The Best DFS Sites for 2025
Delve into our rankings of the top daily fantasy sites and apps. Gain access to hundreds of dollars in sign-up bonuses. Make an account using the exclusive links below.
The Best Daily Fantasy Sports Sites and Apps for 2025
Daily fantasy sports is a massive industry with a long list of DFS and Pick’em apps available to players. We’ve ranked our favorites in the table below so you can choose from the best.
We only recommend the best DFS sites in your state, and we only rank sites that are licensed, legal, and legitimate everywhere they operate. These top daily fantasy sites provide exciting gameplay and extras, as well as a range of deposit and withdrawal methods.
If you’re a fan of competing on the go, you’ll find great DFS apps function well on both iOS and Android smartphone and tablet devices. That means you can play fantasy football games or other contests from just about anywhere. Our number one choice for our readers boasts the most impressive selection of sports contests. They even have come to the party and added different types of fantasy esports game modes and contests.
DraftKings Daily Fantasy Sports at a Glance
One of the true originators of daily fantasy sports, and still one of the best out there, DraftKings Fantasy Sports boasts an impressive welcome bonus. There are also regular promotions for existing customers, ensuring it isn’t only potentially the best DFS site for beginners, but for everyone.
DraftKings hosts a range of conventional and unique DFS options for players to experience. Of course, traditional fantasy leagues are available, but there are also prize pools attached to special events allowing you the chance to split a big cash pot. Beyond the traditional sports, there is even daily fantasy Formula 1 amongst other niche contests.
Players at DraftKings will not only enjoy a top DFS site, but also have access to one of the best sportsbooks around, too. DraftKings also provides a top-quality smartphone app, a range of payment methods for deposits and withdrawals, and much more.
OwnersBox at a Glance
OwnersBox is a unique weekly fantasy sports platform that lets users draft players within a salary cap and compete for cash rewards. Based in Canada, they introduced the first-ever weekly fantasy sports platform in 2020, distinct from daily fantasy sports.
OwnersBox offers both daily and weekly fantasy contests for football, hockey, basketball, and baseball. The platform features a SuperFlex format in football, allowing users to start a quarterback at the FLEX position.The site is accessible in many states but has exceptions.
Former NFL quarterback Drew Brees is their spokesperson, while a new user promotion provides a tangible incentive for everyone debating signing up. The platform ensures game integrity, deposits and withdrawals are secure, and it’s recommended for those wanting a mix of season-long and daily fantasy.
ParlayPlay at a Glance
ParlayPlay is a fresh and user-friendly DFS betting platform. Its vibrant color scheme of black, yellow, and white ensures readability and ease of navigation. The platform’s design is optimized for mobile usage, with a dedicated app available for Apple users, while Android users await their version.
Signing up to a contest is quick and easy, especially when it comes to banking. As was covered in our review of ParlayPlay, the brand ensures prompt transactions with no fees. That makes it easy to pay the entrance fee to play daily fantasy golf amongst other contests.
ParlayPlay operates legally in 27 states and Canada, prioritizing transparency and responsible gambling. The Parlay Club rewards program and a referral system add value for regular users. With fantasy sports games like Higher/Lower and Hit-It featuring various sports categories, ParlayPlay covers many bases.
DFS Sites: Legal Status by State
Daily fantasy sports operators require a valid license in each U.S. state to be able to offer their services. We’ve listed the states where each of the top DFS platforms operate in.
State | Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DraftKings Sportsbook | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
OwnersBox | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
ParlayPlay | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
List of DFS Apps by Category
🥇 Best Overall DFS Platform | OwnersBox |
🎁 Exciting DFS Promotions | DraftKings |
📱 World-Class Mobile App | OwnersBox |
💳 Gold Standard for Banking | ParlayPlay |
We break down the best daily fantasy sites by category to ensure players can find the operator that best suits their needs. The top DFS sites provide a host of perks, but some may stand out in certain areas.
You may want to find the daily fantasy sports site with the best offers. Whatever your preference, ensure to play at a licensed daily fantasy site by choosing from the recommendations in the table.
