dakota Fantasy Sports

Ohio passed legislation in 2017 to legalize and regulate fantasy sports contests. The 2017 law put the Ohio Casino Control Commission in charge of regulating the activity and issuing licenses to providers.

Ohio Fantasy Sports

The legality of daily fantasy is uncertain in Oklahoma. However, multiple fantasy sites accept customers from Oklahoma, and the state has declined to take action against those companies.

Tribal gaming interests derailed an effort to legalize fantasy sports in 2016, and lawmakers have not taken up the issue since.

Oklahoma Fantasy Sports

Fantasy sports providers operate in a legal grey area in Oregon. State law does not provide a clear answer on the legality of DFS, and the only attempt to pass legislation addressing fantasy sports failed in 2017 without becoming law. Nevertheless, numerous fantasy sites offer their services to Oregonians without issue.

Oregon Fantasy Sports

Fantasy sports sites operated in Pennsylvania for years without clear direction from state law. In 2017, the legislature passed a bill legalizing DFS contests and putting the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board in charge of overseeing the industry, issuing licenses, and adopting regulations.

Pennsylvania Fantasy Sports

Puerto Rico legalized fantasy sports in 2019 with legislation that created a licensing process, instituted a 12% tax on operators, and established various consumer protection regulations. Sports fans must be 18 or older to join DFS sites in Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico Fantasy Sports

Rhode Island takes no official stance on the legality of fantasy sports contests. Regulation of the industry hit a stalemate in 2016 when the Attorney General and the Rhode Island Lottery came to opposite conclusions regarding the legality of DFS.

The AG opined at the time that such contests are not gambling and are therefore legal, while the RI Lottery insisted DFS contests are illegal. Lawmakers have not taken up the issue since, and fantasy sports sites operate openly in Rhode Island today.

Rhode Island Fantasy Sports

Lawmakers in South Carolina have not addressed the legality of fantasy sports, but all mainstream operators accept customers from South Carolina.

When asked about the issue in 2015, the Attorney General’s office expressed no interest in pursuing the matter.

South Carolina Fantasy Sports

Fantasy sports providers accept customers from South Dakota despite unclear state law. In 2015, then-Attorney General Marty Jackley issued a statement announcing his office would not pursue charges against operators that serve residents.

The state has taken no action against operators.

South Dakota Fantasy Sports

Tennessee lawmakers passed legislation in 2016 to legalize and regulate fantasy contests. The Fantasy Sports Act of 2016 requires operators to apply for licenses from the Division of Charitable Solicitations and Gaming before doing business in TN.

Tennessee Fantasy Sports

Texas state law does not address the issue, but the Attorney General issued an opinion in 2016 stating that fantasy sports contests constitute illegal gambling.

FanDuel exited the Texas market for two full years before returning in 2018.

FanDuel, DraftKings, and other companies operate openly in Texas today, and the state has declined to pursue the matter.

The legislature has taken up legislation to regulate fantasy sports several times, but all efforts have failed to gather the momentum they needed to become law.

Texas Fantasy Sports

Utah has never fully determined the legal status of daily fantasy sports. Even so, providers operate openly in Utah, and the state has not asked them to cease operations.

Utah Fantasy Sports

Vermont settled the question of the legal status of daily fantasy sports in 2017 by passing legislation authorizing the activity and implementing regulations governing operators.

The legislation mirrored that of bills passed in other states, establishing a minimum age of 18 to participate, prohibiting athletes and officials from competing in contests that they could potentially affect, and safekeeping customers’ funds.

Vermont Fantasy Sports

Virginia passed the Fantasy Contests Act in 2016 to formally legalize and regulate providers in the Commonwealth. In addition to implementing standard consumer protection regulations, the Fantasy Contests Act requires operators to register with the Office of Charitable and Regulatory Programs before offering services in VA.

Virginia Daily Fantasy Sports

Gaming laws in Washington treat daily fantasy sports as a form of unregulated illegal gambling.

The WA Gambling Commission specifically classifies fantasy sports as illegal Washington. Past efforts to legalize the industry in Washington have failed, leaving residents without access to daily fantasy sports.

