All Hail The DraftKings! Sixth Online Sportsbook Launches In PA

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Written By Katie Kohler on November 4, 2019

There was a “royal birth” on Monday, Nov. 4. DraftKings soft-launched its online sportsbook in Pennsylvania.

The testing hours are as follows:

  • Monday, Nov. 4: 4:00 p.m. – 12 a.m.
  • Tuesday, Nov. 5: 2 p.m. – 12 a.m.
  • Wednesday, Nov. 6: 12 p.m. – 12 a.m.

If all goes well during testing, the app can roll out 24/7 availability.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) approved Draft Kings PA sports betting license through Penn National during its Oct. 30 meeting, paving the way for the state’s sixth mobile sportsbook to launch.

How to bet with DraftKings in PA

To access DraftKings on your browser go to sportsbook.draftkings.com. The site will detect you are located in Pennsylvania, and only then will you have access to DraftKings Sportsbook betting.

If you already have a DraftKings account there is no need to create a new one. Just put in your username and password and you’re good to go.

Also, like FanDuel, if you already have the app on your phone, you don’t need to download a new app. The existing DraftKings app that is available for both iOS and Android functions for all four states where DraftKings offers sports betting.

Simply login with your existing credentials to get access to the PA site (geolocation automatically verifies your location). According to DraftKings support, any funds in your sportsbook balance can be used in any location where sports betting is legal.

To create an account with DraftKings, you will need to provide:

  • Name
  • Email address
  • Username and password
  • Address
  • Phone number
  • Date of birth
  • Last four digits of Social Security number

You must enable location services when using DraftKings for the app to be able to verify your location. Also, Bluetooth must be allowed “due to varying geographical restrictions.”

What DraftKings offers PA customers

DraftKings is available on your desktop browser and as an app for both Android and iOS.

DraftKings presents the usual options of pregame betting, moneylines and point spreads. Of course, a behemoth like DraftKings which eyes the throne in each state it operates offers more including:

  • Odds boost
  • Prop bets
  • Pools
  • Futures bets
  • Pregame protection
  • Parlay insurance
  • Pools contests
  • Flash bet – A live bet specific to the next play or drive of the game.

DraftKings deposit and withdraw methods

Deposit options for DraftKings are:
  • Credit or debit
  • Online banking
  • PayPal
  • Skrill
  • Play+ prepaid card
  • Wire transfer
Withdraw choices are:

DraftKings aims to conquer new world of sports betting

Since its start in 2012, DraftKings emerged as a leader in daily fantasy sports. In August 2018, DraftKings made sports betting history. It was the first legal, mobile sports betting operator post-PAPSA when it launched in New Jersey. DraftKings has since staked its sports betting flag in the following states:

  • West Virginia
  • Indiana
  • Pennsylvania

DraftKings and The Meadows

In August, DraftKings announced its plans to partner with Penn National Gaming. The retail sportsbook at The Meadows opened in early October.
The DraftKings and Penn National pairing marked an official end to Penn National’s relationship with William Hill. At the Oct. 30 PGCB meeting, another nail was hammered into the coffin when Hollywood Casino transferred the shared services agreement for sports betting over to its internal unit, Penn Interactive.

FanDuel and DraftKings fight for NJ power

If Pennsylvania has any hopes of topping Nevada or New Jersey in sports betting revenue, DraftKings will have to play a key role. In NJ, DraftKings and FanDuel are the top two sportsbook operators. It’s safe to speculate that DraftKings will provide competition to PA market leader, FanDuel. In Pennsylvania, more than 80% of wagers were placed online in September. FanDuel accounted for half of the online bets.
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Katie Kohler

Katie Kohler is a Philadelphia-area based award-winning journalist and Managing Editor at Playin Pennsylvania. Katie especially enjoys creating unique content and on-the-ground reporting in PA. She is focused on creating valuable, timely content about casinos and sports betting for readers. Katie has covered the legal Pennsylvania gambling industry for Catena Media since 2019.

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