DraftKings’ Electric Poker:The Ultimate Player Guide
Last updated: September 10, 2024
Electric Poker by DraftKings is a new real money online poker game available to players in Michigan. This is a true, player-vs-player game with reasonable rake, a fast structure, and loads of casual players. It offers an exciting chance for Michigan poker players to play a profitable new regulated online poker game.
With no announcement or fanfare, DraftKings launched Electric Poker in August 2024 at its Michigan online casino site. It sits alongside casino games like slots, video poker, and blackjack, but Electric Poker is a real online poker game — a take on the jackpot or “lottery” sit and go, where three players are randomly sat together to play a quick winner-takes-all tournament.
The prize is randomized at the start of the tournament, so you could be playing for anything between 2 to 10,000 times the buy-in. The game is available in four buy-in levels and has a top jackpot of $250,000.
And it looks like a big hit with players — games are constantly running. With casual players from the casino and sports book attracted to this new format, it could be a lucrative game for serious poker players in Michigan looking for a new poker site.
What is Electric Poker by DraftKings?
Electric Poker is a three-handed jackpot sit-and-go poker game available in its Michigan real money online casino. Players compete for a top prize, randomly picked at the start of the tournament, which can be as large as $250,000. The game is No Limit Texas Hold’em, and only lasts a few minutes. An Electric Mode triggers after a few minutes, forcing players all-in every hand until only one remains.
| DraftKings’ Electric Poker: Key Facts | |
|---|---|
| 📅 Launch Date | August 2024 |
| 🗺️ Available in | Michigan |
| 📜 Format | Three-handed, hyper-turbo sit and go with random top prize |
| 💰 Buy-ins | $1, $5, $10, $25 |
| 🪙 Top prize | $250,000 (10,000x multiplier) |
| 🫰 Rake | 7% |
| 🇺🇸 Next States | Connecitcut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey |
Electric Poker: Quick Start Guide
You can jump into an Electric Poker game in minutes and be playing real money online poker. Here’s a 10-step guide on how to get started.
- The game is open to anyone currently located in Michigan.
- You need a DraftKings Casino Michigan account — sign up today and get playing within minutes.
- While there isn’t a special poker sign-up bonus, you can take advantage of the usual casino bonus — deposit $5 and play any casino game to get $50 worth of bonus credits. See below for more details. No bonus code needed.
- If you are on a desktop or laptop computer, you can go to the casino lobby on the DraftKings website. You’ll find Electric Poker under Table Games.
- You can also download the DraftKings Casino Michigan App on Android or Apple iPhones and iPads. Again, look under Table Games to find it.
- Choose how much you want to play for — buy-ins range from $1 to $25.
- You’ll automatically be seated at your table as soon as two other players are ready to play.
- A random prize will be picked at the start of the tournament.
- Get playing! Most games last only six minutes, so take your chances to accumulate chips. For most games, only the winner wins a prize.
- Once the game has finished, you can immediately join another. You can play up to four tables at once on both web and mobile apps.
For more details on how the game works, rake, pay tables and more, check out the details below — but the above is more than enough information to get started playing these great new games.
DraftKings Electric Poker Sign-up Bonus
Unfortunately, there is no special Electric Poker sign-up bonus right now. However, you can (and probably should!) do the usual DraftKings Casino bonus. Here’s what you need to know.
- Open to anyone aged 21+ or over, located in the state of Michigan, who doesn’t have a DraftKings Casino Michigan account yet — sign up through our link and claim the best bonus available: $50 in casino credits.
- Once you’ve signed up, just make a minimum deposit and wager $5 on any casino game (Electric Poker not included).
- You’ll instantly be credited $50 in casino bonus credits.
- The $50 cannot be cashed out, but you can use it to play on any casino games (again, Electric Poker not included).
- Any winnings from that $50 is available to play on Electric Poker or withdraw!
As noted, unfortunately, play on Electric Poker does not count towards the $5 wager, nor can you use the $50 to play Electric Poker. However, even if you’re only interested in playing poker, this deal is still pretty good. Here’s how to use it:
- Make your minimum deposit and wager $5 on a casino game — you could play 10 hands of 50-cent blackjack, place 5 x $1 wagers betting on a color on Roulette — whatever you like. This should only take a minute or two.
