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Best DFS Sites & Apps: $300 in Daily Fantasy Sports Promos

Mitchell South

by Mitchell South

Updated Feb 21, 2023 · 12:29 PM PST

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Choosing the best daily fantasy sports site isn’t as easy as you might think. Providers like DraftKings and FanDuel might be the first platforms that come to mind, but just because they have brand name recognition doesn’t mean they’re the best DFS sites on the market.

With numerous DFS sites providing a quality experience and over 40 million US players every year, daily fantasy sports have proven to be popular even with the growing availability of legalized sports betting.

Wondering how to choose from the best daily fantasy sports sites? Our reviewers have you covered with hand-picked selections based on personal experience with these top DFS sites. Even if you’re new to DFS, all sports fans will find enjoyment as they play daily fantasy sports.

DFS Sites Sections:

Best Daily Fantasy Sports Sites 2023

Click the links above to get started with some of the best DFS sites available in 2023. We’re keeping this list updated with our favorite DFS sites and apps as we review them in 2023 and beyond.

Best DFS Promo Codes

DFS Site Bonus Offer DFS Promo Code
Underdog Fantasy $100 Deposit Match SBD
Jock MKT $100 Deposit Match SBDIME
ThriveFantasy $100 Deposit Match SBDXL

Taking advantage of the best DFS promo codes will give you extra funds to play with in your go-to games and contests.

Most daily fantasy sports sites offer a deposit match promo code that will give you some bonus funds to enter more contests with. Hit the links in the table above to make your first deposit and claim these can’t-miss DFS promo codes.

How to Sign Up at a DFS Site?

Signing up at a DFS site is a simple and straightforward process. Use the exclusive links across this page to get started with the registration process, and make sure you have your personal and financial details on hand to expedite the process. 43 of 50 US states have legalized daily fantasy sports, giving hundreds of millions of players the opportunity to sign up at DFS sites.

Here’s a quick step-by-step process of how to sign up at a DFS site:

  1. Use the exclusive links on this page to get started
  2. Provide the required personal information like first/last name, username/password, email address, phone number, residential address, and last four digits of your SSN
  3. Verify your identity by completing the sign-up process in full
  4. Deposit funds to your newly created sportsbook account, which will automatically unlock the best new player promo code
  5. Start playing your DFS games of choice

Signing up at DFS sites really is this simple, and you can trust all the legit DFS sites listed on this page. Your contact details and financial information are 100% secure with DFS apps like Underdog Fantasy, Jock MKT, and ThriveFantasy. The same goes for other sites like DraftKings and FanDuel.

What Is the Best Daily Fantasy Sports Site?

You might think big names like DraftKings and FanDuel or even PrizePicks and Monkey Knife Fight (MKF) are the best DFS sites, but that isn’t necessarily the case. Numerous competitors have started emerging across the North American market looking to take players from these gaming giants.

Best DFS site: Underdog Fantasy

Underdog Fantasy is the best DFS site we’ve reviewed for a few reasons. They have a transparent rake that shows you exactly how much is taken from each contest, a variety of exciting games, an intuitive mobile app, and a competitive sign-up bonus. These features help Underdog Fantasy stand out from the crowd.

Fantasy Football Sites

Fantasy football is by far the most popular sport played at DFS sites, but you might be wondering, what is DFS football?

Fantasy football allows you compete against other players in contests once you’ve created your NFL fantasy lineup. Your NFL fantasy team will rack up points based on the performance of your fantasy football players in real-life games, and you can win real money if your DFS team collects the most points.

We think Underdog Fantasy is the best overall site for fantasy football thanks to their unique platform, selection of games and contests, and Pick’em where it’s available. Other DFS sites like Jock MKT also offer a unique take on fantasy football that works more like the stock market if you’re looking for an alternative to traditional DFS. These fantasy sites can often be more fun that straight up betting sites like DraftKings.

Either way, you can’t go wrong with any of the DFS sites on this list if you’re looking to play fantasy football.

Top Daily Fantasy Sports Apps

A reliable mobile app is a critical feature for anyone playing daily fantasy sports as players want to be able to set their lineups on-the-go.

We look for bold branding, menus that are easy to navigate, and an overall reliability factor while reviewing the best daily fantasy sports apps. The DFS apps listed here are all legit, and you’ll have your favorite games and types of contests available in the palm of your hand.

Here are some of the top daily fantasy sports apps available on the market.

Underdog Fantasy App

The Underdog Fantasy app is our top choice amongst all the DFS platforms available in North America. Available for Android and iOS devices, you can use the links on this page to download the Underdog Fantasy app. Make sure you use promo code ‘SBD’ when signing up, as it’s one of our best promo codes for DFS sites.

