Underdog Fantasy Review (2026)

Underdog Fantasy excels at Best Ball contests, snake drafts, large prize pools and offering rakeback.

• Key Facts: 4.8/5 iOS App Store rating, live in 41 legal states and jurisdictions, access a $15M Best Ball Mania prize pool
• Best For: Best Ball enthusiasts and players, casual players, fans of unique DFS formats

Underdog Fantasy has disrupted daily fantasy sports in the US, innovating to create new contest formats with sizable prize pools (like Best Ball Mania). It also offers simplified pick ’em contests and transparent rakeback rewards, while its so-called Battle Royale combines classic DFS gameplay with snake drafts.

We’ll explore each of these features in our detailed Underdog Fantasy review. You’ll also learn more about how the brand compares with rivals such as PrizePicks.

Platform	Best For	Welcome Bonus	App Rating	Best Ball	Pick ’em
Underdog Fantasy	Best Ball Enthusiasts and Casuals	Play $5 and get $75	4.8/5 (iOS) / 4.6/5 (Android)	Yes	Yes
PrizePicks	Pick ’em Games and Peer-to-Peer DFS	Play $5 and get $50 instantly	4.7/5 (iOS) / 4.2/5 (Android)	No	Yes
DraftKings	Traditional Salary Cap DFS	Bet $5, Get $200 if your bet wins	4.8/5 (iOS) / 4.8/5 (Android)	Yes	Yes

Underdog Fantasy Overview and Background

The Underdog brand was launched in 2020, by founder and current CEO Jeremy Levine. It evolved from the Draft app, which represented Levine’s previous entry into the DFS market and was 1 of the first platforms to eschew the popular salary cap model pioneered by DraftKings and FanDuel.

Instead, Draft.com ran a more traditional snake-draft selection system, in which the pick order is reversed ahead of each round to create fairer outcomes. This selection system underpins current Underdog contests such as Battle Royale.

Within a year of its launch, the platform had raised over $10 million in funding, from a high-profile group of investors that included former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant and Lions’ quarterback Jared Goff. This was 1 of several funding rounds, which helped the brand achieve a valuation of $485 million by 2022.

Underdog has continued to raise significant funds from wealthy and targeted investors, including $70 million in a Series C round led by Spark Capital in 2026. This valued the company at $1.225 billion, with this number having more than tripled in barely 3 years.

Crucially, this development has elevated the brand to the coveted status of unicorn.

Underdog’s Product Range

As the brand has grown financially, it has also evolved to offer a broad selection of DFS contests and formats. These include:

• Best Ball: This is the site’s flagship offering, with Best Ball Mania offering automated lineup management alongside huge cash prizes. The most recent iteration (Best Ball Mania VI) cost just $25 to enter and provided a cumulative prize pool of $15 million.
• Pick ’em: The Pick ’em format lets you select up to 8 players before predicting the over/under on published player prop markets. Popular markets include passing and rushing yards in the NFL, or points totals in the NBA. The site lets you flex your lineups and win incremental returns even if 1 of your picks loses.
• Champions: A number of states have outlawed traditional pick ’em contests of late, due to the fact that they mimic prop betting too closely. In response, the platform has created its Champions format, which also allows you to select up to 8 players and predict specific performance metrics but adopts a peer-to-peer model. So, you’re competing directly against fellow players rather than the house.
• Battle Royale: This unique contest format has modernized snake drafts and allows players to build daily or weekly lineups in groups of either 3, 6 or 12. There are 6 or more live draft rounds held, with the pick order reversed ahead of each one. If individual gameweek scores are tied, the available prize pool will be split equally between the winners.

Getting Started Sign-Up Process

To understand more about what Underdog Fantasy has to offer, you’ll first need to sign up for an account. You can do this via both desktop and mobile browsers, or the site’s native apps on iOS or Android. The registration process is similarly quick and seamless across all device types too.

Account Creation Steps

Let’s start by walking through the individual account creation steps at Underdog.

Step 1. Click Sign Up

When using the desktop website, start by clicking through the Sign Up button in the top right-hand corner of the screen.

Step 2. Enter Your Details

On a new screen, enter a unique username and verifiable email, before securing your new account with a memorable password. At this stage, you’ll also have to enter your date of birth and a promo or referral code if applicable.

Step 3. Account Opens Immediately

Your new account will be opened immediately. The site will also use advanced geolocation software during the signup process to verify your location. This will ensure that you’re in a legal Underdog state.

Step 4. Verify Your Identity

Before you can withdraw funds, you’ll need to verify your age and identity. We’ll cover the precise verification requirements in the next section of the guide.

Step 5. Make Your First Deposit

Now, you can make your first deposit. The minimum deposit limit is $10, which is the same amount required to trigger the site’s welcome bonus. We’ll drill a little deeper into the bonus activation below.