Washington Fantasy Sports

West Virginia does not regulate fantasy sports, but state law considers the activity a contest of skill rather than gambling.

As a result, fantasy sports are legal in WV. In 2016, the state Attorney General opined that WV law does not prohibit fantasy sports.

West Virginia Fantasy Sports

Wisconsin state law does not directly discuss the legality of fantasy contests, and lawmakers have been unable to pass legislation to regulate the activity.

However, mainstream fantasy sites continue to accept players from WI.

Wisconsin Fantasy Sports

The legal status of fantasy sports is unclear in Wyoming. Lawmakers have introduced legislation numerous times to legalize and regulate the industry, but all failed.

Even so, fantasy sports sites accept customers from WY.

Wyoming Fantasy Sports

Daily Fantasy Sports Apps

FanDuel and DraftKings dominate the daily fantasy industry, but new DFS sites like PrizePicks, Boom Fantasy, and Underdog Fantasy are creating innovative content formats and gaining market share.

There are numerous daily fantasy sports apps to choose from today, and the differences between DFS sites can be significant.

Choosing the right daily fantasy sports app involves finding safe operators that fit players personal preferences.

Players interested in massive, guaranteed DFS prize pool contests with million-dollar payouts should consider mainstream operators such as FanDuel and DraftKings.

Likewise, fans looking for the closest alternative to sports betting should consider entirely different types of DFS apps like PrizePicks.

BettingUSA’s daily fantasy sports reviews are neutral and unbiased, openly discuss pros and cons, and explain how each fantasy app works.

Key Considerations in Our DFS Reviews

Below is an explanation of BettingUSA’s approach to reviewing daily fantasy sports sites. These are the key considerations BettingUSA makes when writing DFS app reviews and making recommendations.

In the early days of daily fantasy sports, dozens of competing sites largely resembled one another. Each fantasy sports site had unique aspects, but in general, there was little differentiation among operators.

Today, the most successful mainstream fantasy sports brands offer a great deal of variety in how their apps work, the types of DFS contests they offer, and more.

While some fantasy sports operators emphasize “traditional” multi-player salary cap contests, many popular DFS apps now specialize in certain types of games, such as in-game prediction contests or snake-style drafts.

Understanding how each daily fantasy sports site works is critical to finding the best fit for each user’s preferences.

FanDuel and DraftKings boast the largest user bases, the most extensive league selection, and the largest cash prizes. It’s always worth having accounts at the most popular DFS sites because they tend to have a large selection of leagues and fantasy sports contests available.

One of the primary advantages big DFS sites offer apart from volume is the chance to win life-changing amounts of money.

For example, the biggest DFS sites host contests that award $1,000,000+ prizes to the grand champions. If a player manages to pick the perfect team for a large contest, they can become a millionaire.

Smaller fantasy sites simply cannot compete with that.

Additionally, the most popular fantasy sports sites offer the greatest potential return per dollar spent on entry fees. DFS tournaments often attract thousands of entrants and award huge payouts in DFS contests with buy-ins under $20.

It is harder to win in tournaments with many entrants, but the biggest DFS sites also host smaller contests every day.

On the other hand, less popular fantasy sports apps also have their advantages.

For example, smaller DFS operators often host contests with overlays where the guaranteed prize pool is larger than the total amount of buy-ins.

All fantasy betting sites host contests for the major US leagues, and some cover international sports. The NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL receive almost universal coverage among the nation’s mainstream fantasy sports operators.

Players interested in other leagues may need to look around more. For example, DraftKings hosts contests for EuroLeague basketball, but FanDuel does not.

Players should always consider reputation when choosing which DFS sites to join. Mainstream operators such as FanDuel, DraftKings, and others recommended on BettingUSA have well-established track records.

Lesser-known sites may pose security and financial risks because they are less likely to be financially stable.

DFS Bonuses and Promotional Offers

Daily fantasy sports bonuses come in many forms: first deposit bonuses and welcome promotions play a prominent role in the marketing efforts of almost every fantasy sports app. Most DFS sites regularly offer deposit bonuses, free contest entries, and other perks to players who sign up and enter real-money contests.

