Best California Sportsbook Promos & Bonuses for October 2026
California still has no legal sportsbooks, and the November 2026 ballot won’t change that. The state’s gaming tribes have settled on 2028 for their own online sports betting initiative, a target California Nations Indian Gaming Association chairman James Siva has reaffirmed several times this year. Tribes are taking a measured approach after the costly 2022 campaign, when voters rejected both the tribally backed Proposition 26 and the commercial operators’ Proposition 27, and they plan to make their long record of running regulated gaming in the state a centerpiece of the next push.
Prediction markets have become the central issue in that fight. Federally regulated platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi already let Californians trade on game outcomes without a state license, and tribal polling shows roughly 60% of residents now believe online sports betting is legal. Attorney General Rob Bonta has filed a brief urging the US Supreme Court to review a federal appeals ruling that said federal law overrides state oversight of sports event contracts, and several California tribes are pursuing their own legal challenges. The tribes aren’t fully united, though, as three have partnered with Kalshi. Meanwhile, major sportsbooks including DraftKings and FanDuel have told the tribal association they would work exclusively with tribes and close their prediction market platforms in the state once legal sports betting arrives.
Other options have narrowed. AB 831 took effect January 1, 2026, outlawing dual-currency sweepstakes games in California, sweepstakes-style sportsbooks included. Pick’em operators such as PrizePicks and Underdog now run peer-to-peer contests here after Bonta’s 2025 opinion found that daily fantasy contests qualify as illegal sports wagering. For now, prediction markets and peer-to-peer fantasy cover most of what California sports fans can legally use. Below, we rank the strongest apps available in the state, break down their current sign-up offers and follow the latest on when real sportsbook promos could finally reach California.
California DFS pick’em and social sportsbook promos
The platforms below cover the prediction markets and fantasy apps California residents can sign up for today. Prediction markets let you buy and sell contracts on game results, player stats and other sports outcomes, while peer-to-peer pick’em apps match you against other players rather than the house. Welcome offers range from deposit matches to bonus credits after your first trade, so review the terms and any required promo code on each listing before you join. Given the ongoing legal fight over these platforms, availability and offers can shift quickly.
Get $100 in Predicts Bonus When You Trade $1 for 5 Days
Make Predictions on Real World Events Right in Your Phone
Trade on Sports to Culture, Financials, Crypto and More
Trade on Sports, Politics, and MORE
Largest Prediction Market in the US
Hundreds of Markets to Choose From
Huge Range of CFTC-Approved Markets (Sports, Tech, and More)
Compete with Others & Climb the Leaderboards
No User Limiting on Trades
Deposit $10, Get a $25 Trading Bonus
Live Trade with the Biggest Payouts at the Largest Prediction Market in the World
America's #1 Sports Prediction Market
Same Sports Moments, Bigger Payouts
Choose from Straights, Player Props, Parlays & More
Plus 50% First-Time Deposit Match up to $1,000 (State Dependent)
Make the Correct Prediction Pick to Score Your Payout
Spreads, Totals, Moneylines, and Parlays, all on Underdog
PLUS Get up to $1,000 in $NVDA Based on Net Deposit Amount
Earn up to 8.1% APY on uninvested cash balances
Trade CFTC-regulated event contracts, stocks & options
Get $200 in Bonuses Paid Over 21 Days
DraftKings is Now Available Nationwide
Browse Markets like Sports, Crypto, Tech & More
Complete a Task in the Crypto.com App to Unlock up to 1 Bitcoin Worth of CRO Rewards
America’s All-In-One Trading Platform
Manage Your Crypto, Stocks, Predictions & Card Spend Seamlessly
Earn 10% FanCash on Every Trade, Win or Lose
Trade on Live Sports Markets, Major Events, Outcomes and MORE
Combine Multiple Picks Into One Trade
More Ways to Play, Earn & Win!
Compete in Challenges & Climb the Leaderboards
Plus 100% Match up to $100 in FreePicks
Hundreds of Leagues to Place Picks on
Live Betting, Prop City, Gamer Paradise, Live Game Chats
- First Deposit Match up to $1,500
- Win up to 100x Payouts
- Place in-game Contest
4 No Sweat Tokens, Up to $200 back in Bonus if Your Entries Lose + A New User Free Pick
Higher Payouts & No Pushes
Get $5 on Sign Up, No Purchase Required
PLUS 100% Match up to $100 on First Purchase
Daily Promotions, Bonuses, and Boosts
- $5 Free Game on Sign Up (No Deposit Required)
- 100% Deposit Match up to $100
- Win up to 110x Your Entry
Spend $5, Get $50 in Bonuses Issued as Five $10 Bonus Picks
Plus Get a Sunday Gimme Pick for Select Football Games
Lock in your Picks & Compete with others
New DraftKings Customers Play Free for Your Share of Millions in Prizes. Min $5 Deposit Req.
