Best Daily Fantasy Sites: Where to Play DFS in 2025

Looking for the best daily fantasy sites for 2025? Look no further, as this guide points you to the best sites to play daily fantasy sports (DFS) in the US. The best thing is that you can play them even in states where regular sports betting is restricted.

Best Daily Fantasy Sports Sites 2025

Here is our selection of the top DFS sites in the US:

DFS and Traditional Fantasy Sports: Key Distinctions

There is no denying the popularity of daily fantasy sports (DFS) in the US. The salary cap games have operated for 15+ years and are convenient, becoming preferable to traditional fantasy sports. The table below summarizes the key differences between the best daily fantasy sports sites and traditional fantasy sports:

Daily Fantasy Sports	Traditional Fantasy Sports
Participation over one day or a week, like the NFL	Participation over several weeks or an entire season
Creation of a new team per lineup	Runs on a single team per season
Can have multiple lineups/teams per tournament	Only a single team per week or season
No waivers, and all players will be available to draft per contest	Waivers exist where managers can pick or drop players from the free-agent pool
Multiple prize structures in different tournaments	Single prize structure per league
The scoring system might differ per game type	The scoring system is easier
The lineups must remain within the budget and salary cap for players	Most fantasy leagues use the snake draft, where managers pick players in a predetermined draft order
Potential high payouts despite low entry fees	Payouts are significantly lower

Expert Overview of the Best Daily Fantasy Sites

There are many DFS sites in the US. However, our experts at EsportsBets have taken the time to test and review the major platforms to find out what sets them apart. We check for several aspects, like bonus offerings, games and sports options, banking options, customer service, and mobile experience. Below are our daily fantasy sports reviews for top sites in the US:

FanDuel Review: A Top DFS Choice

FanDuel is a pioneer and one of the best daily fantasy sport sites operating in the US since 2009. The top DFS site is another hub featuring an extensive selection of fantasy sports like the popular NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB, and a wide range of contests, including 50/50s, head-to-head, tournaments, snake draft, free entry, beginner contests, single-game contests, and GPPs.

FanDuel also offers a friendly user interface, enabling easy navigation in the lobby. Read more about user experience in our FanDuel review.

Other highlights include a great mobile app for iOS and Android players, a free-play option for beginners, and numerous cost-friendly contests. The entry fee can be as low as $1, with funds transacted via Visa/MasterCard, PayPal, Trustly, PayNearMe, Apple Pay, and FanDuel prepaid card.

DraftKings: The Industry Leader

Our DraftKings review found that this is another pioneer DFS site operating in the US since 2012. Through its 10+ years of experience, DraftKings has expanded its DFS market with operations in 44 US states, except HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, and WA.

New players signing up to play DraftKings fantasy sports will enjoy a 20% deposit match of up to $500 in DK Dollars from a minimum deposit of $5. Once you are through the door, you will love the great selection of fantasy sports. They include NFL, NBA, PGA, NHL, MLB, NASCAR, Soccer, Tennis, F1, USFL, and fantasy esports. The generosity does not stop, with DraftKings offering contests like traditional tournaments, GPPs, head-to-heads, 50/50s, multipliers, single-game showdowns, and best ball. The standout features at DraftKings include a mobile app and late swap for last-minute lineup modifications.

PrizePicks: Top Prop Bets DFS Site

PrizePicks is unique from the DFS sites on our list but is another top site to play fantasy sports in 30+ states. Unlike DraftKings and FanDuel, PrizePicks is heavy on prop bet options, allowing users to place under/over bets for stats of 2+ players in different teams. It is a perfect site for players who do not wish to involve themselves with drafts and player research.

So, why choose PrizePicks? There are many reasons for choosing this DFS site including the sign-up bonus of $50 after the first $5 lineup, other prop bets dubbed demons and goblins on the site, and big cash payouts of up to 100x.

PrizePicks also features a mobile app, guarantees fast and secure withdrawals, and offers 24/7 customer service via options like live chat.

Sleeper: An Inclusive Platform

Sleeper is another DFS site making the list following a thorough daily fantasy sports review. The app launched in 2017 and operates in 28 US states. There is a lot to love about the fantasy app, including the 100% matched bonus for the new players joining the platform.

Once registered, players can play games, including Fantasy Football, Fantasy Basketball, Bracket Mania, League of the Legends, and Fantasy LCS. Check out our Sleeper Fantasy review for more information on what’s on the fantasy menu.

For example, you will find the English Premier League and Spanish La Liga in Fantasy Football. The EPL offers two game modes – FC Pick’em and Fantasy FC draft. FC Pick’em is a prediction game for all EPL games, while Fantasy FC draft allows customization.

Probably the greatest highlights include an all-inclusive mobile app, the under/over product, and the ‘mock draft’ feature, allowing first-timers to learn more about the draft modes before depositing funds.

Underdog Fantasy: Top Spot for Best Ball DFS

Despite being one of the newest DFS sites, Underdog Fantasy has quickly established itself as a perfect spot for best ball DFS contests.

Our Underdog Fantasy review found that this DFS app is legal in 34 US states and offers players DFS contests in major sports like the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB. Players will love that they can find various bet types on these sports, including straight bets, parlays, and futures.