Yes. Although all fantasy sports bonuses come with fine print, most are a good deal. Players get extra cash in return for making a first deposit, which offers more value to new players.

Free entry promos allow users to participate in select fantasy sports contests without paying the buy-in.

It’s common for DFS operators to offer free contest entry tickets to incentivize new players to sign up and deposit.

For example, DraftKings occasionally offers new customers a free contest entry in addition to its longstanding welcome bonus.

Most daily fantasy sites have loyalty rewards programs designed to encourage frequent players.

For example, FanDuel awards FanDuel Points (FDPs) to users every time they enter a contest. FanDue loyalty points add up over time, and players can use them to take advantage of other DFS promos or enter paid games for free.

Welcome bonuses are far from the only types of promotions users will encounter at daily fantasy apps.

Operators frequently offer new promotions and incentives to keep customers active and happy. Daily fantasy sports promos change frequently, check back frequently for the latest promotions.

Remember, it’s essential to read all the details and conditions before accepting any daily fantasy sports signup offer.

Expert tip: Always check the fine print of an offer to make sure it provides value.

How Daily Fantasy Sports Works

Daily fantasy sports contests are a twist on traditional, season-long fantasy leagues. The biggest difference between the two is that daily fantasy contests only last for a limited slate of games, typically covering a day or a single week’s worth of action.

Sports fans can try playing fantasy sports contests for real money by creating an account at any DFS site recommended on this page, and checking the app for a list of upcoming contests.

Most daily fantasy sports apps offer contests for a range of leagues, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, NASCAR, UFC, golf, tennis, and college sports.

Every fantasy sports contest covers a specific “slate” of games spanning a single week, weekend, or day. For example, a typical Sunday NFL slate covers all NFL games scheduled for that day.

After entering a contest, entrants draft a team of athletes expected to play in that slate of games. Most DFS contests give each athlete a fixed cost according to their recent performances and desirability.

For example, a star quarterback will cost significantly more than a backup QB.

DFS players can pick any player as long as they stay within the salary cap.

For example, let’s use a total starting budget of $50,000:

If you draft one of the best quarterbacks in the league for $10,000, you will inevitably give up strength in another key position because your pick just took 20% of your salary cap, and you still have several slots to fill in your lineup.

After assembling your lineup, watch how the athletes on your team perform and earn points as your players rack up stats in real-time. Touchdown passes earn points for your quarterback, turnovers earn points for your defense, and so on.

If your draft lineup collectively scores more points than the competition, you receive a real money payout.

Daily fantasy sports sites structure contests in many formats. Players can compete in head-to-head matches against a single opponent, join tournament-style competitions with thousands of other players, or make simple predictions against the house.

Payouts vary based on the rules of each contest and the number of entrants. Some DFS contests have winner-take-all prizes, while others provide tournament-style payouts to the top X% of finishers.

In any case, the goal is to score as many points as possible by selecting athletes who perform well on game day.

Start Playing Fantasy Sports

For anyone completely new to daily fantasy sports, this section details the basic step-by-step process of how to play daily fantasy sports for real money prizes.

The most important part of getting started is choosing the right fantasy sports site. There are many fantasy sports apps to choose from, but only a handful stand above the rest in terms of reputation, prize pools, and user experience.

See BettingUSA’s recommendations on this page for safe and reputable daily fantasy sports sites.

Signing up requires each new user to provide their name, address, e-mail, a username, and password. Additionally, federal law requires fantasy sports contest operators to verify the identity of every customer. As a result, most operators also ask users to provide a social security number and an image of their photo ID or passport.

The next step after signing up is to make a first deposit (and claim the latest bonus).

Fantasy sports websites accept a range of easy-to-use deposit methods, including credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, and electronic bank transfers. Deposited funds are usually credited to player accounts instantly.

Players can enter DFS tournaments by logging in and browsing the lobby to find upcoming contests for each league.

From there, players can browse, sort, and filter by entry fee, prize pool, and payout structure to find the best contests

The mechanics of drafting fantasy lineups vary by operator and contest type.

Daily fantasy contests give players a salary cap and instruct them to draft a team without exceeding the cap. Others use traditional snake drafts in which entrants take turns selecting athletes.

