PrizePicks and Underdog are two of the most popular DFS apps in the industry, mostly because of their exciting Pick'em games. I've been using both for a fews years now, so I thought I'd write an article explaining which is better.
In the PrizePicks vs. Underdog showdown, I prefer Underdog's user experience, mobile app functionality, and diversity of contests.
On the other hand, PrizePicks offers a wider sports selection for Pick’em games (which they now call Real Money games), better promos for regular users, and bigger payouts for 5-pick and 6-pick entries.
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All in all, I think Underdog and PrizePicks are tied in terms of which is better. And the good news is that you don't have to pick just one!
I recommend signing up for both so you can take advantage of both welcome offers and get the best payout based on your entry size. Currently, Underdog is offering a play $5, get $100 bonus and they also give out a Gimme pick on signup. PrizePicks is offering play $5, get $50 offer.
Here is a screenshot of each app to help you get an idea of what they look like:
Underdog vs. PrizePicks Overview
PrizePicks is centered around Pick’em games (called Real Money games on the platform), where users predict whether players will go higher or lower on certain statistics, such as rushing yards or points scored. With PrizePicks, your lineups are matched against other players in group contests, not just the house.
Underdog, formerly known as Underdog Fantasy, offers Pick’em games, season-long Best Ball, and the more traditional draft-based contests that can stretch over a week or the entire season. With Underdog, you can play against the house (Pick’em) or against other players (Best Ball and other drafts).
Here's an overview of what each offers:
Odds Assist Rating | 5.0 | 5.0 |
Payouts | Offers 7-pick and 8-pick entries | Bigger payouts for 5-pick flex entries and 6-pick entries |
Welcome bonus | Play $5, Get $100 Bonus | Play $5, Get $50 Bonus |
Promo code | ODDS100 | ODDS100 |
Available in | 41 states | 45 states |
Sports covered | 9+ markets | 31+ markets |
Contests | Pick’em, Best Ball, drafts | Pick’em |
Minimum deposit | $10 | $10 |
Mobile app | iOS & Android | iOS & Android |
Customer Support | Email, phone | Email, live chat |
State Availability – Winner: PrizePicks
Underdog is available in 41 states, while PrizePicks is available in 45 states. Game types available in each state vary for both apps.
Underdog State Availability
- Alabama (Pick'em Champions & Drafts only)
- Alaska
- Arizona (Pick'em Champions & Drafts only)
- Arkansas (Pick'em Champions & Drafts only)
- California
- Colorado (Pick'em Champions & Drafts only)
- Delaware (Pick'em Champions & Drafts only)
- Florida (Pick'em Champions & Drafts only)
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Indiana (College Pick’em unavailable)
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maryland (no Pick’em games)
- Massachusetts (Pick'em Champions & Drafts only)
- Michigan (Drafts only)
- Minnesota
- Mississippi (Pick'em Champions & Drafts only)
- Missouri (Pick'em Champions & Drafts only)
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire (no Pick’em games)
- New Jersey (Pick’em Champions & Drafts only)
- New Mexico
- New York (draft games)
- North Carolina (no Pick'em games)
- North Dakota
- Ohio (no Pick’em games)
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania (no Pick’em games)
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (Pick'em Champions & Drafts only)
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont (College Pick’em unavailable)
- Virginia
- West Virginia (Pick'em Champions & Drafts only)
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming (Pick'em Champions & Drafts only)
PrizePicks State Availability
- Alabama (Free-to-play only)
- Alaska (Free-to-play only)
- Arizona (Free-to-play only)
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado (Free-to-play only)
- Connecticut (Free-to-play only)
- Delaware (Free-to-play only)
- Florida (Free-to-play only)
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa (Free-to-play only)
- Kansas (Free-to-play only)
- Kentucky (Free-to-play only)
- Louisiana (Free-to-play only)
- Massachusetts (Free-to-play only)
- Michigan (Free-to-play only)
- Minnesota
- Mississippi (Free-to-play only)
- Missouri (Free-to-play only)
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire (Free-to-play only)
- New Jersey (Free-to-play only)
- New Mexico
- New York (Free-to-play only)
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio (Free-to-play only)
- Oklahoma
- Oregon (Free-to-play only)
- Pennsylvania (Free-to-play only)
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (Free-to-play only)
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia (Free-to-play only)
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming (Free-to-play only)
Sign-Up Bonus – Winner: Underdog
Underdog give you a $100 bonus and PrizePicks give you a $50 bonus when you play your first $5 lineup, but Underdog also includes a “Gimme Pick,” which is a special entry with a significantly lowered stat projection for one athlete.