T&Cs Apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Can you bet on sports in California?
California sports betting is illegal. At the moment, it is not possible to bet on sports legally in person or online in the state. To place wagers related to sports, those in the Golden State must register for a Daily Fantasy Sports site such as the ones listed above.
When will online sportsbooks come to California?
The future of sports betting in California is unclear. After voters denied two ballot options in 2022, no attempts to legalize sports betting have made any traction. Many experts now project that legal sports betting in California, if brought to voters, won’t happen before 2028.
California DFS pick’em and social sportsbooks
While no legal sports betting apps exist in California, daily fantasy sports and social sportsbooks are available. California has never formally legalized DFS or social sportsbooks, but it has not made them explicitly illegal. These platforms continue to operate in the state despite being unregulated, and some are now offering sportsbook promos and bonuses to new users. Below is a look at some of our favorites:
1. Thrillzz California
What do I get with the Thrillzz promo?
There are two welcome promos available for new users to Thrillzz social sportsbook in California:
- Sign-up bonus: $1 in Sweeps Coins
- First-purchase bonus: 100% Match Up to $100 in Bonus on Sign Up
- Use Promo Code: CAT100
What is Thrillzz?
Thrillzz is a free-to-play social sportsbook app that functions similarly to a traditional sports betting app. Users can compete against and with friends by climbing leaderboards, creating teams of friends, chatting, and sharing picks inside the app. You can play this free game using the app’s virtual currency, Thrillzz Coins, or for a chance to win real prizes through promotional free sweepstakes. Make picks in the sweepstakes sportsbook, and you can win “prize tickets,” which you can redeem for coins, sweeps, or cash.
1. FanDuel Predicts
Get $100 in Predicts Bonus When You Trade $1 for 5 Days
Make Predictions on Real World Events Right in Your Phone
Trade on Sports to Culture, Financials, Crypto and More
What do I get with the FanDuel Predicts promo?
FanDuel Predicts is currently offering eligible new users a $100 Predicts Bonus When You Trade $1 for 5 Days promotion. After creating an account and completing the required trades, users unlock a promotional bonus that can be used on eligible prediction-market trades. No promo code is required, and the bonus is non-withdrawable and subject to the promotion’s applicable terms and expiration period.
- Offered by FanDuel Prediction Markets LLC, a registered futures commission merchant. 18+ and present in select states. First real money trade only. First-time deposit required. Min. $1 trade required for 5 consecutive days for max bonus. Bonus issued as non-withdrawable Predicts Bonus that expires 24 hours after receipt. Restrictions apply. Trading derivatives involves significant risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Manage your activity with our Consumer Protection tools. See terms, including eligible states, at: http://fanduel.com/predicts/new-customer-offer.
What is FanDuel Predicts?
FanDuel Predicts is FanDuel’s prediction-market platform, giving users the ability to trade contracts on real-world events ranging from sports and entertainment to financial markets, cryptocurrencies and economic indicators. The platform operates through FanDuel Prediction Markets LLC, a registered futures commission merchant, with contracts listed on CFTC-regulated exchanges including CME Group and, more recently, Crypto.com’s OG Prediction Markets.
- Sports and entertainment: Trade on outcomes involving major sports and entertainment events, with availability varying by state.
- Financial markets: Make predictions on benchmarks such as the S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100, as well as commodities, cryptocurrencies and economic indicators.
- Yes or No contracts: Choose whether you think an event will happen, decide how much to trade and see the potential payout before placing your position.
- Cash out early: Depending on the market, users can sell their position before an event is resolved rather than waiting for the final outcome.
- Combination contracts: FanDuel Predicts has expanded its offering to include combination event contracts alongside its traditional markets.
2. Polymarket
Deposit $10, Get a $25 Trading Bonus
Live Trade with the Biggest Payouts at the Largest Prediction Market in the World
What do I get with the Polymarket promo?
Polymarket’s current U.S. promotion offers eligible new users a $50 Trading Bonus when they deposit $10, with the offer currently promoted using promo code . The promotion is available in most eligible U.S. states, although some states are excluded, and the bonus can be used to trade eligible prediction markets.
What is Polymarket?