Some contests involve “tiers” in which players pick a single athlete from multiple skill tiers without price considerations.

The goal in all fantasy contests is to build the most effective and efficient team possible.

After players have drafted teams and submitted lineups, all that remains is to watch the results.

As selected athletes accumulate stats in their games, each player’s fantasy team earns points accordingly.

You win the contest and collect the prize money if you score more points than your opponents.

Are Fantasy Sports Sites Legal?

Yes. Fantasy sports contests are legal at the federal level and in most states.

A handful of states with strict gambling laws prohibit daily fantasy contests, but most fans nationwide have access to daily sports fantasy apps.

Many states are now focused on legalizing sports betting, but the DFS industry had a head start thanks to a special exemption from the UIGEA.

The legality of daily fantasy sports wasn’t always this clear, though. When FanDuel and DraftKings were undergoing their first significant growth phase, they had to deal with substantial legal uncertainty in nearly every state.

DFS sites consider their real money contests games of skill, but Attorneys General in multiple states challenged that view and ordered FanDuel and DraftKings to cease operations, initiating a multi-state legal battle that had both companies fighting for their very existence.

DFS operators also initiated extensive state-level lobbying campaigns, hoping to shape the perception of lawmakers across the country.

In addition, FanDuel and DraftKings went on a national advertising blitz, forged partnerships with professional sports teams, and held multiple investment rounds.

These efforts were largely successful, and fantasy sports sites secured access to most states thanks to a combination of lawmakers passing DFS regulation, and Attorneys general in other states choosing not to intervene.

Only a few states today have laws on the books that explicitly prohibit daily fantasy sports.

Types of Daily Fantasy Sports Contests

Fantasy sports sites have introduced many contest types that can generally be classified into two overarching categories: DFS tournaments and cash games.

DFS Tournaments are fantasy contests that offer large, guaranteed payouts (also known as GPPs). A typical GPP may accept entries from thousands of players and guarantee large cash prizes to the first-place finisher.

Large fantasy contests are challenging to win, but the rewards can be massive.

Payout structures in DFS tournaments are top-heavy, paying the most for first place and progressively less for lower finishes.

Tournament players tend to draft volatile but high-ceiling athletes in a go big or go home approach. The nature of large DFS GPPs requires players to take some risks when building their lineups to have a chance at finishing above the competition.

Some DFS tournaments allow users to pay the entry multiple times and submit many lineups, while others enforce strict limits on the number of entries each customer may enter.

  • GPPs: The term GPP refers to guaranteed prize pool fantasy tournaments. Technically all DFS contests are guaranteed prize pool events, but generally, the term “GPP” at fantasy sites refers to large tournaments with big prize pools.
  • Freerolls: Fantasy freerolls have no entry fee but offer cash payouts to the winners – often used as an incentive for new customers to sign up or as a part of other promotional activities for existing customers.
  • Satellites: Satellite contests award entries to larger tournaments in lieu of cash payouts. For example, bankroll limitations might prompt a player to enter a $5 DFS satellite for a chance at winning entry to a $100 tournament.
  • Tournaments: Some DFS sites use the term “tournament” to specifically refer to contests with 3-100 players.
  • Beginners Only: The law in some states requires DFS operators to offer beginners-only tournaments, which are only open to players who do not have much experience. For example, DraftKings hosts beginners-only games available to players who have played in 50 or fewer contests.
  • Steps: Steps are a series of small fantasy sports tournaments with buy-ins that increase as players move up levels. Each contest on the way up awards entry to the next level up until players get to the final step and play for a larger cash prize. Players may buy in directly at any level or start from the bottom and work their way up.

Daily fantasy sports cash game contests are much easier to win and cash game players aim to win smaller payouts more frequently than tournament players looking for massive scores.

Head-to-head contests and 50/50s are examples of DFS cash games, where players only need to outperform a limited number of opponents to guarantee a fixed payout.

For example, in a 50/50 DFS game where 100 people enter, players only need to outperform half the field to earn a payout equal to double their entry fee.

Payout structures in fantasy sports cash games are flat, all winners are paid the same amount.

