21 Rivals, a new five-round card game where you go head-to-head against another DraftKings customer on a six-minute clock, launches today. It’s part of DraftKings Rivals, a new head-to-head format.
What Is 21 Rivals?
21 Rivals puts two customers in identical playing conditions and lets their decisions sort out the rest. Same setup, same cards, same clock.
What Happens in a 21 Rivals Match?
Here’s the shape of a match:
- Five rounds, head-to-head against one other customer.
- Each round, you play against a simulated dealer.
- On every hand you decide whether to hit, stand, double, or split.
- You get six minutes to complete all five rounds.
- Chips used in the game have no cash value and cannot be cashed out.
The customer who finishes with the higher chip balance wins the match and receives the prize selected before entering. Run out of clock before you finish all five rounds and you forfeit the match.
Winners are determined by skill. Depending on the game, that can include, but is not limited to, strategic thinking, planning, pattern recognition, spatial reasoning, memory, speed, accuracy, and time management. Before you enter a contest, you select from the available prize options.
How Do You Play 21 Rivals?
Three steps from the home page:
- Tap Play Now on the 21 Rivals banner or on the Rivals header.
- Select your Entry Fee.
- Tap Play Now.
What Are the Game Rules and Payout Structure?
The hand rules will look familiar if you’ve spent any time at a 21 table. The dealer stands on all totals of 17 and above, so there’s no judgment call to read on the other side of the table. A winning main play pays 1:1, and a two-card 21 pays 3:2. Insurance pays 2:1. A tie is a push, and your play comes back to you.
Can You Make Side Plays?
Yes. There are two optional side plays, and you can add either or both before each round. They resolve separately from your main play no matter how your main hand turns out, and they pay out in game chips when the cards qualify.
Perfect Pairs pays if your initial two cards form a pair:
| Pair | Pays |
| Perfect Pair (same rank and suit) | 25:1 |
| Colored Pair (same rank and color, different suit) | 12:1 |
| Mixed Pair (same rank, different color) | 6:1 |
4 Card Total pays based on the combined value of your initial two cards and both dealer cards, with an Ace counting as 11:
| Sum | Pays |
| 36–37 | 2:1 |
| 38–39 | 8:1 |
| 40 or higher | 10:1 |
Because they resolve on their own, a losing hand can still pay a side play.
One limit worth knowing: you can only make side plays on your own hands. Your opponent’s cards are theirs alone.
How Does 21 Rivals Set Up Each Match?
In every head-to-head match, both customers play under the same conditions. Every match has a unique match ID, and that ID determines the card shuffle for each round. Both customers get:
- The same six-deck shoe order in each of the five rounds.
- The same dealer cards, including the dealer’s down card.
- The same player cards, as long as they make the same play decisions.
You and your opponent don’t need to play at the same time. However, the playing conditions will be the same for both of you.
What Happens If You Get Disconnected?
You have six minutes to reconnect. Get back in within that window and you resume the match with whatever time was left on the six-minute game clock when the connection dropped. The clock holds where you left it.
Why Is There a Delay in Matchmaking?
21 Rivals matches are played asynchronously, so you and your opponent aren’t always playing at the same time. Finish your session and you may be waiting on another customer to be matched with you.
If no match is made after 24 hours, the match is cancelled and your Entry Fee is refunded.
Where will 21 Rivals be available at launch?
21 Rivals is launching in the following states, with more to come: MA, NH, NC, VA, FL