Underdog Review

_{This page contains references to products from one of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Affiliate Policy, visit this page.} Underdog Fantasy is one of the most innovative and fastest-growing daily fantasy sports operators in the United States, and this Underdog review examines the platform in complete detail, from its salary-free draft formats and Pick’em contests to its pioneering expansion into federally regulated sports prediction markets. Launched in July 2020 and headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, Underdog has rapidly distinguished itself from established competitors through proprietary technology, a polished mobile experience, and a willingness to lead the industry into new product categories that larger rivals approached more cautiously. This guide is intended as the definitive resource on the brand, covering the company’s history and ownership, its full range of contest types, the welcome offer, banking, state availability, safety, customer support, and an in-depth treatment of its prediction markets partnership with Crypto.com. It also covers the significant regulatory developments of late 2025 and 2026 that have reshaped the company’s strategy, including its exit from traditional sportsbook operations and the legal battles now defining the prediction markets sector. Whether a reader is a seasoned daily fantasy veteran or entirely new to the format, the sections below provide a complete understanding of what Underdog offers and how it works.

Review of Underdog

Underdog occupies a distinctive position in the United States sports gaming market as a daily fantasy operator that has deliberately built its identity around simplicity, design, and innovation rather than the scale-driven approach of industry giants. Where traditional daily fantasy sports platforms require players to manage salary caps and assemble rosters within strict budget constraints, Underdog eliminated that complexity entirely with a salary-free draft model, lowering the barrier to entry for casual players while preserving strategic depth for experienced ones. This single design decision has shaped the brand’s reputation and underpinned much of its growth. Beyond its fantasy roots, Underdog has become the most prominent example of a sports gaming company pivoting toward prediction markets, a category that allows users to trade contracts on sporting outcomes through a federally regulated exchange. The platform pairs this with a genuinely well-regarded mobile application, transparent contest economics, and fast prize processing, which together have earned it consistently strong user ratings. The summary table below sets out the platform’s core specifications, and the sections that follow examine every aspect of the product in full.

Is Underdog Legit and Safe?

Underdog is a legitimate and safe platform, and several concrete factors support that assessment beyond the company’s general reputation. It operates as a legally licensed daily fantasy sports operator across the large majority of United States states, complying with the specific regulatory requirements of each jurisdiction in which it offers contests. The platform employs modern encryption to protect user funds and personal data, maintains segregated player fund accounts that keep customer deposits separate from company operating capital, and uses GeoComply location verification to confirm that users are physically present in an eligible state before they can enter contests. The company’s credibility is further reinforced by its backing and its leadership. Underdog has attracted a notable roster of investors drawn from sports and entertainment, and its founding team brought direct, relevant experience to the venture. The platform’s standing is also evident in its consistently high ratings across the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, where users frequently praise fast prize processing, responsive support, and an intuitive interface. The subsections below examine the company’s background and its defining technological approach in greater depth.

Investor Backing and Reputation

Underdog has assembled an impressive group of high-profile backers whose involvement lends the company considerable credibility. Its investor base has included prominent figures from the worlds of business, professional sport, music, and sports media, a level of endorsement that few daily fantasy startups achieve. This breadth of backing signals confidence in the company’s model and management from individuals with substantial reputations to protect, and it has helped Underdog secure the capital required to build proprietary technology and expand aggressively into new product categories.

Transparency and Trust

One of the clearest illustrations of Underdog’s approach to trust is its rake transparency. Every fantasy operator collects rake, the commission deducted from entry fees, but Underdog is distinctive in openly displaying the rake percentage on individual contests rather than concealing it. This allows users to evaluate the true value of a given contest before entering, an unusual degree of openness in a sector where such economics are typically obscured. Combined with segregated player funds, regular financial compliance obligations, and clear published contest rules, this transparency is central to the platform’s reputation for fair dealing.

An In-Depth Look at Underdog

Underdog was founded in 2020 by a team that included Jeremy Levine, Trevor John, and Brandon Stakenborg, bringing together experience in fantasy sports product development and technology. Levine’s background is particularly relevant, as he had previously founded DRAFT, a mobile fantasy game that was subsequently acquired by the international betting operator Paddy Power Betfair. That prior experience in building and selling a successful fantasy product directly informed Underdog’s user-centric design philosophy and its emphasis on accessible, mobile-first contest formats. From its inception, Underdog distinguished itself as a sports gaming operator built entirely on proprietary technology rather than licensed third-party platforms. This technical foundation has been the engine of its rapid product innovation, enabling the company to design and launch new formats and entire product categories far more quickly than competitors dependent on external providers. Over its short history, Underdog has expanded from a pure daily fantasy operator into a multi-product company spanning fantasy contests, prediction markets, and, for a period, a licensed sportsbook. The subsections below trace this evolution and the strategic decisions behind it.

Company Growth and Technology

Underdog’s self-description as a sports gaming operator built on its own proprietary technology is central to understanding its trajectory. By controlling its entire technology stack, the company has been able to iterate on its product and respond to market and regulatory shifts with unusual speed. This agility allowed Underdog to become the first major sports gaming operator to bring sports event contracts to its app, beating larger and better-resourced rivals to market. The company has positioned itself as the fastest-growing sports company in the United States, a claim supported by its rapid expansion across products and states and by strong revenue growth reflecting substantial market demand.

From Sportsbook to Pure Fantasy and Prediction Markets

A defining strategic shift occurred in late 2025, when Underdog made the decision to exit the traditional sportsbook business entirely. The company had operated a licensed sportsbook in North Carolina, its only sports betting market, and in December 2025 it closed those operations, also withdrawing from the Missouri market it had been preparing to enter. In winding down its North Carolina sportsbook, the company cleared customer accounts and allowed remaining balances to be withdrawn. This exit marked a deliberate pivot away from competing directly with entrenched sportsbook operators and toward a future built around daily fantasy sports and federally regulated prediction markets, a model the company believes offers greater national scalability. The prediction markets dimension of this strategy is examined in full in its own dedicated section later in this review.

