The DraftKings Sportsbook Super Pool will feature $1 million in guaranteed prizes with $250,000 going to the first place finisher. Since it’s getting started as the season is underway, users have until September 29 to sign up here.
Given the somewhat late start date, DraftKings has a unique play format, which does not require you to make any minimum picks in any given week. You simply need to make 70 total picks against the spread throughout the regular season.
The buy-in is $500 with a maximum of three entries per person.
You have until Sunday, September 29th at 1:00 PM (Week 4) to enter the contest.
Because it’s getting started late and there will probably be a rolling signup period, DraftKings has the ingenious idea of not requiring any minimum picks each week, meaning if you fall behind in the first few weeks, you can still make up to 70 total picks throughout the course of the regular season.
This is a fun wrinkle to the supercontest trope. Rather than being forced to pick five games each week, you can take entire weeks off if there’s nothing that you like on the slate, as long as you make it to 70 throughout the regular season.
Players will be ranked against each other on a leaderboard, competing for the top prize of $250,000 with a $1 million guaranteed prize pool. Here’s how the pricing structure breaks down:
Big money here.
First Super Contest in NJ Sports Betting
This is an exciting offering. Outside of Nevada, SugarHouse Sportsbook in Pennsylvania became the first legal sports betting site to offer a season long super contest. One did not exist in New Jersey last year or even leading into the NFL season this summer, but DraftKings was able to scramble and put together the DraftKings Super Pool.
It’s unknown how many total players will enter the contest, but in the case of SugarHouse, they had to heavily promote it at the end just to reach their limit, which it’s unclear if they ever did, meaning odds of winning were maybe slightly higher than you might expect.
DraftKings has more marketing power and will likely fill their contest, but they’re also offering double the prices at $1 million.
The contest is open to players in New Jersey, who can sign up for DraftKings Sportsbook here and receive their first bet matched up to $200. All current users and new users are also eligible for a $500 deposit match. However, it does have a pretty lengthy play through requirement. You can get started today.
DraftKings Sportsbook is kicking off the season on the right foot, so to speak, by offering no spread NFL lines for Week 1.
Flying somewhat under the radar as an unannounced promo, DraftKings Sportsbook, in its app, which is currently available in New Jersey and West Virginia, is showing a no vig NFL tab. Clicking on it gives you the spreads for all of the Week 1 games at +100 odds on both sides of the bet.
Interestingly, if you go into the NFL tab, those lines have the standard juice, or vig, of -110.
So what does this mean and why is this significant?
Most even bets in sports, specifically spread bets and totals, require players to wager $110 or sometimes $105 to win $100. This extra $10 is commonly referred to as the vig, or juice, or vigorish, if you prefer. It is essentially the tax sportsbooks take on bets, as it is their goal to take 50% of the action on each side and keep 10% of the total handle. It doesn’t always work out that way, but that’s when they’re most profitable. Over time, this slight tax eats away at bettors’ bankrolls, and requires them to win well north of 50% of their bets to be profitable. This is why over the long run, it is always hard to beat the book.
We’ve seen promos like this run before at NJ sportsbooks, mainly with PointsBet, which offered these during March Madness and other times of the year. But it’s the first I can recall seeing DraftKings offering new juice, particularly on a major betting event, like the first week of the NFL season.
There is increased competition in New Jersey, with 16 sportsbooks live, including popular brands like FOX Bet and theScore, and with DraftKings needing to gain ground on FanDuel, it looks like they are doing everything they can to bring in new bettors.
New users to DraftKings can get their first bet matched up to $200, and all users are eligible for up to $500 in deposit bonuses, which is doled out up to $50 instantly and then the rest as you play.
Nice little Saturday we’ve got lined up for ourselves here, yes? A full slate of college football games to choose from, including one very, very interesting FBS vs. FCS matchup that features a pretty curious point spread. Let’s get into that game in our West Virginia vs. James Madison betting preview.
Adding to the intrigue of this matchup is that DraftKings Sportsbook is now live in West Virginia because sports bettingis now legal in West Virginia.
More beautiful than the view atop Spruce Knob, I would say.
Mountaineers fans can bet on this matchup right from the parking lot or from their seats at Milan Puskar Stadium. Of course, both PA sports betting sitesand NJ betting sites are fully locked, loaded, and ready to take the action, too.
Legal sports gambling is here. College football is back. Let’s go!
