DraftKings Review - Game Rules & Key Bonus Information
DraftKings have set their stall out on becoming the industry leading daily fantasy sports entertainment provider. They intend to achieve this by a combination of awesome site design, a market-leading product offer and impressive prize structures.
DraftKings have obtained a UK gaming licence and have now made sweeping changes to their soccer product, switching statistics provider and moving from an 8 a-side format to an 11 a-side version in an attempt to captivate the UK audience. The signs are very promising and this should give the daily fantasy football market in Europe a real boost.
Their current soccer product covers the English Premier League, Major League Soccer and the Champions League and complements the plethora of other sports which make up the DraftKings portfolio. These include: NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB , PGA Golf, College Basketball, College Football, Mixed Martial Arts, NASCAR and eSports.
Promotions
All new DraftKings users are entitled to a 100% FIRST DEPOSIT BONUS (up to $600). Simply sign-up here. No promo code is needed and you will also receive a $3 entry voucher.
“The goalkeeper is the jewel in the crown and getting at him should be almost impossible. It’s the biggest sin in football to make him do any work.” George Graham, Former Scottish Player and Manager
DraftKings ran a Fantasy Soccer World Championship last season which culminated in $100,000 in PRIZE MONEY being awarded on the final EPL round so keep an eye out for events like that!
Due to the popularity of certain contests DraftKings allow players to RESERVE a place in an upcoming event prior to the release of player salaries so take advantage of that feature to ensure that you don’t miss out.
At a Glance
Match Statistics:
OPTA
Software:
Proprietary
Leagues Offered:
EPL, MLS & Champions League
Mobile:
Mobile play available
Competitions:
Daily & Weekly games plus ‘step ticket’ freerolls
Payment Options:
PayPal, Amex, Visa, MasterCard, Discover & Dwolla
Currencies:
USD & Canadian Dollars
Languages:
English
Customer Support Business Hours:
9am-11pm EST Monday to Friday and 11am-7pm EST on weekends
Customer Support:
Email / Live Chat - support@draftkings.com
Licensed:
US-based skill games company. All contests are operated 100% legally under United States and Canadian law
Loyalty Program:
Frequent Player Points that can be redeemed in store
Restricted Countries:
Only players from the USA and Canada can participate in cash ‘contests’ (exceptions – residents of Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana and Washington)
Rake:
6-10%
Payout Structures:
Winner takes all, double-ups, multipliers & tournament fields (% of players)
Responsible Gaming:
TBC
Updated:
29th October 2015
Game Rules
DraftKings have switched from an 8 player roster to an 11 player roster and you will be assigned a fixed salary cap of $50,000 from which to draft your squad. There is no need to select any substitutes which some other sites favour.
“The rules of soccer are very simple, basically it is this: if it moves, kick it. If it doesn’t move, kick it until it does.” Phil Woosnam, Former Welsh soccer player and manager
It's worth noting that due to time zone differences some European soccer games will kick-off very early in some States. For this reason DraftKings create a number of additional contests with staggered starting times in an attempt to satisfy all customers. Entries will close approximately one minute before the start of the first game in the contest. One of the great features of DraftKings is their ‘late swap’ functionality. You can edit your roster as many times as you like before the contest’s closing time and you can also continue to edit players after the contest starts but only for any players that will be taking part in games that are yet to kick-off. This is a great way to take advantage of any surprising late team news.
Team Selection
Rosters must include players from at least 3 different EPL, MLS or UCL teams. As a precautionary note please be aware that EPL and UCL are separate competitions and drafts include different teams, players, and salaries.
Simply select a goalkeeper, a minimum of three defenders, three midfielders, and two forwards and 2 'flex' players . The 'flex' players can occupy any of the outfield positions giving you real flexibility with your starting formations.
Competition Lobby
DraftKings prides itself on its customer-friendly navigation. Buy-ins range from $1 to $10,600 and there are also a large number of freerolls available offering players the opportunity to learn more about participating in daily fantasy sports contests.
Simply select your sport, choose your entry fee and then your competition format. You will need to familiarize yourself with some of the terminology they use but that should become second nature in no time at all. DraftKings go big on soccer jargon and this is demonstrated by the way they name their contests reflecting the standard buy-in for the event in question. For example, it's $3 to participate in a Striker, $27 to enter an Equalizer and $200 to take part in a Golden Boot! Many of the contests in the competition lobby have Guaranteed Prize Pools as well!
2010 - present
2010 - present
Scoring System
DraftKings now uses statistics provided by OPTA for soccer contests.
The points scoring has been significantly enhanced but still revolves primarily around attack, defence and discipline. The complete DraftKings soccer rules can be viewed in full by clicking the button below
“Maybe I can ask you the first question. Are there any diving schools in London?” Jurgen Klinsmann, Former Tottenham Player and Current Head Coach, USA
Summary
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Impressive user interface making customer navigation seamless on both mobile and desktop versions
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‘Late Swap’ functionality and the option to import/export players in a timely manner really gives players a ‘hands-on’ involvement removing many of the frustrations fantasy managers have had to put up with in the past
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Market-leading product diversity with fantastic pay-out levels
DraftKings have listened to the advice of UK fantasy football players, making changes as deemed fit and should make a huge impact following their UK launch. Hopefully more European soccer leagues will be added to the mix in the not too distant future and expansion into other parts of Europe will also be on the agenda.
Check out reviews for other Fantasy Football sites
Customer Reviews
Your DraftKings Rating
Kevin P.
Review added 27/08/2015
"The prize money on offer is just awesome. DK is a great place to play."