Underdog Contest Types and Game Formats

Underdog offers a varied portfolio of contest formats, each with distinct mechanics and strategic considerations, designed to appeal to different kinds of players. This range is one of the platform’s core strengths, allowing it to serve players who want quick, simple daily contests as readily as those who prefer season-long engagement or market-style trading. The formats also reflect the company’s response to a shifting regulatory environment, with newer formats designed in part to remain available in states that have restricted more traditional offerings. Understanding the differences between these formats is essential to using the platform effectively, since entry mechanics, payout structures, and availability vary considerably between them. The subsections below examine each format in turn, beginning with the platform’s most popular offering and progressing through its draft contests, its prediction-market-linked products, and its newer peer-to-peer mode.

Pick’em Contests

Pick’em is Underdog’s most popular and accessible format. In a Pick’em entry, a player selects whether individual athletes will perform above or below a projected statistical line, for example predicting that a basketball player will score more than a set points total or that a quarterback will throw for fewer than a set passing yardage. Players combine multiple selections, typically between two and five, into a single entry that functions in a parlay style, with every selection needing to be correct for the entry to win. Payouts scale with the number of correct selections on a fixed multiplier basis, increasing sharply as more picks are added. A two-pick entry commonly pays around three times the entry, rising through roughly six times for three picks and ten times for four, up to approximately twenty times for a clean five-pick entry, though exact multipliers vary and promotional boosts sometimes apply. Entry fees generally range from a few dollars upward, with lines available across the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, college sports, golf, and other major competitions. The format’s simplicity is its defining appeal, requiring no roster construction or salary management.

Rivals Pick’em

A distinctive variation within the Pick’em family is Rivals Pick’em, which pits two real athletes against one another and asks the player to predict which will outperform the other in their respective games. Rather than forecasting a single player’s total against a line, a Rivals selection might require choosing which of two stars records more points on a given night. Multiple Rivals selections can be combined into one entry for parlay-style payouts, and the head-to-head structure adds a comparative strategic dimension that differs from the standard higher-or-lower format.

Best Ball and Draft Contests

Best Ball is Underdog’s signature draft format and the contest type most associated with the brand. In a Best Ball contest, a player drafts a roster once and then has no further management responsibilities for the duration of the contest, as there are no trades, no waiver-wire pickups, and no weekly lineup decisions. Each scoring period, the player’s optimal lineup is selected automatically from the drafted roster based on actual performances, ensuring the best-performing players always count toward the score. This removes the ongoing time commitment of traditional season-long fantasy while preserving the strategic challenge of the draft itself. Drafts use a snake format and are completely salary-free, meaning a player builds a roster without any budget constraint, which eliminates one of the most complex aspects of conventional daily fantasy sports. Contests range from small drafts of a handful of managers to large tournaments, with daily and weekly options alongside season-long formats. Entry fees span a wide range to suit different budgets. The platform’s flagship contest in this category is Best Ball Mania, a large-scale season-long tournament that permits multiple entries per person and has carried a cumulative prize pool in the millions, drafting an expanded roster and automating weekly lineups across the full season. The subsections below cover the two principal draft structures.

Daily and Weekly Drafts

Daily and weekly drafts compress the draft-and-automate model into shorter timeframes, typically featuring between three and twelve managers in a single snake draft. These contests suit players who want the strategic experience of drafting without committing to a full season, resolving over a single slate or week. As with all Underdog drafts, they are salary-free, so success depends on draft strategy and player evaluation rather than budget optimization.

Season-Long Best Ball

Season-long Best Ball locks a roster before the season begins, after which the optimal lineup is selected automatically each week throughout the campaign. The teams accumulating the most points over the full season win prizes, making this format ideal for players who want sustained, season-long involvement without the week-to-week management of a traditional league. It is the structure underpinning the flagship Best Ball Mania tournament and represents the purest expression of Underdog’s draft-once-and-relax philosophy.

Team Picks and Prediction Market Contests

Team Picks represent Underdog’s integration of its prediction markets product into a familiar contest interface. When a player makes a Team Pick, they are purchasing event contracts on a federally regulated exchange rather than entering a conventional fantasy contest. These contracts trade at prices between one cent and ninety-nine cents, with the price reflecting the market’s implied probability of the outcome. Players can take positions on game outcomes straight up, against the spread, or on point totals, giving the format a structure that closely resembles traditional sports markets while operating under a different legal framework. A significant advantage of this format over conventional fixed contests is the ability to exit a position before the event concludes. Because event contracts can be sold back into the market at the prevailing price, a player who holds a contract that has risen in value can sell to lock in a profit, or sell at a loss to limit downside, without waiting for final settlement. The full mechanics, sports coverage, and regulatory context of these contracts are examined in depth in the dedicated prediction markets section below.

Combo Entries

Combo entries are a format unique to Underdog that blends prediction market contracts with traditional fantasy Pick’em selections within a single entry. In a Combo entry, the large majority of the entry fee funds the Team Pick contracts while a smaller portion funds the fantasy Pick’em component. If the Team Pick succeeds, its winnings roll into the fantasy portion to create a parlay-style multiplier effect, while if the Team Pick fails, the fantasy portion still resolves independently. This dual-product structure gives players a way to combine market trading with fantasy contests and offers a measure of insulation, since the fantasy component plays out regardless of the Team Pick result.

Champions Contests

Champions is among Underdog’s newer formats and is structured as a peer-to-peer alternative to standard Pick’em, with players competing against one another rather than against the house. A player builds a roster of between two and eight athletes who accumulate Champions Points based on their statistical performances, and the player whose roster amasses the most points by the end of the tournament wins. This player-versus-player structure produces a different competitive dynamic from house-banked formats. The format was introduced in part as a response to regulatory pressure in certain states where standard Pick’em contests were deemed too similar to sports wagering. By framing the competition as a contest between users rather than against the operator, Champions can be offered in some jurisdictions where traditional Pick’em is restricted, allowing Underdog to maintain a player-prop-style product in markets that have constrained its core offering. This adaptability illustrates how the company has used format design to navigate an uneven regulatory map.

