BetMGM vs FanDuel: We Compare And Tell You Which One Is Better

✅Fact Checked by: Michael Savio

We know there are a lot of awesome sportsbooks out there to use as your preferred betting site, but each has its pluses and minuses.

Two of the most popular sportsbooks are BetMGM and FanDuel. We decided to put them to the test, rate them in multiple categories, and tell you which is better, BetMGM or FanDuel.

Before we dive into our comparison, if you are looking for in-depth information on these well-known sportsbooks, make sure to check out our detailed reviews:

BetMGM sportsbook review
FanDuel sportsbook review

Now, let's see which of these sportsbooks is better.

Just like when we are sizing up two great teams, we decided to break down FanDuel and BetMGM into different categories and see what a smart bettor needs.

After we examine what FanDuel and BetMGM bring to the table in each category we will tell you which one is the best for you.

• State Availability
• Bonus and Promotions
• Sports Coverage
• Betting Markets
• Sign Up Process
• Features
• Betting Odds
• Live Betting
• Live Streaming
• Mobile App
• Deposit Methods
• Customer Support
• Overall User Experience
• Strengths and Weaknesses
• Conclusion

Since PASPA was overturned in 2018, leaving the decision to sanction sports betting up to the states, the activity has flourished giving fans the opportunity to bet on their favorite players and teams from the comfort of their own homes. All you need is a web connection or phone to get in on the action and use a state-regulated sportsbook.

FanDuel is open for business in 21 states. BetMGM is sanctioned in 22 states.

Here’s a list of every state where sports betting is legal and where you can use BetMGM and FanDuel:

We gathered detailed articles regarding BetMGM legal states and FanDuel legal states.

FanDuel vs. BetMGM Winner: By sheer statistics, BetMGM is the winner because it’s available in a few more states. But both sportsbooks have fashioned good reputations and are sure to expand as more states offer sports betting.

🏅 Winner: BetMGM

New players must understand that there is a difference between a “bonus” and a “promotion” even though the terms are used interchangeably.

Let’s see how FanDuel and BetMGM stack up.

BetMGM Sportsbook:

• Risk-free bet: New players are entitled to $1,000 back on their first bet if it loses. The payback comes in the form of bonus bet tokens.
• Edit your bet: You can alter your selections or the size of your parlay bet after the game has started.
• Cash Out: BetMGM gives you the option to cash out early on certain parlay and straight bets. This allows you to take a smaller but guaranteed payout before the game or games are over.

FanDuel Sportsbook:

• Welcome bonus: FanDuel is giving new players a No Sweat Bet of up to $1,000. That means they will refund your bet in bonus bets if you lose your first bet.
• Odds Boosts: When you log on to FanDuel, you’ll see a game with enhanced odds as a daily special.
• Referral bonus: Invite a friend to sign up for FanDuel, and you’ll each receive $50 in free bets.

FanDuel vs. BetMGM winner: BetMGM is the winner because of their “edit your bet” and cash-out features. Both can help you avoid losing bad bets, leading to more money in your pocket.

🏅 Winner: BetMGM

We have to have games to bet on, right? Television networks have expanded the list of sports for fans to watch from all over the world, and BetMGM and FanDuel each have done a great job of adding sports to their menu for players.

FanDuel checks in with 20 different sports, including offering players horse racing and Aussie Rules football. BetMGM lists 21 different types of sports, including international beach volleyball and handball.

Here’s a breakdown of different sports available at each sportsbook:

FanDuel vs. BetMGM winner: BetMGM has a few more sports than FanDuel, but let’s be honest, how much do you know about badminton? I’m actually inclined to give FanDuel the edge here because of its horse racing connections. When it comes time for the Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown races, FanDuel breaks the tape first.

🏅 Winner: FanDuel

For one NBA basketball game, I counted 42 different wagers offered by BetMGM. That’s a lot of different markets.

We said before that BetMGM is considered the Parlay King. Among the markets it has for games are first scorer, player props, totals, spreads, halves/quarters, plus the ability to combine catches/yards for a player in football or points plus rebounds for a basketball player.

FanDuel has a lot of markets too. It offers bettors the opportunity to add things in, like the win margin or combine player prop bets. Another interesting market on FanDuel is the “Race To” button, meaning the chance to bet on the first team to 15 points, 25 points etc.

