Top Online Fantasy Sports Operators in Delaware
Delaware legalized online fantasy sports contests in 2017 with the enactment of the Delaware Interactive Fantasy Contest Act. This new law permits residents of the state to submit real money wagers in online fantasy sports contests.
The Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) serves as the regulatory governmental agency. It ensures the continued integrity of the offered contests and compliance with state law.
As of 2022, the DGE has licensed only three operators to offer online fantasy sports contests in Delaware.
FanDuel
FanDuel’s blue and white color theme is easily one of the most iconic visuals in online fantasy sports. Since 2009, fantasy sports enthusiasts have been able to compete in various contests on the platform.
FanDuel offers multiple sports across different leagues, including the NFL, MLB, KBO, NBA, WNBA, NHL, CFB, PGA, EPL, UCL, NASCAR, UFC, eSports, Olympics, and Tennis.
FanDuel contests are offered in multiple categories. Each category features a restriction that dictates how play occurs and is regulated.
There are a total of 12 available categories for players to test out their skills. These include: Beginners only, beat the score, friends mode, guaranteed prize pool tournaments, multipliers, head-to-head, 3-100 players mode, the 50/50s, satellites and qualifiers, single game, daily snake, and best ball.
Most of the games available are played as daily contests allowing players to draft a new team at the start of a new contest or round.
FanDuel offers few promotions. New users receive $10 credit on a $10 deposit and one free game in which they can win real rewards. New players can take advantage of the welcome offer to become better acquainted with the platform, as some games have very low entry fees.
Upon signup, players are automatically registered in the FanDuel loyalty rewards program, Player’s Club. Playing on the platform allows players to earn FanDuel Points – 5 points per $1 spent.
These points can be used to enter more contests, and the player's tier in the Player's Club becomes higher as more points are earned. Players at higher tiers can receive special rewards such as free play contests and vouchers.
Pros:
- A large number of sports to play
- Availability of Esports
- Very large prize pools
- Multiple deposit and withdrawal options
- In-depth instructional materials for beginner players
- An advisory site called "The Duel" provides sports news and predictions
- A loyalty rewards program
Cons:
- Beginner players might have a hard time breaking into higher-level games.
DraftKings
DraftKings stands alongside FanDuel as one of the major providers of online fantasy sports in the U.S. DraftKings has been in operation since 2012. It offers fantasy sports options that span several leagues, including the NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL, MMA, AFL, and AUSFL.
Others include the CFL, Soccer, Golf, NASCAR, Tennis, Euro League, eSports, College football, and College basketball. Players of every skill level can enjoy playing their favorite sports, as the DraftKings platform provides something for everyone.
Beginner players can receive favorable match-ups against other similarly skilled players, and veterans can partake in huge prize pools against the very best for massive payouts.
Players on the platform can engage daily in the numerous contest types available by drafting their team at the start of each contest. Across various sports, players can play in guaranteed prize pools, leagues, 50/50 games, head-to-head games, qualifiers/satellites, multipliers, freeroll contests to earn DK dollars rather than cash, step tournaments, and beginner matches.
Beginners to the platform can easily jump into one of the contests with the signup bonus.
DraftKings has the best sign-up bonus, giving players $20 in free play credits upon a minimum deposit of $5. Regular players can participate in the DraftKings rewards program called the Dynasty Rewards to enhance the overall play experience.
As players spend money on the platform, they can earn DK Crowns at a rate of 1 crown per $1 in entry fees. DK Crowns can be redeemed in the Dynasty store to claim various types of rewards or used to enter contests.
Players gain status tiers as they accrue more crowns, and each status tier offers new benefits, from exclusive contests to dedicated VIP status. Also, numerous promotions frequently pop up on the DraftKings platform giving players rewards for completing achievements. These promotions can appear as referral challenges or as rewards for playing a particular sport.
Pros:
- Numerous fantasy leagues to play in
- Availability of Esports
- Multiple means of depositing and withdrawing
- Frequent tournaments with large prize pools
- Promotional offers
- Provision of an advisory site
- Impressive rewards program
Cons:
- A large number of highly experienced players
Yahoo Fantasy Sports
Yahoo Fantasy Sports offers a solid fantasy sports experience to Delaware residents. Its hosting is centered around a smaller number of leagues, including the MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, Golf, and Soccer, all made easily accessible even to casual, unskilled players.
The Yahoo Fantasy Sports platform caters to all skill levels, including rookies, intermediates, veterans, and even a special class called super veterans.
The Yahoo Fantasy Sports contests are all categorized for easy navigation and the segregation of skill levels. The categories available include guaranteed prize pools, multi-entry games, quick matches, best ball, and leagues. The Yahoo platform is very famous for its season-long fantasy sports, which it offers alongside daily fantasy contests.
Yahoo Fantasy Sports offers multiple league types, some that run all season long with the only draft happening at the start of the season and some that feature rounds in which a draft occurs each round.
Players can also engage in private leagues to compete against their friends.
New players are welcomed upon a minimum deposit of $10 with a signup bonus of $25 non-withdrawable site credits for entering contests.
Regular players can take advantage of the Yahoo Fantasy Plus service at $35 per year to obtain research tools, trade insights, and advanced stats to gain an edge in their league games.
Players can also participate in the rewards programs to earn Yahoo Sports Rewards Points by entering paid daily fantasy contests. These points can be redeemed to play in other paid daily contests without spending any money.
Pros:
- Lower fees are charged on contests as the operator’s rake
- Availability of the paid Yahoo Fantasy Plus service
- Very beginner friendly
- Numerous free contests
- Prominence in season-long fantasy games
- Quick withdrawal options
- Rewards point program
Cons:
- Smaller prize pools
- The rewards program offers little beyond free-play
- Withdrawals and deposits can only be made using PayPal
The Delaware Interactive Fantasy Contest Act at the time of signing banned all fantasy sports involving sports at the collegiate level and horse racing.
House Bill 190 of 2019 amended the Act, allowing residents of Delaware to participate in fantasy sports involving collegiate athletes. However, the bill retains a restriction that no fantasy sport must involve a Delaware college or university and that Delaware collegiate athletes could not be drafted.
