In this DraftKings sportsbook review for 2024, we'll cover some of the best features of the sportsbook, highlight some positive and negative reviews, and share areas that could be improved to enhance the overall player experience. We have unbiased reviews on more than a dozen legal Ontario sportsbooks, including Betano, Sports Interaction, and Bet365 and provide accurate information and honest opinions about the pros and cons of each bookmaker.
To start, here are some of the strengths and weaknesses of our DraftKings review.
| ✅ Safe and trustworthy bookmaker | ❌ No phone contact for customer service |
| ✅ Live streaming | ❌ No website for Canadian players outside Ontario |
| ✅ Odds boosts | ❌ Below average sign-up promotions |
| ✅ DraftKings Social and Rewards | ❌ Doesn't cater specifically to Ontario bettors |
DraftKings Ontario Review – Sports and Betting Markets
Let's start by taking a look at DraftKings' assortment of sports and betting markets to see how it compares to their competition in Canada.
DraftKings Ontario Sportsbook
First of all, DraftKings has an extensive selection of sports, ranging from the most popular ones to some relatively obscure sports. The DraftKings sportsbook offers customers the chance to bet on more than a dozen sports including the most popular North American professional leagues including:
- National Football League (NFL)
- Major League Baseball (MLB)
- Major League Soccer (MLS)
- National Hockey League (NHL)
- National Basketball Association (NBA)
- College Sports
In addition, you can bet on many soccer leagues, basketball, tennis, boxing, golf, and some less popular sports like snooker, darts, and lacrosse. On top of that, you can also bet on esports at DraftKings Ontario.
DraftKings Betting Markets
The number of betting markets is also extensive, especially for those popular sports mentioned. You'll find a variety of markets including:
- Moneyline
- Handicaps
- Outrights
- Spread Bets
- Totals
- Player & team specials
- Futures
- Prop Bets
- Teasers
- Parlays
In addition to these sports and markets, you can wager on pre-game or in-play events. Pre-game event markets are only available until the game itself begins, while in-play markets are only available after the game begins. The number of betting markets will be different, with in-play markets being less.
DraftKings Odds, Limits, and More
DraftKings provides competitive odds, especially for the most popular sports and leagues. The margins for those sports are between 4% and 5%, which is in line with other sports betting operators in the Canadian market.
Meanwhile, from what we were able to gather for our DraftKings Ontario review, this operator seems to be generous with limits. For example, winnings for some sports can go up to $1 million, for the NBA and NFL. Other sports and competitions may come with lower limits on net payouts, so make sure to check them individually.
On top of that, there are also limits for maximum withdrawals, with the highest one being $100,000, but we couldn’t see anywhere if that’s per day or withdrawal. In any case, anything higher than that will have to be withdrawn in increments.
Lastly, you can set the following limits with DraftKings Ontario:
- deposit limits
- wagering limits
- max wager limits
- time limits
Overview of DraftKings Ontario features
So far, we’ve covered DraftKings sports, markets, and odds. Now, it’s time to look at other features you can find at DraftKings Canada.
Live Betting & Streaming at DraftKings Canada
In addition to pre-match betting, DraftKings Ontario also provides an extensive live betting section with many different sports, leagues, and matches. The number of betting markets for the most popular sports is impressive, as is the abundance of live stats and betting trends.
One thing that we would like to see is a graphic representation of ongoing events for some of the matches, which is found on most betting sites. This is not exactly important for the live betting itself since the stats are already there to help you decide what bet to place, but it would make the live betting experience a bit more engaging.
How to Bet on Live Games
- Go to the DraftKings website or open the DraftKings app
- Either create an account using the DraftKings sign up code or go ahead and sign in to your account
- Select the section that says Live in-game to see available live games and events
- Choose the game you want to place a bet on
- Choose the betting market you like
- Click on the odds to add the selection to your betting slip (add multiple selections for a parlay bet)
- Enter the amount you would like to wager on your bet slip
- Confirm the bet
Live Streaming Selection: to be improved
As of September 2024, the selection is limited, but you can still watch live streams of certain sports and leagues at DraftKings Canada, with a few soccer leagues and some baseball at the forefront of their live streaming service.
We would like to see a bit more here, and we hope that DraftKings will soon extend its live-streaming service and add more sports and leagues.