Step 6. Enter Your First Contest

Your deposited funds should land immediately. You can enter your first pick ‘em selections (or alternative contest), with entry fees starting from just $1. Peer-to-peer pick ‘em lines are available across sports such as the NBA, NFL, CBB, PGA and MLB.

Identity Verification Requirements

When signed into Underdog as a new customer, head straight to your Account page. You can then verify your age and identity as follows. If you don’t want to do this immediately upon sign up, you can complete the process at any stage before you request a withdrawal.

Step 1. Click Get Verified

On your account page, click through the Get Verified button on the left-hand side of the lobby.

Step 2. Enter Your Personal Information

This will bring up a separate screen, which will prompt you to enter your legal name, physical address and state. You’ll be asked to confirm your age and date of birth.

Step 3. Submit Your Details

Ensure that the information you entered is honest and accurate, before hitting Submit.

Step 4. Scan QR Code if Required

If required, Underdog may ask to verify your ID using documentation and your smartphone. Simply scan the QR code when prompted to receive a verification message via SMS.

Step 5. Upload ID Documentation

You may be asked to upload a copy of your drivers’ license or passport online, alongside the last 4 digits of your SSN. We’d recommend that you upload a clear copy of your drivers’ license with all 4 corners visible, as this can be used to verify both your legal name and address.

Step 6. Await Verification

Underdog will then verify your identity. This process can take up to 3 business days, but it will often be completed within 24 hours.

Underdog Promo Code and Current Welcome Offer

The current Underdog Fantasy sign up bonus comprises $75 in additional funds. When browsing online, you’ll notice that there are several different Underdog promo code iterations. These bonus codes all unlock the same promotional offer, although they refer to different affiliate sites.

How to Use the Underdog Fantasy Promo Code

You’ll need to confirm that your choice of Underdog Fantasy promo code is valid. As we’ve touched on, the site will prompt you to enter this during the initial signup process. Make sure that you enter this accurately, as otherwise you’ll opt into an alternative offer or miss out entirely.

When you sign up directly via 1 of our affiliate links, the current Underdog welcome offer will be auto-applied.

This means that there’s no need to enter a manual promo code. This allows you to focus on satisfying the additional terms and conditions, such as the minimum deposit limit and required entry fee.

Complete Terms and Conditions

The minimum deposit fee required to trigger the Underdog bonus is $10. You must then create a minimal contest entry of $5, unlocking a number of potential Pick ’em competitions.

For example, the site runs a Thursday Night Hoops pick ’em contest that runs throughout the NBA season, with this requiring a $5 entry fee and offering total prizes of $80,000 on average.

Below, you’ll find a comprehensive overview of the terms and conditions for the current Underdog welcome bonus. These include settlement terms and rollover requirements, including the timeframe in which you’ll have to utilize your bonus funds.

Detail	Information
Offer	Play $5, Get $75 in Bonus Cash
Minimum Age	18+ in most legal states. 19+ in AL and NE; 19+ for some games in CO; 21+ in AZ, VA and MA
Available States	AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, D.C., DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WV, WI, WY Read More
Minimum Deposit / Entry	$10 / $5
Settlement	$75 in Bonus Funds awarded once the $5 qualifying entry is settled
Ineligible Entries	Previously cashed-out, voided or push entries do not qualify
Bonus Fund Terms	Bonus funds cannot be withdrawn directly. Only winnings are withdrawable. Bonus funds are not returned with winnings (only net profit is credited) Read More
Wagering Requirements	1x
Bonus Bet Expiry	14 days after the bonus funds are added to your account. Unused bonus funds will be forfeited

Is This a Good Bonus

This is a highly competitive bonus, which rewards an initial $5 contest entry with $75 in bonus funds. The DraftKings DFS bonus adopts a similar structure, but awards just $200 in bonus bets if your qualifying bet wins.

Other bonuses adopt a different structure that provide alternative value. For example, new Dabble customers are eligible to receive a no-deposit bonus of $25, simply for opening a new account and verifying their identity. This delivers superior value to beginners, who can make their initial tournament entries without risking real money.

The Sleeper bonus also comprises a $20 bonus and 100% first deposit match up to $100. This is likely to appeal to more experienced DFS players, who can make an initial $100 deposit to realize the full value of the bonus.

Best Ball Mania Tournament The Flagship Event

Undoubtedly, it’s the Best Ball Mania tournament that creates the key differentiator between Underdog and its rivals. Although other brands offer best ball contests, the Mania tournament allows multiple entries (up to 150 per person) and offers a cumulative prize fund of $15 million in 2026 (Best Ball Mania VI).

What is Best Ball Mania

Best Ball Mania is Underdog’s flagship contest. It follows a standard Best Ball format, as you’ll draft an initial 18 players and focus on the selection of as many top-tier players as possible. Weekly lineups are automated based on scoring performances, so there’s no need for ongoing in-season management.

This means that rosters are fixed, with no waivers, substitutions or trades permitted during the contest period. Although this saves time and negates the need for weekly lineup adjustments, it also places significant emphasis on the quality of your original picks.

