Daily fantasy sports continue to evolve. The popular salary cap games remain part of the landscape, but it’s a new style of over/under DFS apps that are now leading the charge. DFS continues to grow in popularity, both in states where sports betting is legal as well as where it remains illegal.
The simplicity of the over/under games has proven to be a big hit with both novice and experienced players, while player-versus-player contests tend to have appeal for sharp contestants. Below, we break down the current state of DFS, key differences in the different types of offerings, and the best fantasy sports apps.
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Top 11 fantasy sports sites
- Fliff — best for giveaways
- Underdog Fantasy — large selection of available sports
- Onyx Odds — competitive odds
- Rebet — bet against your friends
- Sleeper — variety of game types
- Betr Picks — exceptional odds boosts
- DraftKings DFS — great for niche options
- Sports Millions — great for parlays
- Thrillz — great for traditional DFS
- ParlayPlay — great for pick’em games
- FanDuel DFS — best salary cap fantasy option
Best places to play DFS in 2025
Daily fantasy sports contests have been around for well over a decade, but they’re still evolving and growing. That’s good news for prospective users, as it means a variety of platforms to try. Let’s take a closer look at the best places to play DFS.
Fliff
- Type of DFS offerings: Pick’em, draft
- Stand-out feature: Social betting environment
Fliff entered the social sports betting market in 2019, and has grown into one of the space’s leaders over the last five years. On the platform, players can place In-Play bets, boosted bets, and traditional bets on odds provided for leagues such as the NBA, NHL, MLB, and many more. Fliff is available in all states except New York, where it recently ceased operations, and Washington, although not all game options are available in every state where it is available.
New users can get started with Fliff using the bonus code SPORTSBONUS.
Underdog Fantasy
- Type of DFS offerings: Pick’em, draft
- Stand-out feature: Selection of sports
Since hitting the scene in 2020, Underdog Fantasy has been steadily gaining traction. Best ball fantasy games helped put it on the map, while its pick’em offerings have taken things to a new level. The user-friendly app has been hitting the right notes, as well.
Underdog covers all of the major sports while providing users with a range of options, including its battle royale games, pick’ems, drafts of varying sizes, and large tournaments. The company is also spreading its wings with the launch of Underdog Sportsbook following the online expansion of North Carolina sports betting. Use the bonus code LSRBET and get up to $1,000 in bonus cash plus a pick’em special on deposit (only available in select states).
Onyx Odds
- Type of DFS offerings: Pick’em, social sportsbook
- Stand-out feature: Competitive odds with real-time updates
Onyx Odds launched as a premier destination for DFS enthusiasts, offering a seamless and data-driven betting experience. The platform allows users to place over/unders on a variety of sports, including the NBA, NFL, MLB, and more, with real-time odds adjustments and exclusive player prop options. Onyx Odds is available in most states. Onyx Odds also offers a social sportsbook, so you are not limited to props.
New users can get started with Onyx Odds using the bonus code BETLSR.
Rebet
- Type of offerings: Social sportsbook
- Stand-out feature: Play against your friends
The creation of a group of Dartmouth University business students, Rebet is a sweepstakes-style platform that offers wagers in a similar fashion to traditional online sportsbooks. However, the sweepstakes portion of that description means that you can only make wagers using two types of virtual currencies — Rebet Coins (which have no monetary value and you can use to play for fun) and Rebet Cash (which is never available for purchase but which offer the chance to redeem winnings for real money prizes). Also, as a “social sportsbook,” Rebet offers a variety of networking features. You can even click on a wager a friend has made and “re-bet” it.
New users who sign up with the Rebet promo code SPORTSBONUS will qualify for a welcome bonus.
Sleeper Fantasy
- Type of DFS offerings: Pick’em, draft
- Stand-out feature: Variety of game types
Sleeper Fantasy made its debut in 2017. It has steadily evolved into a go-to option for season-long fantasy players, but there’s much more to see here. Sleeper has also been at the forefront of the new wave of ways to play DFS by offering pick’em and over/under games that have attracted even more users to its platform.
Unlike Underdog, there’s been no news about any upcoming Sleeper Sportsbook. Still, you can join a contest at any time with Sleeper Fantasy. There are games for all major sports, such as simple pick’ems for player performances and over/under games where you can add multiple selections for a chance at more winnings. New users at Sleeper Fantasy can get a first deposit match of up to $1,500 with the promo code LSRBET.
