When it comes to fantasy sports, DraftKings is head and shoulders above its competitors and the obvious choice for casual and veteran punters. DraftKings has done a brilliant job at filling the vacuum left by prohibitive gambling legislation which prevents punters from betting legally in the US.
Draftkings accepts players from all over the world and has made forays in the esports industry. League of Legends was once the only esports fantasy you could engage in, however, as of March 2020, Draftkings expanded on their fantasy esports portfolio and added CSGO, Rocket League and eNASCAR to their repertoire.
Scroll down to see what we had to say about their Fantasy Platform in our Draftkings’ Review.
Try Fantasy Esports with DraftKings
Draftkings’ esports fantasy uses a format that is not compatible with live gambling.
Essentially, players can’t place bets after the matches have started and take advantage of the subtle changes that occur during a game, as would normally happen in live esports betting. For traditional bookmakers, these would be a major problem, but as you’ll see from our DraftKings review, this is not your run-of-the-mill esports betting site. Decisions have to be made before the games start and all that players can do is watch how their predictions come to fruition.
On the bright side, fans of fantasy esports can watch the games as they unfold on streaming platforms. Nearly all esports tournaments are streamed live on YouTube or Twitch.tv.
In this case, this will not influence the odds of winning, but having access to the live feed helps players get fully immersed in the gaming atmosphere.
We’re pleased to say that DraftKings has an exclusive welcome offer for our readers. You can get $20 in free play credit with your first deposit.
New players must deposit a minimum of $5 to be eligible for this bonus which is awarded in DK Dollars. DK Dollars cannot be converted into cash and withdrawn.
Remember to pay careful attention to the Terms and Conditions before you start wagering, in order to avoid any unwanted surprises.
Draftkings has also expanded on its Rewards Program, by setting up Draftkings Achievements. Active players will be rewarded when completing daily achievements and reaching new milestones. When enough points are accumulated, these can be redeemed at the DraftKings VIP store.
Check out the best esports bonuses here:
Rank | Operator | Max. Bonus | To the Operator |
---|---|---|---|
|
300$
200% on deposit | ||
GG.Bet Review | |||
|
20000$
300% on deposit | ||
BC.Game Review | |||
|
500$
100% on deposit | ||
Thunderpick Review |
DraftKings doesn’t operate like a traditional bookmaker, but this is not something noticeable when browsing the page dedicated to payment methods. Punters can use all the popular credit, debit and prepaid cards from Visa, MasterCard and American Express to deposit funds. PayPal and bank transfers can also be used and members are allowed to deposit tiny amounts and cash out equally small sums.
It takes a few seconds to load an account with money, but the waiting time on withdrawals is significantly longer. It can take anywhere between two and eight business days, depending on the financial instrument chosen, with e-wallets being the fastest. Checks are without a doubt the slowest and withdrawals operated in this manner can take up to three weeks for delivery. One thing that we found worthwhile to mention in our DraftKings review is that withdrawals are processed Monday through Friday, from 9 AM to 5 PM.
Fantasy betting platforms do not use the classic odds format, but instead, they task players with intelligently spending the resources at their disposal.
DraftKings’ fantasy esports uses a different system from the one relied upon by traditional bookmakers. Players can choose from one of the daily fantasy markets available and use the starting bankroll of $50,000, to maximize the return on investment. Individual fantasy esports games will have specific rules adjusted to the game mechanics, however, bankroll management is just as important for each game.
Check out the best esports odds:
Rank | Operator | Max. Bonus | To the Operator |
---|---|---|---|
|
300$
200% on deposit | ||
GG.Bet Review | |||
|
$
20% on deposit | ||
Bets.io Review | |||
|
90$
100% on deposit | ||
Leetbit Review |
When it comes to fantasy esports DraftKings uses a betting system that is clearly inspired by traditional fantasy sports, with slight changes made.
Members can participate in freerolls or deposit real money to take part in the main competitions running live on the fantasy sports platform. The obvious choices are between Head 2 Head, 50/50 game and regular esports tournaments, each with different payouts. Even though odds are absent, the link between the amount invested and the profits is self-evident.
Fantasy bets also trigger DK dollars, which are earned regardless of how successful they are when making predictions.
As previously mentioned in this DraftKings review, League of Legends used the only game available for daily fantasy betting, but now CSGO, Rocket League and eNASCAR are also featured.
In LoL, the $50,000 starting bankroll is spent to purchase fantasy pro-gamers, with the roster consisting of up to eight players. The goal is to create a team composition that is both competitive and balanced, so all key positions must be filled. ADC, support, mid and top laners create a team and players earn points based on their performance in real matches.
The betting markets at traditional bookmakers include special in-game events such as the first Dragon, the first tower, the first Baron kills, as well as the team scoring first blood. While it is not possible to bet specifically on these objectives, the success of DraftKings League of Legends depends on these events. Punters accumulate points whenever their players secure any of these objectives, but the most points are earned when they defeat opponents.
DraftKings is one of the few legal alternatives that US players have to bet on esports. International players can also rely on the services provided, as the company has a flawless track record going back to 2012. Since they opened shop more than seven years ago, they have diversified their portfolio and today lead the market of daily fantasy sports. The addition of fantasy CSGO, fantasy Rocket League and fantasy eNASCAR represents an important milestone and they have maintained the same high security standards.
Money transfers are performed using secure payment methods and personal information is encrypted using SSL technology.
The DraftKings esports betting limits depend exclusively on how much money players are willing to spend on the buy-in. That’s because there are several tournaments that they can join and the entry fee can differ greatly. There are plenty of options for amateurs and casual players, with fewer alternatives for high rollers, but still enough to keep them motivated.
As for the scoring system, it is the same for all fantasy tournaments, regardless of buy-in and prizes.
One of the main reasons why so many people have chosen DraftKings is the quality of this fantasy platform. The site looks great on desktop and laptop computers, as well as mobile devices, with three distinct apps for mobile users. Scrolling can be a bit challenging on the smaller displays, so there are clear advantages for choosing tablets over smartphones. In any case, the interface is clean and intuitive, with an inspired choice of colors and cool animations. There’s just enough information on the website to get players up to speed with the latest news, without overwhelming them with useless data.
As we have mentioned before in this DraftKings review, DraftKing’s customer support is professional and available throughout the week. Players can interact with specialists who are fluent in English and are always ready to provide assistance.
Unfortunately, the business hours start at 6 AM and conclude at midnight, so live chat is not available during most of the night. Email support is the obvious alternative and players are also encouraged to browse the FAQ section and try to find the answers there.
DraftKings League of Legends is no longer the only fantasy esport covered, now that CSGO, Rocket League and eNASCAR have been introduced to their fantasy portfolio.
Furthermore, there are many alternatives for those who prefer traditional sports. The same online wallet can be used to bet on all the important American sports, including the MLB, MLS, NHL, and even Canadian football.
Those who take fantasy esports seriously will also appreciate the fact that DraftKings grants them access to a lot of useful information. Statistical analysis, the latest news, and other useful facts are just one click away, to have punters devise the ultimate DFS strategy. There is even a DKTV section where members can check out an impressive lineup of video content, in addition to the dedicated live streams for esports.
The Very Best in Fantasy Esports
We wrap up our DraftKings review with a somewhat predictable conclusion for those who know what this fantasy sports platform is all about. DraftKings has made a name for itself as the best operator in this line of work and it is likely to dominate the eSports niche as well. We would’ve liked to see other video games featured, in addition to League of Legends,CSGO, Rocket League and eNASCAR but we agree that they chose the best games for the esports expansion.