How to Bet on West Virginia-James Madison at DraftKings Sportsbook
Those of you new to betting – or betting with a premium and legal site like DraftKings – should know you can bet on much more than just the spread, moneyline, and total. DraftKings Sportsbook offers action for this game on half lines, alternate point spreads, parlays, and game props. Not to mention live betting, which allows you to continuously bet on the in-game action.
How to Watch
If you won’t be at the game, here’s the watch info:
Date: Saturday, August 31
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Location: Milan Puskar Stadium (Morgantown, WV)
Network: AT&T Sportsnet
Sirius/XM: Ch. 111, Ch. 200
West Virginia-James Madison Odds
Here are the current West Virginia-James Madison odds at DraftKings Sportsbook:
Spread
Money
Total
James Madison
+6 (-110)
+190
O 52.5 (-110)
West Virginia
-6 (-110)
-240
U 52.5 (-110)
Win Probability
ESPN’s FPI index gives West Virginia a 73.6 % win probability. It’s always worth a look at how FPI win probability stacks up against implied moneyline odds. In this case, WVU at -240 on the moneyline gives them a 70.6% win probability, so there is actually some marginal value on a Mountaineers outright win, whereas you’re not going to get adequate underdog value on a James Madison outright win. Hmm…
West Virginia-James Madison Betting Preview
New coach, new quarterback, tons of questions marks. That’s basically the rundown of the Mountaineers as they get set for their season-opener against FCS power James Madison.
Dana Holgorsen is in Houston, Will Grier is a backup for the Carolina Panthers, and nobody is quite sure what this team’s identity is at the moment. New head coach Neal Brown hopes his team can quickly answer those questions to avoid being upset at home in his debut.
What we do know about the 38-year-old Brown is that after a 4-8 first season at Troy, he quickly built that program into a winner. His style should ultimately play well in the Big 12, but our concern isn’t about long-term development, it’s about what’s going to happen in Week 1.
The bottom line is that West Virginia must replace a lot. I mean, a lot. From fellow Crossing Broad writer (and West Virginia alum) Kevin Kinkead’s West Virginia season betting preview:
There are other significant losses across the board. Leading receivers David Sills and Gary Jennings are gone. Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year David Long is now a Tennessee Titan. Left tackle Yodny Cajuste is a New England Patriot (barf). Center Matt Jones transferred. The one positive here is that the running back position looks pretty damn solid with the return of Kennedy McCoy, Martell Pettaway and Leddie Brown.
Grier will be replaced by Oklahoma-transfer Austin Kendall, and while it’s true that he has a solid group of backs that should relieve some of the pressure, nobody is quite sure how all of these moving parts will mesh together early on.
That’s an issue, particularly against a James Madison squad that’s rife with talent and experience. The Dukes come to Morgantown as the No. 2 ranked FCS team in the country and return 10 of their 11 defensive starters from a season ago.
Offensively, they return most of their offensive line and have a bevy of transfers from prominent FBS programs leading the way.
Curt Cignetti will make his head coaching debut with the Dukes in this game after spending two seasons at Elon. In those two seasons, Cignetti took Elon from perennial pushovers to an FCS playoff team, and the expectation is that he will bring James Madison its third FCS championship.
Why Betting West Virginia Makes Sense
West Virginia Starts Fast
The Mountaineers are 4-1 ATS in their last five Week 1 games.
Success with this spread
There’s little doubt that six points is a pretty short spread here, but home teams in August and September games that are favored by exactly six points are 27-18-1 ATS overall, and they are 6-3 ATS when favored by 3.5-6 points at home. So from a general perspective, this line isn’t that scary. More on this in a bit.
Recent History
If recent history matters, West Virginia has outscored James Madison by a combined 65 points over their last two meetings (87-22). Of course, those meetings did occur in 2004 and 2012, so it’s been awhile.
Why Betting James Madison Makes Sense
Look at the line
I mean, have you seen this line? Six points? Six? Let’s put it this way, there hasn’t been a situation dating back to at least 2005 where a Big 12 team was favored by six points or less against an FCS team. Interestingly, we could see two such games this weekend: James Madison-West Virginia and Kansas-Indiana State. To me, this six-point spread is pretty telling, and I’d be mighty concerned if I were a Mountaineers fan.
While I couldn’t find a situation where a Big 12 team was favored by six points or less against an FCS opponent, I found some other short spreads that strongly support a play on JMU. As a seven-point favorite, Big 12 teams playing against the FCS are 0-2 ATS. As a favorite of eight points or less, they are 1-2 ATS. As a favorite of nine points or less, they are 1-3 ATS. And favorites of 10 points or less, they are 2-5 ATS.
