BetStars Vs. DraftKings Sportsbook: An NJ Mobile Sportsbook Comparison
DraftKings Sportsbook and BetStars NJ are two NJ sports betting apps that both operate under the Resorts sports betting license.
In fact, the two mobile and online sports betting operations have combined to help Resorts Digital become the state’s top-grossing sports betting licensee, with more than $16.5 million in gross NJ sports betting revenue reported up to the end of October 2018.
Of course, to this point, it has been a lot more DraftKings than it has been BetStars. However, it’s still worth comparing two of the top dogs in the burgeoning NJ mobile and online sports betting market.
Here’s a basic rundown of what each is all about:
DraftKings Sportsbook app
DraftKings Sportsbook launched in August 2018. It was the first online sports betting app in the US to launch outside of Nevada. DraftKings Sportsbook has emerged as the NJ online market leader, and it really is the standard by which all other NJ mobile sports betting apps are compared.
The app features impressive functionality and a huge variety of betting options.
There’s a great bonus offer for new players and different promotions running all the time.
Things like in-play betting, betting carousels, and new office-style Sportsbook Pools have helped DraftKings Sportsbook become the NJ mobile sports betting app market leader and the innovations keep on coming.
BetStars NJ
BetStars NJ is essentially the PokerStars NJ entry into the NJ mobile sports betting market.
However, it stands on its own as a mobile sports betting app designed for more than just online poker players who are looking to bet on sports between hands.
The app launched in September 2018, and its gaining in popularity because of intuitive and easy-to-use software and competitive betting lines.
The Stars Group behind it might be better known for its PokerStars NJ online poker product, but those poker and online casino platforms are integrated with BetStars, allowing it to take advantage of some synergies.
Either way, BetStars NJ is a rock solid entry in the NJ mobile sports betting market that’s great for more than just players on PokerStars’ NJ gambling website who like to bet on sports.
DraftKings vs. BetStars
Now, let’s take a look at a site-by-site comparison of key app features:
Welcome bonus
New players get $25 free just for signing up at DraftKings Sportsbook. There’s also no bonus code required. Just sign up for a new account using our exclusive link and get $25 free. Easy.
The offer also includes a free bet of up to $200 matching your first deposit.
BetStars, on the other hand, offers a welcome bonus that includes up to $500 in free bets.
Using this exclusive link to sign up, players will get a first bet up of to $50 matched with a free bet. They’ll get another $50 free bet when they bet another $150 and they can do this nine times for a total of up to $500 in free bets.
The Bottom Line: Money talks and the last time we checked $500 says more than $225. Therefore, BetStars has the Welcome Bonus.
Competitive Lines
Sharp sports gamblers go where the lines are.
DraftKings has been the top dog in US daily fantasy sports since it launched in 2012 and seems to understand this better than most. DraftKings Sportsbook consistently offers the most competitive lines in the NJ market.
However, it pays to shop around, as there are sportsbooks apps that beat DraftKings on specific lines all the time, BetStars included.
The Bottom Line: It looks like the NJ market is checking DraftKings first and rarely leaving. It’s got the edge on lines right now, but it’s a competitive market and sharps shop.
Betting variety
Both DraftKings Sportsbook and BetStars offer a wide variety of betting options, including:
- Moneylines
- Point Spreads
- Futures
- Over-Unders
- Parlays
- Cash Out Options
- Round Robins
BetStars also offers something called Odds Boost that allows players to enhance their original bets. However, DraftKings also has Odds Boosts and counters that with a huge variety of In-Play Betting options and Sportsbook Pools.
The Bottom Line: DraftKings gets the edge again with its increasingly popular In-Play Betting options.
Support
Both BetStars NJ and DraftKings Sportsbook offer a good variety of deposit and withdrawal options and responsive customer service.
However, BetStars parent The Stars Group was built on the back of the best customer service department in online gambling and DraftKings is little more than a startup in this regard.
The Bottom Line: DraftKings is working on it, but BetStars gets the nod since it is firmly entrenched working alongside the best support team in the business.
Software
Both the BetStars and DraftKings Sportsbook apps have been built using high-quality software that is user-friendly and intuitive.
Both make it easy to sign up for an account, get money on and off, and make bets.
The Bottom Line: It’s pretty hard to choose between the two in this category. However, the ever-so-slight edge goes to BetStars because of the seamless transition it offers players between the sportsbook, online poker, and casino games. Really, who doesn’t want that?
Overall comparison of NJ online sports betting apps
BetStars and DraftKings Sportsbook are among the best NJ online sports betting apps available in what is a growing market.
DraftKings Sportsbook gets the overall edge because of the weight that must be given to categories such as Betting Variety and Competitive Lines. After all, these are the things sports gamblers truly prize in a sportsbook app. The rest is just gravy.
BetStars has a lot of gravy, but it also has a lot of ground to cover to catch up with DraftKings Sportsbook as the top NJ sports betting app in the market.
In the end, DraftKings Sportsbook is the top-grossing sportsbook app in NJ and it’s easy to see why. A focus on giving the sports betting community exactly what it wants has given it the edge and it’s an edge it’s likely to keep.
In fact, it’s hard to think of anything that can derail the DraftKings Sportsbook train going forward. Unless sharps are forced to move over because BetStars starts giving away so much on its lines.