DraftKings vs Underdog

DraftKings is a salary-cap daily fantasy site that also runs best ball drafts. Underdog started with best ball, but its founder says drafts now get far less use than its other games, which include pick'em and Team Picks event contracts. Location splits them too: in September 2026 Underdog stopped new drafts in seven states where DraftKings still takes paid entries.

By the DFS Directory team. Checked Nov 2, 2026.

Which one fits you

DraftKings

Pick DraftKings if you want to build salary-cap lineups, including single-game showdowns. Underdog's game menu lists pick'em, drafts, Streaks and Team Picks.
Pick DraftKings if you draft best ball in Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, Ohio or Pennsylvania. Underdog stopped taking new drafts there in September 2026, and DraftKings lists all seven.

Underdog

Pick Underdog if best ball is your main game and you want a range of buy-ins. Its tournaments run from $3 to $1,000 per entry.
Pick Underdog if you'd rather pick player stats higher or lower than build a lineup. Entries start at $1 with up to eight picks.
Pick Underdog if you want quick drafts. Its Daily drafts use 4-player lineups and pay out the same day.

What you play

On DraftKings you build lineups under a $50,000 salary cap, across a full slate or in single-game showdowns, and it also runs snake drafts, Best Ball and Flash Draft. Underdog's game menu lists Classic Pick'em, Pick'em Champions, Draft Games, Streaks and Team Picks. Underdog pick'em entries take up to eight player stats from at least two teams and pay up to 500x; in Pick'em Champions your entry goes into a contest with other players.

Best ball

DraftKings runs Best Ball for NFL, NBA and MLB through live snake drafts, with no adds, drops, trades or waivers afterward. Underdog's tournaments range from $3 to $1,000 per entry. Its drafts page lists Best Ball Mania for the 2025 NFL season at $25 per entry, with 672,672 entrants, $15 million in prizes and $2 million to first. Underdog also runs Daily drafts with 4-player lineups and same-day payouts.

Where you can play

DraftKings' terms cover every state plus DC except Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and some Louisiana parishes. Underdog gave up its fantasy licenses in Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania in September 2026; drafts entered before the cutoff keep running, but you can't start new ones. Underdog says it is live nationwide, and in those seven states it kept its CFTC-regulated products, which trade on its own exchange.

Entry fees and ages

DraftKings allows paid entries from $0.01. Underdog's minimum entry is $1, and Team Picks entries run from $1 to $2,000. DraftKings requires 21 in Arizona, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts and Virginia. Underdog's app listing gives 21 in Arizona, Massachusetts and Virginia, and 19 in Alabama and Nebraska.

Ownership

IG Group agreed on July 30, 2026 to buy Underdog for up to about $1.3 billion. If you keep a balance on Underdog, watch its terms as that deal moves forward.

Side by side

DraftKings and Underdog compared
	DraftKings	Underdog
Contest types	Salary cap, Best ball	Pick'em, Peer-to-peer pick'em, Best ball, Prediction market
States	44	35
Sports	NFL, CFB, NBA, CBB, MLB, NHL, Golf, NASCAR, F1, MMA, Soccer, Tennis, Esports	NFL, CFB, NBA, CBB, WNBA, MLB, NHL, Golf, MMA, Soccer, Esports
Minimum age	18+	18+
Min deposit	$5	$10
Payouts	ACH / online banking, PayPal, Venmo, Debit card, Apple Pay, Cash App Pay, Check, Bank wire	PayPal, Trustly (online banking), Venmo, Debit card, Paysafe, Apple Pay
New-user offer	New customers get 2 tickets to play free in NFL and NBA contests with a first deposit of $5 or more	New customers play $5, get $50 instantly; sign up with code UDPROMO (Underdog's App Store listing instead advertises a Gimme Pick plus up to $1,000 in bonus funds on a first deposit)
Canada	Yes	Yes
Founded	2012	2020
Owner	DraftKings Inc. (NASDAQ: DKNG)	Underdog Sports Holdings, Inc. (private); IG Group Holdings plc (LSE: IGG) agreed Jul 30, 2026 to acquire 100%, pending US regulatory approvals
	Visit DraftKings(opens in a new tab)	Visit Underdog(opens in a new tab)

The table is built from each listing's published details. See the DraftKings and Underdog profiles for their sources and check dates.

Sources and corrections

Last checked Nov 2, 2026. We wrote this page from the sources below, and each listing links its own. If something about DraftKings or Underdog has changed, let us know.