Underdog Prediction Markets: A Complete Guide

Underdog’s expansion into sports prediction markets is the single most consequential development in the company’s recent history and the area that most distinguishes it from every other daily fantasy operator. Rather than a peripheral feature, prediction markets have become central to the company’s strategy and identity, to the point that Underdog restructured its entire business around them in late 2025. This section examines the partnership that made the product possible, how the contracts work in practice, the sports they cover, and the complex and rapidly evolving legal landscape that surrounds them. The fundamental appeal of prediction markets, from Underdog’s perspective, is a path to national scale. A federally regulated event-contract product can in principle be offered across the country under a single regulatory framework, rather than requiring separate licenses in every state, which is the model that constrains traditional sports betting. This is why the company has been willing to absorb significant regulatory friction to pursue the category. The subsections below explain the mechanics and the stakes in detail.

The Crypto.com Partnership

Underdog entered prediction markets through a partnership with Crypto.com Derivatives North America, announced in September 2025. Under the arrangement, Crypto.com Derivatives North America, a registered exchange and clearinghouse supervised by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, provides the underlying event contracts, while Underdog supplies the technology and the user-facing interface through which customers access them. This division of roles is significant: the exchange operates the regulated market, and Underdog functions as the technology and distribution layer that brings those contracts to sports fans within its app. The launch made Underdog the first major sports gaming operator to make sports event contracts available within its own application, ahead of larger rivals. The company has described itself, following the launch, as the only operator offering fantasy sports, sportsbook, and prediction markets within a single seamless app, a position it held before its subsequent decision to exit the sportsbook business. The partnership was structured to give American sports fans a federally compliant route to make predictions on sporting outcomes, anchored in the exchange’s status as a regulated derivatives venue rather than a sportsbook.

How Event Contracts Work

Sports event contracts function very differently from conventional fixed-odds wagers, and understanding the mechanics is essential. Each contract resolves to a value of one dollar if the predicted outcome occurs and zero if it does not, and contracts trade at prices between one cent and ninety-nine cents in the interim. The trading price represents the market’s collective estimate of the probability of the outcome. A contract trading at sixty-five cents implies roughly a sixty-five percent chance of the event occurring, and a player who buys at that price and sees the outcome occur receives one dollar at settlement, for a profit of thirty-five cents per contract before any fees. The defining feature that separates this from traditional betting is the ability to trade in and out of a position before the event resolves. Because contracts can be bought and sold at the prevailing market price at any time before settlement, a participant who buys a contract at fifty cents and watches its price rise to seventy-five cents can sell immediately to realize a twenty-five-cent profit per contract, without waiting for the game to finish. Equally, a participant can sell at a loss to cap downside if the market moves against them. This continuous two-way market, with prices moving in real time as events unfold, gives the product a trading character that fixed wagers lack, and it is the mechanism behind the early-exit flexibility offered through Team Picks.

Sports and Markets Covered

Underdog’s prediction markets span the major sports that drive most fan interest, and the coverage has expanded since launch. Event contracts have been available across the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, college football, soccer, and tennis, with the company indicating its intention to add further sports over time. Within these sports, participants can take positions on outcomes such as which team wins a game, results against the spread, and whether combined point totals finish over or under a given line, mirroring the structure of familiar sports markets while operating as tradeable contracts. This breadth makes the product a genuine alternative to conventional markets for fans in eligible locations, particularly those in states without legal sports betting.

Where Prediction Markets Are Available

Underdog initially launched its sports event contracts in sixteen states and subsequently expanded the offering, providing some form of prediction markets across roughly twenty-nine states. The strategic logic of the rollout has been to reach users in states where traditional sports betting is not legal, including large markets that collectively represent a substantial share of the national population. This is the core of the prediction markets opportunity for Underdog: a federally anchored product can potentially serve major states that remain closed to conventional sportsbooks, opening a market that licensed betting operators cannot reach. The exact list of states where the product is available has shifted as the company has expanded and as regulatory developments have unfolded, so current availability should always be confirmed within the app.

Regulatory Battles and the Path Forward

The prediction markets category sits at the center of an intense and unresolved legal conflict between federal and state authorities, and Underdog has been directly affected. The central dispute concerns whether sports event contracts are federally regulated financial instruments under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, as the operators and the federal regulator contend, or unlicensed sports betting subject to state gambling law, as a number of state regulators argue. The outcome of this conflict will determine the long-term viability of the product nationwide. Underdog felt the consequences directly in December 2025, when the Arizona Department of Gaming moved to revoke the company’s fantasy sports license, citing its role as a technology provider for Crypto.com’s event contracts and characterizing those contracts as illegal sports betting within the state. This marked the first known instance of a daily fantasy operator facing the loss of a state license because of prediction-market involvement. Underdog, which does not offer prediction markets in Arizona, described the action as regulatory overreach and an unlawful attempt to override federal law, and indicated it would oppose the decision. The dispute escalated into a broader legal confrontation in 2026, with Arizona pursuing criminal charges against a separate exchange and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, joined by the Department of Justice, filing suit against Arizona, Connecticut, and Illinois seeking to establish exclusive federal authority over event contracts. A federal court granted a temporary restraining order in April 2026 barring Arizona from pursuing certain charges against exchanges, underscoring how unsettled the law remains. Underdog has taken concrete steps to strengthen its regulatory standing through the federal framework. The company joined an industry coalition advocating for prediction markets alongside other major participants, and it pursued formal registration within the federal derivatives system. In January 2026, its prediction markets entity earned approval from the National Futures Association as a futures commission merchant, with no objection from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. This approval is significant because it allows the company to operate as a registered intermediary distributing event contracts and to partner with exchanges beyond its existing Crypto.com arrangement, deepening its commitment to the federally regulated pathway. The company has also signaled an intention to offer event contracts through its fantasy app in North Carolina, the state where it previously operated its now-closed sportsbook. The ultimate classification of these products remains for courts and regulators to resolve, but Underdog’s early entry, federal registration, and proprietary technology position it among the leading operators as the category’s legal status is determined. Readers seeking a fuller treatment of how these instruments operate and how they differ from conventional wagering can consult the dedicated sports prediction markets resource, while the broader category is covered on the prediction markets hub.