Tournament Structure and Prize Pool

Best Ball Mania essentially comprises 2 separate tournaments in 1, with 1 focused on the regular season and a second covering the fantasy playoffs. Approximately $10 million of the tournament’s total $15 million prize fund (67%) is paid out during the playoffs, with the remaining $5 million distributed among regular season winners.

The eventual winner pockets $3 million of the total $15 million prize pool (20%), with this having increased from $2 million in 2023.

You’ll pay $25 per entry, while up to 150 entries are allowed per person. During Best Ball Mania IV, there were a total of 677,376 entrants.

Best Ball Mania features 18 draft rounds, while a snake draft format is used to reverse picking orders and prioritize fairness.

How Best Ball Mania Works

During the NFL campaign, Best Ball Mania adopted a 4-round structure. The best performing teams will advance at the end of each round, with the most recent rule changes now requiring a higher percentile score to progress in Week 15 when compared to previous contests. Here’s a summary of how each round works.

Round Number	Duration	Advancement	Prizes
Round 1	Runs from Week 1 to Week 14	2 sides advance from 12-team leagues	Group winners collect $35
Round 2	Week 15	1 side advances from 16-team groups	Advancing team collects $75
Round 3	Week 16	1 side advances from 16-team groups	Advancing team collects $1,000
Round 4	Week 17	Finals featuring all competitors in a 470-person group	Includes the winning $3 million prize

A vanishingly small number of competitors will reach the finals. In Best Ball Mania V, just 0.08% of the total entries achieved this objective. This means that well over 99.9% of all competing teams failed in their attempts to progress to Week 17.

As we’ve touched on, the majority of the contest’s prize pool is committed to the playoffs and shared among a smaller selection of players. Conversely, $5 million or 33% of the total prize fund is paid out during the regular season, with 10,000 different winners announced on average.

Best Ball Mania Winners and Prize History

• BBM VI Champion: Sam Sherman ($3M, 2026)
• BBM V Champion: Pat Kerrane ($3M, 2025)
• BBM IV Champion: AMEEN0811 ($3M, 2024)
• BBM III Champion: DAILYROJO ($2M, 2023)

Strategy Tips for Best Ball Mania

In order to maximize our chances of advancing in Best Ball Mania, it’s important to think and pick strategically. Below, our experts have created some tips and strategies to help you optimize your lineup and scoring potential.

Consider Selecting 2 Quarterbacks

Realistically, you’ll need to include 2 or 3 quarterbacks in your initial BBM lineup. Interestingly, 4 of the 6 historic winners have opted to include 3 QBs, including each of the last 2.

However, compositions that include 2 quarterbacks are statistically more likely to advance to the later rounds and even the finals. In fact, sides that feature 2 QBs, 6 running backs, 8 wide receivers and 2 tight ends have a 14.0% probability of qualifying for the BBM finals on average.

If you swap out 1 of the running backs for a 3rd quarterback, the average probability of advancing the final drops to just 2.0%. Overall, we’d recommend picking 2 quarterbacks and ensuring that you have enough players in the running back and wide receiver positions.

Don’t Blindly Submit 150 Entries

Best Ball Mania allows for up to 150 entries per player, with each 1 costing $25 each. So, it’s possible to spend a total of $3,750 on creating lineups for a BBM contest, in a bid to maximize your chances of winning or progressing to the final.

Of course, making multiple entries lets you experiment with different lineup structures and theoretically improves our chances of winning. However, it’s unclear whether the probability improves by enough to justify your increased spend, with the stats suggesting that a more balanced approach may be required.

A drafter who enters 150 teams to Best Ball Mania is expected to advance just 1 lineup to the finals once every 8.3 years on average. So, you may find better overall value by entering a smaller number of teams and focusing on the compositions that offer the best statistical chance of winning.

To Stack or Not to Stack

Stacking is a common BBM strategy, and 1 that’s focused on drafting multiple players from the same NFL franchise. Usually, this technique will select offensive players from the same side (including quarterbacks and pass catches such as wide receivers), in order to maximize correlation and output each week.

Without the ability to trade or make waiver moves during Best Ball contests, it’s important to pick a roster that can produce peak scores throughout the campaign. This can be particularly impactful during the Fantasy playoffs between weeks 15 and 17, where stacking offenses can boost returns when fewer active roster spots are available.

When engaging in stacking, it’s important to focus on the best franchises that have the greatest chances of winning. At the very least, you’ll need to select from the highest scoring teams when stacking offensive players.

Underdog Fantasy App iOS and Android Experience

You can enter Best Ball Mania and similar contests via either the website or a native Underdog app. However, the app is particularly highly rated on both iOS and Android, with some 847 App Store reviews highlighting the former as the “best app for casual fantasy players.”

iOS App Features and Performance

The iOS Underdog Fantasy app has an average rating of 4.8/5, from more than 285k reviews. This score is indicative of consistently high performance levels, with most reviews citing the app’s ease of use and the simplicity of its Pick ’em format. This app is compatible with iOS 15.0 or later and requires 236.5MB of space on your device.