DFS cash game players tend to draft safe lineups because the goal isn’t to finish in first place; it is to construct a lineup with the best chance possible of performing well enough to earn a payout.

Types of Fantasy Sports Cash Game Contests

  • Head-to-Head: Play against a single opponent for a winner-take-all prize pool. The winning player doubles their entry fee.
  • 50/50s: The goal in fifty-fifty and double-up DFS contests is to place in the top 50% of the field. If 100 people enter, 50 people win double their money (minus commission).
  • Multipliers: Multipliers function like 50/50 games but offer payouts to a smaller portion of the field. For example, triple-ups offer a 3x payout to the top 33% of the field, while quadruple-ups offer a 4x payout to the top 25% of the field.

Types of Daily Fantasy Drafts

Daily fantasy cash games and tournaments also vary in how players build their lineups:

  • Salary Cap: Most fantasy sports games use the salary cap model for lineups. That is, players receive a virtual salary to spend on athletes and build the best team possible. In a salary cap game, drafting an athlete does not remove him from the pool for everyone else; all athletes are available to all contestants.
  • Snake Draft: Season-long fantasy football leagues have used snake drafts for years. In a snake draft, players take turns drafting athletes from around the league, and once an athlete is drafted, no other player may select that athlete. The snake draft format keeps things fair by reversing the order of picks each round. For example, the person who picks first in the 1st round will pick last in the 2nd round.
  • Auction Draft: An auction draft works sort of like a snake draft, but rather than simply drafting an athlete when it’s their turn, players nominate an athlete to go on auction. During the action, everyone can bid on the athlete, who goes to the highest bidder. Auction drafts are highly strategic because players have limited salaries and must carefully choose not only who they draft but who they nominate.
  • Pick’em: Various fantasy sites use the term “pick‘em” differently. For example, DraftKings offers pick‘em contests in which players build lineups by making one selection at a time from groups of athletes chosen by DraftKings. However, some daily fantasy sports sites have pick’em contests that involve making in-game predictions for fixed payouts.

Fantasy Pick’em Sites

Some daily fantasy sports sites provides an experience remarkably similar to sports betting that is legal in most states.

Pick’em fantasy sites function completely differently than sites that specialize in DFS tournaments and cash games.

Instead of building lineups, contestants make more-or-less predictions on individual athlete’s stats, like rushing yards and three-pointers. Some pick’em fantasy sites also offer more-or-less predictions on how many fantasy points individual athletes will score.

Pick’em fantasy predictions resemble sports betting totals (over/under wagers) but they meet the legal definition of daily fantasy sports because they always require players to build “lineups” consisting of predictions for at least two athletes from different teams.

This style of fantasy sports contests takes a unique approach to predictions and over/under props, providing an exciting way for fans in states without legal online sports betting to play for real money.

Fantasy props and over/under DFS contests differ from standard daily fantasy sports contests in two primary ways:

  • Players attempt to predict the statistical performances of two or more individual athletes
  • Players compete against the house for fixed payouts (a growing point of contention in some states, which has resulted in some operators offering peer-to-peer pick’em contests in which players compete with each other for payouts)

For example, a typical PrizePicks contest involves three steps:

  1. Select two to five athletes slated to play in upcoming games
  2. Predict whether each will have OVER or UNDER the projected number of passing yards, points, shots on goal, etc.
  3. Receive a payout of up to 25x the initial buyin fee

Other DFS prediction apps offer similar types of contests, with payouts as high as 500x the initial buy-in.

The most popular daily fantasy sports predictions apps include:

Right now, fantasy props and over/under contests are the next best thing to full-fledged sports betting for fans in states without legal online sportsbooks.

However, some states have started to push back on pick’em style DFS contests.

There have now been several instances where local officials sent cease-and-desist orders to popular pick’em fantasy sites, causing them to pause their operation in those jurisdictions. The future of pick’em fantasy is uncertain, but players in most states still have access to high-quality pick’em fantasy sites.

Daily Fantasy vs. Sports Betting

The legalization of sports betting across the United States is giving a growing number of fans the ability to choose between daily fantasy leagues and legal sportsbooks.

