Draftkings Play Plus

This article is part of our DraftKings PGA series.

Draftkings Prepaid Card
Draftkings Play Plus Card Application
Draftkings Play Plus
Draftkings My Account

On the plus side, the trend appears to be DraftKings’ friend. Mostly known for its daily fantasy sports platform, the company has made a huge push. DraftKings Casino Michigan welcome offer. DraftKings rolls out the welcome mat for new players. Register for a new account here and DraftKings will provide both $45 in free credits, plus a 100% first deposit bonus match all the way up to a maximum of $1,500.

SENTRY TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

Purse: $6.7M
Winner's Share: $1.34M
FedEx Cup Points: 500 to the Winner
Location: Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii
Course: Plantation Course at Kapalua
Yardage: 7,596
Par: 73
2020 champion: Justin Thomas

Tournament Preview

PGA play resumes this week with the Tournament of Champions (Plus Other Guys).

For the first and perhaps only time, non-winners were invited to Kapalua, giving the annual lid-lifter its largest and strongest field ever, one that includes eight of the top 10 golfers in the OWGR. PGA Tour officials feared the truncated 2020 calendar would leave an already-small field a bit too small, so they granted exemptions to anyone who reached the Tour Championship. It turns out they were right, as only 28 different golfers won tournaments in 2020. Seventeen more participants were added via East Lake for a total of 45. No. 4-ranked Rory McIlroy and No. 10 Tyrrell Hatton opted not to play, and Jim Herman tested positive for COVID-19 last week, leaving the field at 42 – eight more participants than last year.

Two-time winner Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm, defending champion Justin Thomas and Bryson DeChambeau headline the field. There are seven TOC first-timers, plus some guys not normally in attendance so early in the year, such as Adam Scott and Sergio Garcia, who will tee it up for the first time since 2014 and 2006, respectively. It's unclear why they decided to show up. Perhaps they are concerned that the schedule will be interrupted again, or maybe it's because the Tour is already more than a quarter of the way through its 2020-21 schedule. Sometimes it's hard to remember that the season is simply continuing at Kapalua, as 12 tournaments were already played during the longest fall season ever. A lot of points have already been doled out. 34 tournaments – not including alternate-field events and the Olympics in late July – remain.

First-timers don't usually excel and rarely contend at Kapalua, thanks largely to the enormous and undulating greens. On the other hand, with the course undergoing numerous changes the past couple years, the playing field could be leveled a bit. While Kapalua was annually one of the easiest courses on the calendar, it was middle-of-the-pack last year. Why? Well there is definitely one reason and maybe two. After the 2019 tournament there was a substantial renovation, maybe as big a makeover as any PGA Tour course has seen in just one year. In a nutshell, course representatives wanted to make it more challenging. Original architects Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw were brought back, and no stone was left unturned. Tee boxes were moved, bunkers were reworked, holes were re-grassed and the greens were changed. It's still a bomber's paradise, but Coore and Crenshaw tried to add weight to the second shot, as golfers are now forced to play the angles more with their drives. So, last year, the Plantation Course ranked 20th hardest out of 41 tracks, and Thomas' winning score in a three-way playoff with former champs Xander Schauffele and Patrick Reed was only 278 – 14-under par. That was a whopping nine shots below Schauffele's winning score in 2019. It was particularly windy over the final three rounds, though, so it's hard to know how much was the redesign and how much was the weather.

The reconfigured course checks in at nearly 7,600 yards, but as we know, it plays far shorter as a par-73 and with massive elevation changes buoying distances. We'll surely see some 400-yard drives again. Who could forget Johnson's 430-yarder on No. 12 three years ago that nearly resulted in mind-boggling hole-in-one on a par-4? Still, we have seen shorter hitters excel, with Jordan Spieth (2016), Zach Johnson (2014) and Steve Stricker (2012) taking home titles. In fact, golfers will absolutely need to bring their short-game acumen to succeed this week, as scrambling and putting have historically been critical. The bermudagrass greens average a whopping 8,700 square feet and run about 10-10.5 on the Stimpmeter. There are 93 bunkers. And even though they're playing on an island, there is absolutely no water in play.