- Once you get the $50 credit, you’ll need to turn it over once on casino games. Again, choose whatever game you prefer — if you like blackjack, you could play 500 hands of 10c blackjack if you want to be really cautious. On average, you’ll win most of that $50 back (the house edge on Blackjack is only 0.5%) — though of course you might get much luckier or unluckier. But its the house’s money, not yours!
- All your winnings can then be used to play Electric Poker.
Doing this, you are likely to get at least $40 or more to play Electric Poker with only a $5 deposit.
Where to Find Electric Poker
Electric Poker can be found in the online casino site of DraftKings Michigan. You can access it through the website (on a desktop or laptop computer), or you can find it on the casino app on your phone — DK has apps for both Android and Apple devices, mobile and tablet.
Right now, it is promoted heavily, so you’ll likely see it in the “top picks” on the casino homepage. But if you can’t see it, it is listed under the “table games” section of the casino.
How to Join Electric Poker Games
Once you’ve found it, joining games is as simple as selecting it then choosing your buy-in.
There are currently four buy-ins — $1, $5, $10 and $25. The prize for each is picked randomly between 2x and 10,000x the buy-in. This means for the $1 game, the prize will be between $2 and $10,000; in the $25 game, the jackpot goes up to $250,000.
The rake for every buy-in level is the same: 7%. This is competitive, and means the games are likely beatable by skillful players, even with the Electric Mode (more on that below).
DraftKings Electric Poker Buy-ins & Rake
| Buy-in | Prize Pool | Rake | Rake % |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1 | $2 – $10,000 | $0.07 | 7% |
| $5 | $10 – $50,000 | $0.35 | 7% |
| $10 | $20 – $100,000 | $0.70 | 7% |
| $25 | $50 – $250,000 | $1.75 | 7% |
Multi-tabling Electric Poker
You can play up to four tables at one time. So if you are registered for two tournaments, you can register for two more; the site won’t let you register for over four. As soon as one tournament finishes, you can add on another.
This applies to web, tablet, and mobile apps — whatever platform you are on, four-table multi-tabling is supported.
You can see how many tables you are playing from the casino lobby. Go to “My Tables” and it will list all your registered tournaments. On mobile apps, there’s also a multi-tabling bar that runs along the top, allowing you to quickly hop between your active tables.
Accessing Electric Poker Hand Histories
You can review hands you’ve played both at the table and in the hand replayer after the fact.
While at a table, you can click on the dealer “narration” button to view a log of the hands played on the current table. This will show all the action and any hole cards shown at showdown.
You can also review the play of all your Electric Poker games after the fact. There’s a Hand History link on the footer of the poker lobby where you can browse and re-watch your hands.
Finally, in your account there’s a transaction log where you can see wins and losses.
Rules of Electric Poker
If you know No Limit Texas Hold’em poker, you will be immediately comfortable playing Electric Poker. There are no changes to the basic rules of poker.
The game is very fast-paced. The blinds start at 10/20; after two minutes, this goes up to 15/30; after two more minutes, it goes to 20/40. For most games — that’s the last blind level. After that, it goes into Electric Mode (see below), forcing all players all-in every hand until only one player remains.
How Lottery Sit and Gos are Played
Electric Poker is known as a “lottery” or “jackpot” sit and go. This is a very popular type of poker tournament, where the prize you are competing over is randomized at the start of the tournament.
If you have played real money online poker before, then you will have seen this format: At PokerStars, it is called Spin and Go; at WSOP, it goes by BLAST; at BetMGM there are Spins.
The format is always the same — super quick, three-handed games where the prize is randomized at the start. There is slight tweaks between the prizes, the rake, and the blinds, which we’ll get into below.
Prizes and Rake of Electric Poker
Below is the full pay table for Electric Poker. If this looks confusing, don’t worry — all you really need to know is:
- About half the time, the prize is double the buy-in. So for a $1 game, about 50% of the time the prize will be $2.
- Another 35% of the time, the prize is 3x (so $3 on a $1 game).
- Less frequently, the prizes can be bigger. You’ll trigger a 10x prize 0.5% of the time (1 time in 200) and a 1000x prize one time in 1000.
- Very rarely, there’s an even bigger prize — up to 10,000x. But that only happens one time in a million, so you will probably never see one!
You’ll also see in the table below that at higher multipliers, the game isn’t winner-takes-all — there are “consolation” prizes for second and (for the 100x+ prizes) third place. That’s a good feature, meaning that if you get lucky to be in a huge game, you’ll get a prize regardless of what happens.
