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Monkey Knife Fight – Is it Worth it?

Created in 2018 in San Jose, California, Monkey Knife Fight occupies a unique, if not questionable, niche in the DFS landscape. Featuring prop bets and over/under for individual players regarding in-game statistics, the site tests the boundaries between DFS and gambling.

Wondering if Monkey Knife Fight is the right “DFS” site for you? This Monkey Knife Fight review takes an in-depth look into the website and discusses its strengths, weaknesses, and what you need to think about before investing your hard-earned money.

An Overview of Monkey Knife Fight

Key specifications:

  • Sports Available: NFL, NBA, WNBA, NHL, SOCCER, GOLF, MLB, NASCAR, UFC, LOL, CSGO. 
  • Payment Methods: Visa, AMEX, Mastercard, Discover.
  • Year Launched: 2018.
  • Legal States: AK, AR, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, IL, KS, KY, MA, MD, MI, MN, NE, NH, NM, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, RI, SC, SD, TX, UT, VT, WV, WI, and WY.

PROS

Entertaining contests.
 Mobile-friendly website.
Many sports available.
Sign-up bonus up to $50.

CONS

They have limited geographic legality.
Do not offer life-altering, enormous payouts like DraftKings and FanDuel.
Misclassified as a DFS site.
Rakes at obscene levels.

Things to Consider Before Playing at Monkey Knife Fight

Provided you reside in one of the 31 states where it is legal to participate in the contests offered by Monkey Knife Fight, and you are 18 years of age or older, the question now is… Should you play?

My typical response to this question, as it relates to traditional DFS sites, is always to encourage you to play. However, upon visiting the website and perusing the content, I became abundantly aware that Monkey Knife Fight is far different than any DFS site I have ever encountered.

For instance, it’s difficult for me to classify Monkey Knife Fight as a DFS platform. The whole premise of the site’s offerings bears little resemblance to the contests typically offered on DraftKings, FanDuel, etc.

The platform is a hybrid between DFS and gambling. The only trait that enables its inclusion in the DFS landscape is that they offer daily contests. 

Do not get me wrong; the contests offered are incredibly enticing. If Monkey Knife Fight participation is legal in my jurisdiction, I would not hesitate to play.

However, as a responsible reviewer, I must warn any individuals who have or have ever experienced issues related to gambling that it would be in your best interests to avoid this site.

Features and Benefits of Monkey Knife Fight

#1 Who can play at Monkey Knife Fight?

  • You must be 18+ years of age 
  • You must reside in one of the following 31 states: AK, AR, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, IL, KS, KY, MA, MD, MI, MN, NE, NH, NM, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, RI, SC, SD, TX, UT, VT, WV, WI, and WY.

#2 Sports Available

  • NFL 
  • NBA & WNBA 
  • NHL 
  • SOCCER 
  • GOLF 
  • MLB 
  • NASCAR 
  • UFC 
  • LOL 
  • CSGO 

#3 Deposits and Withdrawals

Deposits

  • Deposits accepted via debit or credit card.
  • The minimum deposit is $10.
  • The maximum of total deposits is $1,000 per day, $5,000 per week, and $10,000 per month. 
  • For Tennessee players, individual player deposits are limited to no more than $2,500 per month, unless the player requests, on a temporary or permanent basis, to increase the deposit limit to an amount above $2,500 per month.

Withdrawals

  • Withdrawal requests must be a minimum of $20. 
  • All withdrawals are processed back to the original payment method first. 
  • Any withdrawals exceeding deposits processed via PayPal, check, or ACH bank transfer.
  • Check cashouts processed within 3-5 business days. 

#4 Signing Up

Signing up at Monkey Knife Fight is seamless. You simply provide six bits of information: username, password, email, name, address, and birthday. Upon completion of those formalities, you can let the good times roll!

#5 Sign-Up Bonus

First-time depositors can take advantage of the sign-up bonus and receive a deposit match up to $50.

Deposit match bonus funds released as 4% of your buy-in towards any game. For example, if you enter a $25 contest, Monkey Knife Fight will issue $1.00 of your available bonus.

#6 Entering a contest

Monkey Knife Fight offers a wide variety of real-money contests, with buy-ins ranging from $0 (freerolls) to $1,000.

Entering contests involves four simple steps.[1]

The first step is to select a game.

The second step is to choose your game of choice.

The third and fourth steps are to make your predictions and to select your wager, respectively.