Weather-wise, well, it's Hawaii, so it will be beautiful. Specifically, highs will be in the low 80s with no rain. Most importantly, the wind is not expected to be nearly as fierce as it was last year, blowing in the low double digits (10-15 mph) all four days.

A un non-golf-related factoid from the Golf Course Superintendents: 'The leeward waters of Maui have the densest humpback whale population in the world during the winter months.'

Key Stats to Winning at Kapalua

The most important indicators every week are current form and course history. 'Key Stats' follow in importance.

• Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee
• Strokes Gained: Putting
• Strokes Gained: Approach/Greens in Regulation
• Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green/Scrambling

Past Champions

2020 - Justin Thomas
2019 - Xander Schauffele
2018 - Dustin Johnson
2017 - Justin Thomas
2016 - Jordan Spieth
2015 - Patrick Reed
2014 - Zach Johnson
2013 - Dustin Johnson
2012 - Steve Stricker
2011 - Jonathan Byrd

Champion's Profile

What we saw last year was evidence that there's more than one way to win at Kapalua. Sure, the longer hitters have a distinct advantage. But let's look at the three guys in the playoff. Thomas and Schauffele excelled tee-to-green and Reed displayed his usual short-game mastery. Specifically, Schauffele ranked first in all of SG: Off-the-Tee, SG: Around-the-Green and greens in regulation and was fourth in SG: Approach. Thomas was second in SG: Approach and proximity to the hole and third in GIR. Reed ranked first in putting and second in SG: Around-the-Green, making an astounding 400-plus feet of putts during the week. Reed is the perfect example of being able to solve Kapalua by negotiating all the nuances around and on the expansive greens. Because of all the challenges on the putting surfaces, placement on approach shots is critical. That's why course knowledge is viewed with such importance here. No TOC rookie has won since Daniel Chopra claimed victory in 2008. Still, with such a small field and no cut, it's certainly possible a first-timer could secure a high finish, as Jon Rahm did three years ago and Joaquin Niemann did last year. The fairways are some 50-60 yards wide, roughly double what the golfers see most of the year, so it's still bombs away ,and the past four winners were long hitters.

DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS

Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap

Tier 1 Values

Justin Thomas - $10,700 (Winning odds at golfodds.com: 8-1)
Bypassing the best player in the world in Dustin Johnson at a track where he's won twice might not seem like a rational move, even when turning to another two-time TOC champion in Thomas. But in a 42-man field we're limiting ourselves to two golfers in each tier. While DJ was on a level by himself in the fall, Thomas was pretty darn good in his own right, finishing no worse than 12th in any of his five fall starts and finishing solo fourth at the Masters. It's not like we don't like Johnson; we just like two guys a bit more. If that sounds like we're actually picking three guys in this tier...um...no comment.

Xander Schauffele - $10,000 (10-1)
Schauffele won this tournament two years ago and hasn't won anywhere since. That's pretty remarkable. However, he came as close as possible last year, losing in a playoff to Thomas. Schauffele was slowed after contracting COVID-19 in mid-December, but he indicated he's back at full strength.

Tier 2 Values

Patrick Reed - $9,600 (16-1)
Reed won here in 2015 and has finished second twice since, including last year. It's all because of his exceptional short game. Reed is vastly improved in other areas, though, and he finished last season ranked 42nd in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee – by far the best mark of his career.

Cameron Smith - $8,400 (40-1)
Smith qualified for his second TOC by winning last year's Sony Open just one week after the last edition of this event. He didn't have another top-10 all season but still reached the Tour Championship. He did end 2020 with a flourish, recording two top-10s – including a co-runner-up at the Masters – in the fall.