Still, much of the prize is in first place, so that should always be your goal.
Electric Poker Prize Payouts
| Prize Pool Multiplier | Probability | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2x | 47.78% | 100% | - | - |
| 3x | 35.9956% | 100% | - | - |
| 4x | 11.1133% | 100% | - | - |
| 5x | 4.60% | 80% | 20% | - |
| 10x | 0.50% | 75% | 25% | - |
| 100x | 0.01% | 70% | 25% | 5% |
| 1000x | 0.001% | 70% | 20% | 10% |
| 10,000x | 0.0001% | 70% | 20% | 10% |
Electric Mode
Electric Mode is what DraftKings’ calls the “forced all-in” stage. For most prize multipliers, after three blind levels — which is just six minutes — then all remaining players are forced all-in until one is left.
This actually isn’t as much of an impact as you might think. Many games finish within those first blind levels. But what it does is keep games to a six-minute time-frame (plus the all-in part, which is fully automated).
For the bigger prize multipliers, you get more play — up to 12 minutes for the 1000x and 10,000x games. So if you’re lucky enough to hit these, know that you’ll get more hands to play to do your best to win the game before Electric Mode triggers.
DraftKings Electric Poker Structure
| Prize Pool Multiplier | Blind Levels | All-In Mode |
|---|---|---|
| 2x-5x | 2 mins | 6 mins until All-In Mode |
| 10x | 2 mins | 8 mins until All-In Mode |
| 100x | 2 mins | 10 mins until All-In Mode |
| 1000x – 10,000x | 2 mins | 12 mins until All-In Mode |
How Electric Poker Compares to Other Games in Michigan
As noted, Electric Poker is a type of poker game commonly known as “jackpot” or lottery sit and goes. These are extremely popular formats spread everywhere you find online poker, and DraftKings enters a very busy Michigan online poker market.
In fact, every licensed real money online poker site offers a lottery sit and go today. PokerStars has Spin and Gos; WSOP has Blast; BetMGM has Spins. So, how does Electric Poker compare?
You can see the full breakdown in the table below, but here are some key takeaways.
- Buy-in range: Good spread. WSOP has both higher and lower buy-ins, but DraftKings is similar to the competition.
- Rake: Competitive. 7% is right in the middle; some sites charge more for lower stakes games, and slightly less for higher stakes.
- Prize range: Bigger prizes, higher variance. PokerStars and BetMGM have a much lower top prize, which means less variance, but also a lower top prize. The Electric Poker top jackpot of $250,000 is second only to WSOP’s Blast.
- All-in Mode: Unique. WSOP used to have an all-in mode, but this changed in 2024.
Lottery Sit and Gos in Michigan: A Comparison
| Operator | Product Name | Buy-in Range | Rake | Multiplier | Top Prize Range | All-in Mode? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PokerStars | Spin & Go | $0.50 – $25 | 7% | 2x – 2000 | $2000 to $50,000 | No |
| WSOP | Blast | $0.30 – $50 | 6.77% – 10% | 2x – 10,000 | $3000 to $500,000 | No (Formerly Yes) |
| BetMGM | Spins | $1 – $25 | 6 – 8%* | 2x – 1200 | $1000 to $25,000 | No |
| DraftKings | Electric Poker | $1 – $25 | 7% | 2x – 10,000 | $1000 to $250,000 | Yes |
Electric Poker: Is it a Beatable Poker Game?
Is Electric Poker beatable? That is, over the long-term, can a skilled player beat the 7% rake and turn a profit?
This is hard to say for sure: This format is different to others (blind levels, electric mode, pay table), and the skill of the average opponent could be very different to what is seen on other sites. However, it seems quite likely that these games will be beatable long-term.
We have calculated that a player would need to win at a rate of about 36% (and get 33% for second, 30% for third) to break even. In other words, you need too win 3% more games than “average,” assuming all players are of equal skill and win exactly a third of games. Any better than that would be a profit.
Is a 36%+ win-rate possible? Probably. On other sites, win-rates higher than this have been reported by skilled players in the long-run. Games of higher rake (8%) are reported beatable.
