Chavdar Vasilev is a journalist covering the casino and sports betting market sectors for CasinoBeats. He joined CasinoBeats in May 2025 and reports on industry-shaping stories across the US and beyond, including legislative debates, market...
Read Full BioDaily fantasy sports (DFS) operator PrizePicks is debuting a new free-to-play $1 million jackpot contest for the NFL season, extending its pivot away from against-the-house contests.
Ahead of Sunday’s games, players must predict the first touchdown scorers in “eight of the weekend’s most anticipated professional football games.” Those who correctly pick all eight scorers will win a share of a $1 million cash jackpot.
The contest continues into Monday night, where players can battle for leaderboard positions and additional shares of the prize pool.
In addition to a share of the jackpot, participants can win prizes such as payout boosts and free lineups for making at least one correct selection.
Dylan Cooper, PrizePicks’ SVP of Product, positioned the jackpot as part of the operator’s long-term free-to-play strategy:
“It’s a major step forward in our free-to-play strategy, giving fans even more fun and engaging ways to experience the action within PrizePicks’ entertainment ecosystem.”
“Streak” Sets the Stage
The $1 million jackpot is not PrizePicks’ only free-to-play contest. It builds on the framework of Streak, a free-to-play daily game launched by PrizePicks in August 2024. In Streak, users predict whether a player will go “More” or “Less” on their stats, building a streak of correct picks.
Prizes accumulate with more correct wins. Two unlock a free four-pick Power Lineup. Meanwhile, making a perfect 32-day run allows the user to win a $1 million prize.
Importantly, DNPs (Did Not Play) and ties don’t break streaks. Streak is only available in select states, including CT, IA, LA, MD, MI, MS, NJ, NY, OH, and PA.
The new NFL jackpot adds to the free-to-play format by focusing on weekly first-touchdown predictions instead of daily stat streaks.
A Strategic Pivot Amid Regulatory Shuffle
The NFL jackpot builds into a broader storyline for PrizePicks. Last month, the operator ended its “Pick’ Em” against-the-house contests. In these formats, users pick two to six player stats, with the operator determining the contest odds. Winnings are based on fixed multipliers, which grow with the number of correct picks.
However, the Pick’ Em contests have drawn criticism from gambling regulators across the US. They argue the setup resembles prop wagers in sports betting. Several state gambling regulators, such as those in Florida, New York, Michigan, and Illinois, have cracked down on the contests.
In response, PrizePicks switched to its peer-to-peer Real Money Game (formerly Arena) and Streak. The change allows them to argue that peer-to-peer fantasy is a private contest of skill, not governed by gambling laws. Additionally, peer-to-peer contests remove the house as a participant.
That distinction is crucial in California, where playing against the house is already considered a form of gambling. Still, in July 2025, Attorney General Rob Bonta went further, issuing a formal opinion that declared all DFS contests, including peer-to-peer formats, illegal. He has since threatened enforcement action.
While the Real Money Game faces ambiguity, the $1 million free-to-play jackpot adds another way to keep fans engaged while sidestepping the regulatory blitz.