Recommended DFS Site for April 2025
How to Sign Up
- Pick your chosen DFS from our recommended sites
- Click register and input the necessary details
- Provide any requested documentation to verify your identity
- Choose from the list of secure payment methods
- Make your first deposit
- Claim the welcome bonus
- Check out the fantasy sports options available
- Pick your chosen option and start playing
Signing up at a new DFS site couldn’t be simpler. Just follow the steps above at any of our recommended sites. As long as you stick with our rankings of the best DFS websites, you can rest assured you’ll be playing at a safe, secure, licensed gaming site.
Before you sign up and make your first deposit, be sure to check the terms and conditions of the DFS site you have selected. This includes any deposit methods that may be ineligible for the bonus you receive with your first deposit.
Where DFS is Legal in the United States
The federal government has classified daily fantasy sports as a game of skill. This is an important distinction since most gambling activities are considered games of chance. Although DFS is legal on a federal level, each state government places their own restrictions on the activity. The map below provides an overview of where daily fantasy is legal and illegal at a state level.
Daily Fantasy Sports State Legislation Tracker
We’ve identified the relevant statutes that regulates daily fantasy sports in each jurisdiction. Select your state to discover if daily fantasy sports is regulated, unregulated but generally allowed, or illegal. Watch this space for continued coverage of legislative changes.
The Best Daily Fantasy Bonus Offers
Bonuses are one of the most effective ways for top daily fantasy sports sites to stand out among the competition. Promotions usually start with a welcome offer that is given when you make your first deposit at a DFS sportsbook. This will usually be a deposit match or a free play of some kind.
It isn’t only new customers who benefit from these offers, however. Promotions for existing customers are also available, keeping things exciting even after you get past the initial welcome bonus. Remember to pay attention to any terms and conditions before claiming a bonus.
Gambling Site | Deposit Bonus | Promo Code | Wagering | Min. Visa Deposit | Eligible States | Play | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OwnersBox | Up to $500 Deposit Bonus | CHECK HERE | by rank | $10 | AL, AR, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, KS, KY, MD, MA, MN, MO, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WV, WI, WY | Claim Bonus! | Valid only for new players over 21 years of age. |
ParlayPlay | Up to $100 Deposit Bonus | CHECK HERE | 1x | $10 | AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WV, WI, WY | Claim Bonus! | Valid only for new players over 21 years of age. |
DraftKings | Up to $500 Deposit Bonus | CHECK HERE | 25x | $5 | AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MT, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WV, WI, WY | Claim Bonus! | Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Help is available for problem gambling. Call (888) 789-7777 or visit ccpg.org(CT). 18+ in most eligible states, but age varies by jurisdiction. Eligibility restrictions apply. |
The Top Daily Fantasy Sports Apps
If you’re a fan of gaming on the run, you’ll be happy to hear the top daily fantasy sites offer excellent DFS apps allowing you to pick and edit your fantasy team and make plays from anywhere. As long as you’re in a state where your chosen DFS is legal, then all you need is an active internet connection.
Game and Competition Modes
Daily fantasy sports have come a long way since their early form as salary cap contests. There are now countless competition modes for players to enjoy, with accessible rules and structures that appeal to everyone from beginners to pros. Below, we’ve listed some of the most common gameplay modes at major DFS sites. There are also further details in our how to play DFS article including common terms you should know.
Salary Cap
Salary Cap contests are the most popular type of DFS mode, and require contestants to create a fantasy lineup of players from a single sports league to earn points based on their real-life performances. Athletes are priced according to their projected performance, recent stats, upcoming pair-ups, and more.
Successful salary cap gameplay requires contestants to recruit a mix of high-scoring players and undervalued picks that will likely exceed projections. Depending on whether it is a cash game or a GPP tournament, players may benefit from picking players with low ownership rates to give them a competitive edge.
Snake Drafts
In Snake Drafts, contestants take turns recruiting athletes from a player pool rather than within a salary cap limit. The drafting position is randomly assigned, and once a draft round is completed, the order is reversed. These drafting modes are available for both daily and season-long competitions.
Daily Lineups
While traditional fantasy sports require contestants to construct and edit their lineups over a league’s season, daily lineups are the most common form of competition mode. These competitions can be as short as a day and as long as a week, meaning that contestants must draft new teams each round.
