Altenar, a sportsbook software provider, believes that exploring play psychology and how bettors engage with sports betting and fantasy sports betting is essential for operators—especially when it comes to understanding your demographic, identifying the sports content needed to boost player retention, and recognizing how player behavior influences decisions on your platform and ultimately, your sportsbook’s success.
Altenar examined the work of Daniel L. Wann, Ryan K. Zapalac, Ted B. Peetz, Frederick G. Grieve, and Julie A. Partridge, who co-authored a paper titled “The Influence of Fantasy Sports Participation on Fans’ Perceptions of the Impact of the Legalization of Sports Wagering.” The study documented research by Wann and his colleagues into how the increased availability of legalized sports betting may influence fan engagement and experiences.
This paper drew from a sample pool across the U.S. to test four hypotheses examining how players interact with sports content now that legal sports betting is widely accessible throughout the country:
- As legal access to sports wagering increases, higher levels of fantasy sports participation will be associated with increased wagering activity.
- As legal access to sports wagering increases, higher levels of fantasy sports participation will be associated with increased interest in the sport itself.
- As legal access to sports wagering increases, higher levels of fantasy sports participation will be associated with increased sports consumption—both through live attendance and televised events.
- As legal access to sports wagering increases, higher levels of fantasy sports participation will be associated with the belief that wagering enhances the excitement of sporting events.
These hypotheses considered that many players and bettors were already highly engaged in fantasy sports before the legalization of sports wagering. The introduction of fantasy sports betting was found to significantly elevate the entertainment value—especially as the genre became increasingly televised and immersed in fan culture and wagering excitement.
The study concluded that, overall, the integration of betting into the fantasy sports ecosystem substantially increased the excitement of games and events—especially when compared to fantasy sports participation alone.
The graph below illustrates the study’s findings, highlighting that U.S. participants were broadly receptive to the addition of betting to their favorite fantasy sports activities.
The research revealed that, on average, fantasy sports betting heightened excitement and was not seen as a distraction by the majority of participants (1,028 students) in the 2021 study.
As a result, it can be said that many fantasy sports fans are eager for the opportunity to bet on their favorite games and competitions. If you're looking to add fantasy sports to your online offering—or build a new platform—contact Altenar, a sportsbook software provider, to begin your journey into the fantasy sports betting market.