Average Rating	Language(s)	App Size
4.8/5 from 285k+ reviews	EN	236.5MB

Android App Quality

The Android app has an average rating of 4.6/5, albeit from a much smaller selection of reviews (28.5k+). Once again, the Android app benefits from having a similar layout to the desktop website, which makes for a seamless gameplay experience across all potential device types. This app also needs less space on your smartphone or tablet.

Average Rating	Language(s)	App Size
4.6/5 from 28.5k+ reviews	EN	78.0MB

App vs Web Experience

As you can see, both the iOS and Android apps boast intuitive interfaces that are easy to navigate and clearly laid out. This is to be expected from a mobile-first DFS brand, but the quality of execution enables you to switch quickly between drafts, Best Ball contests and pick ’ems with a single click.

Both apps also make better use of space than the desktop website. More specifically, you can access pick ’em and draft contest formats via the sticky menu at the bottom of the screen. You can also select different sports and leagues with a single click via the horizontal menu that runs along the top of the lobby.

On average, we noticed that the app tends to load more quickly than the website (in both desktop and mobile browsers). Occasionally, it can take longer than 5 seconds for the site to load when using a Chrome or Safari browser.

Although the native apps do experience performance issues, these tend to be minimal and easy to resolve. For example, a recent update in October 2025 caused some search function issues, which were raised in 42 separate Google Play reviews. However, these queries were answered promptly, while the issue was resolved in a matter of hours.

Pick’em Contests Higher or Lower Predictions

In addition to Best Ball, the platform also offers Pick ’em contest formats. This essentially mimics over/under betting and requires you to predict player performance metrics in your choice of sport or league.

Historically, you’d compete against the house when engaging in pick ’em games. However, this practice has been outlawed in many states due to its close relationship with prop betting. As a result, the site now offers its Champions format too, which introduces peer-to-peer gameplay and creates direct competition with rival players.

How Pick’em Works

The Champions format is incredibly straightforward. The game is also available in 21 different legal states. But how exactly do you play the game and build lineups?

• Build Your Lineup: First, you’ll have to build a lineup comprising between 2 and 8 athletes, before picking whether they’ll achieve over or under a particular performance metric. For example, you could pick forward Naji Marshall to score less than 23.5 points when Dallas travels to the LA Lakers in the NBA. Your total picks must also represent at least 2 different teams.
• Choose Whether to Flex Your Lineup: As with PrizePicks, the site enables you to flex your entry. This increases your chances of winning, by allowing proportional payouts even if 1 or 2 of your picks fails. We’ll cover the potential payouts and impact of flexing in the next section of the guide.
• Enter a Contest: Once you’ve confirmed your lineup, you’ll be entered into a tournament with rival players. Many contests include 2 or 3 players, while the minimum entry fee is $1. The majority of Champion contests cost $5 or higher, while the entry fee directly impacts the total prize pool. On the page, you’ll be able to see the live number of entrants and how much you could stand to win.
• Earn Champion Points and Win: Your entry is now ready to play, and you’ll collect Champion points for every correct pick. At the end of the gameweek or contest, the player with the highest number of Champion points will win and claim the prize pot. If you make 8 successful picks and choose not to flex your lineup, you can win up to 500x your entry.

Pick’em Payout Structure

The payout structure for Underdog’s Pick ’em contests varies depending on whether you flex your lineup or not. Firstly, let’s take a look at the base multipliers that are applied in instances where you don’t flex.

No. of Correct Picks	Base Multiplier
2	3x
3	6x
4	10x
5	20x
6	35x
7	65x
8	120x

When you flex your lineup, it’s possible to increase your chances of winning by securing a proportional payout even if 1 or 2 of your picks loses. In instances where 1 of your picks ties or the line is voided, payouts will also revert down to the next closest entry. Here’s a summary of the proportional payouts that are available in different scenarios at Underdog.

No. of Picks	Flex Entry With 1 Loss	Flex Entry With 2 Losses	Entry With 1 Tie or Voided Line
2	N/A	N/A	N/A
3	1x	N/A	3x
4	1.5x	N/A	6x
5	2.5x	N/A	10x
6	2.6x	0.25x	20x
7	2.75x	0.5x	35x
8	3x	1x	65x

In terms of strategy, entries with 3 or 4 picks tend to offer optimal expected value. This is because they unlock competitive multipliers and relatively favourable implied probability values, while delivering proportional payouts if 1 or more picks fails.

Opting for a 3-man lineup offers a break-even win probability of 55.03%. This translates into competitive odds of -122, highlighting a balanced approach that will particularly suit casual or risk-averse players.