Betr Picks
- Type of DFS offerings: Pick’em
- Stand-out feature: Odds boosts and promos
Betr Picks is one of the newer kids on the DFS block, making its debut in 2023. The app has quickly made headway with its pick’em games. The platform offers simple ways to play DFS for casual contestants, but there’s also plenty to like for the more experienced users, with games available for all of the top sports.
Once you log in, you’ll find a wide range of options. There are benchmark lines for various players to go over or under the listed number of points or stats. The more selections you make, the higher the potential payout. If you sign up to play at Betr Picks with the promo code LSRBET, you’ll qualify for a first deposit match up to $77.
DraftKings DFS
- Type of DFS offerings: Salary cap
- Stand-out feature: Niche sports and guaranteed tournaments
During the early days of the DFS boom, a number of sites made their debut, but the majority have come and gone. DraftKings is a big exception. The company debuted in 2012. DraftKings helped separate itself from the pack by offering a twist on the traditional salary cap model, adding various flex positions to introduce even more variance into the equation. The DraftKings promo code is also one of the top offers in the business in DFS, as well as sports betting and casino.
Huge multi-entry tournaments with massive prize pools remain a hallmark of DraftKings. Recent additions include games that revolve around a single stat, such as home runs, as well as DraftKings Pick 6. This is a pick’em style game that’s available in select markets. You pick two to six players and choose more or less on benchmark stats.
ParlayPlay
- Type of DFS offerings: Pick’em
- Stand-out feature: “Insured” or “all-in” options
ParlayPlay was first introduced in 2021. It now offers paid contests in 24 states, plus Washington, DC, and parts of Canada, with quite a following. The platform has two paid game modes for real money prizes — “Pick’M” and “Hit It” — as well as a “Free2Play” option for users to try out the platform for fun. Pick’M is a parlay-style contest where users can include multiple “more” or “less” legs for specific statistics.
The payout multiplier rises with every selection you add. You can choose to go “all-in,” where you need to get all of your choices correct to win, or the “insured” option for protection on one leg. For Hit It, you select two or more players and choose from a range of variables, with the payout potential rising based on how close you get to the benchmark number. Customers who sign up with the promo code PLAYLSR will receive up to $105 in bonuses.
Bet365
- Type of DFS offerings: Daily lineups
- Stand-out feature: Free-to-play tournaments
The bet365 brand name is well-known in international gambling circles, and its presence in the US continues to grow. The debut of its free-to-play fantasy game will likely help on that front. Bet365 DFS has introduced daily lineups, a tournament-style game where users can build lineups and compete against other customers for prizes.
When you visit the lobby, you’ll see a list of available games, such as NBA and NHL contests and upcoming UFC fight nights. Click your choice to enter, and then simply build a lineup while staying under the salary cap.
SuperDraft Fantasy
- Type of DFS offerings: Salary cap
- Stand-out feature: Traditional DFS in a variety of formats
SuperDraft Fantasy is one of the most popular places to play traditional DFS games. It’s still going strong since its debut in 2019, offering a large menu of contests for various sports. SuperDraft offers games where users have to build a lineup while staying under the listed salary cap, as well as contests of the no-cap variety.
The app has also introduced several innovations through the years. Users can play multiplier contests, which provide the chance to ramp up points for a selected player, best balls, and easy-to-enter smaller lineup games. New SuperDraft users who use the promo code PLAYBONUS can get free play plus a $20 deposit bonus.
FanDuel DFS
- Type of DFS offerings: Salary cap
- Stand-out feature: Best for salary cap games and usability
Sports betting giant FanDuel was one of the first companies to bring DFS games to the masses. Things started small back in 2009, but DFS would explode in the coming years. FanDuel was the name leading the charge, as its popular DFS tournaments and big prizes attracted contestants. It also offers new users a large welcome bonus with the FanDuel promo code.
The site is a staple for traditional DFS enthusiasts looking to build lineups while staying under the salary cap. FanDuel has created plenty of innovations through the years, including its qualifier tournaments for in-person events and single-game DFS. Newer features include best ball games, snake drafts with a DFS spin, and FanDuel Faceoff free-to-play games.
Kalshi DFS
- Type of DFS offerings: Prediction markets
- Stand-out feature: Contract trading, including on politics
Kalshi is a prediction market platform that allows people to trade on the outcome of real-world events. Whether it be the weather in New York, the 2028 presidential election, or the 2025 NCAA tournament, Kalshi supplies contracts for thousands of events that oscillate in value based on the market’s perception of how likely the underlying event is to occur. Each individual contract on Kalshi is priced between $0 and $1. If you buy a 19 cent contract on the Auburn men’s basketball team to win the 2025 NCAA tournament, for example, and it ends up making the Final Four, you will likely be able to sell this contract for a higher price and profit as a result.
