Updated on: July 22, 2024
Short on time? Here’s the best VPN for DraftKings in 2024:
- 🥇 ExpressVPN : It reliably works with DraftKings, as confirmed by my US colleagues. Plus, the VPN has servers in 14 US locations, strong security features, and super intuitive apps. All plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
I always recommend using a VPN when gambling on DraftKings. In addition to providing an extra layer of security while using the site or app, a VPN also hides your real location. This way, you can connect to a server in a US state where DraftKings is available — many US states prohibit gambling or don’t support the website’s gambling license.
However, not all VPNs are good for DraftKings. Many don’t work with the platform or lack servers in states where DraftKings is available. Plus, they might not have the necessary security features to secure your data when placing bets.
The VPNs that I recommend on this list are all great for accessing DraftKings. That said, ExpressVPN is my top choice, as it has an impressive US server network, blazing-fast speeds, and industry-leading security features. Editors' Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
Quick summary of the best VPNs for DraftKings:
- 1. 🥇ExpressVPN — Best overall VPN for DraftKings in 2024 (super fast speeds + strong security features).
- 2. 🥈Private Internet Access — Great VPN with a large server network in the US and excellent privacy features.
- 3. 🥉CyberGhost VPN — Excellent VPN for beginners with user-friendly apps and automated connections.
- 4. NordVPN — Good VPN with an interactive server map and extra features for your privacy.
- 5. Surfshark — Intuitive VPN with affordable plans and unlimited simultaneous connections.
Editors' Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company
🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best Overall VPN for DraftKings
ExpressVPN is my favorite VPN for DraftKings, and it’s also the best VPN for online sports betting. It reliably works with DraftKings — my colleagues in the US were able to place bets without any issues. The VPN also has servers in 5 US locations where DraftKings is available. If you’re located on the East Coast, you can connect to servers in New York and New Jersey. There are also servers in Chicago and in the West Coast, like Denver and Phoenix. This gives you plenty of server options to find the fastest server.
This VPN comes with advanced security features like an audited no-logs policy (it doesn’t log any of your activity or information) and RAM-only servers, meaning that each server reboot erases all data. There’s also full leak protection to protect your real IP address and a perfect forward secrecy feature that changes the encryption key for each session, protecting your privacy while gambling. I also like that it offers a great password manager, ExpressVPN Keys. It secures your login credentials for DraftKings in a safe digital vault.
I like that the VPN offers great extras for safe sports gambling. The VPN has obfuscation on all of its servers and protocols, which makes your VPN traffic look like normal traffic (not from a VPN). This is helpful when you want to place sports bets on work networks that restrict DraftKings, such as on a school or company network.
The provider has user-friendly apps. It allows you to mark US servers as favorites for quick access and shows the last 2 server locations you connected to. There’s also a Shortcuts feature that lets you create 1-click connections to the DraftKings site. It’ll appear on the screen after you connect to the VPN, so all you have to do is click it to open the site automatically.
ExpressVPN’s plans start at $6.67 / month. Each plan has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for DraftKings. It consistently works with the platform, has strong security features, and offers some useful extra ones. Its apps are also user-friendly and the plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full ExpressVPN review
🥈2. Private Internet Access — A Large Server Network in the US
Private Internet Access (PIA) has servers in all 50 US states, so you’ll easily find the fastest server in a state where DraftKings is available. Many of these are virtual servers, which means they aren’t physically located in the server location but still give you an IP address that matches the server location. There’s also an Identity Guard feature, which informs you if the email address connected to your DraftKings account has been leaked — this way, you can take the steps to protect your data.
PIA has customizable mobile apps that let you personalize settings and features. For example, you can set the VPN to automatically connect to a server in any US state when connected to an unsecured Wi-Fi network. Plus, you can easily switch from the OpenVPN protocol to the WireGuard protocol to get faster speeds for betting on DraftKings.
