How Does DraftKings Work?
DraftKings lets its users play daily fantasy sports, bet on sports, and play online casino games all from one account.
DraftKings has established itself as one of the biggest brands in all of American sports and has worked its way to the top of the market for DFS players, bettors, and online gamblers. By offering users all of these services from one account, DraftKings gives users a ton of incentive to keep coming back for more.
Click on the following links to learn more about each platform, or keep scrolling for more information on all three:
You can also click on the 'PLAY NOW' button below to sign up today, or read our full DraftKings Sportsbook review for more information on one of America's best sportsbooks.
DraftKings Sportsbook
Get $150 in Bonus Bets If You Win Your First Real Money of $5+
21+. 1 per new customer. Offer available in
DC/IA/KS/KY/LA (select parishes only)/MD/MI/NJ/NY/TN/VA/VT. Bonus Bets do not require a winning wager in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/MA/ME/NC/OH/PA/WY/WV. Void in ONT/OR/NH. Eligibility restrictions apply.
Min. $5 deposit. Min. $5 qualifying wager. Max. $150 issued as non-withdrawable Bonus Bets if your bet wins. Bonus Bets expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout.
See full T&C at DraftKings.
How does DraftKings fantasy work?
With DraftKings Daily Fantasy, users get to draft a new fantasy team across a variety of sports each and every day.
DraftKings Daily Fantasy players pick weekly teams for football or daily teams for sports like basketball or baseball. You can enter either free or paid competitions. Some free competitions even have cash prizes! By making the fantasy season a daily or weekly activity, users get all the joy of fantasy glory with none of the pain associated with season-long injuries or suspensions.
DraftKings' core business when the company originally launched was its (at-the-time) revolutionary daily fantasy platform. It changed the state of fantasy sports and played a large role in paving the way for online sports betting to reach the level of acceptance it has today.
How to Use DraftKings
Pick which sport you want to compete in first. Sports included on DraftKings daily fantasy include NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, PGA, UFC, and numerous foreign soccer leagues.
There are dozens of contests to choose from, including tournaments, multipliers, and even private leagues with your friends.
Here comes the fun part! Choose your team of eligible players under a given budget.
Now your work is done. You can only sit back, watch, and hope.
- DraftKings Fantasy States
DraftKings Daily Fantasy is legal in the following states:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
How does DraftKings Sportsbook work?
DraftKings Sportsbook lets bettors place a wide variety of wagers across a range of sports, from football and basketball to more niche games like darts and snooker.
DraftKings Sportsbook doesn't operate in a way that's very complicated, so if you've bet online before, you probably have seen something like it before. Users have dozens of sports to bet on, with various bet types, including straight bets and parlays. They also introduced a Same Game Parlay feature in 2021, allowing users to combine multiple events from one game into a single wager.
DraftKings was the very first online sportsbook available in New Jersey after PASPA was overturned in 2018, and they have remained a top dog in the online betting market ever since.
DraftKings Sportsbook Bonus
DraftKings Sportsbook
Get $150 in Bonus Bets If You Win Your First Real Money of $5+
21+. 1 per new customer. Offer available in
DC/IA/KS/KY/LA (select parishes only)/MD/MI/NJ/NY/TN/VA/VT. Bonus Bets do not require a winning wager in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/MA/ME/NC/OH/PA/WY/WV. Void in ONT/OR/NH. Eligibility restrictions apply.
Min. $5 deposit. Min. $5 qualifying wager. Max. $150 issued as non-withdrawable Bonus Bets if your bet wins. Bonus Bets expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout.
See full T&C at DraftKings.
- DraftKings Sportsbook States
DraftKings Sportsbook is legal in the following states:
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
How Does DraftKings Casino Work?
With the DraftKings Casino, you can gamble just like you would in a real-life casino from the comfort of your couch.
You have access to dozens of virtual games, including card games, roulette, slots, and even games with live dealers. It covers all of the bases extremely well, ensuring that your online gambling experience flows smoothly.
Personally, I don't think DraftKings' Online Casino is particularly mind-blowing. However, it offers a nice online betting experience. Plus, you can't argue with the convenience of being able to bet online from the account you've already created for sports betting or DFS.
DraftKings Casino Bonus
Get $150 in Bonus Bets If You Win Your First Real Money of $5+
21+. 1 per new customer. Offer available in
DC/IA/KS/KY/LA (select parishes only)/MD/MI/NJ/NY/TN/VA/VT. Bonus Bets do not require a winning wager in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/MA/ME/NC/OH/PA/WY/WV. Void in ONT/OR/NH. Eligibility restrictions apply.
Min. $5 deposit. Min. $5 qualifying wager. Max. $150 issued as non-withdrawable Bonus Bets if your bet wins. Bonus Bets expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout.
See full T&C at DraftKings.
- DraftKings Casino States
DraftKings Casino is legal in the following states:
- Michigan
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- West Virginia
So, How Does DraftKings Work Together?
The good news - you can utilize the fantasy, sportsbook, and casino all from one account. That's right - one username, one password, one email address for all of these features. That makes DraftKings super convenient and a great option for just about any bettor. Of course, only a few states have access to all three features, but DraftKings has not been shy about expansion in the past and will surely add as many states as legally possible.
There is even a limited shared wallet between the DraftKings Fantasy and Sportsbook platforms. Money deposited into your sportsbook account can be used on daily fantasy, but not vice versa. This is a huge advantage DraftKings has over FanDuel, which offers no such functionality.
All of these features and the convenience they unlock for bettors firmly entrenches DraftKings as a legitimate place to make your online betting home.
DraftKings Sportsbook
Get $150 in Bonus Bets If You Win Your First Real Money of $5+
21+. 1 per new customer. Offer available in
DC/IA/KS/KY/LA (select parishes only)/MD/MI/NJ/NY/TN/VA/VT. Bonus Bets do not require a winning wager in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/MA/ME/NC/OH/PA/WY/WV. Void in ONT/OR/NH. Eligibility restrictions apply.
Min. $5 deposit. Min. $5 qualifying wager. Max. $150 issued as non-withdrawable Bonus Bets if your bet wins. Bonus Bets expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout.
See full T&C at DraftKings.
How DraftKings Works FAQ
Because of evolving laws in different states, the states where the fantasy, sportsbook, and casino elements of DraftKings work are not all uniform. Look below for a full list of where you can use each platform. Keep in mind that you do not have to be a resident of one of these states, just physically present in the state.
DraftKings Fantasy States
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
DraftKings Sportsbook States
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
DraftKings Casino States
- Michigan
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- West Virginia
In order to play DraftKings Fantasy, you must be 18 or older, with the exception of Alabama (19), Arizona, Massachusetts, and Iowa (21).
For both the sportsbooks and casino you must be 21 or older in order to play.
DraftKings fantasy and sports betting are now both available in New York. DraftKings Casino may take a bit longer as online casino is currently not legal in New York state so that law will have to change before DraftKings Casino can launch in New York.
DraftKings Crowns are points you earn for entering paid contests on DraftKings. As these points accumulate, you will eventually be able to enter paid contests just by redeeming your earned DraftKings Crowns.
The current earn rates for Crowns are as follow:
Crowns Earned | Played Dollars | Games Played | |
Daily Fantasy | 1 | $1 | All DFS games |
Sportsbook | 1 | $2 | All Sportsbook bets |
Casino | 1 | $2 | Slots |
Casino | 1 | $5 | Blackjack, Table Games, Video Poker |
Casino | 1 | $1 | Progressive Slots, Lottery, Keno |
DraftKings Crowns have no direct cash value. Instead, they are used to enter paid contests where their value may vary.
More on DraftKings
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