The fun does not stop at Best Ball contests, with Underdog Fantasy offering Battle Royale, Rivals, and Pick’em Contests. Pick’em will involve picking 2 to 5 players and choosing whether they will score points higher or lower than the specified statistic. Get started at Underdog with a bonus of up to $250 after the first deposit!

Explainer: Daily Fantasy Sports

We are 15+ years into daily fantasy sports, and as they keep evolving, their customer base in the US has grown massive.

• DFS are online games where players build a team of real-life athletes to compete against other players for prizes.
• The team you create should be within a specified salary cap, and you will earn points based on the athletes’ in-game performances.
• However, while they may mirror the traditional fantasy sports that run for several weeks, months, or an entire season, daily fantasy sports are short-term and run daily or in a week.
• Read more about what daily fantasy sports are.

How to Start Playing DFS

1. Join a top DFS site: Wondering where to play DFS? Scroll through our selection of the best daily fantasy sites and set up an account. If you’re uncertain, reading daily fantasy sports reviews is the way to go.
2. Pick a contest: The next step is to browse the contests offered in the different sports. A contest is a competition in which you compete against other players for prizes. While picking your contest, you will sort them by sport, contest type, total prizes, etc.
3. Draft your lineup: After picking your contest, the next step will be to choose a lineup of real-life players to compete in the games. You will have a salary cap to spend, with each player assigned a salary. Ensure to fill every position while staying within the salary cap.
4. Watch your team’s performance: Sit back and watch how your players play and earn points based on their real-life performance. You can watch the games online or through a dedicated mobile app if the DFS site offers one.
5. Check results: Check the standings after the last game is over. You will claim prizes if you end up in paying positions, with the funds credited to your DFS site account. You can then decide to withdraw or use them for further play.

Types of Daily Fantasy Sports Contests

The DFS world has seen plenty of contest types. Below are some of the popular contest types you will find at the best daily fantasy sites:

1. Beginner Contests

Beginner contests are the perfect option for rookies. Novice players looking to enjoy DFS can jump into these contests, limited to those who have played less than fifty (50) games on the platform. They are low-risk contests, explaining why they are the perfect choices for beginners.

2. DFS Tournaments

These tournaments are also referred to as Guaranteed Prize Pools (GPP). They are the big contests offered on top DFS sites like FanDuel. It is not unusual to find a $1 million Grand Prize in this type of contest, with other smaller prizes available. As the name suggests, the prize pool is guaranteed, meaning the pool pays out the prize even if it does not feel up. These tournaments will have thousands of players to compete against. However, while the odds of winning the GPP are low, the odds of winning a prize are significantly higher.

3. Cash Games

Cash games come in two types: 50/50 and head-to-head. A head-to-head game pits one player against another, and the one who gets the most points will claim the entry fees that both put up, minus the rake. The rake or margin is ‘house money’, around 10% in most DFS sites. A 50/50 game operates similarly but has the players going against a bigger field. The player must finish in the top half of the competitions you entered to win.

4. Best Ball

Best Ball is a contest where you build your team before the start of a season. In Best Ball, you will not have to change the lineup weekly or swap them. Instead, the highest-scoring players and those with the best performances in your roster will be automatically selected in your lineup at the end of the week.

5. Snake Draft

A snake draft contest will see you and other players given a pool of athletes you can choose in a tournament. It is one pick per round, with the picks going in a predetermined order. The order will reverse in the next rounds.

6.Pick’em

In a Pick’em contest, you will have a series of individual player props presented. Your task will be to pick whether the totals of a given statistic will be over or under a specified number.

7. Daily Fantasy Showdowns

Daily fantasy showdowns operate similarly to single-game showdowns in traditional fantasy sports. The task will be to choose a team from the two teams competing in a game while staying under the salary cap.

How to Pick the Best Daily Fantasy Sites

DFS sites may offer similar services but have different experiences. Like the best sweepstakes casinos, several factors come into play when picking the best DFS sites. They include:

• Legality: Fantasy sports are legal in most states, except HI, ID, MT, NV, and WA. Ensure you are playing in a legal state and on a licensed DFS platform.
• Bonuses: Check out DFS sites with quality bonuses, especially the new player deposit bonuses.
• Fantasy options: Join a platform offering many contests and fantasy sports, including NBA, NFL, MLB, NASCAR, NCAA basketball and soccer, MMA, soccer, golf, and esports.
• Free-play option: They are rare, but some of the best daily fantasy sites offer free contests that are great for new players and beginners.
• Payment methods: Top fantasy sites will offer various banking options to help fund your account. They include Visa/MasterCard, Discover, AMEX, Venmo, PayPal, ACH, Apple Pay, PayNearMe, etc.
• Customer support: You need responsive customer service available 24/7 to handle issues you may encounter while playing.
• Security and responsible gambling: The top sites will offer industry-standard SSL encryption technology to safeguard personal and financial information. In addition, they will advocate for responsible gambling and offer player protection tools like setting limits and self-exclusion.

Start Playing DFS Responsibly

Nothing is stopping you from playing at DFS sites. The major highlight is that they operate like the best social casinos, where players can play in states that restrict online casinos and sports betting platforms.

In addition, the best DFS sites offer multiple prize structures with a high payout potential. Ready to start your fantasy journey? Join our recommended best daily fantasy sites to compete for top prizes in multiple contests. The journey begins now!