The benefit of this is that participants won’t need to maintain teams for months. Rather, they can respond to short-term outcomes such as favorable match-ups, injury reports, and predicted weather conditions. It also means that payouts are distributed regularly and multiple lineups can be submitted at once.
Pick’Ems
Gaining popularity in the past few years, Pick’em contests are similar to sports betting in that contestants are required to select which site-generated matchups of athletes will perform better. These are played against the operator and are extremely simple, making them great for beginners. However, some states do not permit these contests at DFS sites due to their perceived similarity to sports betting.
What Can’t DFS Platforms Do?
DFS are, in some capacity, legal in 45 states. That said, each state has varying rules as to what operators can be offered depending on how expanded legal online gaming is. This is why most DFS platforms do not offer opportunities for online sports betting, online casinos, social sports betting, or sweepstakes.
That said, some states that have legalized online casino and sports betting allow DFS operators to offer expanded gambling products. Sites such as DraftKings and FanDuel began as DFS sites but have since expanded to offer broader gambling products where legal. These can be enjoyed through the same player accounts and wallets used to access DFS products.
What is the Best Brand for Free Games and Contest?
Whether you’re completely new to DFS or simply don’t wish to risk any cash, it can be worth it to participate in free DFS contests. Fortunately, most of the major fantasy sports operators will offer free competition modes, whether salary cap contests, Pick’Ems, or daily lineups.
We recommend signing up with DraftKings to access the widest options for free gameplay. These include freeroll tournaments, which require no entry fees and real cash prizes to winners. Free-to-play pick’em games are also available, as are no-cost private competitions, practice contests, and beginner contests. DraftKings requires no cash deposit upon sign-up.
What is the Best Brand for Playing on Desktop?
While mobile gameplay is the most popular way for contestants to interact with daily fantasy sports, some players much prefer the wider view and ease of navigation provided by desktop access. Major sites such as DraftKings offer both mobile and desktop contests, though we believe that OwnersBox is the best for desktop competitions.
OwnersBox offers two primary competition options, including the Pick’Em-style Lightning Lineups and the salary cap SuperFlex mode. SuperFlex requires users to draft a team of nine players within set requirements, with one assigned as a high-scoring SuperFlex. The desktop platform ensures fast and simple lineup construction and a wealth of information to inform selections.
What is the Best DFS App?
Owing to its huge user base, diverse competition modes, myriad sports options, and regular promotions, DraftKings is the best DFS app. The mobile platform allows users to register a new account, make deposits and withdrawals, and access the loyalty features with ease, with its slick and intuitive design facilitating smooth roster construction.
The app can be downloaded for iOS smartphones and tablets as well as Android devices. Once you’re in the app, you can search for tournaments or head-to-heads, create private competitions, and enter contests. The app is so well-designed that you won’t need to use the desktop version if it doesn’t suit you.
Can I Trust a DFS Operator with My SSN and Privacy?
As long as the DFS platform is legal and licensed in the state you live in, you can trust it with your SSN. Licensed operators adhere to strict laws regarding player safety, security, and privacy, which guarantees that they pay out all owed winnings and pay taxes on revenues. All of the real-money DFS sites recommended on this site are licensed.
Problem Gambling Help
Betting is fun, as long as you’re safe. We take responsible gambling very seriously. If you’re worried you might have a gambling problem, or you may know someone who does, there is help, support and advice on offer.
If you find yourself lying about how much you gamble, neglecting responsibilities, or betting money you can’t afford to lose, these organizations are there for you. Don’t be afraid to reach out, help is available.
FAQ
Which are the best daily fantasy sites?
In which states is it legal to play daily fantasy sports?
Where can I find DFS sign up bonuses?
What is DFS and how do I play?
Conclusion – Play Daily Fantasy Sports For Real Money
Our featured DFS sites stand out thanks to the excellent all-round service they provide for US customers. From attractive DFS options to great offers to numerous payment methods, these sites have it all.
Remember that we only recommend the best DFS sites and we will only feature a daily fantasy site if it carries the necessary licenses to ensure your safety and security. That means you can focus on picking your team and enjoying a great DFS sports experience. So you can play fantasy UFC or whatever contest you please with total confidence.