UNDERDOG FANTASY SPORTS


Get a Deposit Match Up to $100!

LOCK IN PROMO
CODE: SBD
CODE: SBD
SIGNUP OFFER
$100 DEPOSIT
MATCH

GET OFFER

With a 4.8-star rating on the App Store, Underdog Fantasy is one of the highest-reviewed DFS apps on the market. Their app is both intuitive and reliable, so you’ll be able to easily play games and contests like Pick’em, Best Ball, Rivals, and Battle Royale. Check out our Underdog Fantasy review for more info on this premier DFS app.

Jock MKT App

Jock MKT is offering one of the most unique daily fantasy sports apps out there. As a daily fantasy sports exchange allows you to bid and trade markets on fantasy players, and their DFS deposit bonus worth up to $100 is the perfect way to get started on a system you might be unfamiliar with.

JOCK MKT
FANTASY SPORTS


Get a Deposit Match Up to $100!

LOCK IN PROMO
CODE: SBDIME
CODE: SBDIME
SIGNUP OFFER
$100 DEPOSIT
MATCH

GET OFFER

Hit the link above to download the Jock MKT app and start trading markets for some of the best DFS players you can add to your lineup. Visit our Jock MKT review for more details on this excellent DFS brand.

ThriveFantasy

Branded as the DFS app that’s “Engaging the Everyday Fan,” ThriveFantasy offers both a traditional style of play where you select stat lines to rack up fantasy points, along with a versus mode that asks you to select between two players performing in pre-selected stat categories. Contests are broken down between Featured, Tournaments/Leagues, and Head to Head categories, giving you multiple ways to play with ThriveFantasy.

THRIVEFANTASY
DFS


Get a Deposit Match Up to $100!

LOCK IN PROMO
CODE: SBDXL
CODE: SBDXL
SIGNUP OFFER
$100 DEPOSIT
MATCH

GET OFFER

Focused on prop plays in 12 different sports/leagues, ThriveFantasy is a great option for anyone in the available 33 states looking to win some extra money on a new DFS platform. Sign up using our exclusive links on this page and promo code ‘SBDXL’ and unlock a deposit match up to $100 in bonus funds.

How Does Daily Fantasy Sports Work?

Daily fantasy sports gives you the chance to win real money by assembling your dream team of real athletes from your favorite sports.

Some DFS contests will ask you to set your lineups each week, leaving some of the players on your fantasy team on the bench. Contests like Underdog Fantasy Best Ball will just take the players with the best performances each week into consideration when you’re being ranked on points.

How to play DFS:

  1. Sign up with a daily fantasy sports site
  2. Browse their selection of games and DFS contests
  3. Draft your team
  4. Set your daily fantasy sports lineup
  5. Rack up fantasy points based on your players’ real-life single game performances
  6. Contestants with the most points can win real-cash prizes

Some DFS contests run as season-long fantasy campaigns and you’ll only need to draft one lineup for these year-long contests. Other DFS contests allow you to draft a new lineup each week, giving you the chance to select players you think will go off in a certain matchup.

Games like Pick’em will have you take multiple players and select if they go higher or lower on certain stats that week. In DF survivor pools, you pick one team to win their game every week until you make an incorrect selection resulting in elimination.

Playing DFS can be different depending on what contest you’re playing, but the general idea remains the same. Drafting players from your favorite sport and rack up points based on their performances to win cash is what really separates DFS and sports betting.

How to Build DFS Lineups

There are a ton of strategy guided out there for building your DFS lineups, but there’s a few things to keep in mind no matter what sport you’re building a team for.

Building your DFS lineup starts with what players are available during the drafting process. You might think drafting the best players with the biggest names is a sure-fire strategy, although you’ll quickly eat through your salary cap on players who might not provide good value.

Budgeting for the salary cap and finding sneaky good players is critical to building your DFS lineups. Blindly selecting the best players can spell disaster for your fantasy team as you run out of budget selecting players later in the draft.

Another important consideration when building your DFS lineups is positions filled requirements. For example, building an NFL team will allow you to fill positions on your team with a certain number of flex or super flex positions. This means you can use flex positions to select RB, WR, or QB players to rack up more points.

Digging into stats, recent performances, and players considered underdogs can help you decide who to start and who to bench each week. For example, a player or fighter making their debut might be a steal for your team as they’re more under-the-radar than proven superstars.

Ultimately, building your DFS lineups is all about finding the best value on inexpensive players who can perform over the long run. Following these tips can be part of the best DFS advice for strategic betting.

Where Is DFS Legal?

Playing daily fantasy sports is legal in most US states and Canadian provinces. While legalized sports betting is slowly expanding across North America, DFS managed to stay in operation even after the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992.

