FanDuel vs DraftKings Sportsbook: A Comprehensive Comparison

It's a question as old as time (ok, really since sports betting was legalized in 2018, but you get the point) which sportsbook is better, FanDuel or DraftKings?

After spending a copious amount of time using each sportsbook we found that there are some key differences between FanDuel Sportsbook and DraftKings Sportsbook.

FanDuel Sportsbook has a slightly better mobile app than DraftKings, faster payouts, more promotions for existing customers, a better welcome offer, better Same Game Parlay options, and a better casino in states with legal online casinos.

DraftKings Sportsbook offers a loyalty program, a feature that FanDuel Sportsbook is lacking, as well as a great Stats Hub feature, which provides customers with a more in-depth analysis of the games you can wager on.

As you can see from the chart above, it's a super close call and honestly, you can't go wrong with either option. But when you put them under a microscope, we do believe FanDuel Sportsbook barely edges out DraftKings Sportsbook as the top choice.

With that said, at the end of the day we believe that both online gambling sites are great options and deserve a closer look under the microscope to see which one might resonate better with you.

In order to gain the most comprehensive answer possible, we pit FanDuel Sportsbook vs DraftKings Sportsbook across these seven criteria:

In our recent survey, “Trust” was the most common answer (40.58%) to the question: “What is most important to you when choosing an online sportsbook?”. We're happy to report that both FanDuel and DraftKings are amongst the most trustworthy online gambling operators in the US, operating under various state licenses and adhering to all state regulations.

“Payments methods” was the second most common answer (24.64%) to the question.

With that in mind, we compared the two betting sites on payment options available.

As you can see, both offer plenty of options to fund your account. But FanDuel offers two more options than DraftKings does. The PayNearMe option that FanDuel offers allows bettors to pay at a convenience store, which can be very useful for some people. However, it is the ability to use Venmo to deposit and withdraw funds to/from FanDuel that truly separates the two sportsbooks in terms of payment options.

The difference in the money you can win is always going to play an important part when choosing a sportsbook. Safe to say both FanDuel and DraftKings wouldn’t be where they are today if they didn’t offer good odds. But to declare who offers the best odds is tough to concretely determine.

From our experience, though, more value can be found with DraftKings Sportsbook. DraftKings has just parted ways with their old technology and odds provider, Kambi, which means they now have more control over the odds they offer. Having more control allows DraftKings to offer slightly better odds for favorite teams, meaning you'll tend to find more value on "safer bets" on DraftKings when compared to FanDuel.

However, as we can see from the example above, you are more likely to find better odds on underdogs when using FanDuel Sportsbook. So "who has better odds", in this instance, really depends on whether you like to back the underdog or the favorite.

Pretty safe to call this round a draw.

When it comes the which sportsbook has a better appearance, it's hard to give an objective answer to such a subjective question. So while we will tell you which aesthetic we like more, it's really up to you to decide the winner of this round.

DraftKings has its dark background and green and white text in keeping with its brand for a striking yet practicable feel. The book is nicely laid out, neat and logical in many ways.

Our favorite aspect is the ‘Stats Hub’ tab positioned across the top of the book which offers insight into different markets and bets that are deemed as high-value picks.

A glance at this particular row and you can find what you’re looking for straight away, which is a marked difference compared with FanDuel who instead list ‘popular sports’ down the page (and can mean unnecessary time spent scrolling).

Having said that, you will not find a more polished, modern-looking sportsbook than FanDuel.

The influence of parent company Flutter Entertainment - responsible for European betting giants Betfair and Paddy Power - is noticeable in the design of the book which has the intent of a bettor firmly in mind.

While the dark background of DraftKings is in line with the ‘dark mode’ function we’re seeing introduced for many social media apps, the navy blue/white combination of FanDuel is aesthetically pleasing and instantly appeals to the eye. What’s more, FanDuel accomplishes the impossible for some books which is: doing the simple things well.

When it comes to a smooth betting experience, user interface is everything. Ease of use and appearance go hand-in-hand. Get it right, as FanDuel has done, and customers will feel no need to go anywhere else. The bar has been set in this department.

Both FanDuel Sportsbook and DraftKings Sportsbook are home to some of the widest variety of sports offered, as well as the different markets within each sport.

Firstly, let's compare the two side by side to see which sports are offered on each sportsbook.

As you can see, it's pretty neck & neck, with the only difference being FanDuel is the only one out of the two that has snooker, whilst DraftKings is able to offer markets on Handball.