Available Sports and Markets

Underdog’s Champion pick ’em game is available in 21 US states at the time of writing. You can also select players and performance metrics from 8 different leagues, which represents sports like American football, basketball, ice hockey and baseball. These include:

• CBB (College Basketball)
• PGA (Golf)
• NBA (Basketball)
• WNBA (Women’s Basketball)
• CFB (College Football)
• NHL (Ice Hockey)
• MLB (Baseball)
• NFL (American Football)

Draft Contests Battle Royale and Snake Drafts

In addition to Best Ball and Pick ’em contests, Underdog Fantasy also offers its trademark Battle Royale competition. This combines elements of both best ball and traditional snake drafts, while offering a top prize of $50,000 for each winner. But how does the contest format work, and how much does entry cost?

Battle Royale Format

Battle Royale is a daily fantasy game that unlocks thousands of dollars in cumulative prizes. It eschews the salary cap format pioneered by DraftKings and FanDuel, as players instead participate in 6 draft rounds to fill the following roster positions:

• 1 x QB
• 1 x RB
• 2 x WR
• 1 x TE
• 1 x Flex (Pick an additional RB, WR or TE)

As with other contest types, you may want to consider stacking players from the same franchise. This creates the potential for positive correlation and tangible expected value, especially when you pick a potent quarterback and wide receiver partnership.

Once you’ve confirmed your lineup, your objective is to score the most fantasy points within your group (and the contest as a whole). This will usually be determined over the course of a single matchday or gameweek.

Different actions and performance metrics carry alternative scoring values, with some more impactful than others.

Action	Points
Reception	0.5
Receiving Yard	0.1
Rushing Yard	0.1
Passing Touchdown	4.0
2-Point Conversion	2.0
Receiving Touchdown	6.0
Rushing Touchdown	6.0
Passing Yard	0.04
Interception	-1.0
Fumble Lost	-2.0

Draft Room Sizes and Mechanics

The Battle Royale contest utilizes a snake draft format. This reverses the pick order at the end of each round, so the player who picks first in round 1 will have the last selection in round 2. They’ll then have the initial pick once again in round 3.

Arguably, going first or last in a snake draft can offer an advantage, as these positions allow for consecutive picks at different junctures. This is particularly true when picking first in round 1, as this lets you select a high performance quarterback or wide receiver.

In total, anywhere between 18 and 72 players are selected across 6 rounds during a Battle Royale snake draft, depending on the size of the drafting group. Players will be split into 3, 6 or 12-person groups, with the former drafts often taking less than 6 minutes to complete.

Entry Fees and Prize Pools

During the 2025 campaign, daily or weekly Battle Royale entries commanded a $7 entry fee. This offers access to a total prize fund in excess of $200,000 per round, with the contest paying out up to 9,500 spots. Here’s a summary of the top 100 cash prizes.

Finish	Prize
1st	$50,000
2nd	$25,000
3rd	$15,000
4th	$10,000
5th	$9,000
6th	$8,000
7th	$7,500
8th	$7,000
9th	$6,000
10th	$5,000
11th – 15th	$4,000
16th – 20th	$2,000
21st – 25th	$1,000
26th – 50th	$750
51st – 75th	$500
76th – 100th	$250

Gladiator Program Rakeback Rewards

Underdog also runs a rewards program, which awards rakeback as bonus funds based on your weekly entry fees. However, rakeback rewards and tiers vary from 1 contest type to another, so it’s important to understand the program’s precise terms and conditions.

How the Gladiator Program Works

When you enter a minimum number of paid contests during the qualifying period (which usually runs between 12am EST each Tuesday and Monday at 11.59pm EST), you’ll receive a percentage of the rake you paid towards your draft.

Broadly speaking, between 10% and 50% is payable in rakeback to players, depending on the contests that you enter each week and the respective tiers.

Last year, Underdog adjusted their rules to ensure that entry fees will be the key factor when determining tiers. Also, several contests were ineligible as part of the 2025 terms and conditions, including Dawg Bowl, Sit-and-Go’s and rake-free charity contests.

Rakeback Tiers

If you’re a Battle Royale player, you’re eligible to receive rakeback as a percentage of your entry fees all-year-round. There are 3 rakeback tiers within this category and they appear as follows:

• 25-49 Entries: 10% rakeback
• 50-74 Entries: 25% rakeback
• 75+ Entries: 50% rakeback

Although the Gladiator Program also covers Best Ball and Pick ’em contests, rakeback can only be generated during specified promotional periods. These periods typically unlock between 10% and 20% rakeback, with higher rates available for more lucrative Best Ball contests. Here are some examples of previous promotions from the 2025 season:

• 50+ Best Ball Entries During the Entire Promo Period: 10% rakeback
• 150+ Entries in Best Ball Mania VI: 15% rakeback
• 250+ Weekly Entries: 20% rakeback

Tracking Your Rakeback Status

Unfortunately, there’s no easy way for you to track your progress when participating in the Gladiators Program. The site has yet to implement a visible or accessible rewards tracker via the account page, which would provide real-time updates on how much rakeback is payable for the week.