Operators like DraftKings and FanDuel dominated the market for a long time, but new daily fantasy sports sites like the other ones listed here are changing the game. Some states consider DFS a game of chance while other jurisdictions classify it as a game of skill. These skill-based definitions have allowed DFS to operate in more states than legalized sports betting, which inherently falls into the chance-based gambling category.

Some of the states that have recently gone live or pending launch of legalized sports betting already offer DFS, including the following:

States that view DFS as a game of chance typically outlaw certain contests like Pick’em, while at the same time allowing skill-based DFS contests that give the player control over drafting, budgeting, and setting their lineups.

Hawaii and Idaho are two states that have outlawed playing DFS entirely. Other states like Nevada allow DFS, however, operators like FanDuel and DraftKings have chosen not to enter the Silver State. This is similar to what DFS operators decided to do in the Ontario market after Canada’s most popular province passed sports betting laws that made DFS limited to players within provincial borders.

Check out our full guide on DFS vs sports betting legal definitions for more details on the distinctions and legality that have separated these two similar entities.

DFS By Sport

We can’t tell you exactly how to win at DFS basketball, baseball, football, hockey, or other sports all the time. We can help you by pointing out some quick tips and the best DFS sites by sport.

Here’s a quick rundown of playing DFS by sport and the best daily fantasy sports for cash to pad your bankroll.

NFL Football

You might think of DraftKings and FanDuel as the best DFS fantasy football sites, but there are other options out there. Other DFS sites like Underdog Fantasy and Jock MKT give you the chance to play what is undoubtedly the most popular variety of daily fantasy sports.

Like most DFS contests, playing NFL daily fantasy sports starts with creating your lineups. Most DFS sites require you to select 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 Flex, and 1 DST (defense and special teams). Scoring, salary cap, and other rules can differ depending on the daily fantasy sports and apps you’re playing with, but you’ll need to set up this kind of lineup in order to collect points.

MLB Baseball

Playing MLB daily fantasy sports it great because you have a massive slate of games to collect points on throughout the season.

Most DFS sites will ask for the following when assembling your MLB fantasy lineup: 1 pitcher, 1 catcher/first baseman, 1 second baseman, 1 third baseman, 1 shortstop, 3 outfielders, and 1 utility position. There might be some variation between providers, as operators like DraftKings will ask you to include 2 pitchers, but overall these are the positions filled requirements you’ll find with most DFS operators.

NBA Basketball

NBA basketball is known for individual players having a massive effect on the outcome of any given game. Superstars like LeBron James, Steph Curry, and other gamebreakers are highly sought after by DFS players, making it even more important to pick a league or contest with rules you can follow closely.

Claiming an Underdog Fantasy NBA promo code can help you boost your winnings from all the action on the courts. The Underdog Fantasy sign-up promo is one of the best DFS deposit bonuses, and you won’t want to miss out on it before building your NBA daily fantasy sports team.

NHL Hockey

Like the other sports on this list, racking up points on NHL daily fantasy sports depends on how your players perform at their designated position.

Most DFS sites require at least four players on your roster from a minimum of three different NHL teams. You can include forwards, defensemen, and a goalie to build out your fantasy squad. Skaters typically collect points on goals, assists, shots on goal, blocks, and special team stats. Goalies will collect their points through wins, shutouts, saves, while they could lose points on goals and overtime losses. Check in with your favorite DFS site to see their NHL positional requirements and scoring systems to set the strategy you think is best.

Other Sports

The four major league sports aren’t the only ways to enjoy DFS action throughout the year. Other DFS sports include some of the following options:

  • College football and college basketball (NCAAF and NCAAB)
  • Mixed martial arts (UFC)
  • Golf (PGA)
  • Tennis
  • Soccer (EPL)
  • eSports
  • NASCAR

If you’re looking to play DFS on your favorite sport, then chances are someone on this page will be offering contests for it. DraftKings and FanDuel will have you covered, but alternative options like Underdog Fantasy and Jock MKT are also great options for other DFS sports like the ones listed above.

Types of DFS Games

There’s a huge number of DFS games and contests offered on each of the sites listed on this page. Based on our daily fantasy sports reviews, we think Underdog Fantasy offers the best selection of DFS games on the market, and their transparent rake that show you exactly how much they’re taking from players really sets their selection above competitors like DraftKings and FanDuel.

From a high level, there are two types of DFS games:

  • Cash games (single-entry with a flat payout structure and smaller competition sizes)
  • Guaranteed prize pools (multiple entries with a tiered reward system and larger competition with experienced players)

We recommend looking for head-to-head (H2H), experienced players excluded (EPE), and double-ups where your entry fee is paid out in double to the top 45 percent if you’re new to playing DFS. These games are great for beginners and while the guaranteed prize pool (GPP) contests have some huge payouts, there’s increased competition in these DFS game specifically.

