DraftKings Predictions Review 2026: States, Fees, DKeX and the Offer
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Our verdict
A polished event-contract app for existing DraftKings customers. Liquidity in macro and political markets trails Kalshi.
Best for
- Existing DraftKings DFS or Sportsbook customers
Not for
- Traders who need the deepest order books
| Availability | 48 states (not Maine or New Hampshire); sports in 18 states |
|---|---|
| Exchange | DKeX (DraftKings' exchange, launched June 24, 2026) |
| Fees | $0.01 per contract at 1–19¢ and 97–99¢, $0.02 at 20–96¢ |
| Welcome offer | Trade $5, get up to $200 in non-withdrawable Predictions Dollars over 21 days (ends November 29, 2026) |
We earn nothing from this link. 18+ (21+ in some states) · US only · availability varies by state · facts checked Oct 16, 2026
DraftKings Predictions is DraftKings' prediction-market app. It launched on December 19, 2025, in 38 states, trading CME Group contracts. Since June 24, 2026, it has also run on DKeX, DraftKings' own CFTC-licensed exchange, built on the Railbird exchange it bought in October 2025. As of October 2026 it is available in 48 states, every state except Maine and New Hampshire. Sports contracts run in 18 of them (SI, October 16, 2026).
This review covers how the app works, what it charges, where you can use it and how it compares with FanDuel Predicts and Kalshi. We earn nothing when you open a DraftKings Predictions account, and the link on this page goes to DraftKings' site.
Account basics
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Operator | DraftKings Inc. (Nasdaq: DKNG) |
| Exchanges | DKeX, DraftKings' CFTC-licensed exchange (from June 24, 2026). CME Group contracts at launch |
| Launched | December 19, 2025, in 38 states |
| Minimum age | 18 |
| Availability | 48 states. Not available in Maine or New Hampshire |
| Sports contracts | 18 states |
| Fees | $0.01 per contract at 1¢ to 19¢ and 97¢ to 99¢. $0.02 per contract at 20¢ to 96¢ |
| Minimum deposit | $5 |
| Deposits | Debit card, ACH or online banking, PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, PayNearMe where offered |
| Welcome offer | Trade $5, get up to $200 in non-withdrawable Predictions Dollars over 21 days. Ends November 29, 2026 |
All rows are from SI's DraftKings Predictions guide, verified October 16, 2026, except the launch date (InterGame, December 22, 2025).
Pros and cons
Pros
- A published, flat fee. One or two cents a contract, depending on price. You can work out the cost before you trade.
- Wide reach. 48 states for at least some markets.
- Its own exchange. DKeX gives DraftKings control of listings and pricing.
- Open at 18. DraftKings Sportsbook requires 21 in most states.
- Many deposit methods, from a $5 minimum.
- Combos. You can combine outcomes into one position, with the fee charged on each leg.
Cons
- Sports in 18 states only. In states where DraftKings runs a sportsbook, sports contracts are off.
- Financial markets only in 13 states, including Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
- Not in Maine or New Hampshire.
- Bonus is not cash. Predictions Dollars cannot be withdrawn.
- Fewer politics and culture markets than Kalshi or Polymarket.
What DraftKings Predictions is
DraftKings bought Railbird Technologies and its CFTC-licensed exchange in October 2025 (Covers). It did not wait for Railbird to start trading. The app went live on December 19, 2025, in 38 states using contracts listed on CME Group's exchange. DraftKings said at the time that the Railbird exchange would later "broaden available markets."
That exchange arrived as DKeX on June 24, 2026. Two days later DraftKings brought it into its combined app (SI). By October the app was in 48 states.
The sports map follows a simple rule. In October 2025 a person familiar with DraftKings' plans told Decrypt that the app would focus on states without legal sports betting. The 18 sports states listed in October 2026 are all states where DraftKings has no sportsbook, and most have no legal online sports betting at all. Delaware, Florida and Rhode Island allow online betting only through a single operator. Older pages, including earlier versions of this one, blamed state attorneys general for the narrow sports footprint. That was wrong.
How a trade works
Every market asks a yes-or-no question. Contracts trade between 1¢ and 99¢ and pay $1 if your side is right. A price of 40¢ means the market rates the outcome at about 40%. You can buy either side, set a limit price or take the best price on offer, and sell before the event settles. The most you can lose on a contract is what you paid.
Fees
DraftKings charges a flat fee per contract, set by the contract's price.
| Contract price | Fee per contract |
|---|---|
| 1¢ to 19¢ | $0.01 |
| 20¢ to 96¢ | $0.02 |
| 97¢ to 99¢ | $0.01 |
On a combo, each leg pays the fee. Source: SI, October 16, 2026.
A worked example: 100 contracts at 50¢ cost $50 plus a $2 fee. The fee is 4% of the $50 stake, or 2% of the $100 payout. At 10¢, 100 contracts cost $10 plus $1. As a share of what you put in, the fee is heavier on cheap contracts. You also pay the gap between the bid and the offer when you take the best available price, and that gap is wider on thinly traded markets.