Underdog Welcome Bonus and Promotions

New users registering with Underdog can take advantage of a welcome offer structured around the platform’s play-and-receive model rather than a conventional deposit match. The standard structure requires a new user to make a qualifying first play, commonly five dollars, after which the platform credits a quantity of bonus entries that can be used across its contests. The exact bonus amount advertised varies by state and by the specific promotional route used, and it has been presented at different headline figures over time, so the current value attached to a given sign-up should be confirmed at registration. The welcome bonus is credited as bonus entries rather than withdrawable cash, which is standard for the daily fantasy category, and those entries provide ample opportunity to explore the platform’s range of contest formats with limited initial outlay. The subsections below set out how to claim the offer, the important eligibility restrictions that apply, and the additional promotional routes available beyond the initial welcome bonus.

How to Claim the Welcome Bonus

Claiming the welcome offer follows a straightforward sequence. A new user registers an account, makes a first deposit meeting the ten-dollar minimum, and then places a qualifying first play, after which the bonus entries are credited to the account. The bonus entries are then available to apply to contests, subject to any playthrough condition attached to the promotion, which commonly requires the bonus to be used before associated winnings can be withdrawn. Full details of the current offer and any state-specific variation are documented on the dedicated Underdog promo code page.

Bonus Eligibility and Restrictions

Several important restrictions govern the welcome offer. Eligibility requires meeting the minimum age in the user’s state and being physically present in a jurisdiction where Underdog operates, confirmed by location verification. The promotional offer has not been available in a number of states, including Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, even where the core fantasy product itself is offered. Age requirements vary, with most states setting the minimum at eighteen, certain states requiring nineteen, and others requiring twenty-one. Bonus entries also typically expire if not used within a stated period, so a new user should plan to apply them promptly.

Ongoing Promotions and Referrals

Beyond the welcome offer, Underdog runs periodic promotions through the year, often timed around major sporting events, though it offers fewer ongoing promotions than the largest competitors and does not operate a points-based loyalty program. The platform does maintain a refer-a-friend program, which rewards existing users for introducing new players who sign up and meet the qualifying conditions, creating a route to additional value beyond the initial welcome bonus. Current promotions are surfaced within the app and through the company’s official channels.

Where Is Underdog Legal? Available States and Restrictions

Underdog operates across the large majority of United States states, making it one of the more widely available daily fantasy platforms in the country, and it has also offered contests in Washington, D.C. and in Ontario, Canada. This broad footprint is a genuine strength, though the picture is complicated by the fact that not every contest type is available in every state, and the company’s regulatory situation has been in flux as a result of its prediction markets activity. The platform uses GeoComply location verification to confirm that a user is physically present in an eligible state before allowing access to contests. Because availability and product offerings can change, particularly given the ongoing regulatory developments around prediction markets, current eligibility should always be confirmed against the platform’s own resources, detailed on the dedicated Underdog legal states page. The subsections below set out the states where the platform has not been available, the varying age requirements, and the way contest availability differs by jurisdiction.

States Where Underdog Is Not Available

Underdog’s daily fantasy product has not been available in a number of states owing to local regulation. These have included Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, and Washington. In addition, the regulatory dispute in Arizona, where the state moved to revoke the company’s fantasy sports license over its prediction markets involvement, has placed the platform’s status in that state in question, and readers in Arizona in particular should verify current availability directly. Because the regulatory landscape is unusually active, the list of unavailable states is more subject to change than is typical, so confirming eligibility at registration is important.

Age Requirements by State

The minimum age to play on Underdog varies by state. Most states set the requirement at eighteen years or older, while a small number, including Alabama and Nebraska, require users to be at least nineteen, and others, including Arizona, Massachusetts, and Virginia, require users to be at least twenty-one. Colorado applies a higher minimum for certain games. Users are responsible for meeting the applicable minimum age in their own state, which the platform verifies as part of its compliance procedures.

Contest Availability by State

Beyond overall availability, the specific contest types offered differ by state. Draft contests, including Best Ball, are generally available across all states where Underdog operates. Pick’em contests, however, face restrictions or modifications in certain jurisdictions where regulators have viewed them as too close to sports wagering. Some states permit only particular Pick’em variations or cap the fantasy points that can be acquired in such contests, and it was partly in response to these restrictions that Underdog developed its peer-to-peer Champions format, which can operate in some states where standard Pick’em is constrained. As a result, the menu of available contests a user sees depends on their location.

How to Sign Up for Underdog

Creating an Underdog account is a quick process designed to be completed in a few minutes while satisfying legal verification requirements. The platform is accessible through its iOS and Android applications as well as its desktop website, and registration follows the same essential steps across them. The process is structured to confirm eligibility, fund the account, and trigger the welcome offer in a single sitting. The steps below outline the full registration sequence, written so the process can be followed without visual reference. Step 1: Access the platform. Visit the Underdog website or download the application from the App Store or Google Play Store, then select the sign-up option to begin registration. Step 2: Enter account details. Provide a username, email address, a secure password, and date of birth, ensuring the information is accurate, as it will be used for later identity verification. Step 3: Confirm eligibility. The platform confirms, through location verification, that the user is physically present in an eligible state, and checks that the user meets the applicable minimum age. Step 4: Make a first deposit. Fund the account using one of the supported methods, meeting the ten-dollar minimum deposit. Deposits typically process instantly. Step 5: Place a qualifying play. Enter a first contest meeting the qualifying threshold, commonly five dollars, to trigger the welcome bonus entries where the offer is available. An important caution applies to anyone who may have registered previously. A user who cannot recall the details of an existing account should not create a new one, since maintaining multiple accounts violates the platform’s terms of service and can result in suspension. The correct course is to use the password recovery process to regain access to the original account.