Underdog Fantasy offers a variety of games and contests like year-long tournaments, Best Ball, Pick’em, Rivals, and Battle Royale that are great for DFS players of any kind. Whether you’re a rookie or a seasoned DFS player, we highly recommend going with Underdog Fantasy as your daily fantasy sports site of choice.

Deposits and Withdrawals for DFS Players

Making deposits and withdrawals is safe and reliable at any of the DFS sites listed on this page. We only review legit DFS sites and apps, so you can rest assured knowing your financial details are secure with these operators.

Deposits

Most DFS sites accept a wide range of payment options, including debit card and credit cards like Visa/MasterCard, along with alternative deposit methods like PayPal and online banking.

Check in with the DFS sites listed here to confirm what deposit methods they offer. Transaction times are typically standard across the board, depending on what deposit method you’ve chosen.

Withdrawals

Withdrawals are typically more limited at DFS sites, although that’s common in the sports betting and gaming industry.

Collecting your winnings through debit and credit cards is not permitted at most DFS sites, so you’ll need to turn to options like PayPal or online banking to withdraw any earnings. Again, it’s best to check directly with the DFS operators to see what kind of banking options they have, and their helpful customer support teams will assist you if you encounter any issues.

Daily Fantasy Sports FAQ:

Still have questions about playing daily fantasy sports? Here’s a quick rundown of DFS fantasy FAQs.

What is DFS Fantasy?

DFS fantasy is a type of sports gaming that allows you to assemble a dream team of players from your favorite sport and win cash prizes based on real world performances from your fantasy players.

Is DFS gambling?

No, DFS isn’t typically defined as gambling, although some US states and Canadian provinces view this question differently. Some jurisdictions classify DFS as a game of skill, while others view it as a chance-based form of gambling. This debate is why DFS could continue to operate even after PASPA was introduced in 1992, which ultimately led to the restrictions on sportsbooks that is slowly lifting across the US market.

What DFS sites do MMA?

DFS sites like DraftKings, FanDuel, Underdog Fantasy, and Monkey Knife Fight offer MMA contests. Select your favorite UFC fighters and rack up points based on how they perform to win real money prizes.

What are the best DFS sites for beginners to win?

We think Underdog Fantasy is the best DFS site for beginners to win, as they offer a friendly platform that has a wide variety of games and a transparent rake. Make sure you pick contests like H2H, EPE, and double-ups if you find them with your favorite DFS site as a new player. Underdog Fantasy is easily one of the best in the DFS industry.

Is DFS legal in Florida?

No, DFS is technically not legal in Florida, however it also isn’t explicitly illegal. This grey area allows DFS operators to continue offering contests in the Sunshine State.

What Daily Fantasy Sports site offers the biggest DFS deposit bonus?

Daily Fantasy Sports sites like DraftKings, FanDuel, and Underdog Fantasy offer the biggest DFS deposit bonuses. These deposit bonuses typically range from $100 to $500 depending on which DFS site you’re signing up. You’ll need to make your first deposit in order to claim these bonuses.

What sites offer DFS for eSports?

DFS sites like DraftKings and FanDuel are well-known for offering eSports markets. More DFS sites could start offering eSports in the future and we’re keeping this page updated with all the latest changes.

What’s the difference between cash games and tournaments in DFS?

The main difference between DFS cash games and tournaments is the payout structure. Cash games are typically 50/50 contests with smaller payouts, while GPP tournaments have larger payouts. Otherwise, these daily fantasy sports contests work in similar ways most of the time.

Is daily fantasy sports legal in Arizona?

Yes, Arizona daily fantasy sports is legal in the Grand Canyon State. Arizona DFS sites officially started launching on August 28, 2021.

What is DFS in Fantasy Football?

DFS in fantasy football works the same as most other DFS sports. You create a lineup of NFL fantasy players and rack up points based on their real life performances. The more points you earn, the higher up you finish in contests and tournaments.

What is the best Fantasy Football site?

The best fantasy football site is Underdog Fantasy. We love Underdog Fantasy for football DFS thanks to their fun platform, selection of contests, and overall experience.

Can you use apps for playing Fantasy Football?

Yes, you can use mobile apps to play fantasy football. DFS apps like Underdog Fantasy are perfect choices for playing NFL fantasy football.

How does DFS work?

DFS works by having you draft a lineup of fantasy players. Once you've drafted your lineup, your fantasy team will rack up fantasy points based on your players' real world performances. The more fantasy points you rack up, the better chance you have at winning real cash prizes.

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