This VPN provides obfuscation via Shadowsocks, an encrypted open-source proxy. You can choose from 4 US server locations, including a server location in Texas and Seattle, and US East and US West server locations. That said, I prefer ExpressVPN, as it has obfuscation on all servers.
The provider offers dedicated IP addresses for an extra cost. In the US, you can choose between the East and the West and from 11 states. These dedicated IP addresses are unique to you. So, they’re less likely to be flagged as a VPN-shared IP address, which could get you banned from DraftKings.
Private Internet Access offers plans starting at $2.19 / month. Every plan has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Private Internet Access has a large server network in the US. Plus, its apps are highly customizable, allowing you to personalize settings and features. The VPN provides obfuscation via Shadowsocks proxy servers and offers dedicated IP addresses for an extra cost. All plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Private Internet Access review
Editors' Note: Private Internet Access and this site are in the same ownership group.
🥉3. CyberGhost VPN — Beginner-Friendly VPN
CyberGhost VPN allows you to automate your connections with its Smart Rules feature. For instance, you can set the VPN to automatically connect to a server in 15 US locations when you open the DraftKings app. Plus, you can set the DraftKings app to automatically open after you connect to CyberGhost.
I also like the home screen widget that lets you quickly connect to the VPN without opening the app. It’s also very easy to find and connect to a server in a location where DraftKings is available. Servers are organized alphabetically, but you can also just search for the server you want.
This VPN offers strong security features, such as Identity Guard. This feature is very similar to Private Internet Access’ Identity Guard, as it also alerts you if your DraftKings email address and passwords were leaked in a breach. However, the VPN doesn’t come with obfuscation, like ExpressVPN. So, you won’t be able to use it with DraftKings on restrictive networks.
I also like that CyberGhost offers dedicated IP addresses for an extra cost in 6 US locations. Similarly to Private Internet Access, It uses a token-based system, so it never knows which IP address is assigned to you. This adds an extra layer of privacy when placing bets on DraftKings.
CyberGhost VPN’s plans start as low as $2.19 / month. Long-term plans have a 45-day money-back guarantee and the monthly plan has a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
CyberGhost VPN has a great Smart Rules feature, which lets you automate your connections and a super intuitive interface. There’s also an Identity Guard feature, but the VPN lacks obfuscation. Plus, it allows you to purchase dedicated IP addresses for an extra cost. The long-term plans have a 45-day money-back guarantee and the monthly plan has 14-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full CyberGhost VPN review
Editors' Note: CyberGhost and this site are in the same ownership group.
4. NordVPN — Interactive Digital Server Map
NordVPN has an interactive digital map on the desktop apps, which makes it very convenient to find the best US servers for DraftKings. On Windows, it allows you to use country pins to pick servers — and in individual US states. On the macOS app, you can use location bubbles to connect to servers in one of 16 US cities.
The Dark Web Monitoring feature notifies you if any personally identifying information linked to your DraftKings account’s email address has been compromised in a data breach. In addition, there are double VPN servers that route your traffic through 2 VPN servers (in 2 different countries) instead of 1 server. This adds two layers of encryption, so third parties won’t be able to spy on your DraftKings traffic.
This VPN has obfuscation on 100+ servers in 15+ countries, including 5 US server locations. You’ll need to use the OpenVPN protocol to be able to use the obfuscated servers. In addition, NordVPN lets you purchase a dedicated IP address for an extra cost. You can choose a dedicated IP address in 6 US cities, which is less options than Private Internet Access and CyberGhost VPN.
NordVPN’s plans start at $3.39 / month. All plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
NordVPN has an interactive digital server map, which is very helpful for connection to servers in specific locations. It also has some extra features, like Dark Web Monitoring and double VPN servers. This provider comes with obfuscated servers and dedicated IP addresses for extra cost. Each plan has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
5. Surfshark — Intuitive VPN With Affordable Plans
Surfshark has very intuitive apps. I like how all settings and features come with helpful explanations, so you won’t feel overwhelmed about using them. The interface is easy to navigate, so you’ll have no problem finding and connecting to one of the servers in 22 US locations. I also like that you can check the status of your VPN connection, like confirming whether or not your location is hidden and checking your VPN IP address. What’s more, the VPN is a great option if you’re on a budget as it has very affordable plans.