Underdog Mobile App and Desktop Experience

Underdog has invested heavily in its user experience, and the quality of its software is among the most consistently praised aspects of the platform across both mobile and desktop. The company’s decision to build on proprietary technology is evident in the polish and responsiveness of its applications, which compare favorably with the best in the daily fantasy category and, by many accounts, exceed the experience offered by some larger competitors. The platform’s bright, modern, mobile-first design deliberately contrasts with the darker, casino-style aesthetics common elsewhere in the sector. The experience is broadly consistent across devices, with the mobile applications serving as the primary access point for most users and the desktop site offering certain additional features that benefit from a larger screen. The subsections below examine each in turn.

Mobile App Features

The Underdog mobile application, available on both iOS and Android, delivers a fast, clean, and intuitive experience. Navigation is organized around clear tabs for the principal product areas, and building an entry is streamlined to a few taps, with players able to select lines, choose between entry styles, and confirm with a single action. Performance is a particular strength, with the application loading contests, projections, and draft lobbies quickly and rarely crashing, even during high-traffic periods around major events. The application supports the full range of products, including Pick’em, Best Ball drafts, Team Picks, and Champions, and allows users to deposit, request prize withdrawals, manage account settings, and contact support entirely from their device. Push notifications keep users informed of results and offers without being intrusive. The high ratings the application maintains on both app stores reflect broad user satisfaction with its speed and design.

Desktop Platform

While the mobile experience is the centerpiece, the desktop website offers a polished alternative that takes advantage of additional screen space to display more information at once, which is particularly useful when navigating draft lobbies and viewing large player pools. The web platform retains the clean design of the mobile application while surfacing more detail simultaneously. A notable desktop strength is the platform’s editorial and analytical content, produced by the company’s in-house team, which provides fantasy news, player analysis, statistical trends, and lineup guidance to inform contest decisions. For players building Best Ball rosters or researching Pick’em selections, the larger screen and the accompanying analysis make the desktop experience a valuable complement to the mobile application.

Banking: Deposits and Withdrawals at Underdog

Underdog’s banking options are functional and convenient for most users, though the range of methods is somewhat narrower than at the largest competitors, and the available options differ slightly between the fantasy product and the prediction markets product owing to the distinct regulatory requirements governing event contracts. All transactions are protected by the platform’s encryption, and the company does not charge its own fees on deposits or withdrawals, though payment providers may apply their own. Full current detail is maintained on the dedicated Underdog banking options page. The minimum deposit across methods is ten dollars, and deposits generally process instantly, allowing immediate play. Prize withdrawals are processed without fees, with timing depending on the method selected. The subsections below set out the deposit and withdrawal options and the specific considerations that apply to prediction market transactions.

Deposit Methods

For the fantasy product, Underdog accepts a range of widely used deposit methods, which have included PayPal, debit and credit cards across the major networks, Venmo, online banking through Trustly, and Apple Pay. The ten-dollar minimum deposit applies across methods, and funds typically arrive immediately, enabling a user to enter contests without delay. Underdog does not levy its own deposit fees, although a user’s bank or payment provider may impose charges of their own.

Withdrawal Methods and Timing

Prize withdrawals are available through a more limited set of methods than deposits, which has included PayPal, online banking and ACH transfer, and paper check, with certain methods such as credit cards and Apple Pay not eligible for withdrawals. All withdrawals are free of charge. Processing times vary by method, with PayPal among the faster routes, commonly completing within a day or two, while bank transfers take several business days. Fast prize processing is an area where the platform is frequently praised relative to competitors. A first withdrawal requires identity verification, including confirmation of personal details and a taxpayer identification number, which is standard for regulated fantasy operators.

Prediction Market Banking

Banking for the prediction markets product is governed by the regulatory framework applicable to event contracts and therefore differs from the fantasy product. Deposits and withdrawals for prediction markets are restricted to a narrower set of methods, principally debit cards, including through Apple Pay, and Trustly, reflecting the requirements that apply to a federally regulated derivatives product. Users intending to participate in prediction markets should be aware that the funding methods available to them in that product may differ from those they use for fantasy contests.

Customer Support and Service

Underdog provides customer support through several channels, and while the range is somewhat narrower than at the largest operators, the available routes are generally well regarded for responsiveness. Support is reachable through email, live chat within the application and website, and the company’s social channels, and the platform maintains a comprehensive help center for self-service. The notable absence is telephone support, which is not offered, a limitation for users who prefer to resolve issues by phone. In practice, the support experience is frequently praised in user feedback for being fast, friendly, and helpful. Live chat tends to provide the quickest assistance for urgent matters, while email inquiries are typically answered within a window ranging from a few hours to a business day. The help center, which covers contest rules, account questions, and common issues, often resolves routine queries without the need to contact the team directly. The available support channels include email, an in-app and on-site live chat, and the company’s presence on X, Facebook, and Discord, giving users multiple ways to seek help across the platform.

Safety, Security, and Responsible Gaming

Underdog implements industry-standard protections to safeguard user funds and personal information, and these measures are integral to its standing as a trustworthy operator. The platform uses modern encryption for transactions and data storage, maintains segregated player fund accounts that keep customer deposits separate from operating capital, and meets the regulatory and financial compliance obligations that apply in each state where it operates, including financial audits and adherence to state gaming requirements. GeoComply location verification, functioning on both desktop through a browser component and on mobile through location services, ensures that only users physically present in eligible states can access contests. Alongside these protections, Underdog provides a set of responsible gaming tools intended to help users maintain healthy play habits, and it directs users to external support resources where needed. The subsection below details these tools, and the platform’s commitment to player wellbeing is consistent with the standards expected of a regulated operator. Further guidance and support resources are available on the BestOdds responsible gaming page.

