Esports Betting / Underdog Review / Underdog's Pick'em Rules Explained

Underdog's Pick'em Rules Explained: Where is Pick'em Available?

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Last Updated on 25/05/2026

Pick’em games are becoming increasingly popular in the Daily Fantasy Sports industry, and what better way to join the bandwagon than to play them on the Underdog platform?

Below is an all-inclusive Underdog's Pick’em guide with all you need to know about this fantasy sports contest available at Underdog. Without saying too much, let’s jump right in!

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Must be 18+ (19+ in AL, NE; 19+ in CO for some games; 21+ in AZ, MA, and VA) and present in a state where Underdog Fantasy operates. Terms apply. Concerned with your play? Call 1-800-MY-RESET or 1-800-GAMBLER or visit www.ncpgambling.org. NY: Call the 24/7 HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY or Text HOPENY (467369)

An overview of Underdog's Pick’em

Perhaps you’re new to Pick’em games and are wondering: how does Pick’em work at Underdog?

Underdog's Pick’em are head-to-head player pick contests focused on the players’ performances. Typically, there are two types of Underdog's Pick’em contests: Higher/Lower and rivals contests. We’ll get into more details about these Underdog football games shortly.

So, what are the perks of playing Pick’em contests at Underdog? Let’s take a look.

There are a lot of options in these contests

One thing you’ll love about Underdog's Pick’em is that there are many options. For starters, you can choose the type of Pick’em contest you want to participate in, between Higher/Lower or rival contests. You also have options in terms of the players you want to draft for this contest. What’s more, you can choose between Underdog's Pick’em insurance and standard games.

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Must be 18+ (19+ in AL, NE; 19+ in CO for some games; 21+ in AZ, MA, and VA) and present in a state where Underdog Fantasy operates. Terms apply. Concerned with your play? Call 1-800-MY-RESET or 1-800-GAMBLER or visit www.ncpgambling.org. NY: Call the 24/7 HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY or Text HOPENY (467369)

Players get an amazing sign-up bonus

Another major highlight when it comes to Underdog's Pick’em is the amazing welcome bonus players get when they sign up for an account on the platform. As we’ve pointed out in our Underdog review, new players get a welcome offer of $50 in bonus entrieswhen they play $5. Players can claim the sign-up offer by placing a $5 entry and receiving $50 in bonus entries easily. Check out our banners on this page, and follow our links to pick up on any current Underdog promo codes.

If you're at least 18 years of age and located in a state where Underdog is available and operates, you're onto something great. Underdog new customers who are 19+ in AL, NE; 19+ in CO for some games; 21+ in AZ, MA, and VA are also eligible for the sign-up offer when they place a $5 entry, to get $75.

Keep in mind, the offer is not valid in MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, and PA. Always reach out to 1-800-GAMBLER or visit www.ncpgambling.org for any gaming problem. New York: Call 1-800-MY-RESET or visit www.ncpgambling.org; NY: Call the 24/7 HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY or Text HOPENY (467369). Full the full terms and conditions apply.

It doesn’t stop there; there’s another exclusive sign-up bonus for Pick’em contests besides the Underdog deposit match bonus. This bonus, referred to as the Mystery Pick’em Special, is a welcome bonus offer that you can receive if you enter a promo code when signing up for an account on the app or use a sign-up link to register for an account, and then make your first deposit, which triggers a 50% deposit match bonus up to $1,000.

Pick’em contests on this platform have great payouts

Typically, the maximum Underdog's Pick’em payout rate is 20x your initial entry fee in standard entry options. This payout rate is very impressive, compared to the Pick’em payout rates in other DFS sites, in our opinion.

With that being said, here are a couple of pros and cons of Underdog's Pick'em contests.

Underdog's Pick'em Contests: Pros & Cons
Underdog's Pick'em Contests: Pros & Cons
  • A good variety of contest options to choose from
  • A great welcome deposit bonus
  • A special welcome bonus for Pick'em contests
  • Pick’em contests are not available in all US States

Before we get into explaining the two types of Pick 'em contests at Underdog, there's an important feature in the Pick 'em contests that we have to talk about: standard Pick 'em and insured Pick'em entry options.

Standard and insured Pick'em entry options

Standard Pick'em entry option

With the Standard Pick'em option, you must get all of your Underdog picks correct to win.

Insured Pick'em entry option

With Insured Pick'em contests, you can still win if you get some of your picks correct. However, you'll get a reduced payout compared to the standard Pick 'em games.