Make no mistake about it; the site is essentially a legalized sportsbook that offers prop contests, each one focused only on players participating in a single game of your choice.

In the contests, players are competing against the house, and not other players.

The simplicity of the contests is that there are no lineups to construct or salaries to manage, virtually eliminating any preparation.

All contests require the selection of at least two players. Depending on contest selection and levels of parlay, your Return on investment may vary significantly. At present, it appears that payout multipliers range from 1.5X to 15X.

#7 Contest Varieties

Monkey Knife Fight offers four broad types of contests: rapid fire, More or Less, Stat Shootout, and Fantasy Challenge.

Rapid Fire 

In Rapid Fire, your objective is to select the higher scoring players concerning a given statistic, in multiple head-to-head matchups. The statistic of interest here is “less total strokes.” The above two props were offered on Monkey Knife Fight for Round 3 of the Travelers Championship on June 27, 2020.

These contests often feature a “spread” that factors into the determination of the winner. For instance, Rory Mcilroy gets 0.5 points added to his total stroke count before the resolution of the victor in his matchup against Phil Mickelson.

If a matchup includes “spreads,” they are displayed in green.

In most Rapid Fire contests, you need to be perfect with your selections to win the stated ROI.

Consequently, contests that involve more players will result in higher payouts.

For instance, in the left-most contest pictured above, you only need to be correct for both of the player matchups, and doing so will result in winning 2.5X your wagered entry fee.

In the contest on the right, you need to be correct for all five of the player matchups, a far more challenging endeavor; however, if you are successful, your victory is rewarded via receiving 15X your wagered entry fee.

More or Less 

More or Less differs from Rapid Fire, as instead of selecting the higher-scoring players from groups of two players, you will choose whether each player in the contest will score over or under the predetermined total concerning a given statistic.

In most More or Less contests, you need to be perfect with your selections to win the stated ROI.

Consequently, contests that involve more players will result in higher payouts.

For instance, in the first contest pictured above, you only need to be correct for both of the players’ over/under, and doing so will return 2.5X your wagered entry fee.

In the second contest pictured above, you need to be correct for all five of your over/under selections, a far more challenging endeavor; however, if you are successful, you are remunerated 15X your wagered entry fee.

Stat Shootout 

Stat Shootout is the name of a category of contests that are each individually named differently depending on the sport and the stat threshold targeted.

For instance, one possible Stat Shootout contest is called TouchDown Dance.

First, you select your team of three players most likely to accumulate touchdowns during the game.

Next, you select one of the three tiers offered. Each level lists a goal and a prize.

Lastly, you select a wager.

If your team of players combines to exceed the goal selected, in terms of the number of touchdowns, you receive the stated multiplier for your wager.

In the above contest, if Tyler Lockett, Todd Gurley, and Cooper Kupp combine to score four or more touchdowns, you will win 20X your wagered amount. If you had wagered $100, you would gain a cool $2,000!

Another Stat Shootout contest is called Reception Connection.

The process for creating an entry, and engaging in the contest is entirely identical to that described for TouchDown Dance. The only differences lie in the three selectable goals and payouts tier.[2]

Fantasy Challenge 

The process for creating an entry, and engaging in the contest is entirely identical to that described for TouchDown Dance and Reception Connection. The differences lie in the three selectable goals and payouts tiers. [3]

In the previous two contests, the goal was to exceed a numerical stat value, such as touchdowns or receptions. In the Fantasy Challenge, the goal is for your assemblage of players to exceed a certain number of fantasy points.

#8 Contest Scoring

The contest scoring systems for Rapid Fire, More or Less, and Stat Shootout are self-explanatory. However, I will address the scoring system in place for Fantasy Challenge and how players accumulate fantasy points.

Rather than listing the fantasy scoring systems for all sports, I will only include the fantasy point system for football.

NFL Scoring System

Passing TD4 points
Passing Yard0.04 points
Interception-1 point
Rushing Yard0.1 points
Rushing TD6 points
Reception1 point
Receiving Yard0.1 points
Receiving TD6 points
Return TD6 points
2-Point Conversion2 points
Fumble Lost  -2 points

What are People Saying About Monkey Knife Fight?

I scoured the internet for months and was unable to find any positive reviews about the product. For the sake of integrity, I will relay the dissatisfied pulse of the people.[4]

I cannot disagree, as the people have spoken. As mentioned previously in this article, Monkey Knife Fight is a sportsbook masquerading as a DFS platform. In no uncertain terms, they offer legalized gambling with the most horrific odds that I have ever seen. As a voice of the people, I am stating my honest opinion, unsullied by corporate kickbacks or financial remuneration. STAY AWAY FROM THIS SITE! 

