Underdog and PrizePicks 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 few 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, contest variety, and better payouts for 2-pick and 3-pick entries. They also offer a more valuable sign-up bonus, giving new users a Gimme Pick on top of the $50 in bonus entries that PrizePicks also gives.
On the other hand, PrizePicks offers a wider sports selection for Pick’em games, a better referral bonus, 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's sign-up bonus is Play $5, Get $50 in Bonus Entries + Gimme Pick. PrizePicks gives new users a Play $5, Get $50 Bonus 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 better payouts for 2-pick, 3-pick, 7-pick and 8-pick entries | Bigger payouts for 5-pick flex entries and 6-pick entries |
Welcome bonus | Play $5, Get $50 in Bonus Entries | Play $5, Get $50 Bonus |
Promo code | ODDS100 | ODDS100 |
Available in | 40 states + D.C. | 45 states |
Sports covered | 97+ markets | 31+ markets |
Contests | Pick’em, Best Ball, drafts | Pick’em |
Minimum deposit | $10 | $10 |
Mobile app | iOS & Android | iOS & Android |
Customer Support | Email, live chat, phone | Email, live chat |
State Availability – Winner: PrizePicks
Underdog is available in 40 states and D.C., 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
Both Underdog and PrizePicks give you $50 in bonus entries after you play your first $5 lineup, but Underdog also includes a “Gimme Pick,” which is a promo pick that requires a specific player to only score one point or have one yard.
To claim either bonus, just type in code ODDS100 when registering, and it'll be applied to your account.
Both platforms have a user-friendly 1x playthrough requirement. This means that you can withdraw whatever you win from those bonus 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: Underdog
PrizePicks has the better referral bonus at $25 per friend compared to $10 on Underdog, so it’s got the edge on that one perk.
If you go by the weekly rotation of promos, Underdog is the stronger play right now. They often run Gimme Picks, where one projection drops to 0.0 points/yards on a qualifying entry, which is as close to a guaranteed hit as it gets. Boost Builder is another regular, and it bumps your boost higher as you submit eligible entries.
Underdog also cycles in payout boosts and discounted projections tied to certain sports and slates, and those tend to hit often enough that regular players notice.
PrizePicks has been known to offer promos like Taco Tuesday (discounted projections), payout boosts, and protected-play offers that refund losing entries in bonus credits.
Neither DFS platform has a loyalty/VIP program, which would be a nice opportunity for one of them to get ahead.
Pick'em Stat Variety: PrizePicks Brings the Deeper Menu
Both Underdog and PrizePicks offer a wide range of projection types for Pick’em games, but PrizePicks has more variety.
To compare them head-to-head, I used the 2026 Super Bowl between the Seahawks and Patriots as a benchmark since a big standalone game like that makes it easy to see who’s offering the deeper selection.
Underdog still showed up with some fun plays, including game-high rushing yards, first drive outcomes, and fumbles lost, so you’re not stuck playing only the obvious stuff.
PrizePicks went all out, offering 52 markets, including everything from punts inside the 20, to yards on a player’s first rush attempt, to completions in a team’s first 10 pass attempts.
Pick’em Payouts – Winner: Underdog
Since PrizePicks revamped its contest model and folded Arena into traditional Pick’em play, payouts have generally improved on both sides. When you stack Underdog and PrizePicks head-to-head, they’re in the same ballpark, but Underdog now has the edge overall because of stronger multipliers at key entry points.
Underdog pays more on the small entries. A 2-pick pays 3.5x on Underdog versus 3x on PrizePicks. A 3-pick pays 6.5x versus 6x.
Underdog also treats the “miss by one” results better. On 5-pick flex, 4-of-5 pays 2.5x at Underdog and 2x at PrizePicks. On 6 picks, 5-of-6 pays 2.6x at Underdog and 2x at PrizePick
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 entries. But for players who like doing entries with 6+ picks, PrizePicks typically has better payouts.
On Underdog, the max payout caps at 1,000x, 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.
One quick note: some Underdog projections come with a multiplier that tweaks your payout based on difficulty, kind of like PrizePicks’ Goblins and Demons. If a projection is tagged as easier to hit, you’ll see a reduced multiplier (say 0.80x). If it’s tougher, you might get a bigger one (like 1.20x).
Either way, the payout chart is still your best reference for what an entry will return.
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
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 entry.
Second, lineups are scored against others in the same pool, and the prize pools are split among the highest scorers. If the pool payout is lower than your guaranteed multiplier, PrizePicks tops it up.
Underdog
Underdog has a wider variety of contests. While they offer the same Pick’em games as PrizePicks, they also have head-to-head matchups, termed “Rivals.”
With Rivals, you predict if one athlete will outperform another, such as deciding if Nikola Jokic will score more than Joel Embiid.
Underdog recently launched a new Pick'em game called Ladders that lets you pick 3 to 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 offers the super-popular Best Ball 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.
Underdog's Best Ball prize pools are massive. Their biggest content each year pays out a whopping $10 million to the top performers, with the top spot taking home $2 million.
Even though Underdog has the more versatile contest menu overall, PrizePicks does have one format UD doesn’t: free-to-play Pick'em games.
There are a few versions, including Free2Play Jackpots (slate picks with a leaderboard and million-dollar prize pools), daily/mini Free2Play contests, and Streak, the one-pick-per-day streak game where the top reward can reach $1 million.
Sports Coverage – Winner: Underdog
Both PrizePicks and Underdog have great sports coverage, but Underdog steps up big time with a slew of niche sports like Supercross and Power Slap.
Both platforms cover the popular sports, including:
- NFL
- NCAAF
- NBA
- NCAAB
- MLB
- NHL
- Boxing/MMA
- Soccer
- Formula 1
- Tennis
- Golf
- Esports
PrizePicks also features a wide range of niche sports, including 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
- Venmo
- 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:
Underdog Predict vs. PrizePicks Team & Culture Picks – Winner: PrizePicks
Underdog and PrizePicks have both moved into prediction markets with in-app event contracts that trade as simple yes/no outcomes. Underdog Predict is powered by UDM Services, LLC, while PrizePicks Team Picks/Culture Picks run through Kalshi.
The trading mechanics are the same at a high level. Contracts are priced from $0 to $1, and that price represents the market’s view of probability. If the event resolves “yes,” the contract settles at $1; if it resolves “no,” it settles at $0.
PrizePicks splits its offering into two buckets. Team Picks is sports-focused, while Culture Picks expands into non-sports topics like politics, entertainment, crypto, AI, and other real-world events, so there’s usually something available even when the sports calendar is quiet.
PrizePicks also keeps prediction-market funds separate from the DFS wallet, which helps with budgeting if you use both parts of the app.
Underdog Predict stays centered on sports event contracts. The menu is generally organized around game outcomes and common game-level markets.
In terms of fees, Underdog Predict charges a flat $0.02 per contract, baked into the cost you see. PrizePicks charges $0.005 to $0.02 per contract, and it also applies a small additional fee if you exit early, which matters more if you trade in and out often.
PrizePicks vs. Underdog Final Verdict – It's Truly a Tie. Both Are Great Platforms Worth Using.
It's hard to make a valid argument 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 for 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 the better option.
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:
