Underdog vs. Sleeper

Underdog vs. Sleeper State Availability – Winner: Underdog

Underdog has a broader presence in the U.S. than Sleeper, being available in 40 states compared to Sleeper's 31. Additionally, it's important to note that both Sleeper’s and Underdog’s Pick’em games aren't available in all of these states.

You can learn more in our Underdog Fantasy States Guide and our Sleeper States Guide to see which games are available in which states.

Underdog vs. Sleeper Sign-Up Bonus – Winner: Sleeper

When you register at Underdog a valuable welcome bonus is up for grabs: a 100% match on your first deposit, up to $100. Put in any amount after signing up, and they'll match it, dollar for dollar—right up to that hundred-buck limit.

Sleeper's welcome bonus is five times bigger —100% match deposit up to $500

You can join Underdog with promo code ODDS100 here or Sleeper with promo code ODDS100 here.

Both apps have pretty easy-going bonus rules, so it's relatively easy to convert your promo money into real cash you can take out or use for further play.

• The wagering requirement for both bonuses is just 1x. This means you have to enter the bonus funds in contests at least once before you can withdraw any winnings.
• You need to deposit a minimum of $10 on both platforms.
• You can spread out the bonus money across various entries as you like. There's no need to spend it all in one go or in specific installments.
• Time to play bonus funds. At Underdog, you get a 60-day period to clear out the wagering requirement. Sleeper, on the other hand, doesn't set any time limits for this.

Both sites stand on pretty equal grounds in terms of their welcome bonuses. They basically mirror each other's deals, except for Underdog's time limit, but that’s hardly a deal-breaker.

Underdog vs. Sleeper Incentives for Returning Players – Winner: Sleeper

Sleeper wins the battle for player incentives. They offer a more varied range of ongoing promos, rotating through 5+ different deals. Here are some that I’ve noticed they run quite consistently:

• Protected pick: this promo offers a no-loss guarantee. If you enter a contest and don't win, your entry fee gets refunded.
• Airdrops: occasionally, Sleeper surprises players with random ‘drops.' These are little prizes awarded unexpectedly to a few lucky users.
• Payout boosts: This promotion gives your winnings an extra kick. If your entry hits the mark, you get a bigger payout than usual.
• If/then: With this promo, you complete a set task and earn a small reward. For instance, you might play two $20+ entries and nab a small bonus.
• Referral bonus: With Sleeper's Give/Get program, you get a little something every time you refer a friend to the site.
• Shop: you can purchase fun virtual items like avatars and mascots using Cookies, their special tokens. You can get these by referring others to the site or simply buying them directly.

Underdog's promo lineup is more modest compared to Sleeper, it’s far from bare-bones. They offer payout boosts too, where you could see your profit on a 5/5 hit in Pick’em games skyrocket from 20x to 60x.

Plus, they have their own referral program, rewarding you with $10 for each friend you bring to the platform.

Underdog vs. Sleeper Pick’em Payouts – Winner: Tie

Underdog and Sleeper each use their own unique payout mechanisms for Pick’em games, so I've ranked them evenly in this aspect.

You'll find that sometimes Underdog has the better payouts, while at other times, Sleeper could have the upper hand for the same set of athletes. This variability is another good reason to sign up with both and pick the most advantageous option based on the situation.

At Underdog, the payouts for Pick’em contests are always fixed and predetermined, regardless of the sport or athlete. For example, hit a 2/2 in any Pick’em game, you'll bag a 3x payout of your entry fee. Score a 4 out of 4, and that's a 10x profit.

Plus, they have an insurance option—it reduces your maximum payout, but you'll still get something back if one of your picks doesn't come through.

At Sleeper, the payouts vary based on the athletes you choose. You could see a 2x payout for picking two players in a contest or see a 5x payout for different players.

The max number of picks per entry is different between the platforms: 5 at Underdog and 8 at Sleeper. That’s why there’s a big divergence in max payout between the two sites. At Underdog, the highest payout is 20x your entry for a perfect 5 out of 5. At Sleeper, you can go up to a 100x payout.

Compared to the wider market, Underdog's payouts are quite competitive, often better than many other DFS sites. Sleeper’s payouts are more hit or miss; they can be above average at times and below par at others.

On the whole, if you're focusing just on payouts for Pick’em games, keeping both Underdog and Sleeper in your toolkit is a smart move.

Underdog vs. Sleeper User Interface – Winner: Underdog (Slightly)

When it comes to comparing UX among DFS sites, it's really about personal ‘feel' as there aren't concrete benchmarks. Personally, I find Underdog's design and layout a bit more appealing than Sleeper's.

Underdog features a dark-yellow theme, a color combo I enjoy, so there might be a bit of bias there. Their graphics are super clear, and the layout is easy to get the hang of, with just four main submenus. You can quickly jump from pre-game to live, check out results, pick your contest type, choose a sport, and then select your athletes. The whole site is pretty snappy and easy to move around in, probably because it's not weighed down with too many extras.