The impact of the Electric Mode will reduce the skill edge, and the pay-table will mean games will be higher variance than other versions. But this could certainly be more than offset by the quality of opposition. With these games in the online casino, and DraftKings’ player base made up of all sports bettors and casino players, the skill level is likely a lot worse than on regular online poker sites — at least for the time being.
Where Electric Poker Might Launch Next
Electric Poker is currently only available in Michigan. However, there is good reason to believe that DraftKings plans to expand their online poker offerings to more states.
Because it is a real poker game, DraftKings can only launch it where real money online poker games are allowed. To date, there are seven states which allow legal real money online poker. DraftKings has a casino and sports betting in five of these states.
All five are possible launch locations for Electric Poker. For each state, we rate the likelihood of a DK launch on a scale of one to five ⚡ lightening bolts.
| DK Casino | DK Sports | Electric Poker | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ |
| New Jersey | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Nevada | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Michigan | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Pennsylvania | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ |
| West Virginia | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ |
Electric Poker Michigan
👉 Status: Sports betting, casino and poker.
👉 Electric Poker: ⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡ Launched in August 2024.
As noted, Michigan was the first state where DraftKings deployed Electric Poker, and at the time of writing, it is the only state where it is available.
Right now, there are no other real money poker games available in Michigan. While there are games like Video Poker in the DK Casino app, these are casino games (played vs the house) rather than true player-vs-player poker games (where you play against other real players).
We could certainly see DraftKings Poker expand with more games in the future, but right now the company has not announced any other plans.
Electric Poker Connecticut
👉 Status: Sports betting and casino.
👉 Electric Poker: ⚡⚡⚡ ⚡In testing as of September 2024.
Connecticut is a really interesting option for DraftKings. It has a unique position as one of only two licensed online casinos in the state (the other is FanDuel). Connecticut online poker is legal and regulated — but neither site has launched there. DraftKings could be the first.
Currently Electric Poker is in testing in Connecticut. The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (CDCP) confirmed that it has begun “internal testing of the product.”
We don’t know when Electric Poker will go live, but this is a positive sign that it is moving in the right direction.
Electric Poker New Jersey
👉 Status: Sports betting and casino.
👉 Electric Poker: ⚡⚡⚡⚡Likely to launch.
NJ is one of the oldest and biggest online gambling markets in the United States, and DraftKings already has a very successful online casino and sportsbook in NJ.
An Electric Poker launch here seems likely. If the Michigan test is a success, then NJ will probably be the next state it ends. It is a big state, with a lot of online poker, and DraftKings already has a big presence there.
However, DraftKings likely needs specific authorization to launch a peer-to-peer poker game in the state, so it will have paperwork to do. In theory, if it doesn’t see the customer demand, it may choose not to expand beyond Michigan.
If it does, then DK could also connect Michigan and New Jersey player pools with authorization under the Multi-State iGaming Agreement (MSIGA). While this is not essential — the Electric Poker player pool would run in separate states without it — it seems like a smart move to do the paperwork and connect them. It will give them more flexibility in the future to run more buy-ins and launch new games.
Electric Poker Pennsylvania
👉 Status: Sports betting and casino.
👉 Electric Poker: ⚡⚡⚡⚡ DraftKings have told regulator intent to launch. Testing not yet started.
PA is the biggest igaming state, and DraftKings runs the state’s biggest online casino and sportsbook. Launching online poker here seems very likely.
We know that of September 2024 DraftKings have registered their intent to launch Electric Poker in the state, thanks to confirmation from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. At the time of writing testing has not yet started.
Electric Poker West Virginia
👉 Status: Sports betting and casino.
👉 Electric Poker: ⚡⚡⚡ Another real possibility.
West Virginia is another interesting choice. WV online poker is legal and regulated. It is part of MSIGA. DraftKings has an online casino and sportsbook in the state. And no other site has launched there yet — so they would have a de facto monopoly.
The downside is the small size of the state. They likely would need shared liquidity for this to work. But the option is there for them — and if they do the paperwork and jump the regulatory hurdles, they would be in a unique position offering the first real money, regulated — and multi-state-connected! — only poker game in WV.
Electric Poker Nevada
👉 Status: No presence yet.
👉 Electric Poker: ⚡ Unlikely to happen.
On the one hand, Nevada is a big gaming state, has online poker regulation, and is part of multi-state online poker.
However, DraftKings has no presence in Nevada. It doesn’t even offer DFS — as that requires a full igaming license — and there no online casino regulation in Nevada. So it is not a particularly attractive market for DraftKings to enter.