Tier 3 Values

Adam Scott - $8,100 (50-1)
It was a bit of a surprise to see the Riviera champion take his place at Kapalua for the first time since 2014, when he tied for sixth. Now 40, Scott still finds himself among the longest hitters. To go along with a better-than-perceived putting game, he also ranked in the top-10 in Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green the past two seasons.

Billy Horschel - $7,600 (80-1)
Horschel was a bit of an enigma last season. He ranked top-40 in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee and top-30 in SG: Putting yet truly contended only once, when he finished runner-up at the Wyndham Championship. But he made it to the Tour Championship, and here he is. Horschel has had two quality finishes in four visits to the Plantation course, tying for 11th in 2018 and for sixth in 2014.

Long-Shot Values

Ryan Palmer - $7,000 (100-1)
At age 44, Palmer had a quietly-terrific season that carried him all the way to East Lake. He had 11 top-25s in 19 starts, including runner-up at the Memorial and a T8 at The Northern Trust. At No. 30 in the OWGR, he's not far off his personal best of 23rd. Palmer is far from the best putter, but he finished out 2020 on a pretty good run. He tied for 17th at Kapalua last year in his first visit since 2011.

Brian Gay - $6,100 (300-1)
There are only 42 guys in the field. Everyone makes the cut. Let's take a flyer on a guy at a bargain-basement price who could be one of the best putters this week. Gay is at a severe disadvantage off the tee, but he's played this track several times and knows the greens. He last appeared here in 2014 and tied for 13th.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Len Hochberg plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: DK: Bunker Mentality.

Just like the name implies, the DraftKings DFS online platform is the king of the industry. Available across most US states, the website is a source of fun for hundreds of thousands of Americans.

Plus, DraftKings has a nice signup offer for all new customers. Sign up to play DFS at DraftKings and get a deposit bonus up to $500! Plus, this offer is available for both new and existing DraftKings DFS players. To find out what else the site has to offer, keep reading our comprehensive DraftKings DFS review. Interested in online sports betting? Check out DraftKings Sportsbook too!

Eligibility restrictions apply. Min. $5 deposit. Deposit bonus requires a 25x play thru. See draftkings.com for details.

DraftKings DFS April 2020 Contests

Right now, there are a ton of DFS contests at DraftKings. Even more, there are not only contests for traditional sports, but a bunch of esports DFS competitions too. With the esports industry growing exponentially, betting on esports and esports daily fantasy are growing just as quickly.

Currently, these are the available DFS esports contests.

Fantasy League of Legends
Fantasy CS:GO
Fantasy Rocket League
Fantasy iRacing
Fantasy Call of Duty

Visit DraftKings DFS today and play the hottest daily fantasy contests in America.

Deposit Bonus up to $500

VI Rating: 4.5

Available Sports at DraftKings

One of the best things about DraftKings DFS is the selection of sports and DFS contests. Now, the majority of daily fantasy sports sites focus on the most popular sports, like football, basketball, and baseball.

That said, at DraftKings DFS, we found a plethora of niche sports available!

At the time of writing this review, DraftKings had 13 different fantasy sports to choose from. More importantly, for each sport, there are numerous contests you can enter, and they all come with their own special scoring system.

Once you visit the DraftKings DFS homepage, you’ll see the sports listed below. Since DraftKings also offers a great online sportsbook, these sports are (mostly) available for both sports betting (football betting anyone?) and daily fantasy.

Basketball
Baseball
Football
Hockey
Golf
SOC - Soccer
TEN - Tennis
MMA - Mixed Martial Arts
Auto Racing
Canadian Football
LOL - League of Legends
European Basketball
CFB - College Football
CBB - College Basketball

Keep in mind that DraftKings DFS leagues are usually available during the preseason, through the season, and during the end-of-season championship. In other words, as long as there’s action on the field or court, you can find many different contests to participate in them.