Not good.
Experience matters
Not only do the Dukes return a ton of talent from a season ago (while West Virginia is in transition), they also stepped up and played North Carolina State in Week 1 a year ago. They covered the 15-point spread in a 24-13 loss, and thus have shown the ability to hang in there early in the season against a prominent program. That experience can only help this time around.
Betting Splits
Early money was coming in on WVU, but that is no longer the case. People are hammering the Dukes. Here are the betting splits as of 5:28 p.m. Friday:
My goodness.
West Virginia-James Madison Prediction
I think it’s an oversimplification when people say the line tells you all that you need to know, but in this case…I think the line is telling you all that you need to know.
I don’t love that the money is on James Madison, but above all else, I simply think they are the better overall team.
DraftKings Sportsbook has launched its online sportsbook in West Virginia, making online sports betting available to WV sports fans.
The move has been expected for some time since West Virginia Lottery Director John Meyers said his office had given DraftKings the go-ahead for launch. All along it was known that DraftKings, thanks to its exclusive partnership with Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, would be among the first to enter the legal online WV betting market. BetLucky had previous launched in the state but has since come offline following issues with its provider.
New users will get a $200 first bet match along with a deposit match up to $500. No promo code is required. You can sign up here
.
“We are thrilled to continue our DraftKings Sportsbook expansion by getting our product into the handsof West Virginians,” said Matt Kalish, co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer at DraftKings. “We look forward to serving our fans with the top-rated DraftKings Sportsbook app, that features numerous consumer protection features and strives to provide the broadest selection of betting options with the best odds and rewards in West Virginia. DraftKings knows the American sports fan better than anyone, and we look forward to proving that in the Mountain State.”
As is the case in other states, DraftKings Sportsbook in West Virginia will be available to anyone in the state of West Virginia. Desktop users will have to install an app that will confirm their location in the state. Mobile users will use their phone’s GPS tracking to confirm their location. DraftKings’ sports betting app in West Virginia will be the same as the one in New Jersey, and soon, in Pennsylvania, when DraftKings Sportsbook PA launches.
To bet with DraftKings Sportsbook in WV, you must be at least 21 years of age, have a valid United States Social Security Number and physically be located within the state.
New users will get a $200 first bet match along with a deposit match up to $500. No promo code is required. You can sign up here
.
DraftKings Sportsbook Offers Full Range of Betting Options
The full smorgasbord of betting options from DraftKings Sportsbook will be available. West Virginia folks will be able to bet on football, baseball, basketball, hockey, MMA, and, of course, West Virginia football.
Users can deposit money into their DraftKings account through a range of options. The app offers betting on spread, moneyline, total, props, parlays and more. Also available is DraftKings’ more unique options, like cash out, live betting, and sportsbook pools. The real-time nature of the first two options allows bettors to have an in-game experience, while the latter allows them to compete against others in leaderboard type contests.
A Safe Betting Option for West Virginia Residents
West Virginia sports betting did not get off to a great start. Three sports betting offerings – Mardis Gras and Wheeling Island casinos, and the BetLucky app – were all suspended and then shuttered due to a problem with a data provider, who reportedly did not have all of the relevant licenses to offer betting solutions to the casinos and app. It left a sour taste in the mouth of the WV betting public, and rightfully so.
But there should be no such concerns with DraftKings Sportsbook entering the market. They are backed by the popular data provider Kambi, and obviously has a number of compliance and other checks to ensure that a similar situation doesn’t happen.
This is a whole other ballgame with DraftKings Sportsbook in West Virginia.
A Bonus For New Users
The app is available for download now in the iOS App Store and as a direct download on Android, which doesn’t allow real money gambling apps. New users can get DraftKings’ $200 first bet match.
Hollywood Casino
DraftKings and Hollywood Casino are a good partnership. Located in the eastern part of the state, Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races took in $79.7 million of the $114.2 million wagered on sports in West Virginia.
“We are pleased to help welcome DraftKings to West Virginia,” said John Finamore, Sr. Vice President of Regional Operations at Penn National Gaming. “They provide a quality online sports betting experience that will benefit their customers and the state.”