Cash Out Feature
Another interesting feature we'll cover in our DraftKings review is the Cash Out Feature, which is only available for some matches and not at all times and for all bets. This is a well-known feature that most bookies today provide to their users and DraftKings certainly isn’t behind in this area.
The Cash Out is a feature that gives bettors a chance to get out of their bet early before the event is over, or in the case of parlay bets, even before the last leg has begun. This way, you have more control over your bets and their outcome, and reduce the risk of losing the entire wager.
As we said, the Cash Out Feature is not always available at DraftKings, but when it is, you will be able to see a yellow Cash Out button in the My Bets section of your account. So, if you want to use this feature, click on the button to cash out the amount proposed to you by DraftKings.
Mobile app
The DraftKings app is not only for its sportsbook but also for its casino games. It has a user-friendly design and is easy to navigate, boasting a similar layout to the desktop site.
Adding a search button for sports betting to the DraftKings app could make navigation even simpler, but we are pleased with it in its current form. The app is available for both iOS and Android devices and can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play Store.
DraftKings Ontario Casino section
We'll start our DraftKings casino review by saying that we did enjoy it and that there are good things about it. There are currently a total of 844 games in the DraftKings Casino, divided into more than half a dozen categories including:
- Jackpots
- Table Games
- Keno
- Slots
- Video Poker
- Live Dealer
- DraftKings Games
The slots have the most options, with more than 750 available titles to choose from. Only 39 of those slots are with jackpots and 80 of them are table games or video poker.
Some of the most popular slots you can find here are Gonzo’s Quest Megaways, Wheel of Fortune Megaways, Da Vinci Diamonds, Cash Eruption, Fortune Coin, The 100,000 Pyramid, and many others.
The section with table games is well-stacked and includes variants of blackjack, baccarat, roulette, poker, and more than a few dice games. We were let down by the live dealer and Keno sections, with only about ten games in both categories available.
Customers enjoy these games so much that the live dealer tables are almost always full. You can choose between Roulette, Poker, Baccarat, Blackjack, or game shows.
Overall, DraftKings casino showed that it’s a solid choice for those who are primarily focused on sports betting and want to play an occasional casino game. However, if you like to spend time in the casino section, the number of games you can find at DraftKings will leave you wanting more.
Verified customers over the age of 19 and located in Ontario can enjoy casino games on the DraftKings’ iGaming platform.
If you're still on the fence about the DraftKings casino platform, read our best online casino reviews blog to get a global picture of online casinos in Ontario.
DraftKings History
Launched in the US in 2011 as a daily fantasy sports (DFS) platform, DraftKings has evolved into one of the leading sports betting platforms in North America. The company, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, was the first legal bookmaker in New Jersey in 2018 after the US legalized sports gambling.
It offers an impressive diversity of betting markets and casino games and is regarded as one of the most trusted and secure bookmakers on the market. Through various partnerships, including with ESPN and MLB, DraftKings has grown substantially since its inception.
It's now listed on the New York Stock Exchange and active in more than 15 countries, including Canada. DraftKings employs about 2,600 people and owns the multi-platform broadcast business Vegas Sports Information Network, Inc., which gives the bookmaker an edge in live streaming for our DraftKings betting review.
Where is DraftKings Legal?
Today, DraftKings is available in 21 US states and Ontario. It is not available for Canadian bettors in other provinces. DraftKings also has a presence in several other countries, including India, Brazil, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
- US (AZ, CO, IL, IA, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV, WY)
- Canada (Ontario)
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- Austria
- Malta
- Ireland
- Australia
- India
- South Africa
- Brazil
Safety and Trustworthiness
The most important thing to know for our Ontario DraftKings sportsbook review is that the company is one of the most secure betting platforms on the market. This is in large part due to the fact it's a publicly traded company listed on the NYSE and has shareholders and corporate partners to whom it must answer.
Unregulated bookmakers can often withstand negative press and scrutiny, but DraftKings has to be accountable to its partners. This notion is backed up by many customers online, who have shared a positive review of DraftKings on platforms like Trustpilot and Reddit.
DraftKings also maintains proper licenses in states and countries in which it operates. Its sportsbook and casino products in Ontario are regulated by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). In addition, DraftKings also utilizes SSL encryption to safeguard user information and activity.