Responsible Gaming Tools

Underdog offers a range of responsible gaming features, including deposit limits that can be set on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, entry limits to control spending per contest, session time limits and reminders, and self-exclusion options on both a temporary and permanent basis. The platform also provides links to national and state-specific problem gambling resources. Anyone who may be experiencing difficulty with their play can seek confidential help through the National Council on Problem Gambling by calling 1-800-GAMBLER or visiting its website, and state-specific resources, such as dedicated helplines in certain states, are available through the app. Approaching play as entertainment, within a budget set in advance, is the soundest way to engage with the platform.

How Underdog Compares to Competitors

Underdog occupies a clear position within a competitive daily fantasy and sports gaming market, and understanding how it stacks up against its principal rivals helps clarify which players it suits best. Its defining advantages across these comparisons are its salary-free draft model, its polished application, its prediction markets integration, and its rake transparency, while its relative limitations are a narrower contest variety than the largest operators, fewer ongoing promotions, and the absence of a loyalty program. The subsections below compare it directly with four major competitors. Across all of these comparisons, a consistent theme emerges: Underdog competes on simplicity, design, and innovation rather than on the sheer scale of contest variety and prize pools offered by the industry’s largest operators. The right choice depends on whether a player prioritizes those qualities or maximum breadth.

Underdog vs. DraftKings

DraftKings offers substantially larger contest pools and prize money, reflecting its status as one of the industry’s two giants, but it relies on traditional salary-cap formats that can be complex for newcomers. Underdog’s salary-free drafts are more accessible by comparison. DraftKings also operates an extensive loyalty program and runs frequent ongoing promotions, areas where Underdog, lacking a rewards program, is weaker. For players who value simplicity and innovative formats over maximum contest variety, Underdog is the stronger choice, while those seeking the largest prize pools and the deepest contest menus may prefer DraftKings.

Underdog vs. FanDuel

FanDuel leads the market in user base and marketing presence and offers a wider range of banking options, and it too has moved into prediction markets through its own exchange partnership. However, FanDuel continues to use salary caps in most formats, whereas Underdog’s salary-free approach is simpler, and Underdog’s application is generally rated more highly for user experience and speed. FanDuel’s larger prize pools come with tougher competition, while Underdog tends to offer a more favorable environment for recreational players.

Underdog vs. PrizePicks

PrizePicks is Underdog’s most direct competitor in the Pick’em space, and the two offer similar player-projection formats. The key difference is breadth: PrizePicks concentrates almost exclusively on perfecting the Pick’em format, while Underdog offers greater variety through its drafts, Best Ball, prediction markets, and Champions mode. Both have navigated similar regulatory questions around the classification of their contests, and both have pursued prediction markets, with PrizePicks partnering with multiple exchanges. Players who want a focused Pick’em experience may prefer PrizePicks, while those seeking variety across formats are better served by Underdog.

Underdog vs. Sleeper

Sleeper built its reputation on season-long leagues and strong social features before expanding into daily fantasy, and it excels at community engagement and league customization. It offers fewer contest types than Underdog, however, and its strengths lie more in the social and league-management dimensions than in contest variety. Sleeper’s deposit-match welcome bonus is competitive with Underdog’s play-and-receive offer. Players who prioritize social leagues and communication features will find Sleeper compelling, while those focused on quick daily contests, Best Ball, and prediction markets are better served by Underdog.

Notable Features That Set Underdog Apart

Beyond its core contest formats, several specific features distinguish Underdog from the wider field and reinforce its identity as an innovation-led operator. These features reflect the company’s proprietary-technology foundation and its willingness to do things differently from the established players in the market. The most significant of these are examined below. Taken together, these features illustrate why Underdog has earned its reputation for innovation and user focus, offering capabilities that range from greater transparency to entirely new product categories that competitors have approached more slowly.

Rake Transparency

Underdog is distinctive in openly displaying the rake percentage on individual contests, a degree of transparency that is rare in the daily fantasy sector. Because every operator collects rake but most do not disclose it, Underdog’s openness allows users to assess the value of each contest before entering and to make better-informed decisions about where to play. This transparency is a meaningful point of differentiation and a tangible expression of the company’s approach to fair dealing.

Fantasy Insights and Analysis

The platform’s in-house editorial and analytical content provides fantasy news, player analysis, lineup recommendations, and statistical trends produced by its own team of experts. This content, most prominent on the desktop platform, gives users data-driven guidance to improve their contest selections, and its depth rivals that of dedicated fantasy advice services. For players seeking an edge in drafts and Pick’em selections, this resource adds genuine value beyond the contests themselves.

Combo Entries Blending Markets

The Combo entry format, unique to Underdog, allows users to blend prediction market contracts with traditional fantasy Pick’em selections in a single entry, creating parlay-style opportunities in which a successful Team Pick amplifies fantasy winnings. This dual-product approach gives users greater strategic flexibility and higher potential payouts while retaining the independent resolution of the fantasy component even if the market position does not succeed, and it is a direct product of the company’s integration of fantasy and prediction markets within one app.