To claim either bonus, just type in code ODDS100 when registering.
Both platforms have a user-friendly 1x playthrough requirement. This means that you can pull out whatever you win from those entries or keep playing.
One key difference: PrizePicks gives you 90 days to use the bonus, while Underdog gives you 14. So if you're going with Underdog, just make sure to use it within two weeks.
Promos for All Players – Winner: PrizePicks
Underdog offers a few perks for existing customers like discounted projections and payout boosts for their Pick’em games. For example, a 5-pick entry might see its payout tripled for a promotion. So, instead of the standard 20x, you could be looking at a 60x payout if you nail 5/5 on Higher/Lower. They also run a referral bonus that gives $10 in site credit for each friend you bring on board.
PrizePicks has a larger assortment of ongoing promos. You might stumble upon random cash drops they call “Airdrop,” score some discounts giving you a better line on a stat, enjoy payout boosts, or even get a safety net with protected play—where a losing entry gets you a refund in bonus credits. They also run a refer-a-friend deal but give $25, which is much better than Underdog's $10.
Neither DFS platform runs a loyalty/VIP program.
Pick’em Payouts – Winner: PrizePicks
Since PrizePicks transitioned to a new contest model and merged the Arena with the old Pick’em games, they’ve boosted payouts, especially on the higher-lineup side. When you stack them up against Underdog, both are still in the same ballpark overall, but the differences show depending on how many picks you’re playing.
Underdog is stronger at the smaller lineup sizes. Both sites pay 6x on a 3-pick and 10x on a 4-pick, but the flex plays lean Underdog’s way. Hitting 3 of 4 returns 1.5x on Underdog, compared to the same 1.5x on PrizePicks — but where the gap shows is on the 5-pick flex. A 4-of-5 entry pays 2.5x at Underdog, while PrizePicks only pays 2x.
Where PrizePicks pulls ahead is on the top of the ladder. A perfect 6-pick now pays 37.5x, compared to 35x at Underdog. Insurance payouts also line up differently: 5-of-6 pays 2x on PrizePicks, while Underdog bumps that to 2.6x. Still, the higher ceiling on the perfect card gives PrizePicks the nod if you’re chasing max multipliers.
Underdog keeps its advantage with 7- and 8-pick options, something PrizePicks doesn’t offer.
Personally, I’ve been burned plenty going 4/5, so I lean on Underdog for smaller entry. But for players hunting a clean sweep at 6 picks, PrizePicks now has the stronger top-end return.
On Underdog, the max payout caps at 1,000x through Streaks, while PrizePicks goes as high as 2,000x, but only if your entry includes Demon Picks, which are tougher to hit than standard projections.
You can compare all payouts on DFS Pick’em apps here if you want to see how Underdog and PrizePicks stack up against each other as well as other competitors.
User Interface – Winner: Underdog
I absolutely love the design of the Underdog platform. The app and site are both well-designed and user-friendly.
The main buttons are neatly lined up horizontally, and there's a handy search bar in the Pick’em lobby to simplify navigation.
The platform's desktop design is seamless. Choose a game, and the players appear front and center, with the slip conveniently showing up on the right. Everything is on one screen, so you can dive right in without any fuss.
The Underdog app's design is similar to that of the desktop site but shrunk to fit on your phone's screen. When you select a game, the players dominate the view, and the slip smoothly slides down from the top, occupying just the right amount of space, making navigation intuitive and efficient.
Both DFS platforms lean into darker themes. However, Underdog's combination of yellow and dark hues is particularly easy on the eyes.
On desktop, PrizePicks has a different layout than Underdog. Instead of a left-side sports list, they've positioned them horizontally. When you pick a game, the related options are displayed just below the sports lineup.
One hiccup with PrizePicks is that on their desktop site, there's a chunk of unused space in the board section. It feels a bit empty. On the flip side, their mobile app stands out for its user-friendliness. I really like how they have subsections for each stat category, which makes it easier to find the picks I'm interested in.
Both platforms deliver in terms of performance. They're responsive and I haven't run into any issues in the stability department.