Kalshi differs from major DFS platfroms like DraftKings and FanDuel in the sense that it doesn’t involve “lineup setting” or a “salary cap.” All wagering is based around the buying and selling of contracts. Though it is limited in this sense, it does offer a wider variety of overall markets. Some of the most popular markets on Kalshi include “economy,” “culture,” “politics,” and “weather.” In total, Kalshi has over 1,000 markets.
Where are daily fantasy sports apps legal?
The availability of DFS apps varies by state. For example, users in states such as California, Georgia, and Texas have a wide range of options to consider. Meanwhile, states like Connecticut and Washington have blocked play on a host of apps.
Types of DFS
Pick’em fantasy sports apps
Daily fantasy sports have continued to evolve since bursting onto the scene. In recent times, pick’em style games from platforms such as PrizePicks, Betr Picks, Underdog Fantasy, and ParlayPlay have grown in availability and popularity. These games are very similar to wagering on player props and parlays in states in which sports betting is legal.
For example, a platform may present a range of players and assign a set number of fantasy points to each. Users can then choose two or more players, in each case picking whether they think the player’s points will be over or under the set number for that player. If you get all of your picks correct, you win a prize based on your entry fee and the multiple attached to the number of selections you made.
Are pick’ems sports betting?
DFS pick’em games have exploded in popularity in recent years. Since the games share a lot in common with player props, questions have emerged not only on their legality, but as to whether pick’ems are simply sports betting under a different name.
Discussion on the topic has grown even louder in recent months. For example, sports betting is legal in Colorado. That hasn’t stopped lawmakers in the state from digging into the matter, which has impacted the available offerings for Colorado DFS players.
While pick’em games do share some things in common with sports betting, the two are not one and the same. That said, the debate on the topic isn’t about to be settled anytime soon. Rules will continue to vary on a state-by-state basis as a result.
Traditional fantasy sports
The main form of DFS is the one that you’ll find at DraftKings and FanDuel, with variations at a variety of platforms. In the dominant version of DFS, users select a sport and a contest to enter. Then they select a team of players, under a salary cap that the site sets. (The site assigns each player a value in terms of fake dollars, and users must construct a roster of players while staying under the salary cap.)
Once a user has picked a team, all that’s left is to wait for the real games to begin and watch how your team stacks up against the competition. If your team does well, you get a prize. Contests can vary widely in terms of how much they cost to enter (free or 25 cents, all the way up to $10,000) and how they are structured. Here are some examples:
- Guaranteed prize pools: You pay a set entry fee to compete for a share of a fixed prize pool; GPPs run regardless of whether they fill up.
- “Cash games”: You can either join an existing league or create your own league, in which the best-performing fantasy teams win prizes. These are smaller than GPPs and not guaranteed to run.
- Head-to-head: Two contestants face off against each other; the winner receives the entire prize pool.
- 50/50: Contestants in the top half of the field nearly double their investment; the other half of the field receives nothing.
There are also a number of other variants of DFS that stray from the DraftKings/FanDuel model, although they have the common thread of always being based on player statistics. In some forms, players are selected without a “salary” attached to them. There are also versions where you try to predict how well a certain player or players will do in comparison to a line that the DFS site sets.
DFS Strategies and Tips
Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) combines skill, research, and strategy to build winning lineups. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned player, these strategies and tips will help you maximize your chances of success across platforms like DraftKings, FanDuel, Underdog, and PrizePicks.
1. Understand Contest Types
- Aim for consistent, safer lineups to finish in the top half. Focus on players with high floors (reliable baseline stats).
- Target high-upside players with boom potential, even if riskier, to compete for top spots in large tournaments.
- Conclusion: Check the payout structure before entering. GPPs reward top-heavy finishes, while cash games spread payouts more evenly.
2. Research and Leverage Data
- Use recent stats, matchup data, and injury reports to identify value plays. Sites like Rotowire or FantasyLabs offer detailed insights.
- Consider game totals, pace, and defensive matchups. For example, in NBA DFS, high-scoring games often yield better fantasy points.
- For outdoor sports, check weather forecasts. Wind or rain can lower passing or hitting production.
- Conclusion: Follow X posts from DFS experts for real-time updates on lineups and injuries.