How BestOdds Tested Underdog

The BestOdds editorial team registered an account, funded it, claimed the welcome offer, and played across the platform’s principal contest formats to assess Underdog against the same framework applied to every sports gaming operator reviewed on the site. The evaluation covered registration and identity verification, the welcome offer and its restrictions, the full range of contest types including Pick’em, Best Ball, Team Picks, and Champions, the prediction markets product and its mechanics, the banking experience for both deposits and prize withdrawals, the mobile and desktop interfaces, customer support responsiveness, and the platform’s safety and responsible gaming provisions. Each element was assessed against what actually appeared in the account rather than against published claims alone. Registration was confirmed to be quick, with instant deposits and a straightforward path to claiming the welcome entries. The application was found to be fast and reliable across testing, the salary-free draft and Pick’em formats performed as described, and the prediction markets product functioned as a genuine tradeable-contract offering with the ability to exit positions before settlement. Prize withdrawals through faster methods completed promptly, consistent with the platform’s reputation. The full assessment framework is documented on the BestOdds methodology page.

Pros and Cons of Underdog

Drawing the assessment together, Underdog’s strengths and limitations can be summarized concisely. Its appeal centers on accessibility, design, and innovation, while its drawbacks relate mainly to contest breadth, the absence of a loyalty program, and the regulatory uncertainty around its prediction markets product.

Pros

• Salary-free drafts that remove complexity and broaden accessibility while preserving strategic depth
• A genuinely strong, fast, and well-rated mobile application on both iOS and Android
• Pioneering integration of federally regulated prediction markets, with the ability to exit positions early
• A flagship Best Ball Mania tournament with large prize pools and multiple-entry support
• Fast, fee-free prize withdrawals, with faster methods completing within a day or two
• Rake transparency on individual contests, rare in the sector
• A wide variety of contest formats spanning Pick’em, drafts, Team Picks, and Champions
• Broad state availability and a welcome offer with a low entry threshold
• Responsive customer support and strong in-house fantasy analysis

Cons

• A narrower range of contests and smaller prize pools than the largest operators
• No loyalty or rewards program for ongoing users
• Fewer ongoing promotions than the industry giants
• No telephone support option
• Pick’em contests restricted or modified in several states
• The welcome offer is unavailable in several states, including MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, and PA
• Prediction markets face significant and unresolved regulatory challenges in some jurisdictions

Final Verdict: Is Underdog Worth It?

Underdog has earned its reputation as one of the most innovative daily fantasy operators available, and its combination of salary-free drafts, accessible Pick’em contests, and pioneering prediction markets creates an offering that stands apart from traditional competitors. For new users, the play-and-receive welcome offer provides a low-risk way to explore the platform, and the polished mobile application, fast prize processing, and transparent contest economics make it easy to recommend to both newcomers and experienced players. The salary-free draft model is a genuine improvement over conventional daily fantasy, removing unnecessary complexity while retaining the strategic challenge that experienced players value. The platform’s prediction markets represent both its boldest innovation and its greatest uncertainty. The ability to trade sports event contracts in real time, exit positions before settlement, and combine markets with fantasy picks opens strategic possibilities that conventional products do not offer, and the company’s federal registration and early-mover position give it real standing in the emerging category. At the same time, the unresolved legal conflict between federal and state authorities means the long-term availability of this product in every jurisdiction cannot be guaranteed, and the dispute in Arizona is a concrete illustration of that risk. Areas where the platform could improve include broadening its banking options, introducing a loyalty program, and increasing the frequency of ongoing promotions, and players who prioritize maximum contest variety and prize pools may still prefer the largest operators. On balance, Underdog is well worth considering, particularly for players who value simplicity, design quality, and innovation, and the generous, low-threshold welcome offer makes it easy to evaluate firsthand. Its core daily fantasy product is already excellent, and its prediction markets ambition positions it at the leading edge of a category that may reshape how American sports fans engage with the games they follow. The summary below condenses the key points for readers who want the essentials at a glance.

Main Takeaways

• Salary-free innovation: Underdog’s drafts and Best Ball remove salary-cap complexity while keeping strategic depth, defining the brand’s accessible identity.
• Prediction markets leader: Through its Crypto.com partnership and federal registration, Underdog became the first major operator to bring sports event contracts to its app, now offered in roughly twenty-nine states.
• Strategic pivot: The company exited traditional sportsbook operations in late 2025 to focus on daily fantasy and prediction markets.
• Regulatory uncertainty: Prediction markets face a federal-versus-state legal battle, including Arizona’s move against Underdog’s license, that remains unresolved.
• Strong product: A best-in-class application, fast fee-free withdrawals, rake transparency, and a low-threshold welcome offer.
• Trade-offs: Narrower contest variety, no loyalty program, no phone support, and a welcome offer unavailable in several states.

Underdog Review FAQ

Is Underdog Fantasy legal in the United States?

Yes. Underdog operates legally as a daily fantasy sports platform across the large majority of states, along with Washington, D.C. and Ontario. Daily fantasy contests are permitted under federal law and regulated at the state level. The product has not been available in states including Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, and Washington, and its status in Arizona is in dispute owing to its prediction markets activity. Age requirements vary from eighteen to twenty-one depending on the state.

What is Underdog’s welcome bonus for new users?

New users receive bonus entries after making a qualifying first play, commonly five dollars, following a minimum ten-dollar deposit. The exact bonus amount varies by state and promotional route, so the current value should be confirmed at registration. The offer has not been available in Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, or Pennsylvania, and bonus entries typically expire if not used within a stated period. Full terms are on the Underdog promo code page.

How do Underdog’s prediction markets work?

Underdog’s prediction markets let users trade event contracts supplied by Crypto.com Derivatives North America, a federally regulated exchange. Contracts trade between one cent and ninety-nine cents, with the price reflecting the implied probability of an outcome, and they settle at one dollar if the outcome occurs. A contract bought at sixty-five cents that wins returns thirty-five cents of profit per contract. Crucially, positions can be sold before settlement to lock in a profit or limit a loss.

What makes Underdog different from DraftKings and FanDuel?

Underdog’s principal differentiator is its salary-free draft format, which removes the salary-cap complexity used by DraftKings and FanDuel and makes roster building simpler. Underdog also pioneered the integration of federally regulated prediction markets within a fantasy app, creating unique formats such as Combo entries that blend both. Its application is generally rated highly for user experience, though the larger operators offer bigger prize pools, more contest variety, and loyalty programs that Underdog lacks.