BetMGM vs. FanDuel winner: I think I have to give BetMGM the nod here. It has more.

🏅 Winner: BetMGM

BetMGM and FanDuel make it easy to sign up. All you need is an email address and enter some personal information, like your name and maybe part of your social security number.

The only thing you need to be conscious of is that you may need to turn on or download a geolocation app on your computer or phone to verify that you reside in a BetMGM state or FanDuel state when using the site or app. This way, the sportsbook can verify that you’re inside a BetMGM state or FanDuel state where the activity is legal.

This process is usually easy, but sometimes your computer software may need you to change a preference or setting to let this happen. Check our above list to make sure that you’re in a BetMGM state or FanDuel state before you sign up.

FanDuel vs. BetMGM winner: It’s a clear victory for both. Both companies want to get players to sign up so they make the process quick and easy to understand.

🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 Winner: Draw

This is one area where each of the major sportsbooks has a different look and feel for the player. BetMGM and FanDuel give players something different to enjoy.

Let’s break it down.

BetMGM Sportsbook:

• Parlay Parlay Parlay: A parlay is where you combine bets from one game (like the moneyline along with a player prop) or combine bets on multiple games into one megabet for big odds. BetMGM gives you the ability to create a parlay with one click off its main screen.
• Calendar: What day is the game again? BetMGM has a calendar feature to show you what games are on for today and on for tomorrow.
• Bar Graph: Click on the bar graph posted next to each game and it shows you the past results between the two teams.
• Live: If you’re choosing to bet on a game live, BetMGM shows you right away if the game is available on a livestream, so you can watch every key moment.

FanDuel Sportsbook:

• Stats On You: Maybe my favorite part of the FanDuel Sportsbook is the option to click on the stats page to see the percentage of money wagered on both sides. Do you want to ride the herd or go your own way?
• Fantasy Island: FanDuel got its start as a fantasy sports site, and it still holds on to those roots with dozens of fantasy-style games to play each day. You can draft a baseball team for the day and see if it hits the most home runs or your own NBA squad for the night and hope it comes through with a big win.
• Sports Betting 101: Underneath the major sports on the left, FanDuel has a tutorial called “Learn To Bet” where you can be taught the basics. It also has a listing of games that are free to play and enjoy.

FanDuel vs. BetMGM winner: I was surprised at how cool the BetMGM features are. The media tab is awesome for players who want to be able to watch the game they just placed a bet on. Maybe it’s my personal style of playing, but the FanDuel “stats” link is important to me. I’m not that big of a parlay guy. I like being able to see where the money is going. That’s a factor for me when placing a bet.

🏅 Winner: FanDuel

The truth about all the major American sportsbooks is that the odds are roughly the same for each game. I spot-checked BetMGM and FanDuel on a couple of different games in this study, and the biggest difference I found was a half-point on a few basketball games.

Now, a half point is big – you’ll learn that during your sports betting journey - but it’s not like the odds for one sportsbook are so much bigger than the other.

However, one place where you’ll find some odds discrepancies is on the futures bets. These are the bets on things like next year’s Super Bowl winner or the Major League Baseball MVP. Since these events or awards happen so far into the future, the odds here can be different. Keep that in mind when placing a futures bet. It’s always smart to shop around.

FanDuel vs. BetMGM winner: My experience is that the odds on FanDuel are a tiny bit better, but unless you’re a professional player, it’s not worth the trouble. I do stress though, that futures bets are where you can find some differences.

🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 Winner: Draw

Here’s the situation, you’re watching a game you placed a bet on, a star player gets hurt and all of the sudden you wish you’d doubled your wager. Through the magic of live betting, that’s all possible.

Live betting is the ability for players to bet on a game even after it’s started. Both FanDuel and BetMGM offer this feature at events. The odds are constantly being updated based on what’s happening in a game. Both FanDuel and BetMGM have “LIVE” buttons prominently on their screens. Click that and be sent to all of the events happening at that moment, where you can bet on the action.

FanDuel vs. BetMGM winner: This is an area where you can see both sportsbooks have put a lot of resources. People like live betting because it gives them a sense of control. They’ve already seen some of the game, so they can make a bet with enhanced information.

🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 Winner: Draw

Both BetMGM and FanDuel have partnerships with various leagues to show events on its betting platform.

I was impressed with the access BetMGM has and how easy it is to get to. BetMGM bettors can wager and watch multiple European soccer leagues and tennis events.

FanDuel has a ‘Live Now’ button on top of its sportsbook and is heavy on European basketball leagues. The quality of the stream is clear. FanDuel also has two streaming channels available through a streaming device like a Roku or AppleTV.

FanDuel vs. BetMGM winner: This is another spot where both sportsbooks excel. They are catering to fans who want to watch the game they’ve bet on.

🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 Winner: Draw

Be careful when downloading either the FanDuel or BetMGM app from the app store, there are two of them, one for their fantasy sports catalog and the other for their sportsbook/casino.

Both apps function the same way as the sportsbook looks on a big computer screen. Your account name and balance are at the top of the screen. You have to scroll horizontally to find the different leagues and sports and then scroll up and down to find the game you want to bet on and confirm your bet.

The BetMGM app has a black, white, and gold color scheme and I found it a little easier to read on the screen than FanDuel.

FanDuel:

BetMGM:

FanDuel vs. BetMGM winner: I must go with BetMGM here, but not by much.

🏅 Winner: BetMGM

Gone are the days when you’d go to a large casino and have to bring cash to buy chips and go make a bet. BetMGM and FanDuel are completely electronic, available on your computer or phone through a website or app. This makes it easy to put in money to get started. Be warned though, there are some online banks that don’t allow for direct deposits into a mobile sportsbook account. This is up to the bank, not the sportsbook. Check with your bank to find out for sure.

Here’s how BetMGM and FanDuel compare when it comes to making a deposit.

BetMGM vs. FanDuel winner: Every sports bettor hopes that they can make an initial deposit one day and then just build on that forever. You’ll need a lot of luck for that to happen. Making a deposit falls under the heading of customer service. These are areas where both FanDuel and BetMGM excel. One day your luck may run out and you’ll have to deposit more money and it's good to know the process is easy.

🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 Winner: Draw

This was one category where I saw a real difference between BetMGM and FanDuel.

Let’s start with the good. If you need customer service from FanDuel, you just click on Support, it brings you to the FAQ page (Frequently Asked Questions) but also gives you the option to chat with someone live, called a FanDuel coach. You can also send FanDuel an email, but the wait time can be up to a day before you get a response.

BetMGM customer service online was much harder to navigate. You can click through to support but then you’re given a list of topics that you may be having problems with. The hope is that one of your issues will be under one of the topics.

This can be frustrating because the last thing you want to do when having a problem is search through more screens. BetMGM did have a live chat and email function, but it took me a while to find it, and there’s no link to a BetMGM social media customer service account anywhere.

BetMGM vs. FanDuel winner: You will encounter a technical issue during your betting career at some point. FanDuel makes it much easier to find someone to help with the problem.

🏅 Winner: FanDuel

The BetMGM page design is sleek and easy to navigate. I know it may sound strange, but the color scheme matters when you’re looking at a page and BetMGM’s font and layout is clean.

FanDuel’s page is bit more cluttered. It still has a ton of fantasy sports games to play, and you should investigate those if you’re interested. FanDuel also has a drop-down on free-to-play games and the ability to take a quick “Learn to Bet” video course which explains the basics.

BetMGM vs. FanDuel winner: It’s close. I love some of the features on FanDuel, but the look and feel of the BetMGM Sportsbook is smoother.

🏅 Winner: FanDuel

So now that we have run through both the BetMGM and FanDuel Sportsbooks, let’s review their strengths and weaknesses.

BetMGM is better than I originally thought. FanDuel is already popular from its background as a fantasy sports site and that gives it a slight edge when it comes to sheer number of offerings. If you’re a numbers guy, FanDuel is for you.

But picking a sportsbook to use comes down to personal preference. If you’re into parlays, then BetMGM should be the main one you use. It provides a great experience for players, and you’ll like all the bet live and live streaming options.

FanDuel goes a little deeper with the stats and information and it may be better for players long-term because of its special features. FanDuel also is the clear winner in customer support between the two sportsbooks.

Both BetMGM and FanDuel are credible sportsbooks that can make your sports betting experience a fun and profitable one.