/compare/draftkings-vs-kalshi
DraftKings vs Kalshi: how the pricing compares
DraftKings quotes fixed odds with its margin already inside the number: a −150 moneyline returns $166.67 on a $100.00 stake, and the difference between that and a zero-margin price is the book's hold. Kalshi is a CFTC-regulated exchange. It quotes the cost of a contract that settles at $1.00, so a 60¢ contract returns $166.67 per $100.00 before the exchange's fee — and because the price is set by other participants rather than by a house, the margin sits in the spread and the fee instead of in the quote. Its stated trading fee of 2% is included in the quoted contract price, so the cents figure you see is already the full cost.
The practical consequence for a bettor is that the two are not always comparable market for market. A sportsbook lists spreads, totals and player props; an exchange in our coverage generally lists game-outcome and futures-style contracts only. Where both list the same position, the payout comparison is direct — that is what the panel below does.
The same position, both ways
Illustrative numbers, not live quotes
Take a $100.00 stake on the same outcome, quoted at −150 at DraftKings and at 60¢ at Kalshi — two quotes that each restate a 60% implied probability from the platform's own price. At −150 the payout is $100.00 × (100 ÷ 150) + $100.00 = $166.67, all-in. At 60¢ the same stake buys $100.00 ÷ $0.60 ≈ 166.7 contracts, worth $166.67 at settlement before fees — which is also the net figure, since Kalshi's stated fee is already inside the quoted price. Identical implied probability, different net dollars: that difference is fee structure, and it is the entire reason this comparison exists.
Among the jurisdictions we model, DraftKings isn't available in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin. Among the jurisdictions we model, Kalshi isn't available in Nevada, Washington, Michigan, Massachusetts, Utah, Ohio, Ontario. The figures show what each pays where it operates, so the comparison still holds — see the state-by-state guide and confirm directly with the platform before signing up.
Prices as of 4:22:31 PM ET. Odds move — confirm the number at the platform before you bet.
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