Deposits and withdrawals
The minimum deposit is $5. Methods include debit card, ACH or online banking, PayPal, Venmo and Apple Pay. PayNearMe is offered in some places. Withdrawals go back through the app's payout options. DraftKings does not publish a single payout time for Predictions, so check the cashier screen.
What you can trade
- Sports (18 states). DKeX's first sports filings, listed from May 27, 2026, covered game winners, spreads, game and player props and head-to-head markets in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, golf, MMA, motor sports, soccer and tennis (DeFi Rate, May 26, 2026).
- Finance and economics. Markets on indices, commodities and economic data.
- Other events. Culture and current-events markets in the states where DraftKings offers them.
If you want depth on elections and economic releases, compare our Kalshi review.
Where DraftKings Predictions is available
| Access | States |
|---|---|
| Sports and other markets | AK, AL, CA, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, MN, ND, NE, NM, OK, RI, SC, SD, TX, UT |
| Non-sports markets, no sports | CO, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NY, OR, VA, VT, WI, WV, WY and DC |
| Financial markets only | AR, AZ, CT, IA, IL, LA, MI, MT, NV, OH, PA, TN, WA |
| Not available | ME, NH |
Source: SI, October 16, 2026. The app checks your location before each session. See our guide to whether prediction markets are legal for the background.
Welcome offer
New users who make a first qualifying trade of $5 or more get $50 in Predictions Dollars. Three more $50 awards follow on days 7, 14 and 21, each claimed by tapping a button. Each claim expires seven days after it is issued. Predictions Dollars cannot be withdrawn and expire a year after issue. The offer ends November 29, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET (SI). No code is needed. Our DraftKings Predictions promo page has the full terms.
DraftKings Predictions vs FanDuel Predicts and Kalshi
| DraftKings Predictions | FanDuel Predicts | Kalshi | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exchange | DKeX (CFTC-licensed), plus CME at launch | CME Group exchanges and Crypto.com's exchange | KalshiEX (CFTC DCM) |
| States | 48 | 50 | Most states, with court limits in some |
| Sports states | 18 | The same 18 | Most states (review) |
| Minimum age | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Fees | $0.01 to $0.02 per contract | Shown on the order ticket | Fee curve by price |
| Welcome offer | Up to $200 in Predictions Dollars | Up to $100 in Predicts Bonus | $25 to $60 credit, depending on code |
DraftKings and FanDuel now offer sports in exactly the same 18 states. DraftKings publishes its fees, which makes costs easier to compare. Kalshi has more markets and more volume. Read our FanDuel Predicts review, our Kalshi review and our Novig review, Novig being the sports-only exchange for traders aged 21 and over.
Taxes
The IRS has not issued guidance written for event contracts, and their treatment is unsettled. Keep your own trade records and check which forms DraftKings sends at year end. Our guide to taxes on event contracts sets out the main positions. This is not tax advice.
Final verdict
DraftKings Predictions is a good pick for sports traders in its 18 sports states, and a reasonable one for finance markets elsewhere. The flat 1¢ to 2¢ fee is clear, the deposit options are wide and the offer is the largest of the sportsbook-run apps. It is a weaker choice if you trade cheap long-shot contracts, where a cent or two is a large share of the price, or if you want politics and culture markets, where Kalshi is deeper.
Visit DraftKings Predictions →
Frequently asked questions
Is DraftKings Predictions legit?
Yes. It is run by DraftKings Inc., a Nasdaq-listed company, and its contracts trade on CFTC-overseen exchanges: DKeX, DraftKings' own licensed exchange, and CME Group.
What states is DraftKings Predictions available in?
48 states, all except Maine and New Hampshire, as of October 2026. Sports contracts run in 18: AK, AL, CA, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, MN, ND, NE, NM, OK, RI, SC, SD, TX and UT.
Why are sports not available in my state?
DraftKings offers sports contracts only in states where it has no sportsbook, most of which have no legal online sports betting. Where it runs a sportsbook, the Predictions app shows non-sports markets.
How much does DraftKings Predictions charge?
$0.01 per contract at prices from 1¢ to 19¢ and from 97¢ to 99¢, and $0.02 per contract from 20¢ to 96¢. Combos pay the fee on each leg.
What is DKeX?
DraftKings' own CFTC-licensed exchange, built on the Railbird exchange it bought in October 2025. It launched on June 24, 2026.
Does DraftKings Predictions offer parlays?
It offers combos, which bundle several outcomes into one position. The per-contract fee applies to each leg.
How old do you have to be?
- DraftKings Sportsbook requires 21 in most states.
Do I need a promo code for the welcome offer?
No. Trade $5 or more to start the offer, which pays up to $200 in Predictions Dollars over 21 days and ends November 29, 2026.
Sources
- SI: DraftKings Predictions states, fees, DKeX and offer (October 16, 2026)
- InterGame: DraftKings Predictions goes live in 38 states (December 22, 2025)
- Covers: DraftKings buys Railbird Exchange (October 2025)
- Decrypt: DraftKings prediction app will focus on states without legal sports betting (October 22, 2025)
- DeFi Rate: DKeX files first sports contracts (May 26, 2026)
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