With that said, it could potentially be a long-term plan for DraftKings. It has considered entry into retail sports in the past. This could be another possible direction for them — but we’re not holding our breath.
Electric Poker Ontario
👉 Status: Active in online casino and sports betting.
👉 Electric Poker: ⚡⚡⚡⚡ Seem a natural launch.
With the focus is on the United States, it is easy to forget that DraftKings operates Ontario. It runs a fully licensed online casino, sports book, and fantasy product.
Online poker in Ontario is fully legal and regulated, and there’s half a dozen active online poker sites. It seems like a natural extension for DraftKings — the province is certainly big enough to sustain a segregated Electric Poker player pool, and would be a good differentiator in a very competitive market.
Electric Poker UK
👉 Status: Active for fantasy sports only.
👉 Electric Poker: ⚡ A long way away.
DraftKings has also been active in the UK market since 2016, however the only product is currently for fantasy sports (aka pools betting in the UK).
There is no online casino or sports books, and it is unclear whether its UK experiment has been successful for DraftKings. There has been no significant product development or expansion in the market for a long time.
Electric Poker UK won’t launch unless DraftKings decides to expand its non-North American footprint and launch an online casino in the UK. But if that were to happen, it seems likely that EP would be part of that product launch.
FAQ
What is DraftKings Electric Poker?
DraftKings Electric Poker is a three-handed jackpot sit-and-go poker game available in Michigan. Players compete in a fast-paced No Limit Texas Hold’em format, with the prize being randomly determined at the start, offering a chance to win up to $250,000.
Where can I play Electric Poker?
Electric Poker is currently available exclusively at DraftKings Casino in Michigan. You can access it through the DraftKings website on desktop or via the DraftKings Casino Michigan app on mobile devices.
How do I join a game of Electric Poker?
To join a game of Electric Poker, select it from the “Table Games” section in the DraftKings Casino Michigan lobby, choose your buy-in amount, and you’ll be seated automatically once two other players join.
What are the buy-in levels for Electric Poker?
Electric Poker offers four buy-in levels: $1, $5, $10, and $25. The prize pool is randomly determined at the start of each game, ranging from 2x to 10,000x the buy-in.
How long does an Electric Poker game last?
Most Electric Poker games last about six minutes. After three blind levels, Electric Mode triggers, forcing all players all-in until one winner remains.
What is Electric Mode in Electric Poker?
Electric Mode is a stage in the game that activates after three blind levels, where all remaining players are forced to go all-in every hand until a winner is determined.
Can I multi-table in Electric Poker?
Yes, you can play up to four tables simultaneously in Electric Poker on both web and mobile apps. You can manage your active tables through the “My Tables” section or the multi-tabling bar on mobile.
Can I review my hands after playing Electric Poker?
Yes, you can review your hand histories both during and after the game. Use the hand replayer in the poker lobby or view the transaction log in your account to see wins and losses.
Is there a sign-up bonus for Electric Poker?
There is no specific sign-up bonus for Electric Poker, but you can take advantage of the general DraftKings Casino bonus, which offers $50 in casino credits after depositing and wagering $5 on any casino game (Electric Poker excluded).
How is the prize determined in Electric Poker?
The prize in Electric Poker is randomized at the start of each tournament. It can range from 2x to 10,000x the buy-in, with higher multipliers offering consolation prizes for second and third place.
Is Electric Poker available outside of Michigan?
Currently, Electric Poker is only available in Michigan. However, DraftKings may expand it to other states where online poker is legal, such as New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
How does Electric Poker compare to other jackpot SNGs?
Electric Poker is similar to other jackpot sit-and-gos like PokerStars’ Spin and Go and WSOP’s BLAST but features higher variance with a top prize of $250,000 and a unique Electric Mode.
What is the rake for Electric Poker?
The rake for Electric Poker is 7% across all buy-in levels, which is competitive compared to other online poker sites.
Is Electric Poker beatable for skilled players?
While it’s hard to say definitively, it seems likely that skilled players can beat Electric Poker long-term, despite the high variance and Electric Mode. A win rate of around 36% is break even.
What are the potential future states for Electric Poker?
DraftKings may launch Electric Poker in other states where online poker is legal, such as New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and West Virginia, though there is no confirmed timeline for these expansions.