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Sports bettors have an abundance of online sportsbooks to choose from nowadays, with Bet365 and FanDuel standing out as two of the top options.
FanDuel has been operational since 2018, the same year the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act and allowed states to start legalizing sports betting.
Bet365 was founded in the U.K. in 2000. It arrived in the U.S. in 2019, initially launching in New Jersey before expanding to other states.
Thanks to FanDuel’s success in daily fantasy sports, U.S. sports bettors were quick to embrace it. They do not have the same level of familiarity with Bet365, however, which has been slower to spread around the country.
While both sportsbooks are great options for bettors, we’ll run through the differences between the two to help you decide which one to try first.
FanDuel / Bet365 States
The most important thing to look for when joining a sportsbook is whether it’s available in your state.
That said, FanDuel has a clear advantage here, as it’s available in 22 states along with Washington, D.C. Bet365 is only available in 11 states, all of which also have FanDuel.
While FanDuel has a much wider reach than Bet365, both have been expanding recently. Bet365 is expected to launch in Pennsylvania soon.
Bonuses & Promos
Online sportsbooks usually offer “welcome bonuses” for new users to entice people to join their platforms, and FanDuel and Bet365 have two of the best offers in the business.
Bet365’s ‘First Bet or Bet & Get’ Offers
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Offer | Bet $5, get $150 in bonus bets OR get up to $1,000 in bonus bets if your first bet loses |
| Promo Code | FORBES (U.S.), FORBESCAN (Canada ex. Ontario) |
| Requirements | New users only, 21+ and in eligible state |
| Eligible Bet Types | Min. -500 odds |
| Availability | AZ, CO, IA, IN, KY, LA, NJ, NC, OH, PA, VA |
| Offer Expires | TBD |
| Apple Store Score | 4.8/5 |
| Google Play Store Score | 4.6/5 |
| Date Verified | Nov. 26, 2024 |
| Claim Bonus |  |
FanDuel ‘Bet & Get’ Offer
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Offer | Bet $5+, get $150 in Bonus Bets + 3 Free Months of NBA League Pass |
| Promo Code | N/A |
| Requirements | New users only, 21+ and in eligible state |
| Eligible Bet Types | All bet types |
| Availability | AZ, CO, CT, DC, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MA, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV, WY |
| Offer Expires | Dec. 17 at 11:59 p.m. ET |
| Apple Store Score | 4.9/5 |
| Google Play Store Score | 4.7/5 |
| Date Verified | Nov. 26, 2024 |
| Claim Bonus | |
Rewards Program
While many sportsbooks offer some kind of loyalty or rewards program, neither FanDuel nor Bet365 has one.
Accordingly, you may want to look elsewhere if you’re a serious bettor who wants to be rewarded with trips, bonus bets and other perks for investing your time and money at a particular sportsbook.
Market Depth & Variety
Bet365 and FanDuel both offer plentiful betting markets on a wide range of sports and have advantages in different ways.
Bet365 boasts an impressive number of niche and international betting markets (which makes sense given its international background) while FanDuel has more alternate lines, player props and same-game parlay options.
You’ll find plenty of traditional bets on both sportsbooks like moneylines, point spreads and totals. There are also round robins, futures, parlays and other bet types.
Neither sportsbook has a clear edge in this category, so your choice depends on your betting preference. Bet365 is better for betting on international sports, whereas FanDuel has more options for major American sports.
Betting Odds & Lines
Bet365 and FanDuel both offer competitive odds.
Rather than placing all of your bets on one sportsbook, you’re better off using multiple books to compare odds and get the best price.
Below, we have an odds example that shows how odds differ by sportsbook and why shopping for the best price and line is important.
In this scenario for an NFL game between the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions, both sportsbooks have different odds. The spread is larger by half a point at FanDuel, which also has a bit more juice on the moneyline. There’s a half-point difference in the Over/Under as well.
This is just one example, but you’ll often see small odds differences across all sportsbooks, not just these two.
Bottom line: No single sportsbook will always have the best odds on everything. You may find better odds for one game at Bet365 but better odds for a different game at FanDuel.
Accordingly, we encourage signing up for as many sportsbooks as possible to make sure you always get the best possible odds.
Payment Methods
Both FanDuel and Bet365 have numerous options for depositing and withdrawing funds from your account.
Bet365 Deposit Methods
FanDuel Deposit Methods
- Credit/Debit Card
- Online Banking
- Apple Pay
- PayPal
- Venmo
- Wire Transfer
- PayNearMe
- Play+ Prepaid Card
- FD Gift Card
Depending on your state, you may also be able to deposit at one of FanDuel’s partnered casinos using cash (Bet365 doesn’t have any partnered casinos in the U.S.).
As you can see, FanDuel has more deposit methods than Bet365, so FanDuel gets the nod here.
Now, let’s look briefly at withdrawal methods.
Bet365 Withdrawal Methods
- Online Banking
- Credit/Debit Card
- PayPal
- Skrill
FanDuel Withdrawal Methods
- Online Banking
- Debit Card
- Venmo
- PayPal
- Play+ Prepaid Card
- Check
- Cash at Casino Counter (where applicable)
FanDuel also has the edge in withdrawal methods as well.
No matter how you choose to transfer money into or out of your account, both sportsbooks have a good selection of safe, quick and reliable methods, though FanDuel boasts more options.
Mobile App Experience
Bet365 and FanDuel have similar mobile applications available on iOS and Android devices, albeit with some differences.
FanDuel’s mobile app is slightly superior. With its slick design and user-friendly interface, many bettors regard it as the best sports betting app on the market (4.9 stars on App Store, 4.6 stars on Google Play).
While Bet365 still has good reviews (4.8 stars on App Store, 4.6 on Google Play), its interface is very barebones compared to FanDuel’s.
Both apps feature promoted bets on their homescreens, but FanDuel’s have celebrity sponsors while Bet365’s features stock images of players playing a specific sport.
Bet365’s color scheme is also a fairly boring mixture of green and gray, whereas FanDuel allows users to select a “dark mode” for their interface.
Both mobile apps work great, but FanDuel’s looks more modern and runs a bit more smoothly.
Customer Service
Bet365 and FanDuel have similar customer service processes for resolving issues.
Both sportsbooks have standard FAQ sections with resources for common questions, which can be helpful if you want to try to find the answer yourself.
They also both have automated live chat features that are available 24/7. The messaging starts with a bot, but you can escalate to a live agent if needed.
Bet365 also has the option to email customer support along with a 24/7 toll-free phone number to call.
Resolving customer support issues is relatively quick and easy at both sportsbooks, but Bet365 has a few more options.
Bottom Line
Bet365 and FanDuel are both outstanding options for sports bettors. They both have pluses and minuses but provide similar betting experiences overall.
That said, FanDuel is the better option. While Bet365’s welcome offer is incredible and makes the app worth downloading, FanDuel has the edge thanks to its superior mobile app and better availability.
Both sportsbooks are worth checking out, but FanDuel is tough to beat.
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