Underdog Fantasy launches pick’em games in 35 states
Underdog Fantasy has expanded its reach albeit under a slightly different product, most recently in Missouri, the latest state to vote to legalize sports betting.
Underdog Fantasy now offers pick’em games in 35 states, though the product’s mechanics have shifted significantly in around half of those states. The company operates player-versus-house contests in just 19 states but has added a peer-to-peer version, branded Champions, in 16 others.
The format allows users to compete directly against one another rather than against the house — a distinction regulators often use to determine whether a product qualifies as sports betting.
While less profitable for operators, the shift has enabled Underdog to maintain a presence in more states, while offering a product similar to parlays, which now make up 48% of all sports bets, according to Morgan Stanley.