Polymarket is a peer-to-peer prediction market where users buy and sell shares based on the outcomes of real-world events. Its markets span areas such as sports, politics, economics, finance, cryptocurrency, technology, and culture, with share prices generally reflecting the market’s implied probability of an outcome.
- Huge variety of markets: Choose from thousands of markets covering sports, politics, finance, crypto, culture and breaking news.
- Real-time pricing: Contract prices change as traders buy and sell, providing a constantly updated view of market sentiment.
- Trade before resolution: Users can buy or sell positions before an event concludes, allowing them to react to new information.
- Peer-to-peer trading: Polymarket matches traders rather than operating as a traditional sportsbook or house.
- Global event coverage: The platform is particularly strong for political, geopolitical, economic and headline-driven markets alongside its growing sports offering.
3. ProphetX
America's #1 Sports Prediction Market
Same Sports Moments, Bigger Payouts
Choose from Straights, Player Props, Parlays & More
What do I get with the ProphetX promo?
New ProphetX users can currently trade $10 and get a $20 bonus by signing up with our promotional code LSR and completing the required qualifying trade. The $20 bonus gives new users additional funds to explore ProphetX’s sports prediction markets after making their first trade. The current offer is listed as available in eligible U.S. states, subject to regulatory approval and the applicable promotional terms.
What is ProphetX?
ProphetX is a peer-to-peer sports prediction exchange where users trade event contracts based on the expected outcome of games and sporting events. Rather than simply accepting a fixed price, ProphetX gives traders access to market-based pricing and tools such as limit orders, while offering markets across sports including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, soccer, golf and UFC.
- Sports-first platform: ProphetX focuses heavily on sports markets, making it particularly appealing to users who want prediction trading centered on games and competitions.
- Peer-to-peer exchange: Trades are matched between participants rather than against a traditional sportsbook.
- Set your own price: Limit orders allow traders to specify the price at which they want to enter a position rather than relying exclusively on available market prices.
- Wide sports coverage: Markets span major U.S. leagues and international sports, including football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, golf and UFC.
- Parlay trading: ProphetX also supports multi-event combinations, giving users another way to build positions across multiple sporting events.
4. Underdog Fantasy California
Plus 50% First-Time Deposit Match up to $1,000 (State Dependent)
Spreads, Totals, Moneylines, and Parlays, all on Underdog
Win Up to 5000x Your Entry in a Single Night
What do I get with the Underdog promo?
Use the code LSRBET, and Underdog welcomes you with a Keep Your $1,000,000 in Bonus Funds + 50% First-Time Deposit Match up to $1,000 (state-dependent) promo.
Starting Aug. 28, Underdog is offering eligible customers a free-to-play “Keep Your Million” game, giving each player a virtual $1 million pot. Players answer up to 20 sports questions by splitting their pot between Higher and Lower, keeping whatever amount lands on the winning side after each result. Anyone who makes it through all 20 questions can cash out their remaining pot in Underdog Bonus Funds.
- Must be 18+ (19+ in AL, NE; 19+ in CO for some games; 21+ in AZ, MA, and VA) and present in a state where Underdog Fantasy operates. Terms apply. Offer not valid in MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, and PA.
Concerned with your play? Call 1-800-MY-RESET or 1-800-GAMBLER or visit www.ncpgambling.org; NY: Call the 24/7 HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY or Text HOPENY (467369).
What is Underdog Fantasy?
There are two ways to play Underdog Fantasy contests:
- Best ball: This format is all about the draft. Complete a snake draft with your fellow participants, and then set your team aside until the contest wraps up. The app automatically selects your best available lineup each week for the duration of the contest. Plenty of options exist when it comes to buy-in amounts, contest lengths, and field sizes.
- Pick’em: This style of game has two types of contests. With higher/lower, you select one or the other for a range of lines that Underdog sets, similar to a player prop bet. With rivals, you choose between two players, selecting who you think will score more fantasy points.
Possible California sportsbook promos
Though it may be years before legal sports betting becomes available in California, we can make educated guesses about which sportsbooks might eventually launch in the Golden State and begin offering sportsbook promos.
1. FanDuel Sportsbook
The leader among sports betting apps nationwide, FanDuel Sportsbook is the most likely app to launch in California. The company has been at the forefront of the push to legalize sports betting in the state and has even hired executives with experience with California tribes, including former National Indian Gaming Commission chairman E. Sequoyah Simermeyer.
2. DraftKings Sportsbook
After FanDuel, DraftKings Sportsbook has probably been the second most active sportsbook in attempting to lobby for legal sports betting in California. DraftKings is also already live in almost every other state where online sports betting is legal.