There is a crossover appeal between daily fantasy sports and sports betting for obvious reasons. Both appeal to sports fans and require knowledge of the game, and skill plays a large role in players’ results.

In either format, highly skilled bettors can potentially generate long-term profits.

There are also some significant differences between daily fantasy sports and sports betting:

Daily fantasy tends to take a big-picture approach. Rather than betting on the outcome of a single game or how many points a player will score, DFS players build lineups of players from around the league who might be playing in different games.

Building a daily fantasy lineup requires players to evaluate many athletes, consider who they’ll be playing against on game day, how much they cost to draft, and more.

Sports betting also requires a broad knowledge base, but individual wagers are usually more specific: Will the Broncos win tomorrow? What will be the point total in tonight’s NBA game?

It takes just as much skill to do well in sports betting, but each bet deals with a much narrower focus compared to drafting a full fantasy lineup.

Daily fantasy sports and sports betting both put players in competition against one another.

People often say sports betting pits players against the house, which is true. However, other bettors also research their wagers, place bets, and impact the lines.

Daily fantasy sports contests are a direct form of competition between one or more players.

Sports betting is quickly catching up to daily fantasy in terms of where it’s legal, but for now DFS is available in more states.

Sufficiently skilled players can profit long-term in both DFS and sports betting, but it’s extremely difficult, and only a tiny percentage of players achieve regular success.

Most sports bettors and fantasy sports players are casual participants who play for entertainment. They like to win, but they don’t take it very seriously and often just draft a slate of their favorite players.

Sports betting is the more convenient medium for casual fans to get in on the action. Casual bettors can spend as little time as they want researching sports wagers, but will spend more time drafting a complete lineup.

Daily Fantasy Sports FAQ

DraftKings and FanDuel are the undisputed DFS market leaders for a reason. They have the biggest contests, varied contest types, largest prize pools, and rock-solid reputations.

However, sites like PrizePicks, Underdog Fantasy, OwnersBox, and ParlayPlay are the best bets for fantasy prediction contests that closely resemble sports betting.

It depends. In terms of easy competition, smaller fantasy sports sites like Underdog Fantasy and OwnersBox have a better fish-to-shark ratio than the major operators like FanDuel and DraftKings.

For easy-to-play contests, prediction-style fantasy sites like PrizePicks and ParlayPlay are the obvious choices: doing away with time-consuming lineups and instead offering simple predictions contests with fixed payouts.

Fantasy sports sites require customers to be 18 or older in most states. However, players must be 19 or older in Nebraska and Alabama and 21 or older in Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana, and Massachusetts.

OwnersBox offers the biggest daily fantasy sports welcome bonus, a 100% first deposit match worth up to $500. PrizePicks, Underdog Fantasy offers the next-best DFS welcome bonuses, worth up to $100 each.

Yes. Players should speak with a qualified tax professional for help reporting their daily fantasy sports winnings. Readers can read more at BettingUSA’s post on daily fantasy sports taxes.

Some daily fantasy sports apps offer beginners-only contests exclusively to new customers. The definition of a new customer varies from one DFS site to the next.

For example, DraftKings labels anyone who has entered fewer than 50 contests a beginner.

Some states require licensed fantasy sports operators to label players by experience level. As a result, some fantasy sports sites place badges next to players’ names indicating their experience based on the number of contests they have entered to date.

The salary cap in fantasy sports is the budget players have available to spend on athletes when drafting their lineups.

For example, a DFS site may give players $60,000 to spend on athletes whose salaries vary based on their potential to accrue fantasy points.

The term “GPP” stands for “guaranteed prize pool.” Daily fantasy contests with a minimum guaranteed prize pool, regardless of how many people enter.

“Chalk play” is a term for athletes expected to have high ownership rates. These are obvious picks like star quarterbacks who will likely appear in many players’ lineups.

Fantasy sports does not meet the legal definition of gambling in most states. In many states where it was debatable, lawmakers solved the issue by passing legislation to exempt fantasy sports from their states’ legal definition of “gambling.”

However, a handful of states still consider fantasy sports to be illegal gambling and prohibit DFS operators such as FanDuel and DraftKings from offering their services to residents.

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