On December 31, 2011, DraftKings was established as a daily fantasy sports platform by Jason Robins, Matthew Kalish, and Paul Liberman. It was part of a wave of daily fantasy sites that launched after 2010 and quickly became one of the leaders in the field.
A year later, DraftKings received an investment from Major League Baseball to become a partner while also acquiring Draft Street, a daily fantasy competitor. They eventually struck deals with other leagues, teams, and ESPN in September 2020.
DraftKings also owns Vegas Sports Information Network, Inc. (VSiN), a multi-platform broadcast and content company.
Their sportsbook was introduced in August 2018 in New Jersey. They were one of the first companies to offer legal sports betting after the overturn of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). They now operate sports and gaming entertainment in 17 countries and partner with casinos across the country to bring retail sports betting in legalized states.
DraftKings agreed to a $1.56 billion deal to purchase Golden Nugget Online Gaming Inc in 2021, and it then lodged a $22 billion bid for Entain, the London-listed company that owns online betting sites like Ladbrokes and Coral and co-owns BetMGM.
The NBA announced multi-year expanded partnerships making DraftKings and FanDuel Group co-official sports betting partners of the NBA in November 2021. Additionally, DraftKings will be active on-site at tentpole NBA events, including the NBA All-Star Game, Rising Stars, NBA All-Star Saturday Night, and NBA Draft.
In terms of revenue, DraftKings is one of the most popular sports betting apps, following rival FanDuel Sportsbook. The interface is generally easy to navigate, with routine odds boosts along with a range of gaming options.
The sports covered will vary by state due to gaming regulations, but they generally feature football, basketball, baseball, hockey, and soccer, along with golf and tennis tournaments. You will then see an A-Z of sports, which includes Aussie Rules, Bandy, Basketball (NBA, NCAAB, Int’l), Boxing, Cricket, Curling, Cycling, Darts, eSports, Football (NFL, NCAAF, CFL, XFL), Golf, Greyhounds, Handball, Hockey (NHL, Int’l), Lacrosse, MMA (UFC), Motor Sports (NASCAR, F1), Netball, Olympics, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Soccer (Multiple Int’l Leagues. Int’l Competition, World Cup), Table Tennis, Tennis, Track & Field, Trotting, Snooker, Squash, Surfing, Winter Sports, Volleyball.
Once into your betting options, DraftKings Sportsbook offers all of the action that you would expect:
The sign-up bonus at DraftKings changes frequently, but their primary sign-up bonus offers two rewards worth up to a combined $1,050.
If you are a new user and are making your first-time deposit, DraftKings Sportsbook will match your deposit up to $1,000. Here are the terms and conditions:
The more you play, the more you earn (up to $1000).
DraftKings is one of the best online sportsbooks for providing free-to-play contests. You can participate in its “Sportsbook Daily Pools” contests every day, climb the leaderboard and win cash prizes. They also launch short-term sportsbook promos, such as profit boosts, risk-free bets, and parlay boosts. There is a refer-a-friend offer worth up to $100, and you can benefit from $100 in free casino credits in certain states, along with a deposit match bonus for the daily fantasy sports product.
DraftKings also has a lot of revolving sport and event-specific new user promos. It was giving away $150 in free bets to new users that deposited just $5. You could sign up for a DraftKings account, deposit $5 and wager $1 on any NFL game or UFC fight to unlock six free $25 bets. You then had seven days to use the free bets, which came with just a 1x playthrough requirement.
At other times, DK allows you to bet $1 on a heavy favorite at odds of 150/1 (+15000) after signing up for an account. Another example was the ability to bet $1 on a 3-point field goal being made in an NBA game at 100/1 or a punch thrown in a UFC fight at 100/1, which amounted to $100 in free bet credits.
Go to the DraftKings site and click on the “Odds Boosts” section on the DraftKings online sports betting site or mobile app to see a list of available boosts each day. They are usually linked to parlays or same game parlays.
For Instance, you might find the Bills, Browns, and Buccaneers all to win, boosted from +155 to +170, or Lamar Jackson and Teddy Bridgewater to combine for 450-plus passing yards in a game, boosted from -105 to +110. These are entertaining options, but the boosts are minimal and often come with low maximum bet limits, lowering the potential for high profitability.
Newcomers and registered bettors alike are qualified to join DraftKings’ Dynasty Rewards program. The system is ranked with the rewards increasing in value the more ‘crowns’ — DraftKings’ version of points — a user accumulates. One crown can be earned for every $2 placed on a sports wager.
Deposit Methods: Credit card, Debit Card, Bank Transfer, PayPal, Wire Transfer, Cash, ACH (eCheck), PayNearMe (CVS, 7-Eleven, Dollar General, Family Dollar), DraftKings Gift Card, Play+
Withdrawal: Bank Transfer, Withdrawal, PayPal
DraftKings Sportsbook has a competitive VIP and Rewards system to keep the users coming back.