3. Fanatics Sportsbook
One of the fastest-growing sportsbooks in the US, this retail giant is likely to be in the conversation with any new state launch. Fanatics Sportsbook has already been a prominent player in newly legal states such as North Carolina, Kentucky, and Vermont, and California would likely not be any different.
4. Caesars Sportsbook and BetMGM Sportsbook
Though a distant third and fourth in terms of market share in many states, Caesars Sportsbook and BetMGM Sportsbook are well-established brands that would certainly push to capitalize on the opportunity California presents.
Events to watch this week
Below are some events to look forward to wagering on through social sportsbooks in California.
MLB
October 8: Cleveland Guardians at Chicago White Sox, 8:00 p.m. ET
October 10: Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Guardians, 8:00 p.m. ET (if necessary)
October 11: Los Angeles Dodgers at Milwaukee Brewers, time TBD
October 12: Los Angeles Dodgers at Milwaukee Brewers, time TBD
October 12: AL Lower Seed at Tampa Bay Rays, time TBD
October 13: AL Lower Seed at Tampa Bay Rays, time TBD
October 14: Milwaukee Brewers at Los Angeles Dodgers, time TBD
October 15: Tampa Bay Rays at AL Lower Seed, time TBD
October 15: Milwaukee Brewers at Los Angeles Dodgers, time TBD
How to claim California DFS pick’em and social sportsbook promos
- Click the “play now” button adjacent to the DFS pick’em or social sportsbook of your choice above.
- Follow the steps to create your account.
- Use the appropriate promo code, if necessary, when you sign up.
- Finish creating your account by filling out any personal information that the platform requires. For many of the apps we have listed above, there won’t be any personal info to input, as the games are free to play.
- Some of the apps may require a first deposit to claim a promo. Make a deposit if necessary.
- Make picks, enter contests, and enjoy the apps.
- The Bottom Line on California Sports Betting Promos
- Sports betting still isn’t legal in California, and it won’t be on the ballot this year. Tribal leaders are reportedly eyeing a 2028 measure after the 2022 initiatives failed, so this remains a multi-year wait rather than a near-term change. In the meantime, the real promos worth claiming come from prediction markets, DFS pick’em sites, and social sportsbooks, not traditional sportsbooks.
- 📈 Best Prediction Market Pick: Polymarket | Polymarket’s global market selection and $50 welcome bonus make it the standout among California’s legal prediction market options.
- 💰 Biggest Headline Bonus: Underdog Prediction | Underdog’s prediction market is currently advertising up to $1,000,000 in bonus funds, the largest figure on this page by a wide margin.
- 📱 Best Social Sportsbook: Fliff | Fliff’s coin-based social sportsbook model is available in California right now, with up to $250 in bonus offers for new users.
- 🎯 DFS Remains a Real Option | Pick’em-style daily fantasy platforms operate legally in California today, giving sports fans a way to engage with real games without needing sports betting to be legal first.
- 🔮 Don’t Confuse Speculation With Reality | Any mention of FanDuel, DraftKings, Fanatics, Caesars, or BetMGM sportsbook promos on this page is speculative, based on what those operators might offer if California ever legalizes. None of them take real-money sports bets in California today.
- Until California legalizes sports betting, likely not before a 2028 ballot measure at the earliest, prediction markets, DFS, and social sportsbooks are the legitimate ways to engage with sports outcomes in the state.
California sportsbook promo FAQs
Any online sports betting site claiming to take bets in California operates illegally and outside US laws. We do not recommend using these offshore sportsbooks as they are unregulated and do not hold licenses anywhere in the country.
FanDuel Sportsbook is not available in California, as sports betting is not yet legal or available in the state.
Many of the above apps, the California State Lottery, and horse betting require users to be at least 18 years old. However, if sports betting becomes legal in the state, users will likely have to be 21 or older.
Some experts have predicted that legal sports betting will not be available in California until at least 2026. The earliest possible date would be 2025, but the current political climate suggests that is unlikely.
None, at the moment. DFS pick’em and social sportsbook apps are available, but no legal sports betting apps are live in the state.
Without laws permitting legal sports betting in the state, it is hard to say whether college sports betting will eventually be legal in California. Some states prohibit betting on in-state college teams, while others have no restrictions on college sports betting at all.
Until sports betting is legalized in California, we will not know the specifics of what you might be able to wager on. However, if sports betting does become legal in the state, bettors will likely be able to wager on all the state’s professional teams, such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco 49ers, and Golden State Warriors.