Both books are able to offer all the essential markets one would expect on a modern-day sportsbook such as:

• Moneylines, Spreads, Live Betting, Futures, Parlays & Same Game Parlays, Props, Teasers, etc.

The small difference we were able to spot was that DraftKings seems to offer a few more leagues in sports such as Hockey and Soccer, for example.

Again, picking a clear winner is difficult, but if we had to choose a winner for this round we're inclined to give it to DraftKings.

At the time of writing this article, FanDuel Sportsbook has a 4.8 star rating on the App Store and the DraftKings Sportsbook app has 4.8 stars as well. Surprise surprise.

You really have to split hairs to find a clear winner between the two, however, with that said we do believe FanDuel is able to edge out DraftKings as the superior sports betting app.

For instance, live bets, trending bets, or upcoming bets, are all easily accessible through three well-designed tabs. Also, the layout and design of the app are identical to the desktop site which helps to keep that familiarity should you be going between laptop and using the app on the move.

The DraftKings Sportsbook app offering isn’t far off FanDuel and includes all discussed points. However, it's the way that FanDuel is able to execute these features that give them the advantage here.

One of our favorite features of both apps is the ease with which you can make parlay bets on DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook.

Compared with its fierce rival, DraftKings Sportsbook lacks the simplicity and ease of use you find on the FanDuel Sportsbook app.

It's hard to compare these two great betting apps, but at the end of the day, FanDuel Sportsbook's app has won our vote.

Overlooked and rarely valued. That is until you need to speak to somebody regarding a bet not being paid out. Or perhaps the unavailability of a market. As dull as it may sound, it’s essential to consider the importance of customer service.

From checking out Twitter, we can see both are active and responsive to customer issues day, night, and sometimes through the night. And this is good to see. But not everybody is on Twitter. So what are the standard channels of communication like?

DraftKings Sportsbook Customer Support Options

• 24/7 Live chat
• Email
• Contact form
• Phone support
• FAQ

Customers at DraftKings have five options available including direct message, email, live chat, and phone support. Customer support is available 24/7.

FanDuel Sportsbook Customer Support Options

• 24/7 Live chat
• Email
• Contact form
• Phone support
• FAQ

FanDuel offers customers the chance to get in touch via a live chat service available 24/7, by email, post, and by telephone (10 am-8 pm).

Both have put together very useful FAQ guides and both sportsbooks offer plenty of options to get in touch with a customer service rep. While both sportsbooks offer similar customer support options, we found that FanDuel's customer service department handled our test questions more effectively and timely than DraftKings did.

If you're a new bettor in search of a big welcome bonus then you won't be disappointed with the promos DraftKings and FanDuel have on the table. You will agree that both are substantial and very appealing. But they're also different in how they work, while each promo has its pros and cons.

For example, the DraftKings welcome promo is a 20% deposit bonus. Essentially, this means DraftKings will reward you with a $2 bonus for every $10 wagered (up to $1000). So to get a $100 bonus, you'll need to deposit $500. And to get the maximum $1000 on offer you'll need to deposit $5000.

The FanDuel welcome promo comes in the form of a No Sweat First Bet. In this instance, you make your first deposit and place your wager as normal. If your bet wins, you get given your winnings, as standard.

But the "no sweat" part of the bet means, should you lose, FanDuel will cover your first wager amount (up to $2,500) and pay it back to you in bonus bets within 72 hours of the bet being settled. This means you're guaranteed to come away from your first bet with either some winnings or bonus bets.

Having analyzed both FanDuel and DraftKings, it’s clear why these are the two leading US sportsbooks. But while both are similar and hard to separate, we believe that FanDuel is the superior option.

FanDuel boasts faster payouts, an enhanced mobile app, an abundance of ongoing promotions, and elevated maximum win limits. On the other hand, DraftKings Sportsbook stands out with its loyalty program, which FanDuel Sportsbook lacks. Moreover, DraftKings frequently presents superior welcome bonuses, coupled with a significantly superior casino experience.

What this article really demonstrates, though, is the strength of both companies, both individually and as direct competitors. It’s worth asking where US sports betting as a whole would be without this rivalry. Arguably, the industry wouldn't be as strong and as appealing, to us, as bettors.

It's clear to see how the two companies continue to push each other and continuously set the bar high. Right now, FanDuel and DraftKings are miles ahead of the competition.