Best Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) Sites in the US 2025

Our Top DFS Picks for US Players 

The Gambla team couldn’t be happier with the rising popularity of DFS. While there are more sites than ever, that’s for sure. But that also means it’s more difficult to find the best daily fantasy sports in the US.

Fortunately, our testing methods ended up fruitful and helped us compile the latest Gambla top list. It features seven of the top DFS sites for Americans, and they go as follows:

DraftKings

DraftKings is undoubtedly the most innovative brand that emerged as a result of daily fantasy sports for the first time, they cover a vast range of sports ie NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, etc within their platform. Drafting points out late swaps as one of the many different types of options offered on the site – players may modify the lineup after the competitions have started with this advantage.

With a comprehensive selection of contest types and an intuitive mobile app, DraftKings remains a popular choice for both casual and seasoned players. Gambla’s tests also revealed a treasure trove of bonuses for regular players, especially daily and weekly tournaments and reloads.

When it comes to legality, DraftKings DFS is available in most US states. Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Hawaii and parts of Louisiana are the only exceptions. Without a doubt, this is the most widely available DFS site in the US.

FanDuel

A frontrunner in the daily fantasy sports arena, FanDuel entices users with its sleek interface and extensive sports options. Their innovative single-game contest format sets them apart, allowing users to focus their lineups around a single event. For this reason, Gambla would recommend this DFS site to beginners.

FanDuel’s platform is equipped with various contest modes like contests and head-to-head competitions. The mobile user interface, as well as solid promotions make FanDuel our second-best in terms of DFS sites. The states that are not allowed include only Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Washington. Although the mix is somewhat strange, they still compete with Draft Kings in this particular area of competition.

Overall, we also like how many GPP tournaments there are. They’re nicely balanced with qualifiers and plenty of free rolls. So, if you want to play without financial burdens, FanDuel is the place to be.

JockMKT

JockMKT revolutionizes the daily fantasy sports landscape by merging DFS with stock market-style trading. Therefore, we’d say this is a perfect choice for anyone looking for something new. Overall, the principle may be a novelty, but it’s easy to understand. The investment part might be a bit hard for beginners, so make sure you understand how the shares system works.

Participants buy and sell shares of athletes during games, creating a dynamic and exhilarating experience. Jock MKT’s platform supports NFL, NBA, MLB, and PGA, catering to a limited but still specialized audience. However, the format as a whole is engaging enough that it makes up for the lack of available sports. Nevertheless, we have to praise the recent addition of ice hockey and European soccer.

The only thing we’d like to see improved is availability. According to JockMKT themselves, you can access the platform in 34 states. Nevertheless, this doesn’t take away from the fact they’re the most unique US daily fantasy site.

ParlayPlay

ParlayPlay offers a refreshing and simplified approach to daily fantasy sports. While DraftKings sticks to the basics and JockMKT experiments, this DFS site tries to strike the balance. Instead of creating teams, you pick player props and create your own fantasy parlay. There are only between 2 to 4 legs on each slip, which is great news for rookies.

If you like props on NBA and NFL matches, you’ll definitely love ParlayPlay. We’d definitely recommend them to sports bettors looking to get into DFS. Regardless, our team members were still surprised by the depth of these props. Even traditional bookies don’t cover NBA blocks and rebound markets this extensively.

And even though they were launched only recently, ParlayPlay is widely available. You can find them anywhere except Idaho, Hawaii, Louisiana, Washington, Nevada, and Montana. We love new formats like this, especially when the payouts are fair and straightforward.

OwnersBox

Blending traditional season-long fantasy with the excitement of daily fantasy sports, OwnersBox delivers a novel hybrid experience. The platform focuses exclusively on contests that span multiple weeks. This includes plenty of visualization features and opportunities to compete against other players. The system as a whole provides users with an experience similar to managing a traditional fantasy team. In fact, this is the closest you’ll get to becoming a real-life sports GM.

OwnersBox boasts an intuitive interface and various contest types, including tournaments and head-to-head matchups. The addition of social features, such as private leagues, adds a competitive edge for users seeking a more interactive DFS experience.

ThriveFantasy

The best way to describe ThriveFantasy would be as a modern twist on fantasy sports. They take all the basics and repackage them into a 2025 version. Thus, it’s no wonder that the majority of the offer revolves around eSports. So, if you’re into DOTA, Valorant, or even FIFA, this is by far the best daily fantasy sports site for this. In addition, we’ve noticed ThriveFantasy’s exceptional coverage of UFC and even selected Bellator matches.

But just like ParlayPlay, this DFS site focuses on player parlays instead of drafts. It’s a hybrid form of sports betting, but Gambla’s experts generally enjoy this format. There are no annoying drafts or month-long preparations. Just like at our recommended US sportsbook, you can see what’s going on and just create your own parlay. But there’s also enough strategic depth for pros to enjoy themselves.

Once again, availability is the only thing we don’t like. A whopping 20 states are excluded, which puts the brand at a severe disadvantage. However, we think you’ll like the mobile app and this fresh approach to DFS gameplay.

Underdog Fantasy

At first glance, the whole point of Underdog Fantasy seems to be to maintain activity. The brand succeeds in this by offering some of the largest sports selections on this list. In total, there are 10+ sports at all times, with tennis, NASCAR, and even hot dog eating being available. Plenty of our readers also rate them as the best daily fantasy sports site for MLS and European soccer. So if you want to take a trip across the pond – Underdog has your back.

