What are the best daily fantasy pick’em apps? We get that question a lot here at Props.com. Daily fantasy sports (DFS) have evolved to include prop-betting-style action. For example, some DFS contests require you to choose whether an athlete will go over or under a stat total (a.k.a. pick’em). Certain pick’em games even involve spread and parlay elements, making them quite similar to sports betting.
Speaking of which, daily fantasy pick’em apps are the perfect alternatives to sports gambling. You may not have legal sportsbooks in your state, but you’ll likely have access to many DFS apps. Therefore, you can rely on daily fantasy sites as legal alternatives to betting or simply enjoy a unique way to win money on sports action.
Our Top Picks For DFS Pick’em
You can find out more about how DFS fantasy props/pick’em work below. We’ll also give you our top picks for fantasy apps with these game types, including the following:
Top Sign-Up Bonuses At Daily Fantasy Pick’em Sites
What Are DFS Pick’em Games (aka Fantasy Player Props)?
DFS pick’em games are similar to a player prop bet at online sportsbooks. It involves choosing the over or under on a player’s performance in a specific stat. You can see an example below:
- Jordan Love
- 249.5 passing yards – Over/under
- 2 passing TDs – Over/under
- 21.5 completions – Over/under
This fantasy prop game features three stats for Green Bay Packers QB Jordan Love. You don’t have to make predictions on all of these totals, but you might be interested in 1-2 of them. DFS sites typically offer a number of fantasy player props that you can scroll through while playing. Depending upon the app, you’ll likely have to put at least two stats on a ticket.
Pick’em games are popular with sports bettors for several reasons:
- They’re very similar to sports betting.
- Pick’em contests can include multiple wagering elements (e.g, props & parlays).
- They’re perfect alternatives wherever sports bets are not legal.
- They let you experience props-style action in new ways.
- They’re legal avenues to play props-style contests (vs. illegal/offshore sites like Bovada).
We’ve only covered the basics of fantasy props so far. The operators discussed below collectively offer many variations of DFS games, such as Longshots, Higher/Lower, and Hit It.
Top Apps For Pick’ems And Fantasy Props
Here are the top apps for pick ’em and fantasy prop games.
Underdog Fantasy
Launched in 2020, Underdog Fantasy has become a premier spot for fantasy player props. It offers two styles of these games, including Higher/Lower and Rivals. You can also enter Best Ball leagues, which are like traditional DFS with a couple of twists. Here’s a look at how Higher/Lower, Rivals, and Best Ball work.
Higher/Lower
A Higher/Lower contest involves deciding whether a player will go higher or lower than a given stat. Underdog often lists multiple stats under each player’s name, as seen in the example below:
- Devin Booker (PHX)
- 27.5 points – Higher/lower
- 4.5 assists – Higher/lower
- 11.5 rebounds + assists – Higher/lower
You don’t have to pick higher or lower on multiple stats from the same player, but you do need at least two picks on a ticket. The payouts vary based on the number of selections and how many you get right. Available prizes include 3x (2-for-2 ticket), 6x (3-for-3), 10x (4-for-4), and 20x (5-for-5).
Rivals
A Rivals game pits two athletes against each other in a particular statistic. Your goal is to decide which of these players will perform the best in a matchup.
Some Rivals include an adjusted total, which works like a point spread in sports gambling. The adjusted total spots the underdog “points,” while penalizing the favorite. You can see how this works below:
- Rushing yards: Jahmyr Gibbs (Adjusted total +4.5) vs Bijan Robinson
- Jahmyr Gibbs (DET) – The underdog in this matchup, Gibbs can have up to four fewer yards than Robinson and still win.
- Bijan Robinson (ATL) – Must win the matchup by at least five rushing yards.
Best Ball
Best Ball contests are available before the first week of a season. These leagues involve drafting a team and seeing how your players perform throughout the season. Your top five scorers regarding total points determine your final league standing. A Best Ball tournament ends on the listed date and will award prize money accordingly.
These games are much like free fantasy leagues, where you compete against friends. However, key differences include that you don’t make trades or waiver wire acquisitions. Compare this to friendly leagues, where you may constantly change lineups each week, check for injuries, and monitor waiver wires.
Underdog Fantasy Pick’em Games Rating: 10/10
We give a Underdog a perfect score regarding its game selection. Available in 41 states, it provides the perfect mixture of fantasy props and traditional DFS. Higher/Lower is much like making player prop bets, while Rivals add a point spread element.
As for Best Ball, this category features some of the biggest events in the DFS market. Best Ball Mania, for example, allows NFL fans to compete for a $10 million prize pool each year. The winner of the entire contest typically collects a $3 million payout.
Underdog Fantasy Bonus Offer
You can get a 50% match bonus up to $250 on your first deposit at Underdog Fantasy. You’ll need to deposit at least $10 and enter the Underdog Fantasy bonus code “Props” to qualify. This offer lets you cash out winnings after meeting 1x wagering requirements. Underdog gives you 30 days from the time of depositing to satisfy these requirements.
- For a full rundown on Underdog Fantasy, check out our review.
- You can perfect your Underdog Fantasy player props strategy by reading this strategy guide.
- For a more detailed look at the Underdog Fantasy sign-up bonus, check out our guide to Underdog Fantasy promo codes.
Sleeper Fantasy
Sleeper Fantasy has an interesting backstory because it didn’t begin as a DFS app. Instead, it originally launched as a chat service for fantasy football enthusiasts. The Sleeper team eventually threw their hat in the ring in 2017, launching games for various sports and leagues.
Today, Sleeper covers a mixture of pro and college sports. The name fits since Sleeper Fantasy lets you win bigger prizes than the average DFS site, offering up to 100x your entry.
Sleeper Picks
Sleeper Picks is the game in question that offers prizes worth up to 100x. It requires you to select player props on 2-8 athletes. Much like a parlay bet, you need every selection to come through to win money. Prizes top out at 100x when you get an 8-for-8 ticket.
Daily Drafts & Bonus Drafts
With Daily Drafts, you draft a team for a single day’s game slate. Your goal is to score more total points than fellow participants that day. You only have to pay $1 to enjoy these games, and you can win up to $4 for first place.
If you’re seeking bigger money, you can enter a bonus contest after a Daily Draft. Bonus drafts increase the entries and potential payouts, topping out at a $1,000 buy-in and $1,800 first-place payout. While the Daily Draft/bonus setup is unique, the catch is that these games are currently only available for the NFL.
Leagues
Sleeper provides a traditional fantasy sports element through its leagues. You can start your own league and invite buddies, or simply join an existing one. Whoever creates the league has the option to customize rules, such as how many points each stat counts for.
Sleeper Fantasy Player Props Rating: 8.5/10
The best parts of playing here include the parlay-style Sleeper Picks and customizable leagues. Sleeper Picks are especially interesting because you can add more players to your ticket in pursuit of larger payouts. These leagues allow you to enjoy normal DFS without switching to a different app.
We took a little bit off because the daily drafts—although entertaining—are only available for NFL fantasy players. Assuming the drafts expand to other sports, this move would improve Sleeper’s game rating.
Sleeper Fantasy Bonus Offer
You can get a 100% Sleeper Fantasy bonus up to $500, which is the biggest offer discussed here. You’ll need to enter the “PROPS” code and deposit at least $10 to qualify. Other notable terms include 1x wagering requirements and a 30-day expiration (after depositing) on the offer.
- Check out our Sleeper Fantasy Review.
Boom Fantasy
Launched in 2016, Boom Fantasy provides one of the best game selections among DFS operators. For starters, its Toss-Ups section includes both Over/Under props and matchups. Boom provides another props-style contest in Favorites, along with Longshots and Pick & Spin — both of which offer serious money.
Toss-Ups – Over/Under & Matchups
The Toss-Ups area features separate tabs for Over/Under and Matchups. Over/Under contests are very similar to Underdog‘s Higher/Lower, where each player has multiple stats listed underneath of them (e.g., points, assists, and rebounds).
