Fantasy sports betting offers an even more engaging way to experience a game or match than traditional sports betting through bookmakers. In fantasy betting, you assemble a virtual team and act as its manager, while in traditional betting, you simply choose the team or player you believe will win. From a financial perspective, the popularity of fantasy sports platforms continues to grow—often reaching six-figure prize pools in a single tournament.
Classic sports betting has existed for a long time and is governed by well-established rules and traditions. In contrast, fantasy sports represent a relatively new form of betting. Today, the fantasy sports market is rapidly expanding and attracting interest from new audiences and industries alike.
Fantasy sports originated in the United States, and it remains most popular there compared to other regions. Currently, the only global organization dedicated to the industry is the Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association. According to their data, the popularity of fantasy sports and traditional betting is nearly equal. In terms of earnings, 50% of both fantasy team managers and sports bettors report annual incomes exceeding $75,000.
Roughly 20% of American adults participate in both fantasy sports and sports betting—suggesting a significant overlap in the user base. Only a small percentage of individuals engage exclusively in one or the other.
If you think fantasy sports are a recent trend, you may be surprised to learn that they originated in 1962. The concept was introduced in New York by businessman Wilfred “Bill” Winkenbach, then an executive with the Oakland Raiders (now Las Vegas Raiders). He created multiple fantasy sports formats and helped establish the foundational rules of the game.
Eventually, the first fantasy league was formed, followed by the first public league that welcomed anyone interested. By the early 1980s, the game had spread in popularity across the United States. Unsurprisingly, football served as the foundation for fantasy sports.
Fantasy sports made their way to Europe thanks to British enthusiasts, who adapted the rules from American football to fit European sports formats.
Today, there are many ways to participate—whether for cash prizes, out of a passion for sports, or simply to compete with friends. Currently, the most popular fantasy sports platform is based on the English Premier League, featuring more than 8 million registered teams from around the world.
What Are the Basic Rules?
The concept of fantasy sports is fairly straightforward. Take fantasy football, for example: you assemble a virtual team by selecting players from 20 real-life teams. Positive real-world actions—such as goals scored, assists, goalkeeper saves, and clean sheets—earn your team points. On the other hand, negative actions like yellow or red cards and missed penalties deduct points. The team with the highest total score wins the competition.
Some apps even allow you to create your own private league, customize rules, and compete against friends. For instance, you might limit player selection to specific teams or budget categories.
Where and What Can You Play?
Fantasy sports tournaments can be either seasonal or daily.
- Seasonal games are tournaments that run throughout the year. In this format, players need to think beyond the immediate matchday—they must strategize several rounds ahead. Success also depends on closely monitoring the league, tracking top-performing players, and quickly responding to injuries or form changes.
- Daily formats are shorter competitions, typically lasting one to three days. Players compete during a single round of games, requiring accurate assessment of the upcoming fixtures and selection of athletes expected to outperform others in the short term.
It’s important to note that fantasy sports aren’t limited to football. This format is steadily expanding to include other sports such as basketball, hockey, tennis, esports, handball, horse racing, and more. The fact that fantasy sports are still gaining traction suggests that there is strong future potential. Even better, the barrier to entry is minimal—many leagues allow free participation.
One of the best places to experience fantasy sports is undoubtedly the official game offered by the English Premier League. Participation is free, and players from all over the world join in. You can create private leagues to compete with friends, and the platform provides detailed rules and answers to frequently asked questions.
At a minimum, you can easily find one of the thousands of online fantasy sports communities and connect with like-minded enthusiasts. For basketball fans, platforms like Yahoo offer well-established fantasy leagues worth exploring.
Among platforms that offer real-money competitions, Fanteam stands out. Prize pools increase every year, and new sports are constantly being added—including esports titles like CS:GO, Dota 2, and League of Legends, as well as baseball and cricket. The platform’s operators are highly responsive to user feedback.
One of the latest and most addictive trends in fantasy sports is DSF, or Daily Sports Fantasy. This fast-paced format has revolutionized the industry and helped platforms like DraftKings rise to prominence in the United States.
This format gives you the flexibility to play whenever you want. You can select different players and form new teams depending on injuries, matchups, or other relevant factors. Understanding this type of fantasy sports offers valuable insight into real-time betting odds. Especially in sports like baseball, the absence of a key player—such as a pitcher—can significantly impact your strategy and betting decisions.
In DFS, you can update your team game by game. So if you have a free week at work or school, you can dedicate that time to playing. Each team has a fixed salary cap, and you're free to build your lineup as long as you stay within that limit. You can also challenge friends to personal matchups and wager real money.
DFS is incredibly exciting, and its popularity has grown so much that some players attempt to make a living from it. Many professional poker players are also drawn to fantasy sports, since—like in sports betting—strong knowledge of the sport increases your chances of winning substantial amounts with a relatively small investment.
This method is especially popular in NFL-style fantasy leagues and determines the draft order based on how you finish the season. You can trade players for draft positions and step into the role of general manager—just like in the real NFL. These trades can happen before the draft begins or even after a pick has been made, giving you the chance to pursue players you originally missed out on.
