FanDuel Sportsbook Review
As part of our Sportsbook Reviews series, we look one of the other leaders in daily fantasy sports, FanDuel, who have followed suit of rival DraftKings to enter the sportsbook zone in New Jersey. This review provides an overview of key information when using FanDuel, its key features, strengths and drawbacks. You can also opt to compare other sportsbooks with our Sportsbook Comparisons.
- Working with a big, experienced brand in the industry
- Clean, easy to use interface
- Good number of markets in the sports it covers
FanDuel Sportsbook Review
Originating in 2009 from New York, FanDuel has long rivalled DraftKings as the main provider of daily fantasy sports to its US consumers. Since failing to merge with DraftKings in 2017, FanDuel went on to be acquired by Irish bookmaker giant Paddy Power Betfair in May 2018 and became known as FanDuel Group. FanDuel is Paddy Power’s main US brand, and thus is now a key factor with the legalising of sports betting in certain states. Whilst it took until September for FanDuel to open its first online sportsbook, the company had already entered the sportsbook industry after opening a physical one at the Meadowlands racetrack in July.
Operates In
- Sportsbook expected soon
- Live
Deposit and Withdrawal Methods
| Deposit | Withdrawal | |
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| Bank Transfer |
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| PayPal |
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| Visa/MasterCard |
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| PayNearMe |
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| FanDuel PrePaid Card (can apply for on Betfair) |
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| Check |
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| ACH/eCheck |
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Wagering and Site Info
| Minimum Withdrawal | $20 |
| Minimum Deposit | $10 |
| Sign-Up | 21 years old +, New Jersey, Basic Personal Information, Social Security Number. Users will be asked to create two security questions which cannot be changed later. |
| Languages | English |
| Odds Format | American |
| Sports Offered | American Football (NFL & College), Baseball (MLB), Basketball, Boxing, Golf, Hockey, MMA, Soccer, Tennis, Athletics |
ODDS
Checkout how FanDuel compares to other sportsbooks odds at geniusodds.com
Strengths and Other Features
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Interface
FanDuel utilises IGT’s PlayShot sports betting platform, making for a relatively seamless and clean wagering experience. Wagers are split into tabs of popular, live and upcoming and the interface makes it very apparent where to discover more and different kinds of wagers for the user to bet on. The bet slip is also divided into standard, teaser, and round robin wagers allowing for the user to compile a large list of wagers and check them all with minimal fuss.
Whilst FanDuel doesn’t offer live streaming of sports, it has a live simulation of the sport, and provides a general overview of the event.
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Mobile Capabilities
As with all the leading Sportsbooks, a high-functioning mobile app is essential. FanDuel’s app, available on both Android and iOS has an extremely similar feel to its desktop counterpart. From the navigation to the bet slip and the general interface, the uniformity will be reassuring to FanDuel users. New users to FanDuel can also simply sign-up through the app, meaning all their betting can take place through the app without the need to ever visit the desktop site.
FanDuel also offers a Sports Betting Training Camp, an intuitive way of bringing users up to speed with basic guides on a range of wager varieties and parlays and teasers.
As with the desktop interface, betting is split up into popular, live and upcoming – giving users an easy breakdown to decide what bets they are looking for. As is the trend with leading sportsbooks, FanDuel showcases featured events at the top of the app in a banner on the home page, and also tailors the featured betting options to user information from not only the bets they have placed but from information stemming from their DFS choices.
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Sports Offered
Whilst FanDuel has a decent range of sports available, particularly some of the major ones, one drawback is that it is missing some sports that are covered in other sportsbooks already in New Jersey. Popular sports such as cricket and cycling for instance, are not yet available to bet on FanDuels’ sportsbook. However, FanDuel has a huge array of prop bets on some of its sports, so it must be commended on an extensive variety of markets.
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Cash Out
FanDuel is another sportsbook that has cottoned onto granting bettors the ability to get out of their bet early. Wagers that are eligible for cash out will allow the user to earn an early pay-out regardless of whether the bet is on track to win or lose, however it is in accordance with the live odds at the time of cashing out. Not all wagers will be eligible to cash out.
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Support
FanDuel offers 24/7 live chat support, as well as a 24/7 email service and phone line. The live chat is punctual and prompt, and is an area FanDuel has clearly looked to improve, with Betfair’s influence apparent with their branding mentioned in the live chat.
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Types of Wagers Offered
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The Verdict
Coming in as one of the giants of the daily fantasy sports industry, and having the guidance of betting giant Paddy Power Betfair behind it, FanDuel was always going to make an immediate impact in the sportsbook market.
There really aren’t too many drawbacks, we could nit-pick on elements such as only providing American odds, whereas other sportsbooks in the US offer all types of odds, but overall the interface and usability of the site is unlikely to ever cause much frustration for the user.
Their lack of sports is something that could potentially be addressed in the future, as users will go elsewhere if they’re looking for the sports FanDuel doesn’t offer, however it also has an edge over other sportsbooks in providing such a large range of markets for the sports that it does cover. The weekly bonuses are also interesting and are sure to keep bringing the punters back. However, their initial deposit bonus is one of the weaker elements of FanDuel in comparison to others such as DraftKings and SugarHouse, with $100 matched for new users depositing for the first time.