Sleeper goes for a different vibe with a dark blue color scheme and a sidebar for navigation. You can access all the features from the main menu, but it might take some time to get used to the layout as the pages are pretty packed with content. It might not be the first choice I'd suggest to a beginner due to its busier layout.

Underdog vs. Sleeper Contest Variety – Winner: Tie

It's like a teeter-totter with contest variety, as both Underdog and Sleeper offer a pretty similar spread of games.

Underdog has really carved out a niche with their Best Ball contests. While they didn't invent the format, they've definitely played a huge role in skyrocketing its popularity.

Like fantasy contests, Best Ball games run all year, but are easier to manage. You won't deal with in-season adjustments like setting lineups or trading players. Instead, the top performers in each position slot are automatically chosen for you each week, hence the name.

The points are awarded based on individual player performances, which vary by sport. The draft follows a snake format, and only the points from your top five players contribute to your total each round. There's no need to assemble a roster for every game; it's auto-created. Just draft your team and let the season play out.

Best Ball contests have been hot lately, mainly because of the huge payouts. For instance, the Best Ball Mania IV in 2023 had a massive $15 million prize pool.

Underdog also runs Weekly Winners and Battle Royals contests, which are a mix of their best ball contests and traditional DFS games. These play out over a week and, like best ball, don’t require any in-week management of rosters.

Finally, Underdog has two types of Pick’em formats: Higher/Lower and Rivals.

In Higher/Lower, you predict if an athlete will go over or under a specific stat line. There's also an insurance feature here, lowering the max payout but allowing for a payout even if not all your picks hit. Rivals is a head-to-head contest where you choose between two athletes Underdog has matched up, predicting which one will outperform the other based on a certain stat.

Sleeper is centered around traditional season-long leagues against other players. You can get in on the action for the NFL, NBA, and even the League of Legends Championship Series They offer different game modes, including Redraft, Keeper, and Dynasty, with options for Snake, Linear, or Auction drafts.

Sleeper also hosts NCAA Bracket Mania events. In these, you predict which teams will advance through the playoffs. The more correct guesses you make, the more points you rack up. These contests can handle up to 10,000 users, and players can buy multiple entries.

Lastly, Sleeper also offers Pick’em games, but their style is different from Underdog's. In Sleeper's version, payouts fluctuate based on the athletes you pick. This can lead to quite a range in potential winnings; you might see payouts from 5x to 20x for a perfect 3 out of 3. Also, Sleeper doesn't provide an insurance option, meaning you must hit every pick to win.

Underdog vs. Sleeper Sports Variety – Winner: Underdog

Underdog has a broader sports coverage than Sleeper. They host contests in over 9 markets, nearly twice as many as Sleeper.

Sleeper's lineup features:

• NBA
• NFL
• MLB
• NCAAB
• League of Legends (LOL)

Underdog includes all these, plus F1, tennis, golf, and soccer.

Underdog vs. Sleeper Banking – Winner: Sleeper

Sleeper pulls ahead in the banking department as it accepts a broader range of payment methods.

Sleeper’s deposit options include:

• Bank transfer
• Credit/debit card (Visa, Discover)
• PayPal
• Apple Pay
• Venmo

Underdog’s deposit options include:

• Credit /debit card (Visa, Discover, Mastercard, Amex)
• PayPal

While Underdog accepts more card types, they don't have Sleeper's options for Apple Pay, Venmo, or bank transfers.

Both sites have a minimum deposit of $10.

Sleeper’s withdrawal methods include:

• Bank transfer
• Debit card (Visa, Discover)
• PayPal
• Apple Pay
• Venmo

Underdog’s withdrawal methods:

• PayPal
• Bank transfers
• Prepaid cards
• Physical checks

Sleeper has an extra cashout method compared to Underdog. Withdrawal times are similar for both, typically taking 1-5 days for funds to arrive.

Underdog vs. Sleeper Final Verdict – Winner: Both Platforms Are Equally Great

It might sound cliché, but choosing between Underdog and Sleeper really comes down to what matters to you in a DFS site.

If you're all about regular promotions, diverse banking options, fantasy contests, and extra features, then Sleeper's your go-to. But if you're more into a wide range of sports, a user-friendly experience, or if Underdog is available in your state and Sleeper isn't, then Underdog is the way to go.

The way I look at it, it's a smart move to get on board with both Underdog and Sleeper. There's really no downside to registering on both platforms since it's free.

By being active on each, you can compare payouts for the entries you want to make and position yourself to take advantage of their unique benefits whenever the opportunity arises.

Still not sure? Check out some of our other guides featuring Underdog and Sleeper:

• Underdog vs. PrizePicks
• Underdog vs. Dabble
• Underdog Alternatives
• Sleeper vs. PrizePicks
• Best DFS Sites