The two types of Pick 'em contests at Underdog explained

As we mentioned earlier, there are two types of Pick'em contests offered at Underdog. Let's take a closer look at each one of them, shall we?

1. Higher/Lower Pick'em games

This type of Underdog's Pick'em contest involves predicting whether a particular player's performance will go higher or lower than the indicated performance stats. For example, will Patrick Mahomes score higher or lower than 1.5 touchdowns? So, you can either choose higher than 1.5 or lower than 1.5.

Usually, the platform allows you to make up to five picks. However, according to the Underdog's Pick'em rules, your player selections must be from at least two different teams in Higher/Lower contests. So, the players you pick to predict their performances shouldn't all be from the same team.

2. Rivals Pick'em contests

Rivals Pick'em contests are similar to Higher/Lower games since they are also centered around player performance stats. However, Rivals contests as the name suggests, are player vs. player. For instance, will Aaron Rodgers rush for more yards than Patrick Mahomes?

Keep in mind that most rivals contests will have a handicap. For example, let's say there's an Aaron Rodgers (+24.5) vs. Patrick Mahomes for the rushing yards pick.

With this Pick, Aaron Rodgers has the benefit of a 24.5-yard adjustment. This means that you will add 24.5 to Rodgers’ total rushing yards. If Patrick Mahomes finishes with fewer rushing yards than Aaron Rodgers, then Rodgers is the winner.

According to the Underdog's Pick'em rules in regards to Rivals contests, your picks for your entry to the contest must have players from two different teams.

With that being said, here are the payout rates for both Higher/Lower and Rivals contests.

Pick'em payout rates at Underdog

Insured Pick'em payout rates

Number of picks Number of picks one must get correct Payout
3 Picks Get 2 correct 1x your initial entry fee
3 Picks Get 3 correct 3x your initial entry fee
4 Picks Get 3 correct 1.5x your initial entry fee
4 Picks Get 4 correct 6x your initial entry fee
5 Picks Get 4 correct 2.5 your initial entry fee
5 Picks Get 5 correct 10x your initial entry fee

Standard Pick'em payout rates

Number of picks Number of picks one must get correct Payout
2 Picks Get 2 correct 3x your initial entry fee
3 Picks Get 3 correct 6x your initial entry fee
4 Picks Get 4 correct 10x your initial entry fee
5 Picks Get 5 correct 20x your initial entry fee

Pick'em strategies at Underdog

Wrapping up this guide are strategies on how to win Pick'em.

It's important to stay informed about different games and players

The most important Underdog's Pick'em strategy is staying informed about the different leagues and players. Stay up to date with player injuries and team performances. Having all this information will go a long way in helping you have a better chance of making more correct predictions.

It wouldn't hurt to consider the insurance entry option

It's advisable to go for the insurance option if you're not too certain about your picks in your entry (which is normal). While you will get a reduced payout, you'll still win if you get one of your predictions correct.

Keep an eye on past performances

Another great strategy for winning Pick'em games at Underdog is keeping an eye on past performances. For instance, does a certain player perform well when playing against a particular opponent? Paying attention to a player’s past performances can significantly help you make a correct prediction.

Don't forget to have fun!

While winning in these contests is amazing, don't forget to have fun throughout the whole process. Make sure you have fun at every step of the contest, from putting together your picks right up to finding out whether your predictions are correct.

Wrapping up

Well, that's it for our Underdog's Pick'em guide. We hope that this guide will be the start to having an amazing Pick'em contest experience at Underdog.

One more thing to point out before we wrap things up is the importance of going through the contest rules at Underdog. That section has everything you need to know about participating in the contests, so be sure to go through them carefully.

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Must be 18+ (19+ in AL, NE; 19+ in CO for some games; 21+ in AZ, MA, and VA) and present in a state where Underdog Fantasy operates. Terms apply. Concerned with your play? Call 1-800-MY-RESET or 1-800-GAMBLER or visit www.ncpgambling.org. NY: Call the 24/7 HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY or Text HOPENY (467369)

Underdog's Pick'em FAQ

❓ Can a player edit their Underdog Pick'em entries once submitted?

Unfortunately, no. You cannot edit your entry once you've submitted it.

🤔 Is it possible to combine a Rivals and a Higher/Lower picks in one Underdog Pick'em entry?

Absolutely, if you want to, you can have a Higher/Lower and a Rivals pick in a single entry.

☑️ Where is Underdog's Pick'em available?

You can take part in Underdog PIck'em contests in Alaska, Georgia, Indiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin.

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