DraftKings License
As mentioned, the AGCO regulates all DraftKings products in Ontario. This is important for player protection as it provides certainty that their deposits and potential winnings are covered by law in accordance with the Gaming Control Act, 1992.
The AGCO requires a $100,000 registration fee and imparts a 25 percent tax on all sportsbook and DFS operators in the province. DraftKings has held license in Ontario since 2022 and holds similar licenses in many other countries, including the US and UK.
DraftKings – External Sources Review
DraftKings is one of the most visible sportsbooks on the market. Thus, we can complement our own DraftKings review with some opinions – positive and negative – from players shared on various platforms.
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| "I have been playing for about 2 years, never ever had an issue, have made deposits and many withdrawals, always a pleasurable experience." | "I want to be happy with them. I am happy with the app and the lines. This should be 95% of the story, and it's positive. But man, oh, man is trying to cash out a chore. And terrible customer service. Have a very specific question, written up with references and sources and everything they should need to look up the answer? Hope you enjoy getting forwarded some links that don't have anything to do with what you asked about! Because that's all they do." |
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Google play store | "I've tried a handful of sportsbook apps and this one looks like it will be my go-to. Easy to fund and get going, easy to navigate. Two major upsides are: Alternative lines - let's you pick a wide range of odds. (some others have this but most only offer it late/day-of) Early cash out: As long as the odds haven't changed since placing a bet you can cash out your wager. (only seen on this app) Without these options, Draft Kings would be just like the rest. With them, it stands alone." | "The app is slow, and the customer support is slower and nearly useless (took over an hour for someone to even respond to me, and when they did, they just sent prewritten/automated messages that didn't even address my issue). I'm also completely unable to bet on Awards despite being able to do so on Fanduel, so I know it isn't a restriction from my State. If you'll bet, do it with a different service." |
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Trustpilot | "This is the best Casino App out there in my opinion. 1.) My withdrawals hit my bank account within 2 minutes EVERY SINGLE TIME. 2.) No issues with my deposits. 3.) They have promos running daily. 4.) Bonus credits have only a 1x wager requirement. Let me say that again. Bonus credits only have a... ONE. TIME. WAGER REQUIREMENT. Other casino sites make you play through bonus credits like 35 times! DraftKings only makes you play through your casino bonus credits ONCE. And the winnings become instant cash." | "They constantly lock my account for Daily Fantasy, saying that their security team senses VPN software and that I am location hopping or sharing my account, which is always wrong. This has happened over 20 times, and every time, I cannot speak or chat with an agent. It takes days to get it resolved." |
Banking Options Available
Deposit Methods
DraftKings offers a variety of different deposit methods, but the one notable method it lacks is Interac.
Withdrawal Methods
DraftKings withdrawal options include PayPal and debit cards. Their options are limited compared to many other sportsbooks, but they're one of the few that offer withdrawals via cheque.
DraftKings Customer Support
As outlined previously in our DraftKings review, the sportsbook's customer support could be improved considerably. Many reviewers of the bookmaker have shared negative experiences dealing with DraftKings' customer support team and the means of communication are limited.
- Phone: 1-855-357-2377 (voice message only)
- Email: support(@)draftkings.com
- Contact form: https://help(.)draftkings.com
- Twitter (X): @DK_Assist
- Live chat: yes – chatbot
Responsible Gambling
DraftKings is committed to responsible gaming with several features that players can enable to monitor or restrict their betting activity. They offer deposit limits, a cool-off period feature, check-in reminders, and other tools.
For those who these resources aren't effective, there are several organizations and websites that can help with problem gambling habits. Begambleraware.org is a great resource with helpful tips and support. CMHA Ontario also offers individual support for gambling addiction.
DraftKings Recap: A Good Choice for Ontario Residents
At the end of our DraftKings review for the Canadian market, we can honestly say that you won’t be making a mistake if you join DraftKings.
This bookie is up there with the best sportsbooks in Canada when it comes to sports and betting markets. They also provide live streaming of some sports and games, which is always a nice bonus.
DraftKings Ontario also has a casino section for those who want to try some engaging casino games, the Cash Out feature, reliable customer support, and a few different payment methods you can use. Meanwhile, there are a few things that DraftKings Ontario can improve in the future.
For example, they should add a phone number for customer support since that’s lacking at the moment. We would also like to see their casino section enriched with a few more casino games.