3. Master Bankroll Management
- Only spend what you can afford to lose. A common rule is to risk no more than 5-10% of your bankroll per slate.
- Spread your budget across multiple contests (e.g., mix cash games and GPPs) to reduce variance.
- tick to your strategy, even after a bad day. Emotional decisions lead to over-betting.
- Conclusion: Use smaller contests with lower entry fees to build confidence and experience.
4. Build Balanced Lineups
- Allocate salary to 1-2 high-priced studs, then fill out your roster with value picks to stay under the cap.
- In sports like NFL, pair players from the same game (e.g., QB and WR) to capitalize on shared production. For MLB, stack hitters from high-scoring teams.
- Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Diversify player selections across multiple lineups in large-field GPPs.
- Conclusion: In pick’em formats (e.g., PrizePicks), focus on players with favorable over/under projections based on recent trends.
5. Sport-Specific Strategies
- NFL: Prioritize RBs with high carry volume and WRs with favorable matchups. Game scripts (e.g., trailing teams pass more) matter.
- NBA: Target players with high usage rates and minutes. Late-swap options on FanDuel allow adjustments based on injury news.
- MLB: Stack hitters against weak pitchers and prioritize SPs with high strikeout potential. Check batting order positions for more plate appearances.
- NHL: Focus on top-line skaters and goalies facing high shot volumes. Power-play correlation boosts point potential.
History of daily fantasy sports
Daily fantasy sports contests were first introduced in 2007, offering a different take on the traditional season-long fantasy sports leagues in which contestants draft a team and manage it over the course of the season. DFS took that concept and boiled it down to a single day. For example, as opposed to managing an NFL fantasy team for an entire season, users could simply draft a team for a Sunday’s worth of games and win or lose based on their players’ performances in those games.
In 2009, FanDuel made its debut and quickly rose to the top of what was still a relatively small industry. It didn’t take too long for that to change, and FanDuel was one of the driving forces behind making that happen. The company faced plenty of competition through the years, with other sites popping up, some of which lasted, while others fell by the wayside. DraftKings entered the fray in 2012 and steadily gained traction, eventually surpassing FanDuel as the top name in daily fantasy sports.
DFS has dealt with various regulatory hurdles and questions about its legality through the years, but contests are still available, in some form, in a large number of states. Additionally, newer spins on DFS have emerged on sites such as PrizePicks and Underdog Fantasy. However, with these new options has come additional scrutiny. Some states have cracked down on the newer pick’em-style games, while other states have specific regulations regarding which sites can operate.
Sports offered in daily fantasy
The major North American team sports are the most popular for DFS:
- DFS football (NFL)
- DFS basketball (NBA)
- DFS baseball (MLB)
- DFS golf
- DFS hockey (NHL)
The big four sports attract the most attention from DFS players, with the NFL being the most popular, followed by the NBA. However, FanDuel, DraftKings, and other sites don’t stop there. You may find a wide range of options, depending on what’s in season. Other popular sports for DFS include the following:
- College football
- College basketball
- Soccer
- Tennis
- Mixed martial arts
- NASCAR
- Formula One
- Esports (like League of Legends)
Frequently asked questions about DFS
Daily fantasy sports contests were introduced in 2007. The activity was a niche offering in its early days, but it began rising to prominence with the debut of FanDuel in 2009. Other major DFS sites debuted in the following years, including DraftKings.
Some form of Daily fantasy sports is currently legal in all states except Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Washington. For more information on which books are blocked in which states, LSR has a page with full details on the states in which DFS is available.
The opinions on DFS range from the belief that it is 100% a legal game of skill to a form of gambling just based on player statistics. From a casual standpoint, most people consider it a form of skill-based gambling. In the United States, DFS sites are generally set aside as something different from legal betting sites.
There are dozens of DFS providers on the market. Some of the larger ones include PrizePicks, Underdog Fantasy, SuperDraft, and Betr Picks.
Yes. For more on this topic, see this series on DFS and filing taxes.
This is a matter of personal preference, as one format is not necessarily better than the other. Some users may prefer the challenge of building the best possible lineup while staying under an assigned cap, while others may like making selections from a range of choices.
Daily fantasy sports pick’em games are not easy to win. As with any other skill-based pursuit, there are simply no guarantees that you’ll win.
Many DFS apps offer free-to-play games. What you can win by playing these games will vary by platform. For example, some may offer real money prizes, while others may award points or tokens based on how well you perform.