This could also let you know how many more contests you need to enter to advance to the next tier during a particular qualifying period.

This would improve the current status quo, which sees Underdog notify users when they’ve become Gladiators via email once a minimum entry threshold has been reached. You can also opt-in to receive promotional emails when Best Ball and Pick ’em rakeback promos launch.

For regular updates pertaining to ongoing Battle Royale rakeback, we’d recommend that you follow Underdog Drafts (@underdogdrafts) on X. This will help you to keep informed, but the site would definitely benefit from uploading more information to these channels to help promote further awareness about the Gladiator Program.

Banking Deposits and Withdrawals

Deposit Method	Minimum Deposit	Speed	Withdrawal	Withdrawal Speed
Visa / Mastercard Debit	$10	Instant	Yes	2-3 days
Visa / Mastercard / AMEX Credit Card	$10	Instant	No	N/A
PayPal	$10	Instant	Yes	1-2 days
Venmo	$10	Instant	Yes	1-2 days
Online Banking (Trustly)	$10	Instant	Yes	1-2 days
Apple Pay	$10	Instant	Yes	N/A
ACH	N/A	N/A	Yes	Up to 7 business days

Deposit Methods

There are 6 deposit methods available at Underdog Fantasy, with Visa and Mastercard debit, PayPal and Trustly among the most popular. Each of these payment methods credits your account instantly, while all deposits must have a cash value of $10 or higher.

The $10 deposit limit is also enough to trigger the current welcome bonus. However, the bonus’s precise terms and conditions require you to make an initial deposit using either PayPal, Trustly or a valid debit card. Deposits made via credit card, Apple Pay or Venmo won’t be eligible to trigger the bonus.

Withdrawal Process and Timeline

Withdrawals are available via a smaller selection of payment methods at the site. These include debit card, PayPal, Venmo, Trustly, ACH and paper checks, with credit cards and Apple Pay ineligible for the purpose of accessing winnings.

This has been the subject of some complaints online, especially via Reddit. In fact, 89 separate user reviews have highlighted the restricted range of withdrawal methods as being inconvenient, particularly when compared to rival DFS sites.

On average, withdrawals can take up to 3 working days, although PayPal, Trustly and Venmo regularly process transactions well within 48 hours. Here’s a summary of the typical withdrawal process.

Step 1. Verify Your Identity

Make sure that you’ve uploaded documents to verify your identity and account.

Step 2. Access Balance Management

Click through Balance Management when logged into your account.

Step 3. Note the Minimum Limits

The minimum deposit limit at Underdog is $10. However, the site will let you withdraw less than $10 if you have a lower amount remaining on your balance.

Step 4. Select Method and Confirm

Select your preferred withdrawal method and confirm the amount.

Step 5. Receive Email Confirmation

You’ll then receive email confirmation of the transaction. You’ll also be prompted to verify your identity if you haven’t already done so.

Step 6. Verify the Withdrawal Link

Click on the verification link in the email. This will manually confirm the withdrawal request. Note that all links expire after 10 minutes.

Processing Times

Most withdrawals at the site are slated to take 2 to 3 business days. However, it’s not uncommon for PayPal and Venmo in particular to process withdrawals more quickly, often within 24 hours.

However, users have also reported 5-7 day delays during weekends and bank holidays, with this insight drawn from 127 App Store reviews analyzed between Oct 1st and October 14, 2025.

Such delays can be compounded when withdrawing via ACH or paper check. It can already take up to 7 business days to access your winnings via check, without accounting for internal processing delays.

Customer Support

Whether you access Underdog Fantasy via the desktop site or a mobile app, the live chat feature is easily accessible. In fact, this is available via the small floating logo in the bottom right-hand corner of the lobby, while you can connect with real agents 24/7.

The live chat will initially provide chatbot support, but it’s possible to be connected with a human agent within a couple of clicks. Agents will usually respond well within 5 minutes too, enabling you to resolve simple queries quickly. Our findings were supported by first-hand user reviews, which revealed the live chat feature to be responsive and helpful.

For more complex written queries, you can reach out via email at support@underdogfantasy.com. The site pledges to respond directly to queries within 24 hours, but this timeframe is usually much quicker during weekdays.

Although there’s no toll-free telephone support, the Underdog Help Center unlocks various FAQ resources. This can be accessed via your account page, and lets you quickly review contest rules, responsible gambling limits and answers to the most frequently asked questions.

Underdog Fantasy Legal States

Underdog Fantasy is live in 40 US states and Washington DC. The site even has a strong presence in Canada, as it continues to trade in all provinces except for Ontario. Below, we’ll drill a little deeper into which states allow Underdog Fantasy, while also appraising age restrictions in different jurisdictions.

Legal States and Age Restrictions

Let’s start by listing the 41 US states and jurisdictions where the platform is legal and licensed to operate.

AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, D.C., DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WV, WI, WY

In terms of age restrictions, the vast majority of legal Underdog states allow you to enter contests so long as you’re aged 18 and above. However, the minimum age increases to 19+ in AL, NE and CO (depending on your choice of contest format) and 21+ in AZ, MA and VA.

Contest and Game Availability by State

As we’ve touched on, the availability of different Underdog contests varies from 1 state to the next. So, here’s a summary of the current state of play and where you can play specific games.

• Underdog Champions: Available in 21 states (AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, D.C., DE, FL, IL, KS, KY, MA, MS, MO, NH, NC, ND, TN, VT, VA, WV)
• Traditional Pick ’em: Available in 16 states (AK, GA, IN, MN, NE, NM, ND, OK, OR, RI, SC, SD, TX, UT, WI, WY)
• Drafts (Best Ball and Battle Royale): Available in 41 states (AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, D.C., DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WV, WI, WY)

States Where Underdog is NOT Available

The product offering continues to evolve, even after officially closing down its sports betting vertical on December 17th, 2025. However, the brand continues to roll out its fantasy products, with Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada and Washington the only states where it has yet to create a presence at all.

Geolocation Technology

Underdog uses advanced geolocation software, in order to verify your state location when you register and sign in to your account. This prevents you from signing in when you’re located in a state where the platform is unlicensed. Similarly, the use of a VPN is prohibited and will most likely see your account access blocked.

Underdog Fantasy vs PrizePicks Which is Better

The Underdog Fantasy vs PrizePicks comparison is a valid 1, especially with both platforms now offering peer-to-peer pick ’em games. Of course, the former provides a more diverse mix of contest formats and drafts overall, but your choice of site will depend largely on your preferred DFS games.

Feature	Underdog Fantasy	PrizePicks
Best Ball Contests	Industry Leader	Not Available
Pick’em Games	Available	Primary Focus
Snake Draft Contests	Battle Royale	Not Available
Largest Prize Pool	$15M (BBM VI)	Varies
App Rating (iOS)	4.8/5 (285K reviews)	4.7/5
Rakeback Program	Gladiator (10-50%)	Not Available
Withdrawal Methods	PayPal, Check, ACH	PayPal, Venmo, more
Avg. Withdrawal Time	2-7 days	1-3 days

Pick ’em Format Differences

Feature	Underdog	PrizePicks
No. of Picks	2-8	2-6
No. of Sports / Leagues	8+	100+
Adjustable Lines	Yes	Yes
Flex Pay Options	Yes	Yes
Biggest Payout	1000x (via Underdog Streaks)	2000x
Best Feature	Streaks offers 1000x your entry when you make 11 correct picks consecutively	Live Squares lets you build a lineup and make picks as games progress

As you can see, Underdog allows you to create lineups with up to 8 players, compared to just 6 for PrizePicks. This creates higher potential payouts during standard contests, with a base multiplier of 120x available when you make 8 correct picks.

However, PrizePicks offers the highest overall multiplier of 2000x. This is unlocked when you build a winning 6-man lineup complete with all Demon picks. These are higher than standard projections and have a lower implied probability value, and are denoted by a red demon emoji on the right of the projections.

At PrizePicks, you’ll also unlock marginally bigger payouts for 5 and 6-pick flex entries. The site publishes projections across over 100 sports and leagues too, while there’s a more diverse selection of props and performance metrics available.

Although Underdog regularly applies boosts to its base multiplier payouts, PrizePicks creates daily Ultra or Maximum discounts to certain player projections. These reduce a standard total to a nominal 1. For example, Seahawks QB Sam Darnold has his passing and rushing yard projection slashed from 231.5 to 0.5 ahead of the NFC Championship game. This creates huge value and increases your chances of winning markedly.

Alternative Contest Format Comparison

While PrizePicks may edge Underdog when it comes to Pick ’em contests, the latter offers a far greater range of alternative formats.

This is especially true when it comes to draft contests like Best Ball Mania and Battle Royale, with the former unlocking season-long competition and many opportunities to win. This creates greater variety and flexibility for players, who can engage in daily, weekly and season-long contests.

PrizePicks has sought to counter this by introducing contests such as MLBSZN. This runs throughout the whole of the MLB season, while extending the classic pick ’em format to include season-long statistics like home runs, pitcher strikeouts and stolen bases.

Prize Pool Comparison

By prioritising drafts and season-long contest formats, Underdog can attract a huge number of entries and build larger prize pools. For example, Best Ball Mania VI unlocked a maximum of 672,672 entries, each of which commanded a fee of $25. This supported a total prize fund of $15 million.

Even smaller drafts like Battle Royale offer weekly prizes totalling $200,000+, with each entry costing $7.

Although PrizePicks’ introduction of so-called Demon picks has doubled the site’s maximum pick ’em multiplier from 1000x to 2000x, this only enables you to turn a $10 entry into a $20,000 payout. So, Underdog definitely offers more sizable potential payouts and superior value to skilled or experienced players.

