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.

Offers 3.6 / 5
Customer Service 3.9 / 5
Licensing 3.6 / 5
Usability 3.9 / 5
Payment Methods 3.8 / 5
Rewards 3.6 / 5

DRF Sportsbook Alternatives:

Get Up to $1,000 Back in Bonus Bets Over Your First 10 Days
Terms Apply Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET (Available in the US) 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY) 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. Visit mdgamblinghelp.org (MD). See BetMGM.com for Terms. New Player Offer for new players only. Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. This promotional offer is not available in NJ, MA, MI, NV, NY, ON, PA, PR, and WV.
Bet Now
New DraftKings Customers: Bet $5, Get $200 + 3 Months of NBA League Pass
Terms Apply GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET, (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Please Gamble Responsibly. 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). 21+ and present in most states. (18+ DC/NH/PR/WY). Void in CAN. Eligibility restrictions apply. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino (KS). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in IL. 1 per new Sportsbook customer. $5+ first-time bet req. Max. $200 issued as non-withdrawable Bonus Bets. Stake removed from payout. Reward issued as $50 in Bonus Bets every 7 days via click-to-claim for 21 days. Bonus Bets and click-to-claims expire 7 days (168hrs) after issuance. Terms: dkng.co/offer. Get 1 promo code to redeem a 3-month NBA League Pass subscription, complimentary of DraftKings. Subscription auto-renews monthly at then-current price (currently $16.99/mo); cancel anytime. Terms, restrictions, and eligibility requirements apply. Redeem League Pass by 12/19/26 at 11:59 PM ET. Addt’l terms: support.watch.nba.com/hc/en-us/articles/9165532876183-League-Pass-Terms-of-Use_. Ends 11/29/26 at 11:59 PM ET. Sponsored by DK.
Bet Now
New Users - Get $200 in Bonus Bets when you wager $5 for 4 days
Terms Apply Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET. Visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD). 1-888-789-7777 or ccpg.org/chat (CT). Hope is here. GamblingHelpLineMA.org or (800) 327-5050 for 24/7 support (MA). 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 21+ (18+ D.C., WY) and present in select states (for KS, in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino). First online real money wager only. Min $5 wager required for 4 consecutive days. $5 first deposit required. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable bonus bets which expire 5 days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Call 1-877-770-7867 (LA).
Bet Now

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.

TitleDetails

DRF Sportsbook Promo Code

Not Needed
Welcome Bonus100% up to $300 Deposit Bonus
Eligible StatesIowa
Minimum Deposit$10
Wagering Requirements5x 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.

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.

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 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.

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 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.

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.

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 Sports and DRF Sportsbook were two different products.

DRF Sports was a sports news and information service that provided game updates, stats, and exclusive paid content to help bettors make intelligent picks. DRF Sportsbook was where fans went to place wagers.

DRF Sportsbook only accepted real-money wagers from customers who were physically present in a state where it held a sports betting license. However, bettors could download the app, register accounts, and view the odds from anywhere.

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.