Fantasy Sports: All you need to know about fantasy sports, DFS & more

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Fantasy sports have been played all over the world for several decades. Inevitably, the internet has increased accessibility, and the world has embraced daily fantasy sports alongside its more traditional counterparts.

Whether you’re looking for a DFS contest or keen on fantasy sports betting, you are spoilt for choice. Numerous companies provide some form of fantasy sports offerings from dynasty leagues to daily games.

🏈What are fantasy sports?
🔍What are daily fantasy sports?
🥇Best DFS apps and sites
💡In conclusion

What are fantasy sports?

Fantasy sports are based around fans creating ‘fantasy’ lineups and squads out of players. These teams then receive points based on the real-life performance of these players.

There are various ways for a fantasy sports contest to be conducted – some will prefer a head-to-head format, where managers compete against one another each day or week, while others will go with total points, leading to a more simplistic league table.

Most fantasy sports involve a draft at the start of each season. Some will see managers choose to retain certain players (referred to as a ‘dynasty’ or ‘keeper’ league), but it is common for leagues to start with a blank slate. Managers can then trade and cut players to get the most out of their roster. Managers will also be responsible for setting line ups each day or week of the season, which is often where there are difficult decisions to be made.

Fantasy sports can be played for free with no financial prize. There are also ways to bet on fantasy sports, and many leagues will require a fee to participate, with prize money often on offer for the league winner. Forfeits are also common for losers in fantasy sports.

Tens of millions of sports fans participate in fantasy sports each year. Most sports leagues have at least one fantasy contest available – NFL and MLB are the most popular for fantasy sports, but NBA, NHL, Formula One and the Premier League all have numerous fantasy options.

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What are daily fantasy sports?

Daily fantasy sports are a one-day version of traditional fantasy sports. The standard DFS contest will require payment to participate. You then select your team of players for games taking place on that day based on their recent performances and matchups. Just as with a preseason fantasy draft, you will usually be required to stay under a salary cap.

There are variations of DFS that involve drafting a team at the start of the season which is then locked in for the year, with contests being decided over individual days or game weeks.

Before the wave of sports gambling legalization across the USA, daily fantasy sports betting was in a gray area. There were critics of paid contests, which some believed resembled gambling. With sports gambling being legalized in more and more states, the interest in DFS contests has skyrocketed.

DFS enables fans to enjoy many of the positives of season-long fantasy sports without the long-term commitment. There are opportunities to win pretty much every day of the year. The NFL is the most popular DFS league by a healthy margin ahead of MLB and NBA. Bettors can find contests across a huge range of sports, though, including golf, tennis, MMA and college sports.

Playing daily fantasy sports is not the same as placing a bet, as it is generally considered a game of skill rather than luck. However, states still have an age limit if you wish to participate in a DFS contest (18 in most states).

Best DFS apps and sites

The best DFS apps are home to millions of contestants every year. Their prize pools are huge, paired with reliable and easy-to-use apps on multiple platforms. FanDuel and DraftKings are the two biggest names in daily fantasy sports, and the pair also now allow sports fans to bet through their own, highly regarded sportsbooks.

These leading DFS sites offer a catalog of sports for fantasy managers to contest. In each sport, there will be a variety of ways to participate depending on the amount you want to deposit and specific rules.

Just as the giants of DFS have entered into the sports betting space, season-long fantasy platforms have also embraced daily fantasy sports. Sleeper and Yahoo are just two examples of this. Sleeper stands out with its dynamic pricing, which can make it easier for fantasy managers to find value.

If you’re looking to pair the experience of betting with DFS, PrizePicks and ParlayPlay are worth considering. Their apps are both user-friendly, and there’s lots of variety across their contests.

Underdog Fantasy is worth consideration, too. Their NFL Best Ball game mode is one of the easiest game modes to play. You simply pay a set entry fee for your contest at the start of the season, participate in a snake draft and leave it for the year. Instead of worrying about who to start and sit each week, your highest-scoring players are automatically put into your lineup. Underdog allows you to sit back and enjoy the games – it is far less time-consuming than many of its rivals.

In conclusion

There are so many options when it comes to playing DFS. It’s worth trying out a few different platforms to find your favorite contests. There is always a degree of subjectivity in choosing the best app/website for you, depending on what you prioritize in a fantasy sports betting site.

The flexibility to bet through a sportsbook and play DFS with the same company is certainly appealing, but it is worth researching the array of fantasy sports platforms before settling on your preferred choice.