DraftKings Leads Pricing as NCAA Tournament Betting Margins Tighten

DraftKings has posted the lowest average pricing across the first four matchups of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, with an average vig of 4.57%.

Ziv Chen

Last Updated: March 21, 2026 10:00 AM EDT • 2 minute read

Pictured: A general overall view of basketball with the March Madness logo as we look at NCAA Tournament pricing. Photo by Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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DraftKings posted the lowest average pricing across the First Four matchups of the NCAA Tournament, according to a March 19 analysis from Citizens, highlighting narrow differences between sportsbooks and prediction markets during early tournament action.

Citizens analyst Jordan Bender evaluated pricing across DraftKings, FanDuel, Fanatics, and Kalshi using implied margin (or vig) as the benchmark. Data were collected on game day for each contest, yielding eight pricing observations per operator.

The lowest vig was offered by DraftKings, averaging 4.57%. FanDuel had an average of 4.64%, while Fanatics had an average of 4.68%. Kalshi had the highest average at 4.89%.

DraftKings had the best prices for two matchups, while FanDuel and Kalshi had the best prices for the other two.

Citizens projected total legal betting handle for the tournament at around $3 billion, down 3% from the prior year. The decline was linked to unusually strong results for favorites in the previous tournament, which boosted betting turnover, as well as softer engagement following the NFL season.

Despite lower handle expectations, revenue conditions appear more favorable. Margins in the prior year were close to zero, making comparisons easier for operators this time.

The report also questioned whether prediction market apps always provided better pricing. Kalshi trailed sportsbooks on these events, and its pricing structure, which averaged $1.70 per 100 contracts, included different costs for everyday and large-volume users.

The operator has so far processed over $60 million in trades on the First Four events, with 76% of this coming from bets placed during the games, well above the expected 40% to 50% of total bets processed by sportsbooks.

DraftKings expands ESPN integration

While the best sports betting sites and other platforms compete on pricing and engaging users, DraftKings has launched several features related to its ESPN partnership ahead of the women's and men's tournaments. The operator and ESPN have launched account linking for DraftKings Sportsbook and ESPN, enabling users to link their accounts and access various features.

DraftKings has also launched its Bet Your Bracket product, which links users' bets directly to their ESPN Tournament Challenge brackets. This enables users to access various betting options directly related to their brackets after linking their accounts.

The feature will enable users to receive personalized betting tips based on their brackets and the teams included in each bracket. This will make it easier and more engaging for users by allowing access to various features and platforms more efficiently during the tournaments.

“DraftKings and ESPN share a deep passion for sports and a commitment to enhancing how fans engage with the moments that matter most—especially during the pinnacle of the college basketball season,” said Stephanie Sherman, Chief Marketing Officer of DraftKings. “As we work toward bringing the full DraftKings sports experience together nationwide through our upcoming Super App, DraftKings Sports & Casino, integrating account linking with ESPN is a natural step in creating a more seamless, connected platform for fans.”

Written by:
Ziv Chen

Ziv has over two decades of experience in the igaming and sports betting industry, having served in senior marketing and business development positions with both B2C and B2B companies, including Playtech and Microgaming. In 2019, Ziv decided to pursue his passion for writing and became a fulltime industry journalist, covering casino, sports, and gambling business news. He’s specialties include casino games and technology, US state gambling regulation, company performance, as well as gambling affiliates and marketing. As a Pitt graduate, Ziv is a diehard fan of all Pittsburgh sports teams, with the Steelers at the top of the list. In his free time, he enjoys reading crime fiction, biographies (mainly of sports personalities, but not only) and American history. Ziv’s Favorite quote: “We're going to pursue perfection, knowing full well we won't catch it, but we're going to relentlessly chase it," Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach.