For the second time this year, DraftKings’ partnership with the New Hampshire Lottery gives residents and visitors in the state access to an opportunity to win big. This time, it’s a “pick ’em” version of the DraftKings Pro Football Championship.
Currently, only customers in New Hampshire and New Jersey can take part in the game. The season-long contest offers a seven-figure top prize.
Details on the new DraftKings pro football championship
This might be the best thing for New Hampshire bettors since DraftKings Sportsbook allowed them to wager on the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest earlier this year.
If you’ve ever taken part in an NFL “survivor pool,” you’ll be familiar with how this game works. It’s a little more complicated than simply picking a different winner each week, however.
New Hampshire gamblers can buy their way into the game for $1,500. The prize pool starts at $2 million, with half of that going to the winner at the end of Week 16 of the 2020-21 NFL regular season.
The game requires contestants to pick five NFL games against the spread on a weekly basis. Participants must also customize their strategies by picking two weeks as “bye” weeks, in which they do not make picks.
After the final week of games, DraftKings will total all players’ correct picks and distribute prizes as those standings dictate.
Everyone who finishes in the top 50 will receive at least $2,500.
The second-place contestant will receive 12.5% of the pool, while the third-place player will take home 6.25% of the pot.
There is also a way to win prizes along the way.
Each week that players get all five picks right, DraftKings will reward that prowess with a bonus bet worth $100 in site credit. That makes the potential value of playing this game worth more than just the cash prizes.
Of course, all of this hinges on the NFL having more success with its plans for the coming season than MLB has had with its schedule. DraftKings is prepared for every contingency.
What happens if the NFL cancels/postpones games?
DraftKings won’t consider the contest official unless the NFL completes at least a 12-game regular season. If the league plays fewer than 12 games, the sportsbook will refund the $1,500 entry fee.
DraftKings also has a plan if individual games players pick don’t actually take place according to the schedule.
The sportsbook will post spreads for games on Tuesdays. Players then have all the way up to just before the early game time on that following Sunday to submit picks.
If a player wants to use a Thursday night game as a pick, they are free to do so. That would simply decrease the number of picks due by Sunday’s deadline to four instead of five.
There are multiple advantages of waiting right up until game time to make a pick. It will let players know the games are actually taking place, and they will also be aware of any key players missing the game due to unforeseen circumstances.
Obviously, not all games are created equal for betting purposes. Regardless, this amount of flexibility should allow contestants to go with their “Plan B” if a particular game doesn’t take place in a given week.
If you’re in New Hampshire and adept at picking NFL spreads, this game is for you.
