The Sports Betting National Championship is back at DraftKings this year with a $1 million top prize. For everyone’s sake, here’s hoping there’s no controversy this time around.
DraftKings announced that the three-day event will take place from Nov. 5-7 at the Envue Hotel in Weehawken, New Jersey.
The SBNC is open to bettors in 10 of the 14 states served by the DraftKings Sportsbook app today. That list does not include New York, of course.
Details on the 2021 DK SBNC
Participants will pay $10,000 apiece to enter the SBNC:
- $5,000 bankroll
- $4,500 prize ppol
- $500 fee
Wagers can be placed on NBA, NFL, and college football games. The window for placing bets will be open from 6 p.m. on Nov. 5 until 1 p.m. on Nov. 7.
The 2019 event was marred by controversy due to a scheduling quirk for the NFL playoff games. Some bettors received their payouts promptly after the first game and were able to bet the second game. Others did not have their tickets settled quickly, depriving them of that opportunity to bet on the late matchup.
DraftKings offered a mea culpa about the “thrilling” conclusion to its inaugural live sports betting event:
“While we must follow our contest rules, we sincerely apologize for the experience several customers had where their bets were not graded in time to allow wagering on the Saints-Eagles game. We will learn from this experience and improve upon the rules and experience for future events.”
The SBNC did not run in 2020 amid the COVID pandemic.
Not so fast, New York bettors
Although DraftKings operates the retail sportsbook at del Lago, it is not currently authorized to offer online sports betting in NY. And it’s not clear if or when it will be.
Like its competitors, DraftKings remains in a holding pattern pending the results of the competitive bidding process that will dictate licensure.
Bettors in Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, and West Virginia are also ineligible to participate in the SBNC.
Lead photo: Bennett Raglin | AP
