The battle of DraftKings vs FanDuel is here to stay, and for all it’s worth, it has seen these top DFS sites pushing each other. Besides their fantasy esports, the battle of FanDuel or DraftKings extends to competitive sports betting.
So, who reigns supreme in the battle of DraftKings vs FanDuel sportsbook? Here is our overview of the two fantasy esports sites, where we review several aspects, including comparisons on the welcome bonus, fantasy esports offerings, salary caps, scoring systems, and contest types.
DraftKings vs FanDuel Overview
DraftKings launched in 2012, and almost a decade-plus later, it is one of the DFS kingpins in the US. In addition to the regular daily fantasy sports, DraftKings introduced the fantasy esports section. The esports concept allows you to build teams to compete in popular esports games like fantasy League of Legends (LoL), fantasy Rocket League, and fantasy Call of Duty.
FanDuel opened its doors earlier in 2009 and is another DFS behemoth in the US. The site goes head-to-head with DraftKings on regular sports DFS options. However, while FanDuel also extended its services to incorporate Fantasy Esports, DraftKings has still got the bigger presence.
Which is better, DraftKings or FanDuel? DraftKings takes a comfortable lead on Fantasy Esports. However, we cannot judge the companies solely on Esports alone as they go head-to-head on other aspects, with both commanding millions of users in many US states.
DraftKings vs FanDuel Welcome Bonus
Welcome bonuses play a massive role in how the two sites attract players. Both offer an exciting welcome bonus for new Fantasy players.
- DraftKings offers a 20% deposit match up to $500 in DK Dollars for new players signing up and depositing at least $5. The DK Dollars are released following this requirement: For every $25 wagered on any product, bonus funds of $1 are released.
- FanDuel, on the other hand, offers a 100% bonus of up to $100 to new players signing up for the DFS product. The minimum deposit to activate the Fantasy bonus is $5+.
Based on this we feel like FanDuel wins the DFS welcome bonus battle.
DraftKings vs FanDuel Esports Options
The esports options at DraftKings are significantly higher, and it is one section the DFS site wins over FanDuel. Players signing up at DraftKings will have five esports betting options, allowing players to participate in various leagues and tournaments. These options include:
- Fantasy League of Legends
- Fantasy Counter-Strike 2
- Fantasy Call of Duty
- Fantasy Rocket League
- Fantasy eNASCAR
FanDuel performs poorly in this section, with only League of Legends fantasy leagues provided. The positive is that LoL is a popular selection and may act as bait to attract more Esports players as they plan on updating the list. All in all, DraftKings gets a superior score here.
DraftKings vs FanDuel Salary Cap
Fantasy sports, including Esports, follow a similar pattern of play, where you join and build a team. Your fantasy team must stay within a salary cap set by the DFS site. You’ll find different salary caps on various sports and tournaments on DraftKings, but FanDuel is more consistent in its salary cap.
When it comes to the salary cap, FanDuel wins. DraftKings caps most of its sports and games at $50,000, while FanDuel at $60,000. The $10,000 difference is significant as it gives you more options. However, DraftKings caps keep changing on different sports and games, so we do not know what the future holds. For now, FanDuel certainly has the upper hand.
DraftKings vs FanDuel Scoring System
The scoring systems in the FanDuel vs DraftKings debate are important aspects to look out for. The system helps you to create a dream team, with the player understanding the highest-scoring roles and who can fit right into the positions. DraftKings’ scoring system is more advanced than FanDuel’s, and it is a section where DraftKings again reigns supreme.
For example, DraftKings rewards bonus points for the solid performances of the players in your teams. The same cannot be said of FanDuel. But, while scoring systems are down to preferences, which should see some opt for FanDuel, the truth is that the DraftKings scoring system is a bit more detailed and advanced.
DraftKings vs FanDuel Contest Types
It doesn’t matter whether a DraftKings or FanDuel fan is on the contests, as both sites offer quite similar contest types. Whether you prefer free-to-play, beginner, or other pay DFS contests, you’ll find plenty of options. However, FanDuel just about pips DraftKings on the contest types, thanks to a few more unique contests that are not available at DraftKings.
The following are the contest types at DraftKings:
- Single Stat
- Head-to-Head
- Casual
- Best Ball
- Tournaments
- In-Game Showdowns
- Single-Game Showdown
- Leagues
- Tiers
- Draft
- Snake Draft
- 50/50s
- Satellite and Qualifiers
- Free-to-Play Pools
- Beginner Contests
On the other hand, FanDuel has the following contest types:
- Beginners Only
- Multipliers
- Head-to-Heads
- Tournaments
- 50/50s
- Satellites & Qualifiers
- Best Ball
- Single Game Draft
- Single Game
- Friends Mode
- 3-100 Players
- Beat The Score
DraftKings vs FanDuel Legal States
DraftKings and FanDuel are among the gambling sites that are legal in most US states. However, some of these states do not legalize Esports betting: currently, only 16+ states permit Esports betting.
For DraftKings vs FanDuel sportsbook legal states, DraftKings wins with access to 20+ states. The table below shows the eligible states for each sportsbook:
| DraftKings Legal States | AZ, CO, CT, IL, IA, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WA, WV, and WY |
| FanDuel Legal States | AZ, CO, CT, IL, IA, IN, KS, LA, MD, MI, MA, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VI, WV, and WY |
DraftKings vs FanDuel: Who Wins?
Our final verdict is that DraftKings proves to be the better option for Fantasy Esports betting. It may seem close, but DraftKings gets the nod, primarily for its five Esports options compared to the one option at FanDuel. Credit also goes to the advanced scoring system at DraftKings and its accessibility in many states.
But FanDuel has a lot that still appeals. It leads DraftKings on the vast contest types, the $10,000 extra salary cap, and the generous welcome bonus. Both sites have reasons to join, but as it stands, we would recommend DraftKings as it offers many options for those not into League of Legends.
