Underdog Fantasy Review
Underdog Fantasy is the home of NFL Best Ball; the season-long draft format where you draft once, lineups auto-set, and Best Ball Mania serves as the marquee NFL fantasy tournament of the year. Underdog also runs a strong pick-em product (2-6 player projections), making it a two-in-one DFS app. For ND players, Underdog is fully legal and one of the most polished mobile experiences in fantasy sports.
Verdict
The premier Best Ball product in the industry, plus a top-tier pick-em offering. The cleanest fantasy app of any operator. Best for NFL season-long players and pick-em users who value mobile UX.
Underdog Scorecard
The Underdog Product
Underdog Fantasy was founded in 2020 and quickly differentiated by popularizing Best Ball drafts at scale. Headquartered in New York, the company is backed by major investors and has become one of the most influential DFS brands in the industry. Underdogs two anchor products are unusual in that they each lead their respective segments; Best Ball for season-long drafts, Pick Em for player projections.
Best Ball Mania
Best Ball Mania is Underdogs flagship season-long NFL tournament. Format:
- Draft once; typically 18-round snake draft with 12-team groups.
- Auto-set lineups; each week, your highest-scoring eligible players at each position automatically start.
- No in-season management; no waivers, no trades, no add/drops. Set it and forget it.
- Multi-stage tournament; group stage, advance to playoff brackets, top prize in seven figures.
Drafts open in spring and run through NFL kickoff. Entry tiers from $5 to $25 to $250 to higher. Best Ball Mania has produced multiple million-dollar winners.
Pick Em
Underdog Pick Em is the 2-6 player projection format; same mechanic as PrizePicks. Pick more or less on individual player stats; all picks must hit for the entry to win. Payouts scale: 2-pick ~3x, 3-pick ~6x, 4-pick ~10x, 5-pick ~20x, 6-pick ~37.5x.
Underdogs Pick Em UX is widely considered the cleanest in the segment; and the app does an excellent job integrating projection context (recent form, matchup data) directly into the pick interface.
Underdog Network
Underdog operates a content network (podcasts, articles, projection systems) that supports the platform. Pat Mayo, Matthew Berry and other major fantasy analysts have shows on the network. Free to use without an Underdog account, but tightly integrated for users who want research while drafting.
Mobile App
Underdogs app is the cleanest in fantasy sports; bold, fast, modern. Both iOS and Android offer full product parity. Drafting on mobile is notably smooth.
Banking; Deposits & Withdrawals
| Method | Deposit | Withdraw | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACH / Online Banking | Yes | Yes | Standard method. Withdrawals 1-3 business days. |
| Debit Card | Yes | Yes | Fast deposits. |
| PayPal | Yes | Yes | Fastest withdrawal; typically same-day. |
| Apple Pay | Yes | No | Mobile deposits. |
PayPal is fastest. ACH 1-3 business days. Standard KYC before first withdrawal.
Customer Support
In-app chat and email support. No phone support. Response times generally good outside of peak draft windows (last week of August can be slower with Best Ball draft volume).
Underdog vs. Competitors
The natural comparison is Underdog vs PrizePicks for pick-em; see our head-to-head comparison.
For salary-cap DFS, Underdog does not compete directly with DraftKings or FanDuel; different product. Underdog wins on Best Ball; DK/FD win on salary-cap in-season DFS. Many ND players use both.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Best NFL Best Ball product on the market; Best Ball Mania is the marquee fantasy tournament
- Strong pick-em pool alongside best ball; two products in one app
- Sleek, modern app design; among the cleanest in DFS
- Underdog Network adds analyst and projection content
- Reliable deposit-match welcome bonus for new users
- Available statewide in ND; works on any device
Cons
- Best Ball locks for the entire NFL season; no trades or adds
- Smaller in-season DFS contest pool than DK/FD
- Pick-em pool slightly smaller than PrizePicks
- No salary-cap DFS contests in the DraftKings/FanDuel sense
Underdog Fantasy; FAQ
Is Underdog Fantasy legal in North Dakota?
Yes. Underdog Fantasy operates legally in North Dakota under the federal DFS skill-game framework. Both Underdogs Best Ball draft product and its Pick Em product are available to ND residents.
How old do I have to be to play Underdog in ND?
You must be 18 or older to play Underdog Fantasy in North Dakota. ID verification (KYC) required before first withdrawal.
What is Best Ball?
Best Ball is a season-long NFL draft format that auto-sets your starting lineup each week (highest-scoring players at each position). You draft once and never make in-season changes; no waivers, no trades, no add/drops. Underdog popularized the format and runs Best Ball Mania, the largest NFL fantasy tournament in the industry.
How does Underdogs Pick Em differ from PrizePicks?
Both products are 2-6 player projection pick-em formats with similar payout structures. Underdog has a slightly slicker app and better integrated analyst content via the Underdog Network. PrizePicks has the larger user base and wider sport variety. Many players use both.
Whats the Underdog welcome bonus?
Underdog typically offers a deposit-match welcome offer for new accounts. Exact terms vary by promo period; check active terms at signup. Bonus funds release as you enter contests.
How fast are Underdog withdrawals?
PayPal same-day. ACH 1-3 business days. KYC verification required before first withdrawal.
When does Best Ball Mania start?
Best Ball Mania drafts open in spring (typically May-June) and run continuously through the NFL season opener in September. Earlier entries draft against a smaller player pool; later entries draft closer to actual season-opening rosters.
What sports does Underdog cover?
NFL (Best Ball + pick-em), NBA, MLB, NHL, college football, college basketball, PGA Tour, UFC, soccer. NFL is the dominant focus; Best Ball is purely NFL.
Is Underdog safe?
Yes. Underdog Fantasy is US-based (NYC headquarters), backed by major investors, and operates under standard US DFS compliance. Player funds in segregated accounts.
Can I withdraw mid-NFL-season from Best Ball?
Yes. Your Best Ball Mania entry locks in but your account funds are not locked; you can deposit/withdraw separately from your active entries.