Some expect that DraftKings’ mobile app won’t be able to surpass Hollywood’s physical location, but as we’ve seen in New Jersey and projections for New York, mobile betting can account for anywhere from 80%-95% of the total market. West Virginia is a unique case as the fixed size of a physical location won’t have to compete with a massive population base, as it does in New York and Pennsylvania, but it would be unwise to underestimate DraftKings Sportsbook’s online betting offering in WV.
Betting Penn State To Win The Big 10 at DraftKings
No Trace McSorely, no Miles Sanders, no problem?
Penn State fans sure hope so, as do bettors backing the Nittany Lions to lock down a Big Ten title this season.
It’s true that James Franklin’s offense will feature plenty of new pieces in prominent roles, but at No. 14 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll, there’s plenty of reason for optimism. It doesn’t hurt that Penn State also will feature a deep and talented defense that’s expected to lead the way.
It’s true that Ohio State and Michigan are both expected to be among the nation’s top teams and both stand in the way of a conference crown, but there’s enough talent in Happy Valley that Penn State could be a value play on the futures market.
In fact, there’s even more value on the Nittany Lions right now at DraftKings Sportsbook thanks to their daily Countdown to Kickoff odds boosts.
DraftKings Sportsbook has boosted Penn State to +2000 (from +1200) to win the Big 10 TODAY ONLY– you can claim the offer by clicking the link:
Trailing both Michigan and Ohio State as preseason favorites, Penn State was +1200 to win the Big Ten, but those odds have been boosted to +2000.
As for the Wolverines and Buckeyes, both teams are currently on the board +175.
This offer is only available to players in NJ. DraftKings Sportsbook PA has not yet launched, but you will be able to bet on Penn State there once it does.
If Penn State is to make a run, sophomore quarterback Sean Clifford and the explosive Ricky Slade will need to step in and seamlessly fill the production of their predecessors.
A redshirt sophomore, Clifford possesses a strong arm that can make all of the throws, and while he’s not exactly a dual-threat running back, he does possess the ability to extend plays with his legs. Perhaps just as important, Clifford was named one of the team’s captains over the weekend, so he seems to have the support of his locker room and coaching staff.
As for Slade, he was productive in a limited role last season, finding the end zone six times. He’s regarded by many around the country as one of the running backs that has a chance to explode onto the scene this season. Paired up with explosive playmaking wide receiver KJ Hamler, and it’s not hard to see why there’s some excitement about second-year offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne’s attack.
Worth taking them at +2000 at DraftKings Sportsbook though?
Defensively, All-Big Ten selection Yetur Gross-Matos leads a deep defensive line and sophomore linebacker Micah Parsons appears on the verge of becoming the conference’s top linebacker. It’s expected to be tough sledding for opposing offenses going up against this defense.
A quick look at the schedule shows that Penn State should be able to build confidence in the early going with three straight games at Beaver Stadium to open the season in which they will be heavily favored. The key will be riding that early momentum into mid-October when they head to Iowa, host Michigan, and travel to Michigan State over a three-week stretch. If they can navigate that run, their date on November 23 with Ohio State could be the key game before The Game when Michigan and Ohio State meet the following week.
That being said, it may not be a bad idea to get involved and take a shot on Penn State at +2000 boosted odds at DraftKings.
With the NFL preseason in full swing and the regular season getting closer by the day, DraftKings Sportsbook is offering a slew of game promos and deposit bonuses for its users. Plus, new users are still eligible for a bet match when they first sign up.
All new and returning DraftKings Sportsbook players can earn a 50% deposit match up to a $1,000 deposit, which can come out to a max of up to $500 in bonus money.
There’s a good deal of fine print for this promo, and you can read a full breakdown of it here.
No-Brainer Odds Boost
With the return of football season finally here, DraftKings is running the No-Brainer Odds Boost
. For this, they are boosting the odds of either the Jets, Eagles, or Giants to score a touchdown in Week 1 to +100. The max wager is $10, and it expires September 8th.
This seems like an unbelievable deal to bet $10 on the Eagles to score a touchdown against the Redskins (lol) and get $10.
Death, Taxes, Bama, and Clemson
College football finally returns this Saturday with Miami taking on Florida along with Arizona paying a visit to Hawaii. Alabama and Clemson are looking like sure locks to make the college football playoffs once again, and DraftKings certainly believes this with their Death, Taxes, Bama, and Clemson promo.
With two other playoff spots up for grabs, if you bet $10 for any other team to make the playoffs, DraftKings Sportsbook will give you a $10 free bet for Week 1 of the college football season. This offer will expire August 24th.