Alternatives to Monkey Knife Fight

DraftKings and FanDuel

I have listed DraftKings and FanDuel together, because in combination, the two sites account for greater than 90% of the DFS market share. 

While both DraftKings and FanDuel exact rakes range between 10% and 16%, neither come close to my quick and dirty rake calculation for Monkey Knife Sports, which is a number between 30% and 35%. 

It’s challenging to compare Monkey Knife Fight to DraftKings and FanDuel, as I view Monkey Knife Fight as a sportsbook that offers the unfairest of odds that would render them devoid of customers and bankrupt within hours. 

DraftKings and Fanduel are legitimate, time-tested DFS platforms and accurately classified as such.

If I desire to gamble, I will find a reasonable sportsbook. However, if I want to engage in daily fantasy sports, I will do so at FanDuel or DraftKings.

The most important advantage provided by FD and DK, although certainly not the only one, is the satisfaction that they offer upon viewing your name at the apex of the leaderboard upon a contest’s completion.

To emerge triumphant at FD or DK, and reap the reward of a substantial payout, you have to beat everybody else in that contest. In other words, for that one slate on that one day, you can accurately assert that you were a champion who disposed of all challengers.

At Monkey Knife Fight, you are competing against a stacked house, and even a significant victory does not require the beating of all challengers.

Monkey Knife Fight is best suited for unknowledgeable suckers who enjoy parting ways with their money.

On the other hand, if you are looking for competition, life-altering payouts, and the unmitigated excitement of DFS, I strongly urge you to visit DraftKings or FanDuel.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Final Words

Monkey Knife Fight does provide solutions for problems that are unavoidable.

First, if you are an individual who takes great pride in being separated from your money, there are few options more efficient at doing so than participation in the contests offered at Monkey Knife Fight.

Second, if you do not live within a reasonable vicinity of a sportsbook, you reside in a jurisdiction where online gambling is forbidden, or you are averse to the idea of finding a bookie, then Monkey Knife Sports may be your only option to engage in the practice of gambling. The following post illustrates such a scenario.[8]

And while doing so may be the equivalent of playing Russian Roulette with six bullets, MKF remains a legal option in 31 states, nonetheless.

Before I write another word, as a law-abiding citizen, I do not condone the usage of a bookie or engagement in any illicit activities.   

OK, enough of the sarcasm.

Participation in Daily Fantasy Sports provides an adrenaline rush that few activities can match. Every single night, there are opportunities to draft a winning lineup, challenge the field, and earn cold, hard cash. 

As MKF hardly satisfies any of the aforementioned reasons for DFS participation, if you would like to experience real, passionate competition, coupled with the potential to feed the pig, I must direct you to FanDuel or DraftKings by clicking on their respective links.

My overall rating for Monkey Knife Fight is a 2/5. The only reason that I have awarded the site a rating above zero is purely for its entertainment value.

Resources:

[1] “Sign up – Monkey Knife Fight.” https://www.monkeyknifefight.com/newgame. Accessed 28 Jun. 2020.
[2] “MKF Football Tutorials – TD Dance, Reception … – YouTube.” 1 Oct. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXwiGzXPRvs. Accessed 27 Jun. 2020.
[3] “MKF Football Tutorials – TD Dance, Reception … – YouTube.” 1 Oct. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXwiGzXPRvs. Accessed 27 Jun. 2020.
[4] “monkey knife fight? : dfsports – Reddit.” https://www.reddit.com/r/dfsports/comments/f3m6vx/monkey_knife_fight/. Accessed 27 Jun. 2020.
[5] “TOS – Monkey Knife Fight.” https://www.monkeyknifefight.com/tos. Accessed 28 Jun. 2020.
[6] “FAQ – Monkey Knife Fight.” https://www.monkeyknifefight.com/faq. Accessed 28 Jun. 2020.
[7] “FAQ – Monkey Knife Fight.” https://www.monkeyknifefight.com/faq. Accessed 27 Jun. 2020.
[8] “Is MONKEYKNIFEFIGHT legit? – RotoGrinders.” https://rotogrinders.com/threads/is-monkeyknifefight-legit-3080512. Accessed 28 Jun. 2020.

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