How long do withdrawals take at Underdog?

Underdog processes prize withdrawals without fees, with timing dependent on the method. PayPal is among the faster options, commonly completing within a day or two, while bank transfers take several business days. Fast prize processing is one of the platform’s frequently praised strengths. A first withdrawal requires identity verification. Full detail is available on the Underdog banking options page.

What are Pick’em contests on Underdog?

Pick’em contests ask users to predict whether individual athletes will perform above or below a projected statistical line, combining between two and five selections into a parlay-style entry where all must be correct to win. Payouts scale on a fixed multiplier basis, rising steeply with each added pick, up to roughly twenty times for a clean five-pick entry. Lines are available across the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, college sports, and others, though availability varies by state.

Does Underdog have a mobile app?

Yes. Underdog offers highly rated applications for iOS and Android that are fast, intuitive, and reliable. The application supports every contest type, including Pick’em, Best Ball drafts, Team Picks, and Champions, and allows users to deposit, request withdrawals, manage their account, and contact support entirely from their device. It is widely regarded as one of the best applications in the daily fantasy category for its clean design and smooth performance.

What is Best Ball on Underdog?

Best Ball is Underdog’s signature draft format. A user drafts a roster once, after which the optimal lineup is selected automatically each scoring period based on actual performances, with no trades, waiver pickups, or weekly lineup decisions required. The teams with the most cumulative points win prizes. It suits players who want season-long involvement without ongoing management, and it underpins the flagship Best Ball Mania tournament. All Best Ball drafts are salary-free.

Can I refer friends to Underdog and receive bonuses?

Yes. Underdog operates a refer-a-friend program that rewards existing users for introducing new players who sign up and meet the qualifying conditions, with both parties able to receive a bonus. This provides a route to additional value beyond the initial welcome offer. Current refer-a-friend amounts and terms are available within the platform’s promotions area and on the dedicated refer-a-friend page.

What deposit methods does Underdog accept?

For the fantasy product, Underdog has accepted PayPal, debit and credit cards, Venmo, Trustly online banking, and Apple Pay, with a ten-dollar minimum deposit and generally instant processing. For prediction markets specifically, funding is restricted to a narrower set of methods, principally debit cards, including Apple Pay, and Trustly, owing to the regulations governing event contracts. Underdog does not charge its own deposit fees, though payment providers may.

Is Underdog safe and secure?

Yes. Underdog uses modern encryption to protect funds and personal data, maintains segregated player fund accounts, and complies with state regulatory and audit requirements where it operates. GeoComply location verification confirms users are in eligible states. The company is backed by a notable group of investors and maintains strong responsible gaming operations, and it has earned consistently positive user feedback for security and trustworthiness.

What sports are available on Underdog?

Underdog offers fantasy contests and prediction markets across the major sports, including the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, college football and basketball, soccer, tennis, golf, MMA, and esports, with availability varying by contest type and season. The NFL and NBA are the most popular. Prediction market coverage has spanned the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, college football, soccer, and tennis, with further sports planned.

Does Underdog have a loyalty program?

No. Underdog does not currently operate a loyalty or rewards program, which is an area where competitors such as DraftKings and FanDuel hold an advantage. The platform runs periodic promotions through the year, often around major sporting events, but there is no ongoing points-based system for regular users. A loyalty program is among the features users most frequently hope the company will add.

How do I contact Underdog customer support?

Underdog support is reachable through email, live chat within the application and website, and the company’s social channels on X, Facebook, and Discord. Telephone support is not offered. Live chat tends to provide the fastest help, while email responses typically arrive within a few hours to a business day. A comprehensive help center covers contest rules and common questions for self-service support.

Can I play Underdog in New York?

Yes. Daily fantasy contests are available in New York, where users must be at least eighteen. However, the welcome offer is not available to New York residents, and some contest types may be restricted under state rules. Anyone in New York seeking help with problem gambling can contact the state’s confidential helpline by phone or text.

What are Rivals Pick’em contests?

Rivals Pick’em is a variation in which a user predicts which of two real athletes will outperform the other in their respective games, rather than forecasting a single player against a line. Multiple Rivals selections can be combined into one parlay-style entry. The head-to-head structure adds a comparative strategic dimension and offers a creative alternative to the standard higher-or-lower format.

What is the minimum deposit on Underdog?

The minimum deposit is ten dollars across the accepted payment methods, and deposits generally process instantly, allowing immediate play. Underdog does not charge its own deposit fees, though a user’s bank or payment provider may apply their own charges. The ten-dollar minimum is also the threshold that, together with a qualifying first play, activates the welcome offer.

Are prediction markets legal?

Underdog’s prediction markets are offered through a federally regulated exchange and are presented as compliant financial instruments under commodity futures law. However, some state regulators contend that sports-based event contracts amount to sports betting requiring state licenses, and this conflict is unresolved. The federal regulator has asserted exclusive jurisdiction and has gone to court against several states, while states such as Arizona have taken action against the product. The legal status of sports prediction markets continues to evolve.

Can I cash out early on Underdog prediction markets?

Yes. A defining advantage of prediction markets is the ability to sell a position before the event concludes. A participant who buys contracts at fifty cents and sees the market move to seventy-five cents can sell immediately to lock in a twenty-five-cent profit per contract without awaiting settlement, and can equally sell at a loss to limit downside if the market moves against them. This flexibility is not available with traditional fixed wagers.

What is Champions mode on Underdog?

Champions is a peer-to-peer format in which users compete against one another rather than the house. A user builds a roster of between two and eight athletes who accumulate Champions Points based on performance, and the highest total at the tournament’s end wins. The format was introduced partly in response to regulatory concerns about Pick’em in certain states, and its player-versus-player structure allows it to operate in some jurisdictions where standard Pick’em is restricted.