You can learn more about either sportsbook by reading our individual DraftKings review and FanDuel betting review. At one point there was a potential merger on the table, but the FTC blocked it to prevent a monopoly.
DraftKings was founded in 2012, while FanDuel was established in 2009. They are competitors in the sports betting and daily fantasy sports market. Overall, DraftKings is the most popular sportsbook in the U.S. No, FanDuel and DraftKings are not the same company. However, they switched to sports betting when the Supreme Court legalized it in all states. Both sportsbooks started as Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) platforms. Interestingly, FanDuel and DraftKings history are strikingly similar. The legality of FanDuel and DraftKings is not in question – both bookies are registered and regulated in the U.S. DraftKings launched in 2012 and is the brainchild of Matthew Kalish and Paul Liberman.
Interestingly, there were credible discussions about a FanDuel and DraftKings merger in 2016, but they didn’t pan out.įanDuel launched in 2009 and is the brainchild of Nigel Eccles, Lesley Eccles, Tom Griffiths, Rob Jones, and Chris Stafford.
DraftKings and FanDuel are the most popular bookies and online sportsbooks in the United States and Canada.