DraftKings Daily Fantasy Sports in Iowa

Luckily for all Iowa DFS contest fans, as well as Iowa sports betting fans, DraftKings DFS is amongst the first real money website released in the Hawkeye state. The operator launched in late October 2019. Soon after, the mobile application was launched, so IA users can enjoy all the action while on the go.

Within the sports mentioned above, keep in mind that the operator also offers a variety of games to be played across these sports. Some of the following DFS games are available:

Guaranteed prize pools: By simply paying for a contest entry, you get to compete for a share of the prize pool which is set in advance.
Qualifiers: perfect for all those who like to keep it simple and like placing bets for smaller amounts of money. Top finishers win a ticket for larger events.
Head-to-head: this contest is between two players. In case you win, the entire prize pool is yours.
50/50: a good choice for all the beginners. Finish in the top half of the field for a payout.
Leagues: either you join an existing league or you can create your own. Depending on the number of players, there are two different concepts of this game. There is the so-called “Winner takes it all” approach; or, for larger leagues, the top 3 to 5 players get a winning payout.
Multipliers: high variance tournaments where those that place get a multiple of their buy-in.
Steps: the reward of steps tournaments is not monetary, but it’s in the shape of a ticket for the following step. That’s how all those who are lucky enough can enter a higher buy-in tournament.

DraftKings DFS Sign Up Bonus

All those who open a new account at DraftKings DFS can claim the operator’s deposit bonus offer. All you need to do is to make a new DFS deposit and you’ll get that deposit matched 20% up to $500! Use this match for any fantasy sports contest. What does this mean?

Eligibility restrictions apply. Min. $5 deposit. Deposit bonus requires a 25x play thru. See draftkings.com for details.

However, keep in mind that to register and claim this offer, you need to be located in one of the states where DraftKings DFS is allowed, and you have to meet the legal age requirement.

Since the brand is legal and regulated in many of the US states, instead of listing them all, it’s much easier to say from which states the site remains inaccessible for the moment. Unfortunately, if you are in the following states, you won't be able to play: Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, and Washington. Free DFS contests are available in all states, however.

The residents of the other 43 states can easily visit DraftKings DFS and become a part of its vast community of satisfied users.

Step-by-Step Guide for DraftKings DFS

Getting started with DraftKings DFS is very easy. Here’s what you should do:

Open a new account online or download the DraftKings DFS application and register via your mobile device.
To complete the registration procedure, you need to enter the following required personal information in the right field of the application form: name, date of birth, email, state of residence, phone number.
Create your username and password and answer a few security questions.
Confirm that you are over the age of 21 and that you agree to the terms of use and privacy policy.
Make your first deposit and get the welcome offer.
Choose a contest you’d like to participate in and draft from all your favourite players.
Create your daily fantasy strategy and enjoy the action with your daily fantasy picks.

Please keep in mind that the age and location aren’t the only restrictions. For example, employees from specific online casinos or those whose job is related to sporting events can’t join DraftKings sportsbook.

Why do we make a distinction between DraftKings DFS and DraftKings Sportsbook? The answer is that since the operator offers both services of legal sports betting and esports betting, you can link your accounts.

In fact, the DFS and Sportsbook sections share aspects between their wallets, but keep in mind that it’s not exactly the same. Namely, any winnings generated from funds in your DFS account can be used to place bets on sports. However, if you deposit money into your DFS wallet, you must play through that money in DFS contests before using any winnings to bet.

DraftKings Apps

Since being founded in 2012, DraftKings DFS quickly became synonymous with one of the top daily fantasy sites in the US. Then, DraftKings Sportsbook knocked everyone’s socks off by offering a streamlined, online sports betting platform across multiple states.

It doesn’t matter if we are talking about betting on March Madness, esports DFS, or, of course, fantasy football, DraftKings is the leader in both fantasy sports and sports betting.

After exploding onto the national scene, DraftKings has done everything it can to stay on top. As you’d expect, the DraftKings mobile app is further proof that they are committed to giving sports fans what they want.

