DraftKings Pick6: Ten Things To Know
DraftKings Pick6 is putting the daily fantasy industry on notice, as the longstanding DFS hegemon launches a unique pick’em product to pit against other top DFS apps.
Here are ten things to know about DraftKings Pick6 before getting started.
1. Pick More or Less
Similar to what you see on sites like PrizePicks, athletes are assigned statistical projections and DraftKings users build Pick6 entries by making More or Less predictions for at least two different players.
However, that’s where the similarities end between Pick6 and most other pick’em products.
2. Pick6 is a Peer-to-Peer Game
When you make lineups at PrizePicks and Underdog, you’re playing “against the house” for a fixed payout. But with DraftKings Pick6, you’re playing against other DFS users, making Pick6 a peer-to-peer game.
This has major implications for payouts & strategy, changing the way to optimally approach building lineups.
Know I’m in minority here. But I don’t find gambling vs. the house very interesting.
— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) December 6, 2023
Give me the peer-to-peer games like DFS or poker. So much deeper, can find softer spots, more strategy than “try not to get limited.”
Hope this gets popular. https://t.co/SAOGJVJu7t
3. DraftKings Stat Projections Don’t Move
Once player stat projections go live in the morning, they are not impacted by “action” or news later in the day. So if there’s a projection that’s inefficient, making a specific More/Less side particularly +EV (at least in a vacuum), that projection is locked in regardless of what is happening to similar props at DraftKings Sportsbook.
4. Game Theory Matters
Because Pick6 is peer-to-peer, resembling a parimutuel pool, making good picks is about more than just having accurate projections on your side.
While good projections will help you spot inefficiencies, it’s also important to consider which picks will be most popular given the slate and matchups. If there’s an obvious inefficiency, it’s likely to garner a flood of identical picks from other contestants.
Like in traditional DFS tournaments, it’ll pay to identify the chalk and be contrarian over the long run.
Of course, you should still use resources here at RotoGrinders like our Props & Pick’em package to help you build Pick6 entries.
5. Payouts Vary
When you play at PrizePicks, you know exactly how much you’ll be paid if all of your selections hit. That’s not the case here, because DraftKings Pick6 payouts are dependent on how your competitors do, too.
On the first night of Pick 6 contests on
DraftKings</a> 6/6 paid out 57x. This will certainly come down over time, and is partially a function of some overlay. <br><br>But tell me why anyone would ever want to play these fixed-odd player-prop parlay cards against the house?<br><br>Fantasy…</p>— Jon Aguiar (JonAguiar) December 7, 2023
Each contest has a prize pool, and a portion of the total prize pool is designated for entries that get a certain number of correct picks.
Let’s look at a quick example.
Say a 5-pick contest has a $10,000 total prize pool and is assigned the following prize structure:
- 5/5 Correct Split: $8,000
- 4/5 Correct Split: $2,000
In the example above, if a contest ends with eight entries finishing 5-for-5, each entry wins $1,000. If only two entries finish 5-for-5, then those two entries win $4,000 each.
So in one contest, getting all of your selections correct may pay out only 13x if a bunch of other entries also go 100%. But if only a few entries get everything correct, payouts will increase dramatically.
DraftKings actually provides a live estimated payout chart that you can reference when your contests begin.
6. Available Sports
Right now there are only NFL and NBA Pick6 contests, so if you’re trying to make fantasy pick’em predictions on college players or even the more niche eSports, then PrizePicks and Underdog are still your best options.
At least for now.
We expect DraftKings to continue to push the envelope and expand their Pick6 offerings sooner rather than later.
7. Pick6 States
DraftKings Pick6 initially launched in only six states, but in a matter of days expanded to 15 states plus Washington, D.C.
Here’s a comprehensive list of where you can currently play DratKings Pick6: AK, CA, DC, GA, MN, MO, NE, NM, ND, OK, SC, SD, TN, UT, WV, & WI.
DraftKings won’t stop there, and we’ll be sure to update this list as Pick6 expands to new states.
8. Watch Out for Late Scratches & DNPs
According to DraftKings Pick6 rules, any player who is listed but does not play will be automatically graded as a loss, even if it’s a “Less” selection for the player’s stat category.
This is especially important to note if you’re playing NBA Pick6. Every night there are at least a handful of late scratches in the NBA, and you want to do everything in our power to make sure you aren’t on the wrong side of a DNP.
1. This is a fantasy game of skill. Selecting players who are less likely/unlikely to be scratched will simply be some element of the skill of the game
— Jon Aguiar (@JonAguiar) December 7, 2023
2. Being these are guaranteed prize pools, and DK isn’t a participant in the game, asking DK to take the financial loss on all…
This is sure to bite some people, and there’s no doubt it’ll be frustrating if/when it happens to you, but the good news is that there is in fact Late Swap, meaning that if a player is listed as inactive and their game has yet to start, you can swap that person out for an active player.
9. DraftKings Pick6 Promo
There is a new DraftKings promo exclusive for first-time Pick6 users. If you’re a new DraftKings Pick6 customer, you’re eligible for NO STRESS FIRST PICKS UP TO $50.
That’s right — even if you already have a DraftKings account, you can still claim this offer if it’s your first time playing DraftKing Pick6.
Under the promo’s terms and conditions, a first-time DraftKings Pick6 customer is defined as a customer who has never created a Pick Set and entered a Pick6 contest.
The maximum reward associated with this promotion is $50, determined by the amount of the Net Negative Return and issued in Pick6 Credits. Awarded Pick6 Credits are site credits that have no cash value.
This offer is valid until January 7, 2024. We’ll make sure to update this page with any subsequent Pick6 promos.
While there are plenty of reasons to give Pick6 a try, you can find more value with promo from other DFS sites. Compare the DraftKings No Stress First Pick to the offers below:
- Sleeper Promo Code – $500 Deposit Match
- Underdog Fantasy Promo Code – $100 Deposit Match
- PrizePicks Referral Code – $100 Deposit Match
10. Additional DraftKings Pick6 Promos
Pick6 promos don’t end there. Existing users can also get in on the fun with DraftKings 2-Pick Tuesday and/or Refer-A-Friend bonuses.
Rivaling PrizePicks Taco Tuesdays, Pick6 users can opt-in on DraftKings to get $2 in Pick6 credits when they play $5+ for pick sets containing exactly two picks. Users can opt in only once for a max of $2 bonus.
Additionally, existing Pick6 users can refer a friend to earn up to $50 in Pick6 credits. The bonus will match your friend’s first deposit, so long as:
- 1) The invited friend(s) are first-time DraftKings customers. In other words, they can’t already have a DraftKings Sportsbook or a DFS account.
- 2) Their first deposit must be at least $25.
If the terms and conditions above are met, then both the Referrer and the Invitee are eligible for a maximum of $50 in Pick6 credits.