BetRivers and DraftKings are firmly established as two of the leading online sportsbooks in New Jersey. They both offer large bonuses, competitive odds, highly rated apps, secure payouts, and a wide variety of betting options. That begs the question: which sportsbook is best, BetRivers or DraftKings? We will examine the key strengths and weaknesses of both sports betting apps, and we will then provide our verdict.
BetRivers or DraftKings?
BetRivers and DraftKings are superior to most rival online sportsbooks in New Jersey. Here are some key features that distinguish these apps:
| BetRivers | DraftKings | |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Second chance bet up to $250 | Bet $5, get $200 in bonus bets |
| Loyalty program | iRush Rewards | Dynasty Rewards |
| App Store rating | 4.6/5 | 4.8/5 |
| Google Play rating | 4.5/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Payout speeds | Instant | Typically within 24 hours |
| Best features | Live streaming, pregame stats, house specials, lively forum, 24/7 customer service | Pregame stats, daily free-to-play pools offering bonus credits as prizes, DK Network blog |
What is the difference between BetRivers and DraftKings?
BetRivers and DraftKings are rival online sportsbooks. They both offer impressive online casinos, too, which makes them key competitors in New Jersey and other states.
BetRivers was founded by Rush Street Interactive, a Chicago-based company that owns Rivers Casino resorts in New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Virginia.
DraftKings started out by running popular daily fantasy sports contests in 2012. The Boston-based company then expanded into online sports betting after the federal ban was overturned in 2018.
We decided to evaluate both sportsbooks and determine which one is best. To make the process as comprehensive as possible, we divided it into seven key categories:
- Welcome bonus
- Promos
- Betting options
- Quality of the odds
- User experience
- Deposits and withdrawals
- Customer service
BetRivers vs. DraftKings: Welcome bonus comparison
BetRivers Sportsbook is offering new customers a second chance bet of up to $250. If your first wager loses, you will get your money back as a bonus bet. The bonus bet will come with a simple 1x playthrough requirement, and the funds will then convert to withdrawable cash.
Meanwhile, DraftKings Sportsbook is running a three-part welcome bonus for new customers:
- Bet $5 and get $200 in bonus bets.
- Receive a one-month of NFL+ Premium subscription.
- A 20% first deposit match bonus worth up to $1,000.
The first part of the sportsbook sign-up bonus is attractive. You only need to risk $5 of your own money to earn $200 in guaranteed bonus credits. The bonus bets will also have a 1x rollover requirement. However, the 20% deposit match bonus is not so appealing, as it comes with a 25x release requirement. That means you would need to deposit $5,000 and then place $25,000 worth of bets in order to unlock the full $1,000.
The NFL+ Premium subscription sweetens the deal at DraftKings, but you will be charged $14.99 per month if you forget to cancel it at the end of the 30-day trial period, which could prove costly.
While DraftKings offers a more comprehensive welcome package, many bettors will prefer the simple, attractive sign-up bonus at BetRivers.
Winner: BetRivers
- Up To $500 in Bet Credits
- ONLY 1x Play Through!
- 21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
- Use Exclusive Affiliate Code: SBBONUS
Promotions and loyalty rewards
Both of these online sportsbooks provide existing customers with a steady stream of ongoing promotions:
- BetRivers offers regular odds boosts within the “House Specials” section of the app. There are occasional no-deposit bonuses too. For example, BetRivers gave all customers a $20 bonus bet to use on a same game parlay to celebrate the start of the 2024 NFL season.
DraftKings Sportsbook customers can often claim profit boost tokens, no sweat same game parlay bonuses, and “Bet & Get” offers. - There are also daily free-to-play pools at DraftKings, which give you regular chances to earn bonus bets by making predictions on upcoming sports events.
- DraftKings’ Dynasty Rewards program provides customers with Crowns every time they bet on sports, play online casino games, or enter fantasy sports contests. The Crowns can be traded for DK Dollars, which have a 1x playthrough requirement before converting to cash. There is a dedicated VIP program too.
- The BetRivers iRush Rewards program is similar, but it places more of a focus on rising through the ranks and unlocking superior rewards each time you level up. It does not cover land-based casinos, such as Rivers Casino Philadelphia or Rivers Casino Schenectady in New York.
While both sportsbooks work hard to reward existing customers for their ongoing loyalty, the free-to-play pools swing this category in DraftKings’ favor.
Winner: DraftKings
- Bet & Get up to $200 in Bonus Bets Instantly!
- PLUS up to $1,000 Deposit Bonus
- PLUS $50 Bonus Bet on Deposit
- Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Betting options at BetRivers and DraftKings
This is an area in which both BetRivers and DraftKings excel. They offer a substantially larger selection of betting options than rivals like Caesars Sportsbook and Fanatics Sportsbook, but which site takes the crown?