Specifically, DraftKings was the first operator to notice the importance of a seamless mobile experience. They have launched dedicated mobile apps for both Android and Apple devices.

In fact, the operator offers three different mobile apps for its users, depending on the type of activities the users engage in when visiting the website.

Without further ado, let’s take a quick look at these three applications and say something more about their main features.

DraftKings Daily Fantasy Sports App

With the DraftKings DFS app you don’t have to worry about committing to season-long competitions. Every day you can find different fantasy sports contests. All you have to do is to download the app, sign in to make your first deposit, then choose your sport and start playing with your friends or other users.

The app not only allows you to enter the contests or to follow your score as your team collects points from the players’ real-life performances, but it also allows you to manage your money efficiently right from your mobile device.

At the time of writing this review, the DraftKings DFS app has an impressive 4.9 average rating in the App Store.

DraftKings Sportsbook App

All the fans of mobile sports betting can download the DraftKings Sportsbook app in just a few easy steps. Once you download and install the app, you’ll be able to enter the brand’s sportsbook with just a few clicks. Since the procedure is pretty straightforward and self-explanatory, you don’t need a special betting guide. Create your own betting strategies, find best betting picks and enjoy the flawless betting action.

All these applications have one thing in common - due to Google Play’s policy, they can’t be downloaded from the Play Store. Instead, you should download the Android package file from the operator’s website.

However, before you start, you have to go to the settings of your phone and enable the installation of apps from unknown sources. Once you do this, the download and installation process will run smoothly.

This app is rated 4.8 in the Apple App Store. As you can see, the DraftKings Sportsbook app and DraftKings DFS application are two separate mobile applications. On the website you can easily switch from one section to another. However, when it comes to the mobile app, these two sections are separated.

*21+. NJ/PA/WV/IN/IA/CO only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, PA & WV), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), or 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), or 1-800-522-4700 (CO).

DraftKings Live

DraftKings Live is an app allowing you to follow games in real-time. Once you install it, you’ll never miss a moment crucial for every DFS fan. It allows you to carefully follow any game and to monitor your players’ performance.

More importantly, you can easily use the filters to set up a customized experience. Just select the “My Players” filter to track your DraftKings lineup live. That’s how you’ll get all the latest updates for your players. Plus, as the first-ever play-by-play mobile application, DraftKings Live allows you to keep track of every play of individual games.

Above all, with this application, you can get immediate news updates and the most comprehensive analyses that are important for your DFS players and your fantasy teams. As you can see, DraftKings Live app has all it takes to deliver impeccable end-to-end fantasy experience.

The current average rating of the DraftKings Live in the Apple App Store is 4.8.

Mobile-Friendly Website

The technological age we live in has come with special requirements for every online sportsbook or daily fantasy sports platform. Maybe before it wasn’t that important, but now it is, since the vast majority of users use their mobile devices to access these sites.

DraftKings is well aware of this fact and that’s why the operator came up with a mobile-friendly website that offers the same experience as the one used from a desktop computer.

If you’re unwilling or unable to download the app, you can enter the DraftKings web address in a browser on your mobile phone. Once you are on the website, you can easily register, or sign in if you already have a DraftKings account as use all the services of the operators as usual.

If you are new to mobile betting, you might want to know what’s the difference between a mobile-friendly site and dedicated mobile apps, or which option is better. Ultimately, it all depends on your personal preferences.

Maybe it’s easier for you to access DK directly from the application. All you need is just one click. On the other hand, the app takes up space on your mobile phone, and generally works best on newer models.

Generally speaking, the app is good for folks who know their way around a mobile device and want a quick insight to their DraftKings account. The desktop browser is a bit friendlier to PC users and anyone looking for more detail in their DK account. All you need to know is that there are two options available and you can choose the one that suits you best.

DraftKings DFS Deposit & Withdrawal Options

We’d like to take this opportunity and say something more about the different payment options available on the operator’s website. In our experience, transactions are easy and headache-free. So, let’s see how you can deposit and withdraw money.

