DraftKings Sportsbook review: Is it live and how to bet

Note: The content on this page was updated on January 12, 2023.

DraftKings originally launched back in 2012 as a fantasy sports website, however, with the legalization of sports betting sweeping across the US, it decided to expand its business and enter the sports betting market in 2020. However, it wasn’t until January 2022 that DraftKings Sportsbook would arrive in the state of New York.

Since its launch, the DraftKings Sportsbook has established itself as one of the biggest operators in the Empire State, falling behind only FanDuel Sportsbook in terms of the betting handle. But why are they so popular? We investigate all that is on offer in our DraftKings Sportsbook review.

Is DraftKings Sportsbook currently legal to use in New York?

Yes, DraftKings Sportsbook is currently legal to use in New York. Online sports betting has been legal in Syracuse since the state of New York passed legislation permitting nine sportsbooks to obtain licenses from the state regulator, the New York State Gaming Commission, and begin operating in January 2022.

The law took many years to come through the New York legal system, though, finally being signed in April 2021 when Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the state budget bill that included lifting the ban on online sports betting.

A full breakdown of the legalization of New York sports betting is available to read in our New York betting guide, which covers everything from how it was legalized and important dates that take you right through the entire process since the first sports betting bill was introduced.

How can I sign up for DraftKings Sportsbook in New York?

Signing up to DraftKings Sportsbook is a quick and easy process completed in three steps:

1. Click here to register for a new DraftKings Sportsbook account
2. Enter your personal details and confirm your identity and address.
3. Once your location is confirmed, your account will be ready to use.

Like many of the best sportsbooks in New York, DraftKings has a welcome bonus to entice new customers to sign up. They’re currently offering a 20% deposit match up to $1,000, which is awarded for deposits as little as $5.

Be sure to look out for the latest New York DraftKings promo codes so you don’t miss out on the latest promotions. Now you don’t have to use them, but they do help enhance the betting experience and often give you a chance to try bets without putting real money down first.

Placing a bet at DraftKings Sportsbook online

Once you register for a new DraftKings account, you’re ready to deposit funds and begin placing bets. Here’s a quick breakdown to show you how easy it is to do:

1. On the left-hand side, you’ll see an A-Z list of sports. You should pick which one interests you, but for this review, we’ll select baseball.
2. Click on that sport and a dropdown menu will appear for different competitions, we’ll select NFL.
3. You will now see a list of available games and the main odds for the most popular bets. You can click on it to expand the options available.
4. We want to cover the Buffalo Bills to beat the Cleveland Browns, so we click on the green odds in the money line box to add the selection to our betting slip.
5. We then enter our wager amount in the box provided and click ‘place bet’.

Now you are ready to sit back with your feet up and enjoy the game, with a little extra excitement added as you keep an eye on whether your bet is coming in or not. If you want to make your first bet at DraftKings today, click here to register for a new account.

Where can you bet with DraftKings Sportsbook?

You can bet in person with DraftKings Sportsbook at the del Lago Resort Casino in Waterloo, which is open Sunday to Thursday from 8 a.m. EST until midnight, and Friday through Saturday from 8 a.m. EST to 2 a.m. EST.

In addition, betting is also available online via the DraftKings website or via its dedicated sports betting app available on Android and iOS devices. However, in order to use the website and the app, you must have a good internet signal, so depending on where you are and what reception is like, you may struggle to connect and be able to load up the app to place bets.

What bet types does DraftKings offer?

DraftKings Sportsbook offers a wide variety of betting options across its bet types, from popular straight bets such as the money line to prop bets such as which player will score the first touchdown in the NFL game we mentioned between the Bills and Browns.

Customers can also combine bets to create parlays to have a chance of a bigger return. They can combine bets from the same game, and across multiple sports, which is great for the all-round sports fan who doesn’t just focus on one particular type such as football or soccer.

How competitive are DraftKings odds?

DraftKings Sportsbook’s number one competitor is FanDuel, so let’s compare the odds between the two for the game we’ve been discussing in the NFL.

DraftKings is offering odds of -380 for the Bills and +310 on the Browns for the money line bet, compare this with FanDuel, which offers -360 and +290, it shows the two are very competitive.

DraftKings just edges out the competition by offering slightly better odds on the underdog, but FanDuel has slightly better odds for the favorite. This won’t be the case for all games obviously, as sports betting is a very competitive market, but it’s a good indicator that the odds offered by DraftKings are some of the best available in New York.

Streaming live games at DraftKings

DraftKings Sportsbook offers the ability to live stream some games with a selection of European and Asian basketball, soccer, hockey, tennis and more available. Not all events will be watchable, but you can tell which ones are live streaming, as they’ll have a little TV symbol on them to let you know.

To really take advantage of this service, if you have a smart TV, you could cast games to it from your phone or tablet to save watching them on a smaller screen. Then, you can get your friends round and get out the chips and salsa to enjoy some of your favorite sports without having to pay out for any of those expensive cable or satellite subscriptions.

DraftKings payment methods

There is a good selection of options for depositing and withdrawing money from your account. There is a minimum of $5 to make deposits across all payment methods except for Wire Transfer which requires a minimum of $100. Withdrawal limits vary between providers and some have generous maximum caps.

The following are available for deposits when you sign up at DraftKings:

• Online banking
• PayPal
• Credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, and Discover)
• Play+
• VIP Preferred e-check
• Wire transfer
• DraftKings gift card
• Electronic gift card
• Cash

There are fewer options for withdrawals, which are:

• Online banking
• PayPal
• VIP Preferred e-Check
• Play+ Prepaid Card
• Wire transfer
• Checks

Processing times vary with online banking and PayPal offering the quickest turnaround times and checks and wire transfers being the longest. There are no fees charged by DraftKings Sportsbook either, though you may want to check with payment providers as they may charge their own transaction fees.

Overall thoughts on DraftKings Sportsbook NY

This operator offers up a good selection of bet types and competitive odds. Other aspects of the site and its dedicated sports betting app are very good too, but the main plus for us is how DraftKings Sportsbook offers a selection of free-to-play games throughout each sporting season where customers can play for free but still have a chance at winning real money prizes. This is a great promotion that gives something back to customers without asking for anything from them.

One of the areas in which DraftKings typically excels its lucrative sign-up promos. Currently, new members can click here to sign up, and they’ll automatically receive a $150 bonus bet after making a $5 wager. This sign-up boost is widely considered one of the best in the industry. so be sure it claim it before its too late.

DraftKings Sportsbook does offer a positive experience overall though and it is one of the most competitive platforms out there.

Sportsbook Rank: 5/5 stars

Register for a new account with DraftKings Sportsbook this month to enroll in the “Bet $5, win $200″ promotion.