Which Platform is Right for You

Additionally, Underdog Fantasy is the best choice for draft enthusiasts and fans of season-long Best Ball contests. The rakeback available via the Gladiators Program is also highly appealing, with this unlocking between 10% and 50% of the payable rake when you participate in qualifying contests.

Conversely, PrizePicks offers greater value if you’re solely focused on pick ’em contests. The site offers more player projections across a broader selection of sports, while it’s possible to win up to 2000x your entry. The use of Ultra or Maximum discounts also increases your chances of making accurate predictions.

Pros and Cons Summary

Pros	Cons
Best Ball Mania unlocks a market leading $15 Million Prize Pool	There are limited withdrawal options available
Best Ball Mania lineups are flexible and can include 2 or 3 quarterbacks	Payout times can exceed 7+ days during busy periods
The pick ‘em Champions format includes up to 8 picks	The Gladiator Program is poorly advertised and has no in-app tracker
Battle Royale unlocks small draft groups and weekly prizes	There’s no toll-free telephone support available
Draft fans can claim up to 50% rakeback via the Gladiators Program
Underdog Streaks pays out 1000x when you make 11 consecutive correct picks
An average iOS app score of 4.8/5 from more than 285k reviews

Final Verdict

Underdog Fantasy definitely stands as the number 1 Best Ball platform, with its flagship Best Ball Mania contest paying out $15 million in total. It also offers drafts and the Battle Royale format, with the latter contest unlocking rakeback of up to 50% all season long.

The site’s Champions contests unlock peer-to-peer pick ’em gameplay too, which allows you to make up to 8 player projections and win a maximum of 1000x your entry.

However, rivals PrizePicks offer a superior pick ’em format, which features more sports, player projections and a maximum payout of 2,000x. Also, DraftKings and FanDuel provide better value if you’re a fan of pure salary cap contests, while these sites process quicker withdrawals on average.

Overall, Underdog is our recommended DFS platform for casual to mid-level players, especially if you want to access a variety of contests. This is particularly true if you play regularly and want to claim rakeback throughout the year.

FAQs

Where is Underdog Fantasy legal?

Underdog Fantasy is now licensed in 41 US states and jurisdictions, including Washington DC. The minimum age restriction in most states is 18+, but this increases to 19+ in AL, NE and CO. You’ll have to be aged 21 or older to play in AZ, MA and VA. Also, you should note that contest availability varies from one state to another.

How does Underdog Fantasy work?

Underdog offers a huge variety of DFS games and contests. Its flagship product is Best Ball Mania, which is a season-long contest with a maximum prize pool of $15 million. You can also play draft contests such as Battle Royale, which unlocks weekly prizes of $200,000+. Peer-to-peer Pick ’em games are also available at Underdog in 21 different states.

How fast are Underdog Fantasy withdrawals?

The average withdrawal time at Underdog Fantasy is slated to be 3 business days. However, banking methods like PayPal and Venmo will often process payments within 24 hours. A small number of App Store reviews have highlighted significant payout delays during weekends and bank holidays, with some individual withdrawals taking 7+ days.

Is Underdog Fantasy better than PrizePicks?

Underdog certainly offers a greater variety of DFS contests, including Best Ball and snake drafts like Battle Royale. When it comes to the pick ’em format, PrizePicks features projections from a much larger selection of sports, some of which benefit from Ultra discounts. The maximum pick ’em multiplier at PrizePicks is also 2000x, which doubles Underdog’s Streaks payout of 1000x.

What is the Underdog Fantasy Gladiator Program?

This is the site’s DFS loyalty program, which affords you between 10% and 50% rakeback, depending on your preferred contest type and the number of entries you submit. These factors determine your tier, while draft and Battle Royale players can claim rakeback as a percentage of their entries all-year-round. Conversely, you can only claim rakeback during specified promotional periods when playing Best Ball and Pick ’em contests.

How do I enter Best Ball Mania?

You can make a maximum of 150 entries into Best Ball Mania, with each one costing $25. So, you’ll need to have the requisite deposited funds to cover your entries. You’ll then be entered into a 12-person fantasy draft, where you select your lineup over the course of 18 rounds. You’ll then compete to accrue fantasy points between weeks 1 and 14, after which the top 2 teams in each group will progress to the playoffs. 33% of the total prize pool ($5 million) will be paid out during the regular season.

What is Underdog Fantasy’s app rating?

The iOS Underdog Fantasy app has an average rating of 4.8/5 from 285k+ reviews. The Android app has a score of 4.6/5 from 28.5k+ reviews. These scores highlight an impressive and consistent level of performance across all operating systems, with iOS users citing the app as one of the best for new or casual DFS players.

References

• App Store reviews (analyzed Oct 1-14, 2025)
• Google Play reviews
• Underdog Fantasy official site
• Best Ball Mania rules
• Gladiator Program terms
• Reddit r/sportsbook discussions
• State gaming commission info
• DFS industry reports