Here are some screenshots of the PrizePicks app (click to expand):
And here are some screenshots of the Underdog app (click to expand):
Contest Variety – Winner: Underdog
PrizePicks has reworked its Pick’em contests, moving away from the old “vs. the house” setup and into group-style play. Now, your lineups are matched against other players, with variable scoring tied to how tough your projections are. Standard picks score 1 point, while Demon or Goblin picks shift the total slightly up or down depending on difficulty.
You still build lineups of 2 to 6 athletes and predict whether they’ll go over or under the posted projections, but the payouts scale in two ways. First, every perfect lineup is guaranteed a multiplier — up to 37.5x on a 6-pick. Second, lineups are scored against others in the same pool, and the prize pools are split among the highest scores. If the pool payout is lower than your guaranteed multiplier, PrizePicks tops it up.
Underdog boasts a broader variety of contests. While they offer the same Pick’em games as PrizePicks, they also have head-to-head matchups, termed “rivals”. In these, you predict if one athlete will outperform another, such as deciding if Nikola Jokic will score more than Joel Embiid.
UD recently launched a new Pick'em game called Ladders that lets you pick 3–5 players and win up to 100x based on how far each player climbs through performance-based multipliers.
Like PrizePicks, Underdog offers its own peer-to-peer Pick’em format called Champions. Here, you draft a roster of 2 to 8 players and predict whether each will finish Higher or Lower than their projected stat line. After you submit your entry, it goes head-to-head with others in the pool, and payouts are determined by both your accuracy and the difficulty of the selections you made.
Underdog also throws in Best Ball draft-based contests. With these, you draft a team against other users (much like standard fantasy drafts) and earn points based on how they perform that season. Those racking up the most points move through the rounds, with the top performers grabbing a slice of the prize pool.
One great thing about Best Ball is that when the season starts, you're set. There is no need to tweak your lineup as Underdog takes the best players on your roster for that week. The prize pools can be massive. They've had tournaments with a whopping $10 million prize pool, where the top spot took home $2 million.
Sports Coverage – Winner: PrizePicks
Both PrizePicks and Underdog have great sports coverage, featuring 9+ markets. At Underdog, the lineup includes:
- NBA
- NFL
- MLB
- NHL
- Boxing/MMA
- Soccer
- Formula 1
- Tennis
- Golf
- Esports
This roster captures most of the mainstream sports markets in the U.S. However, PrizePicks takes the lead with its niche sports.
Alongside all of Underdog's offerings, they also feature cricket, NASCAR, WNBA, trucks, lacrosse, Korean baseball, frisbee golf, and some offbeat specials like competitive eating (think hot dog eating contests).
Banking & Payouts – Winner: Tie
Both DFS apps support a similar number of banking methods. Here's the breakdown:
PrizePicks Deposit Methods:
- Visa/Discover debit or credit
- Mastercard
- American Express
- Instant Bank Transfer
- PayPal
- ApplePay
- Venmo
Underdog Deposit Methods:
- Visa/Mastercard
- PayPal
- ApplePay
- Trustly
PrizePicks has the edge with Venmo.
Both platforms set their minimum deposit and withdrawal at $10. However, it's worth noting that PrizePicks requires you to play through your deposit once (a 1x wagering requirement) before you can cash out.
PrizePicks Withdrawal Options:
- Bank transfer
- PayPal
- Debit cards
- Venmo
Underdog Withdrawal Options:
- PayPal
- Trustly
- Paysafe
- Interchecks
Regardless of your choice, expect a withdrawal processing time of 1 to 5 days, depending on the method, at both sites.
Learn more in our full guides:
PrizePicks vs. Underdog Final Verdict – It's a Tie! Both Are Great Platforms
It's really hard to say that either PrizePicks or Underdog is better than the other. They both shine in certain areas and fall short in others. It really comes down to what you're looking in a platform and what kind of entries you want to place.
Plan on sticking to 2, 3, and 4 pick entries? Underdog is better for you. Want to go for those higher payouts with 6-pick entries? Then PrizePicks is best.
Another big difference is what kind of games each offers. If you're interested in games other than Pick'em, Underdog is a better option since it offers head-to-head matchups, Best Ball, and drafts.
If you're still not sure, check out our PrizePicks review and Underdog review to get a better idea of which platform to go with.
My recommendation? Just give both a shot and see what you like better. It's actually a smart move to use multiple apps so you can compare stat projections/payouts and take advantage of the welcome offers.
Here are some of our other guides comparing Underdog and PrizePicks to alternatives:
