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Fantasy sports betting

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Over the decades, fantasy sports have been around, but it wasn’t until recently that they became so popular. The primary reason is that people turn to online platforms to play these games. Essentially, fantasy sports betting sites involve creating a virtual team of players from different professional sports teams and then placing bets based on the skill performance of those players in real life.

Keep reading this guide to understand more about fantasy sports betting.

Yes, it is legal to bet on fantasy sports online in the U.S. But, this can vary from state to state, so it’s always worth checking the local state laws. Initially, there were law controversies surrounding whether fantasy sports betting is legal in the United States. However, these laws have since changed, and fantasy sports betting is now legal across many states in America.

What is fantasy sports betting?

Fantasy sports betting involves players competing against each other by creating virtual teams of real-life professional athletes. The players get points based on how their team performs in real-life games during the season. Points are awarded to each player to determine who wins the game. Fantasy sports betting has become widespread following its introduction by significant sportsbooks such as FanDuel and DraftKings. These sites allow players to create fantasy teams comprising professional athletes from different sports leagues worldwide.

Popular featured leagues include the NFL, MLB, NHL, and NBA.

Apart from enjoying your favorite sports, you can create your teams with fantasy sports betting sites and compete against other players. Popular fantasy sports include:

  • Ice Hockey – Ice hockey is one of the most popular fantasy sports on betting sites across America. A top professional league in North America includes the National Hockey League (NHL). Also, Ice hockey features teams from Canada and the United States taking part in a regular-season followed by playoffs. Besides being watched by millions of fans each year, it has a considerable following online through betting sites such as Bet365 and Betway.
  • Football – Fantasy football is one of the most popular fantasy sports on betting sites. Football is unique because it allows you to draft any player you want, so there are no restrictions on whom you choose. You can pick your favorite team’s quarterback or a wide receiver from another team or even draft a kicker. With fantasy football, you don’t need real people playing on their teams. Instead, they become drafted into one gigantic pool where everyone has access to them at once. The great thing about fantasy football is that it’s easy to play, and anyone can enjoy it.
  • Soccer – Soccer is one of the most popular sports globally, so it’s no surprise that it has become a fan favorite among betting sites. The basic rules of soccer are easy to follow: you score points by getting the ball into your opponent’s net. There are two main types of soccer games: real-time and turn-based. Real-time games allow you to play against other players in the actual event and see how well they do against you. Turn-based games give you control over every aspect of your team for several turns before playing with each other. Both types of soccer games offer unique challenges and rewards for players who want to try them out in fantasy sports.
  • Baseball – Baseball is also a popular fantasy sport on betting sites offering various bets. Many people like to bet on baseball because it doesn’t require much knowledge about the players or what’s going on in the game. You only need to know how many runs each team scored and their batting averages. Also, you may also wonder how to play baseball on betting sites if you know nothing about the game. Fortunately, you only need to choose which players you think will score the most runs during each game or series. If your player scores more runs than any other player, they’ll get points added to their total score (similarly if they lose). The person with the highest score after playing all the games wins.
  • NASCAR – National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company known for stock-car racing. It’s a popular fantasy sport on betting sites and one of the most well-known racing sports in the world. The sport is relatively easy to learn and play, with many strategies to favor your fantasy sports bets.
  • Golf – Golf is a game of skill and endurance, making it a perfect fit for fantasy sports betting. The rules of golf are pretty simple: players compete against each other in individual matches of 18 holes. Each player must play their ball from the teeing ground to the hole in as few strokes as possible. The player who does this in the fewest strokes wins that hole. The total number of strokes is recorded for each hole, and if one player has taken fewer strokes than another over the entire course, the player wins the game. Besides, playing fantasy golf offers an exciting opportunity for sports fans to get involved with professional golfers and experience the thrill of victory without playing the game themselves.

Best Fantasy Sports betting sites

DraftKings and FanDuel are the two most prominent names in the fantasy sports betting industry, but many other sites are available online. The following are the reasons that make them the best for fantasy sports.

  • DraftKings DFS – DraftKings is one of the best daily fantasy sports betting sites featuring all significant games. Games include football, basketball, baseball, hockey, and others. Also, the platform provides users with the chance to choose from several formats for their games. These include head-to-head matchups against other players or daily competitions where you compete against everybody else who signed up on that day. In addition, DraftKings DFS offers the chance to win big prizes by playing against your opponents. It also allows you to play for free or real money if you want something more serious. Moreover, the DraftKings interface makes it easy for users with no experience to get started with the site. If you’re looking for an excellent place to explore fantasy sports betting games online, DraftKings has everything you need.
  • FanDuel DFS – FanDuel is a fantasy sportsbook in the US that has been around since 2009, offering sports fans a new way to wager on their favorite teams. FanDuel is a popular online gambling site that allows players to bet on several sports, including football, basketball, baseball, hockey, and soccer. Also, FanDuel allows players to customize their leagues by choosing how many to include in the league and the amount to wager on each game. Players can also decide whether they want to play with friends or strangers, depending on their preferences. One of the most significant advantages of playing on FanDuel is it offers several ways for players to win money from their bets.

Can you bet on college fantasy sports?

Yes, you can bet on college fantasy sports. American states require players to follow legal rules when betting on sports online. So, as long as you follow the legal regulations in each state for betting, you can bet on college fantasy sports.

History of betting on fantasy sports

Fantasy sports betting sites have been one of the fastest-growing industries since it began. Over the years, many fantasy sports betting sites have developed, all sharing a common goal. The goal is to provide a fun and interactive way for people to take part in the excitement of sports betting without betting real money. Below are significant highlights of fantasy sports over the years.

  • 1962: The year when the first fantasy sports betting emerged.
  • 1963: The year that involved the first draft for a fantasy football league. No league was open to the public yet.
  • 1980: Baseball becomes the first fantasy sports game.
  • 1989: Fantasy football has become popular, with over 1 million people playing it alone.
    The 90s: Technology changes caused the internet to explode, with fantasy sports becoming accessible by most people.
  • 1999: Yahoo establishes a free fantasy sports system.
  • 2006: Fantasy sports football fans increase to over 12 million people. Also, Federal legislative laws tried to review fantasy sports under the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) bill.
  • 2009: FanDuel launched and became the first leading sportsbook for fantasy sports.
  • 2011: DraftKings became the second-largest fantasy sports site after FanDuel.
  • 2013: number of fantasy sports players increases to 21 million.
  • 2015 to date: Since then, fantasy sports betting has grown into an industry worth billions of dollars worldwide every year. Players can now play for free or for money, with some companies even paying you if your team wins.

FAQ

Is Fantasy Sports betting gambling?

Fantasy Sports betting is not gambling. Instead, it's a game of skills that involves no chance or randomness, unlike traditional gambling. Players must select their team rosters based on their knowledge and understanding of their athletes' performance. Besides, the federal law rules that fantasy sports betting is a game of skill rather than chances involved in gambling.

Can I get bonuses on Fantasy sports betting sites?

Yes, you can get bonuses on fantasy sports betting sites. Fantasy sports betting sites offer several bonuses for new players. One example is the welcome bonus, which rewards you with money or free bets when you make your first deposit. Another example is the reload bonus, which rewards you for depositing additional funds into your account.

Is DFS the same as sports betting?

No, DFS is not the same as sports betting. Daily fantasy sports (DFS) is a game of skill, but not of chance. The outcome of each player's team depends on the players' performance on that team and the relative strength of their opponents. Alternatively, sports betting is a game of chance where the outcome depends on luck alone. So, if you bet on sports, your success relies on whether you are lucky enough to pick the right teams or players at the right time.