Deposits

For depositing money on the website, you have a few different possibilities. For every new account, the operator sets lower deposit limits. However, you can raise them if you want to.

All you have to do is to contact the customer service and inform them that you’d like to change your deposit limits. They will require you to confirm your identity and then they’ll be able to proceed with your request.

When it comes to available options, you can use one of the following deposit methods for funding your account:

VISA
MasterCard
Discover
American Express
PayPal

As you can see all the major options are available and you have enough options to make a choice. Also, keep in mind that you have to use a payment method registered in your name for making deposits. You can’t use anybody else’s; this is one of the brand’s protection measures.

Withdrawals

When it comes to withdrawals, PayPal and check are the only options available. However, these two options are enough to get you your money.

When you make your initial deposit, if there is a need for a refund, the card used to deposit funds will be credited. Any other funds will be delivered to you via a selected option. To make sure that you clearly understand what this means, let’s take a look at the following example.

Let’s say that you deposited $100 and after a while, you’ve made some earnings and you want to withdraw, let’s say, $5000 from your account. The first $100 of that $5000 will be transferred to the credit card you used for making your deposit. The remaining $4900 will be paid to you via PayPal or Check.

When it comes to the processing time, PayPal cash-outs usually take from 2 to 8 business days while you can wait even 2-3 weeks for a check.

Also, please note that you should fill out a W-9 form when requesting a withdrawal. This form is a special kind of form used by DraftKings to report your winnings to the IRS (Internal Revenue Service). As you probably know, you must report winnings on gambling and DFS sites to the IRS. However, that’s a good problem to have.

DraftKings DFS Customer Service

From time to time through your online betting journey, you might find yourself in situations when you’ll need help. Maybe you’ll encounter a problem while using a particular feature, or you might not quite understand the terms and conditions of some promotional offer and you need clarification.

Whatever it might be, expect to hear back from the customer support team as quickly as possible. It’s not just the speed that matters; you’ll naturally want the best possible solution.

Luckily, the DraftKings DFS customer service can provide you with both quick and effective solutions. You can contact them via the contact form found on the website. Use the live chat feature or send an email to support@draftkings.com.

Some common questions are already answered, and you can go through them once you visit the operator’s Frequently Asked Questions page. Try finding an answer there too.

When it comes to the available methods of help, that contact form is probably the easiest method to use. All you have to do is to fill out your basic contact information and write down your request.

The company will email you back as soon as possible. Email support offers pretty much the same thing; detailed requests are best handled through email. Additionally, email support allows you to attach important documents if needed.

The live chat feature is probably the best method to use, especially for urgent situations when you need your answer immediately. You can find a little chat window at the bottom of the page on the left side of your screen.

The chat window will connect you with an agent who’ll answer your questions or help you solve your problem. If you don’t have time to wait at least a couple of hours for your email to be answered, live chat is definitely a good option for you.

Draftkings Prepaid Card

Can I install the DraftKings DFS application?

You have to be located in one of the states where DraftKings DFS is allowed to play in paid contests, though. The operator will probably make a move into other markets as well once it becomes legal in those states. To install the app and use the services of the operator, you must be over the age of 18 if you are playing in most states, 19 in Alabama or Nebraska, or 21 in Iowa and Massachusetts.

Which states have regulated and legalized DraftKings DFS?

Residents of 43 of the fifty states plus Washington DC are allowed to register and participate in paid DraftKings contests that can be found on the website or mobile app. Unfortunately, DFS lovers in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Arizona, Louisiana, Hawaii, and Washington are unable to play in paid contests at this time.

Who can claim the welcome offer?

All new users who meet the age and geo-location requirements are eligible to participate in this promotional offer.

Can existing accounts claim this offer?

Yes, existing customers can claim this offer. From time to time, the brand offers various promotional offers for both new and existing customers. Therefore, make sure to keep an eye on the promotional offers provided by the operator, once you join the DraftKings DFS community.