This also includes equal coverage for all available sports. Even NASCAR had around a dozen or so competitions at the time of writing this review. Moreover, high-stakes players will appreciate the hefty prize pools.

Licensing-wise, Underdog is available in a total of 40 states. However, NCAA tournaments and Pick’em pairs are banned in a couple more states. Check the brand’s official website for up-to-date info on this.

What Are Daily Fantasy Sports

In case you did not understand from the words above the title, the term DFS refers to Daily Fantasy Sports. Today, it has come to totally overshadow traditional fantasy sports both in the level of interest and the degree of enthusiasm. In Daily Fantasy Sports, members form a team that is patterned after real existing players, this applies to players of varying professional leagues. These usually include the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL, but motorsports and soccer are also common. One thing that should be underscored at this stage is that on such a team only the players whose statistics had been chosen beforehand can be present.

Some key features of DFS include:

• Short-term commitment. Unlike traditional fantasy sports, which typically span an entire season, DFS contests can be as short as a single day or last for a week, depending on the sport.
• Variety of contest formats. DFS offers a wide range of contests, such as tournaments, head-to-head matchups, 50/50s, and more.
• Cash prizes. Most DFS platforms provide cash prizes, which can range from a few dollars to millions, depending on the contest’s size and entry fees.
• Flexibility. With DFS, you have the freedom to create new lineups for each contest, allowing you to adapt to injuries, player matchups, and other variables that impact athlete performance.

How to Get Started with Daily Fantasy Sports 

To get started with DFS, follow these steps:

• Choose a platform. Select a reputable DFS site available in the US, preferably one of our top picks listed above.
• Create an account. Sign up for an account using your email address and personal information. Most platforms offer sign-up bonuses or promotions to attract new users.
• Deposit funds. Add funds to your account using your preferred payment method. Most platforms accept credit cards, PayPal, and other online payment services.

How to Select Your First Competition 

Once your payment lands and you familiarize yourself with how the site works, it’s go time. Pick a sport you want to start with and focus on the following:

• Select a contest to begin. A variety of available contests can be searched. These contests also differ in the entry fee, prize pool and contest format. Some of the popular formats are guaranteed prize pool, GPP tournaments, head-to-head matchups, and double up contests.
• Draft your lineup next. Select the players from several athletes and build your team while adhering to a salary cap. Each player is assigned a salary reflecting his or her level of effort expectancy, with premium players costing the highest salary. Be tactical with your choices to enhance your team’s capabilities.
• Keep an eye on your squad. As the matches go on, you can see how your team is doing at that point. As for the total score of your team, it is the aggregated stats of all the players you bought. Blooms, rebounds, or goals are factors that earn points SCORING.
• Win prizes in cash. Such contests offer cash rewards based on the contest payout structure whenever your team manages to qualify with a score that is high enough. In many instances, certain contests will offer cash prizes in a specified proportion to the final competitors.

Other than the basic steps mentioned, most of the great DFS players prepare quite well before heading over to compete. It can be working in different areas such as monitoring the news about players, checking their matches or different statistical data that can help in choosing a lineup.

DFS vs. Sports Betting: What’s the Difference?

While both DFS and sports betting involve predicting outcomes in sports events, there are some key differences between the two.

DFS Characteristics 

• In DFS, you’re by building a virtual team. Therefore, you are directly responsible for what happens later on. Real-life events also play a role, but only to a certain extent.
• DFS contests are skill-based games that focus on your ability to analyze athlete performance. Therefore, they require much more knowledge when compared to sports betting. It’s not enough to watch games, you must also know how to read and identify key stats.
• DFS often features multiplayer contests. So, it’s not enough to just beat the house. You’ll be facing opponents with all kinds of skill levels, depending on the entry fee and the prize pool.
• DFS platforms usually offer a wider variety of contests and entry fees, while sports betting primarily consists of straight bets, parlays, and prop bets. For instance, there are one-day DFS tournaments for NBA assists only. The best daily fantasy sites let you create custom leagues, private competitions and more.

Sports Betting Characteristics 

• In sports betting, you’re placing bets on odds set by a bookmaker. That’s it, you don’t have to count on other players messing up your mojo. DFS, on the other hand, features multiplayer contests. So, it’s not enough to just beat the house. You’ll be facing opponents with all kinds of skill levels, depending on the entry fee and the prize pool.
• Sports betting involves wagering on specific outcomes of a game or event. There is no way you can impact the outcome in the end. The Timberwolves are stuck with Rudy Gobert, you can’t cheese your own team like in DFS.
• Betting on sporting events lets you target sections of a game. DFS rarely lets you do this, with only a few sites offering quarter-by-quarter stats counting. The best sportsbooks, on the other hand, have plenty of markets for this.
• When you bet on sports, you’re the only competition to yourself. On the other hand, DFS might see your chances of winning ruined by more skilled players.

In addition, the Gambla team thinks fantasy sports are much more flexible than sports betting. They’re a great way for beginners to learn the inner workings of a sport. DFS also gives meaning to otherwise meaningless games, much more than sports betting in some cases.

Nevertheless, sports betting is still much more lucrative. Even though the player’s impact is much lesser, the risk pays out in the form of high odds. Both styles of gambling have their pros and cons. But at the end of the day, most pros like to switch it up.

Frequently Asked Questions About Daily Fantasy Sports