DraftKings vs FanDuel DFS
DraftKings has the deeper contest catalogue and full-PPR football scoring that rewards pass-catching backs; FanDuel has a tighter salary distribution, half-PPR football, and a multi-tier single-game format (MVP + STAR + PRO) that rewards combinatorial optimization. Sharp players run both — DraftKings for scale, FanDuel for the sharper single-game math and slightly softer mid-stakes GPPs.
DraftKings
The largest DFS operator by contest volume across every major sport.
- Sports covered
- 21
- Scoring
- DraftKings uses full-PPR (1 point per reception) in football, three-point bonuses in NBA (double-double, triple-double), and per-strikeout scoring in MLB — a scoring system that rewards ceiling more than FanDuel's does, which is why DraftKings GPPs typically require higher-variance builds to win.
- Roster
- Classic salary-cap contests use position-locked rosters with a $50,000 cap in most sports. DraftKings pioneered the Showdown format (one game, Captain + 5 UTIL, 1.5x multiplier) and now runs it for every major sport nightly — including a Single-Stat variant in some sports that scores only one stat category per player.
FanDuel
The second-largest DFS operator with distinct scoring and roster shapes.
- Sports covered
- 12
- Scoring
- FanDuel's half-PPR (0.5 per reception) and lack of NBA double-double bonuses compress the ceiling gap between elite and mid-tier players relative to DraftKings — so cash-game strategy is more forgiving and GPP leverage comes more from ownership than from raw variance. Late-swap is enabled on most classic slates.
- Roster
- Classic rosters use a $60,000 salary cap with position slots that mostly match DraftKings but differ in a few spots (FanDuel NBA has a G/F/UTIL flex; DK has a UTIL). Single-game contests use MVP (2x) + STAR (1.5x) + PRO (1.2x) multipliers instead of DraftKings' single 1.5x Captain, which materially changes optimal lineup shape.
Sport coverage
12 sports on both sites; 9 covered by only one.
Simulator angle: DraftKings vs FanDuel
DraftKings. DraftKings' full-PPR scoring inflates receiver ceilings dramatically — the same projection on DK vs FD produces very different lineups because PPR pulls WR/TE up the ceiling ladder. DFS Simulator's per-site scoring engine reweights the distribution accordingly, so a projection loaded once feeds honest DK-specific and FD-specific ceilings without manual re-entry.
FanDuel. The multi-tier multiplier structure in FanDuel single-game contests turns lineup construction into a stacked-decision problem — MVP vs STAR vs PRO placement can swing lineup ceilings by 30+ points at identical projections. DFS Simulator's per-site solver handles the multi-multiplier assignment natively; hand-optimizing all six assignments across three tiers is infeasible in a live-slate window.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for DFS — DraftKings or FanDuel?
DraftKings has the deeper contest catalogue and full-PPR football scoring that rewards pass-catching backs; FanDuel has a tighter salary distribution, half-PPR football, and a multi-tier single-game format (MVP + STAR + PRO) that rewards combinatorial optimization. Sharp players run both — DraftKings for scale, FanDuel for the sharper single-game math and slightly softer mid-stakes GPPs.
How does DraftKings scoring differ from FanDuel?
DraftKings: DraftKings uses full-PPR (1 point per reception) in football, three-point bonuses in NBA (double-double, triple-double), and per-strikeout scoring in MLB — a scoring system that rewards ceiling more than FanDuel's does, which is why DraftKings GPPs typically require higher-variance builds to win. — vs — FanDuel: FanDuel's half-PPR (0.5 per reception) and lack of NBA double-double bonuses compress the ceiling gap between elite and mid-tier players relative to DraftKings — so cash-game strategy is more forgiving and GPP leverage comes more from ownership than from raw variance. Late-swap is enabled on most classic slates.
How do DraftKings and FanDuel rosters compare?
DraftKings rosters: Classic salary-cap contests use position-locked rosters with a $50,000 cap in most sports. DraftKings pioneered the Showdown format (one game, Captain + 5 UTIL, 1.5x multiplier) and now runs it for every major sport nightly — including a Single-Stat variant in some sports that scores only one stat category per player. FanDuel rosters: Classic rosters use a $60,000 salary cap with position slots that mostly match DraftKings but differ in a few spots (FanDuel NBA has a G/F/UTIL flex; DK has a UTIL). Single-game contests use MVP (2x) + STAR (1.5x) + PRO (1.2x) multipliers instead of DraftKings' single 1.5x Captain, which materially changes optimal lineup shape.
Which sports do DraftKings and FanDuel both cover?
Both cover NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, NCAAB, CFB, NHL, Soccer, Tennis, Golf, NASCAR, MMA — a 12-sport overlap where the DraftKings vs FanDuel decision is meaningful. Sports on only one side of the comparison: DraftKings adds CFL, UFL, EuroLeague, F1, League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, Dota 2, Valorant; FanDuel adds no additional sports.
Can I use the same DFS lineup on DraftKings and FanDuel?
No. Scoring differences and roster shape differences produce meaningfully different optimal lineups on the same slate. The DFS Simulator's per-site scoring configs handle the translation — load a projection once, the simulator produces honest DraftKings-specific and FanDuel-specific ceilings without manual re-entry.
Try DraftKings and FanDuel side by side
Same simulator engine, per-site scoring configs. Load a slate, run the sim, export the site-specific CSV.