A Matchups contest presents a stat matchup between two players. Your mission is to pick the athlete who accumulates the most of a given stat. You may see spread elements under certain Matchups, where the Underdog is spotted points. Here’s an example on how this works:
- Points: Jamal Murray vs Collin Sexton (+1.5)
- Jamal Murray (DEN) – Must score at least two more points than Sexton to win.
- Collin Sexton (UTAH) – Can score one point less than Murray and still take the matchup.
Favorites
A Favorites contest only offers one side of an over/under, but it’s a favorable side—hence the name. For instance, you might pick LA Rams wideout Puka Nacua to go over 95.5 receiving yards for this week’s game, when he averages 103.5 YPG on the season. Favorites do not pay as much as the average DFS contest because you have better chances of winning. The payouts range from 1.3x to 3x based on your number of picks.
Longshots
This category features players who are underdogs to beat a particular stat line. Contrary to Favorites, Longshots contests give you worst odds of winning. The payoff, though, is that you stand to win more money for a successful ticket. Available prizes include 10x the entry (2-for-2 ticket) or 40x (3-for-3).
Pick & Spin
Boom truly differentiates itself from other fantasy sites with Pick & Spin, which is like a mixture of player props and roulette. You spin a wheel before the contest to determine your prize multiplier. The wheel payout multipliers range from 2x to 500x your entry.
The next step involves selecting props on anybody who plays that night. You’re looking to hit both props and collect the prize appearing on the wheel. If you get a 100x or 500x multiplier, you can still win 10x or 25x, respectively, for getting one out of two correct selections.
Boom Fantasy Pick’em Games Rating: 9.5/10
We give Boom Fantasy a near-perfect score at 9.5/10 for originality. The Longshots and Pick & Spin contests truly set it apart from the industry. Furthermore, these games give you the opportunity to win up to 40x and 500x your buy-in, respectively.
Boom offers two types of fantasy props under the Toss-Ups category. You can also try Favorites, which give you the best odds of winning. We would like to see traditional leagues or cash games offered, but this is a tiny critique in what is otherwise a great site.
Boom Fantasy Bonus Offer
The Boom Fantasy bonus provides a no-sweat entry worth up to $100. In other words, it will deliver up to a $100 refund if you lose your first contest. To qualify, you must deposit $10 or more and use the “PROPS” promo code.
- Learn more about this DFS app with our review of Boom Fantasy.
ParlayPlay
Available in 27 states, ParlayPlay adds parlay-betting-style elements to fantasy props. It only features two game types, including More/Less and Hit It. Despite the smaller game selection, you might still consider this app if you want an entertaining alternative to parlay wagers.
More/Less
A More/Less contest involves deciding if an athlete will get more or less than the given stat line—similar to Underdog Fantasy’s Higher/Lower. For instance, you might pick Pittsburgh Pirates CF Bryan Reynolds to go higher than 0.5 runs scored.
More/Less requires you to make projections on 2-4 players. You stand to win more money with additional correct selections, but you also have to get every pick right (just like a parlay). Here are the available More/Less payouts:
- 2-for-2 ticket = 3x payout
- 3-for-3 = 5x payout
- 4-for-4 = 10x payout
Hit It
This game requires you to select stat ranges for two players. Here’s an example of a Hit It selection involving Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence:
- 0-200 passing yards
- 200-230
- 231-260
- 261-290
- 290-320
- 321+
The nice thing about Hit It is that you can still win when only getting one correct choice. Available payouts include 2x for one right selection and 6x for two.
ParlayPlay Pick’em Games Rating: 7.5/10
Again, ParlayPlay’s game variety isn’t overly large with only two contests available. Therefore, we rate its game selection with an above-average 7.5/10 mark. We must say, though, that Hit and More/Less are entertaining games—especially for parlay fans. Each contest straddles the line between simple gameplay and adding unique elements to fantasy props.
ParlayPlay Bonus Offer
ParlayPlay offers the most-comprehensive bonus package on this list due to its multiple parts. You can score the following through the ParlayPlay bonus when depositing $10+ and using the “PROPS” code:
- Take a look at our ParlayPlay review clicking here.
Top DFS Apps By Sport
Top Sign-Up Bonuses At Daily Fantasy Pick’em Sites
