DRF Sportsbook Review (CLOSED)
Important Update: DRF Sportsbook offered legal online sports betting in Iowa but ceased operations on April 24th, 2024. The review below will remain published for historical purposes.
DRF Sportsbook launched in January 2022, but the brand has a long history that longtime horse racing bettors will recognize. Daily Racing Form (DRF) has provided news and data to horse racing fans since 1984 and leveraged its experience to enter the online sports betting business.
Which States is DRF Sportsbook Legal In?
DRF Sportsbook was open to Iowa bettors only. Customers had to be 21 or older and physically located within state lines to place real-money wagers.
DRF Sportsbook Promo Code
Title | Details |
---|---|
DRF Sportsbook Promo Code | Not Needed |
Welcome Bonus | 100% up to $300 Deposit Bonus |
Eligible States | Iowa |
Minimum Deposit | $10 |
Wagering Requirements | 5x initial deposit, bonus amount, and winnings |
DRF Sportsbook welcomed new customers with a first deposit bonus worth up to $300. Anyone who signed up for an account and made a deposit received an equal amount in bonus funds to use on the sportsbook.
The DRF Sportsbook registration form asked users for a promotional code, but new customers could leave that field blank when signing up. DRF Sportsbook never used custom promo codes, and all new customers received the same bonus.
DRF Sportsbook Bonus Details

New DRF Sportsbook customers could claim a 100% first deposit bonus worth up to $300 by signing up for an account and depositing $10 or more. For example, if a bettor deposited $100, they received $100 in bonus funds. Similarly, a bettor who deposited $300 or more received the maximum bonus of $300.
It was a tempting offer because deposit bonuses are rare in sports betting, but it suffered suboptimal terms and conditions.
The problem derived from the offer’s wagering requirements. The terms and conditions required a 5x rollover on the bonus via wagers with odds of -303 or greater before withdrawal, which was standard other than the oddly specific minimum odds requirement.
However, a clause in the offer’s terms stated that the play-through requirement was only satisfied once the bettor had placed wagers equal to five times the initial deposit, bonus amount, and any winnings. In other words, the wagering requirements were fairly heavy and made the offer more difficult than most sportsbook bonuses to clear.
Additionally, the DRF Sportsbook bonus locked customers’ initial funds until they met the wagering requirements, although bettors could cancel the bonus + bonus winnings anytime to unlock their initial deposits for withdrawal. And finally, bettors only had 14 days to satisfy the wagering requirements.
How to Register an Account with DRF Sportsbook
Signing up with DRF Sportsbook was a simple matter of filling out a short online form with basic personal info.
Bettors could register from anywhere, but they had to be physically located in a state where DRF Sportsbook held a sports betting license to place real-money wagers.
DRF Sportsbook Deposit Methods
DRF Sportsbook customers could fund their accounts with debit, cash, and electronic transfer via several sports betting deposit methods:
The sportsbook could have used a few additional deposit methods, especially ewallets like PayPal for easier bankroll management. However, the funding methods DRF Sportsbook did accept covered most sports bettors’ needs.
Bettors could withdraw their funds via online banking or to their Play+ prepaid cards. Online banking was the simplest method because it transferred the funds straight to customers’ bank accounts.
Play+ withdrawals offered the advantage of giving customers fast access to their funds. When they withdrew to their Play+ accounts, they could transfer the funds electronically to their bank accounts or use their physical Play+ cards to make purchases anywhere Discover is accepted.
DRF Sportsbook App Review
Bettors could download the DRF Sports betting app for iOS or Android to place wagers from anywhere in state lines. Overall, the DRF Sportsbook app was mediocre, with strong and weak points.
On the positive side, the DRF Sportsbook app was intuitive and easy to use. There was not a lot of fluff. Experienced bettors immediately recognized the layout because it looked and functioned like almost every other online sportsbook.
Inexperienced sports bettors also had no trouble navigating their way around. The app prominently featured upcoming games on the homepage and provided a simple navigation menu to browse specific sports. As a result, placing wagers was as easy as tapping on any odds listing to add it to the betting slip and inputting an amount to bet.
On the negative side, the dated design did not inspire confidence. The DRF Sports app was dark, grey, and plain. Aesthetics don’t make or break a sportsbook app, but they do provide a sense of how much effort the developers are willing to invest in their product.
Additionally, the app lacked many features that were standard elsewhere. For example, the DRF Sportsbook app did not offer live streaming video or advanced statistics.
However, bettors could visit drf.com/sports for detailed stats, insight, and podcasts. Bettors could view some content for free or get a paid subscription to DRF Sports Pro for game simulators, exclusive betting angles, trends, and daily Tipsheets. The DRF Sports Pro subscription was $19 a month or $99 a year.
DRF Sports Betting Markets
DRF Sportsbook launched with a complete betting catalog from day one, spanning all the nation’s major professional sports, international sports, and college games.
With software and risk management powered by Kambi, DRF Bets Sportsbook leveraged one of the nation’s most experienced sports betting providers to punch above its weight class.
As a result, DRF Sportsbook provided considerable market depth. Bettors could often find more than 200 individual betting markets for a single event. In short, DRF Sportsbook was equipped to compete with other, more established betting sites.
DRF Sportsbook In-Play Betting
Kambi technology served DRF Sportsbook well in the live betting department, providing a full catalog of in-play events each day.
During peak hours, bettors could find dozens of games to bet on in real-time, covering professional and collegiate sports, international events, and a smattering of niche sports.
In some cases, the variety of in-play betting markets was surprisingly large. For example, bettors could find 225 or more live betting options during NBA games on occasion.
Market depth was impressive, but the in-play betting interface needed a lot of work. While other sportsbooks provided live game trackers, stats feeds, and live video in some cases, the DRF Sportsbook interface largely left bettors in the dark regarding what’s happening on the field or court.
DRF Sportsbook could have vastly improved the experience for bettors if it had provided live odds feeds and game tracker displays at a minimum.
DRF Sportsbook Customer Support Review
Customer support at DRF Sportsbook was above average.
The self-help FAQ section covered all major topics and answers most questions. Customers could follow the customer support link in the app or DRF Sportsbook website for concise, accurate answers to common questions.
Bettors could get personalized help by using the live chat function in the DRF Sportsbook app or submitting a ticket for assistance via e-mail.
A 24/7 phone support number would have been ideal, but DRF Sportsbook responded to inquiries with impressive speed. A DRF representative responded to an e-mail inquiry within minutes. In addition, a test of the live chat function instantly connected BettingUSA to a knowledgeable and courteous agent.
DRF Sportsbook FAQ
Expert Opinion: Is DRF Sportsbook Legit?
DRF Sportsbook was legal, licensed, and operated by a US-based company with more than 120 years’ worth of experience in wagering.
The Daily Racing Form was established in 1894 and exclusively focused on horse racing betting information until it entered the online sports betting market. Its parent company, Affinity Interactive, operates land-based casinos in multiple states and pari-mutuel horse racing betting in dozens more.
As such, DRF Sportsbook was as legitimate as they come. However, the company did not differentiate itself from other online betting operators and lacked the marketing budget to compete with its much larger and better equipped rivals. DRF Sportsbook closed permanently just over two years after opening but paid all outstanding wagers and returned customers’ account balances without issue.