FanDuel Casino is Here: History of the Brand & What It Means for You!

FanDuel Online Casino has landed in four US states. Here is a detailed history of the FanDuel brand and information on how you can begin playing at FanDuel Casino today.

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Since 2018, FanDuel has risen to heights of popularity thanks to online sports betting and casino play. When the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was overturned in May 2018, FanDuel, a daily fantasy sports company, delved into the online gambling space. Now, it is one of the most recognizable sports and gaming brands in the United States.

For some, online sports betting or casino play may have been the first introduction to the brand. With that, we will do somewhat of a FanDuel retrospective. Looking back at some key moments for the brand, including how it arrived at the point it is today.

Here, we will look at the brand’s history, where the online casino is available, where it will grow, and the market share and dominance the brand has. Finally, we will round things off with our exclusive FanDuel Casino welcome bonus.

FanDuel Casino History: The Early Years: 2009 – 2013

Started in the backyard of an Austin, Texas home, FanDuel was founded by Nigel Eccles, Lesley Eccles, Tom Griffiths, Rob Jones, and Chris Stafford. Initially, the group had been involved with a company called “Hubdub”, a news prediction website.

FanDuel received its first funding in July 2009, taking in $1.2 million from Pentech Ventures and Scottish Enterprise as venture capital.

Shortly after that, in 2010, the company hosted the first-ever “FanDuel Fantasy Football Championship (FFFC).” In this contest, there were 10 participants, and first place received $25,000 of a $40,000 total prize pool.

Fast-forward to 2013, and that same FFFC competition awarded its first $1 million to Travis Spieth, who, as he says, “turned $10 into $1 million.”

In that same year, 2013, FanDuel received $11 million in Series C funding, which would help propel the brand even further.

The Building Blocks: 2014 – 2017

Through 2014 and 2015, FanDuel would receive even more funding, acquiring $70 million in Series D funding in 2014 and an astonishing $275 million in Series E funding in 2015.

In 2015, the company spent a lot of time acquiring companies and was involved in a situation with fellow DFS operator DraftKings. The acquisitions in 2015 included the sports analytics company numberFire and the app developer Kotikan, who went on to develop the FanDuel daily fantasy sports app, and lastly, esports-focused DFS site AlphaDraft.

October 2015 would be when the two DFS juggernauts, DraftKings and FanDuel, would interestingly cross paths.

The New York Times reported that a DraftKings employee “inadvertently” released data before the start of Week 3 of the NFL season and won $350,000 on FanDuel. While DraftKings said that the employee could not have used their data to win on FanDuel, both companies instituted policies not to allow their employees to play contests on rival sites.

On the back of this, there was further analysis that showed 91% of the profits were being won by 1.3% of the player base across all of DFS, according to Sports Business Journal.

Nigel Eccles left the company in 2017 and was replaced by Matt King as CEO. This came in the wake of paying a $1.3 million settlement, along with DraftKings, who also paid $1.3 million, with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office over allegations of “unfair and deceptive practices by the companies prior to 2016.”

Acquisition and Expansion: 2018 – Today

In the same month PASPA was overturned, FanDuel was acquired by the Ireland-based bookmaker Paddy Power Betfair. The initial acquisition contributed $158 million and held a 61% controlling stake.

The merger was officially complete in July 2018, and the US-based operations were now the FanDuel Group.

The first FanDuel Sportsbook opened at Meadowlands Racetrack in New Jersey after the merger was complete. Since that first sportsbook opened, FanDuel has launched numerous online and retail sportsbooks and online casino platforms.

Today, Paddy Power Betfair, which operates under Flutter Entertainment, has increased its stake to 95% after a $4.1 billion cash-and-stock deal.

Matt King left the company in May 2021.

Market Share and Market Dominance

As of January 2022, FanDuel holds a 38% sports betting market share and leads in overall sports betting app downloads. The next closest brand is DraftKings, with a 22% share.

A study by Morning Consult found that FanDuel is one of the most familiar brands, with 73% of adult sports bettors knowing the brand. This came in just behind DraftKings, which had a 78% familiarity rate.

FanDuel has perhaps one of the most potent partnerships in the sports and gambling media landscape, agreeing to a four-year, $120 million deal with former Indianapolis Colts punter, WWE commentator, and the host of The Pat McAfee Show, Pat McAfee. On YouTube, the show and channel have over 1.87 million subscribers.

1

Bonus up to:
$2,000
$2,000 Play It Again Bonus
* New customers only. 100% of net losses back.

4.5 rating

4.5

Play Now Read More

FanDuel Casino: Where is it and Will it Grow?

As of June 2022, FanDuel Casino can be founded in five states. Below, we will not only list the state but list the casino partner and when it launched.

New Jersey

Launch Date: November 2013 (the brand acquired Golden Nugget); September 2018 as a joint product with the online sportsbook, and July 2021 (standalone product).

Partner: Golden Nugget, Meadowlands Racetrack

Click here to read all about FanDuel Online Casino NJ.

Pennsylvania

Launch Date: January 2020

Partner: Valley Forge

Click here to read more about FanDuel Online Casino in Pennsylvania.

Michigan

Launch Date: January 2021

Partner: Motor City

To read about FanDuel Online Casino in Michigan, click here.

West Virginia

Launch Date: May 2021

Partner: The Greenbrier

Click here to read about FanDuel Online Casino in West Virginia.

Connecticut

Launch Date: September 2021

Partner: Mohegan Sun

With five online casino branches, FanDuel Casino is available in essentially every state where online casino play is legal. The only other state where online casino play is legal is Delaware. But none of the main competition has branches in Delaware, and it’s ultimately a state that is inconsequential to its growth and development.

When more states legalize online casino play, expect FanDuel Casino to be there and rise above or heavily compete with brands like BetMGM, Caesars, and WynnBET.

So, What is the FanDuel Casino Welcome Bonus

FanDuel Casino is available in the five US states mentioned above. However, our welcome bonus can be claimed in four of them:

• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• Michigan
• West Virginia

But what is the FanDuel Casino Welcome Bonus? Well, as a new player, you will be eligible for a $1,000 Risk Free Bet. Any losses incurred in your 24 hours of gameplay will be refunded in bonus money up to $1,000.

That’s not all. You will also receive four weekly site credit drops totalling $100. So, every week for four weeks, you will receive a $25 free bet token. Click here to claim your bonus now!

1

Bonus up to:
$2,000
$2,000 Play It Again Bonus
* New customers only. 100% of net losses back.

4.5 rating

4.5

Play Now Read More