The VPN comes with an IP Rotator feature, which changes your IP addresses regularly without dropping the VPN connection. This gives you more privacy when betting on DraftKings, as third parties won’t be able to connect you to any one IP address. Plus, Surfshark offers dedicated IP addresses in 3 US cities, including Los Angeles, Dallas, and San Jose. This is way fewer locations than what Private Internet Access offers.
Surfshark has affordable plans starting at $2.19 / month. All plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Surfshark is an intuitive VPN with affordable plans. It has great extra features, like an IP Rotator and dedicated IP addresses in 3 US cities for an extra layer of privacy. What’s more, each plan has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Surfshark review
Quick Comparison Table
Editors' Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company
Testing Methodology: Comparison & Ranking Criteria
I applied our proven testing methodology to ensure that I only recommend the best VPNs for DraftKings. I made my picks based on the number of US server locations, ease of use, strong security, and more. Here’s the criteria I used for which VPNs to include and where to rank each one:
- I made sure each VPN works with DraftKings. All the VPNs on this list reliably work with the platform. My colleagues in the US confirmed that they were able to place sports bets on DraftKings while connected to any of the VPNs.
- I evaluated the security features. I only recommend VPNs that come with industry-standard VPN security features like 256-bit AES encryption, an audited no-logs policy, and a kill switch that disconnects you from the internet if your VPN connection drops. I also made sure the VPNs have strong leak protection and offer advanced security features such as RAM-only servers and perfect forward secrecy.
- I checked for servers in the US. The VPN should have servers in multiple US server locations where DraftKings is available. The VPNs on this list offer servers in at least 10 US locations.
- I considered fast speeds. Most VPNs slow down your speeds due to the encryption process but top VPNs can maintain fast speeds across all servers. ExpressVPN maintains the fastest speeds on the market.
- I looked for a VPN that offers a good value. The VPNs that I recommend offer generous money-back guarantees and have affordable plans. Plus, they have some extra features, like obfuscation and dedicated IP addresses.
Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut
- PrivateVPN. PrivateVPN is a user-friendly VPN with great extra features. However, it’s not as fast as the VPNs on this list. This means that you can experience some slowdowns when placing bets on DraftKings.
- TunnelBear. TunnelBear is a very secure VPN, but it doesn’t let you connect to a specific city where DraftKings is available. It only connects you to the fastest server. Plus, it doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee.
- Astrill VPN. Astrill VPN’s paid plans are too expensive, and there’s no money-back guarantee. In addition, its no-logs policy hasn’t undergone an independent audit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best VPN for DraftKings?
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for DraftKings. It reliably works with the platform and has servers in 14 US locations. Plus, the VPN comes with advanced security features and is intuitive to use.
Can I use a free VPN for DraftKings?
Maybe, but I don’t recommend it. Most free VPNs don’t work with the platform and have a small server network in the US. So, you might not have access to a US server in a state that allows DraftKings. Instead, I recommend purchasing a premium VPN, like ExpressVPN. It consistently works with DraftKings, has servers in multiple US server locations, and offers intuitive apps.
Is using a VPN with DraftKings legal?
Using a VPN with DraftKings is against DraftKings’ terms of service if you are accessing the platform from a restricted location. Additionally, the legality of using a VPN may vary depending on your jurisdiction’s laws.
How do I set up a VPN for accessing DraftKings?
Setting up a VPN for accessing DraftKings is straightforward. It requires only a few steps:
- Choose a quality VPN. I recommend ExpressVPN, as it has servers in multiple US locations and reliably works with the platform.
- Download and install the VPN. The whole process shouldn’t take longer than 2 minutes, just follow the on-screen instructions.
- Connect to a VPN server. Scroll through the server list and connect to a US server location where DraftKings is available.
