There are a number of daily fantasy sports sites to choose from, but for most people, the choice will come down to one of two sites: FanDuel or DraftKings. Both are great sites, but the slightly different formats of each need to be examined if you are going to make the best choice for your playing style. Let’s look at each briefly so that you can make a more informed decision.
The Biggest Site Known as FanDuel
Right now, FanDuel is the biggest site out there in terms of the sheer number of people that play in one day fantasy leagues. This site covers the four main professional sports (MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL), plus college football and college basketball, when they are in season, of course. They offer head to head games, tournaments, 50/50 games, and leagues. Entry fee per tournament goes from free up to $10,000 per game. You can create an account for free and play in just free leagues if you wish, and in some cases, you can even win real money without ever having to deposit a penny. This is a good way to get started in one day leagues and try out the site before you commit. Some of the games here are generated by the site, but they do give you the freedom to create your own games if you’d like, too.
DraftKings is Picking Up Steam
DraftKings also has the big four pro sports, plus professional soccer, MMA, PGA, and college football and basketball. As far as games offered go, they do have a wider variety than FanDuel, offering all of the same types, plus a few other specialty contests, like steps, qualifiers for bigger tourneys, and even a beginner section for those new to daily fantasy sports. They have free entry games, some offering cash prizes or entry into cash tournaments, and the cost per game goes up to just over $1,000.
Which Site is Better?
Both sites are great, and both cater to both beginners and experts with their free account creation and no money games. You don’t ever have to deposit a dollar of your own money at either site, and both give you the chance to make money from nothing. This is very appealing, but odds are, one site will benefit you more than the other. DraftKings has a bigger variety of sports and more different contests to enter. If you are a soccer or golf fan, for example, then DraftKings is the clear choice since FanDuel doesn’t have these sports.
FanDuel is a bigger site, which inevitably leads to a lower quality of play on the free and cheaper games. This opens up an opportunity for more skilled players on the lower end of things to take advantage of this and make more money. However, because they have higher stakes offered than DraftKings, the competition will be much tougher on the higher end of the spectrum.
DraftKings is great for more advanced players because of the different games offered. You might find after some time at FanDuel that the games are not quite right for you, and DraftKings allows some tweaking that you can’t find in other places. If you fit this category, then it’s worth trying out.
Remember, one site isn’t necessarily better than the other. Different people have different needs out of a site, and when you find the right one, you will know. Both have similar bonus structures, and there’s nothing saying that you can’t have an account at both sites. If you play more than one type of sport or game, this might be best for you. But looking at each and trying out their free games is a great way to get started either way.