The breadth of markets available at BetRivers is remarkable. There are more than 360 betting options on each regular season NFL game. That includes alternative lines, loads of prop bets, and markets on each half and quarter. The same game parlay builder is also comprehensive.
Meanwhile, DraftKings offers a huge choice of betting options on NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL games. This online sportsbook’s soccer, tennis, and golf sections are very detailed, too.
Both sportsbooks offer a large array of futures markets and live betting options. They also make it easy to compile parlays, teasers, and round robins. However, BetRivers offers a slightly larger choice of props. It also covers more international leagues and obscure sports, such as bowling, so we awarded BetRivers a narrow win in this category.
Winner: BetRivers
Quality of the odds
We conducted a detailed assessment of the odds available at BetRivers and DraftKings to determine which app offers the best value. The results were mixed.
For example, BetRivers tends to offer sharper MLB moneyline odds than DraftKings, so it should appeal to baseball bettors. However, we also noticed that BetRivers often charges more juice than DraftKings on its NFL and NBA sides and totals.
DraftKings always offers standard juice lines, so you will typically find odds of -110 on either side of a bet. BetRivers often publishes unusual lines, such as -117 / -105 and -118 / -104, which carry a larger house edge than the industry standard.
As football and basketball are the most popular sports in New Jersey, we have to give this round to DraftKings. Having said that, it would be advantageous to sign up with both sports betting apps. You can then compare their odds on each pick you make and quickly place your wager at the sportsbook that offers the best number.
Winner: DraftKings
Overall user experience
The BetRivers Sportsbook app and website are both powered by a Swedish software provider called Kambi. The user interface is clean and easy to navigate. It is also simple to create alternative lines, parlays, and same game parlays at BetRivers.
Value-added features include pre-game stats and tips. You can also enjoy live streaming at BetRivers. The service covers certain NFL games, along with sports like soccer, tennis, cricket, and handball.
DraftKings Sportsbook runs on a software platform created by SBTech, which is a major rival to Kambi. The company acquired SBTech as part of a SPAC deal in 2020, giving DraftKings its own in-house tech stack. That gives it an advantage over rivals like BetRivers, who rely on third-party providers.
The DraftKings app is fast, smooth, and reliable. It has stronger average user ratings than BetRivers on both Google Play and the App Store, and it also has a larger customer base. The layout is clean and uncluttered, and value-added features include pre-game stats. However, it does not offer live streaming, so we eventually marked this round as a tie.
Winner: Tie
Deposits and withdrawals
Both of these sportsbooks offer a wide range of banking options. For example, you can use Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Apple Pay, PayPal, Venmo, a Play+ card, a gift card, online banking, VIP Preferred, a wire transfer, PayNearMe, or cash at the casino cage to fund your DraftKings account.
BetRivers offers most of those deposit methods, too, but it also supports American Express. It is reasonably rare to find a sportsbook that accepts Amex, so it could appeal to bettors who prefer using that credit card.
There are no official upper limits on deposits at either online sportsbook. However, DraftKings may be more suitable for casual bettors with modest budgets, as it has a minimum deposit of $5 and a minimum withdrawal of $0.01. By contrast, the minimum deposit and withdrawal at BetRivers is $10.
Yet BetRivers has an ace up its sleeve. The company has developed an automated payout system called RushPay, which approves most payout requests instantly. That means you will get your money right away via certain methods, such as Play+. DraftKings typically process payout requests within 24 hours, but withdrawals are faster at BetRivers, so it scores another narrow victory in this category.
Winner: BetRivers
Customer service
BetRivers is the clear winner here. All customers can benefit from 24/7 live chat support. We tested it out several times, and the agents quickly replied. They were friendly, helpful, and efficient, and the information they provided was clear and accurate.
DraftKings does not offer 24/7 live chat support. Customers are advised that the quickest option is to fill out a web form and wait for a reply. That is a slow, inefficient process, which is particularly unhelpful if you have follow-up questions. Players in the higher tiers of the rewards program will receive live chat support, but that is unavailable to most customers, so this is an area in which DraftKings could improve.
Winner: BetRivers
Final verdict: BetRivers or DraftKings?
It is easy to see why BetRivers and DraftKings are two of the most popular online sportsbooks in New Jersey. They both offer a high-quality user experience, attractive bonuses, regular rewards, competitive odds, lots of markets, and secure, reliable payouts.
DraftKings outshines BetRivers in a few areas. The app is more polished, the NFL and NBA odds are often sharper, and the free-to-play pools are great.
However, BetRivers offers faster payouts, superior customer service, more leagues to bet on, and value-added features like live streaming. For those reasons in the BetRivers vs. DratKings head-to-head, BetRivers Sportsbook is our overall winner.