Reminder: Free Bet Signup Bonus
As always, new users can earn a $500 first bet match when they first sign up with DraftKings Sportsbook.
DraftKings Sportsbook rolled out their a new signup bonus for the start of the football season. It’s one of the first times they’ve switched from their standard “first bet match” promo they had been running since they launched a year ago.
I put this first because this is the most straightforward offer that will apply to new users. In a vacuum, it’s not as strong as other risk-free bet offers in the marketplace (typically $500), but it’s offset by the more attention-grabbing offer.
Up to $500 deposit bonus for new and current players
Lots of fine print on this one.
New and current users will receive a 50% deposit match up to a $1,000 deposit, maxing out in a total of $500 in bonus money.
That’s a lot. And combined with the $200 risk-free bet, there is the potential for $700 worth of bonuses.
However, for most players, it will be very difficult, if not downright unfeasible, to earn that full amount.
Here’s the fine print on the deposit bonus:
“After a user’s first deposit, that user is eligible to receive up to $500 in bonus funds in the form of site credits that can only be used on DraftKings. Bonus amount is equal to 50% of the user’s deposit amount (min. $5), not to exceed $500 (the user must deposit $1,000 to be eligible to receive the maximum possible bonus amount of $500). 10% of this bonus amount is instantly released into the user’s DraftKings player account and the remaining 90% will be awarded to the user according to the following play-thru requirement: for every $25 played on DraftKings, the user will earn $1 that is released into the user’s player account (e.g., If the user deposits $1,000 or more, the maximum deposit bonus amount is $500, of which 10% [$50] is instantly released into the account and then the user must play through a cumulative total of $11,250 in daily fantasy contests, sportsbook (-300 odds or longer) and casino products to receive the remaining $450 in bonus funds). The play-thru requirement must be met by 12/31/19 to receive the total, maximum bonus. After 12/31/19, a user is ineligible to earn any additional bonus funds through the play-thru requirement. Promo ends 9/16/19. First bet matched up to $200. Free bet must be used within 30 days of first bet. Free bet amount is not included in any returns or winnings. Free bet is also not redeemable for cash, non-transferable, and non-refundable. First bet promo ends 9/16/19”
In other words, only 5% of your initial deposit is instantly matched, with the rest being dripped out in $1 increments for every $25 bet.
DraftKings Sportsbook is our choice for Best In Show sportsbook– it offers the most action around, reasonable prices, and casino games. And while we tend to prefer straight deposit bonuses or extreme odds boosts as a signup promo, I alway found their $500 first bet match to be a good offer.
If you are a large bettor, then this new deposit bonus will benefit you. But the average bettor will benefit more with a $200 risk-free bet than the large deposit offer.
Big news here for PA online sports betting. A massive deal just announced with Penn National Gaming will bring DraftKings Sportsbook PA to market, potentially before the start of football season.
A sweeping sports bettingpartnership was just announced between Penn National Gaming and several sportsbook operators, including DraftKings, PointsBet, theScore, and FOX Bet. The large scale agreement will give online sportsbook operators market access through Penn National’s gaming licenses in several key states including Pennsylvania.
There’s a lot to unpack here with regards to how this impacts the sports betting landscape. But particularly, it is important for DraftKings and their market access to Pennsylvania.
For a while now, it has been rumored that the DFS giant and New Jersey Sportsbook was looking for a path into Pennsylvania. But with only 12 licensed casinos, options for a partner in PA for DraftKings were running out. However, we had heard in recent weeks that they planned on being live in Pennsylvania before the start of football season. This partnership with Penn National Gaming may allow them to do just that.
So what does this mean for bettors in Pennsylvania? It means a lot more competition for FanDuel Sportsbook PA, SugarHouse Sportsbook, and BetRiversas we’re now seeing things happen fast and furiously after almost a year of delays and relative frustration about the rollout of legal betting both in person and online.
As for the rest of the deal, PointsBet, one of our preferred operators in New Jersey, will gain market access to several states, but not Pennsylvania. As will theScore, the Canadian iOS score app, which plans to launch a Sportsbook in New Jersey and now obviously in other states. And of course, BetStars, which will eventually become FOX Bet, now has more access points across the country. And they already have partnership in Pennsylvania.
This is a massive, massive deal for both sports betting in PA, thanks to the news DraftKings will enter the market, and many other states.
