Fantasy sports in the US boomed primarily with fantasy football in the 1990s and 2000s and has since prolierated into fantasy basketball, fantasy baseball, fantasy hockey, and more.
According to the Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association (FSGA), the most popular fantasy sport in the US and Canada is American football, which is played by approximately 78% of fantasy participants.
The next most popular sports are baseball (39%), basketball (19%), ice hockey (18%), and association football (14%).
With the growth of online gaming, fantasy sports have become a multi-billion dollar industry and are enjoyed by millions of fans across the globe.
Fantasy football is by far the most popular fantasy sport, with an estimated 41 million players in the United States alone.
Fantasy football allows fans to draft, trade, and cut players as if they were real NFL team managers. Fans can follow their team’s progress through an online league standings page, and some leagues even offer cash prizes to the top-performing teams.
Fantasy baseball is another popular fantasy sport, with an estimated 20 million players in the United States.
Fantasy baseball operates similarly to fantasy football, with fans drafting, trading, and cutting players as if they were real MLB team managers.
However, fantasy baseball also has a few unique features, such as the ability to earn points for slugging and Steal/Catch percentage.
Fantasy basketball is less popular than fantasy football and fantasy baseball, but still has a large following, with an estimated 10 million players in the United States.
Fantasy basketball operates similarly to fantasy football and fantasy baseball, with fans drafting, trading, and cutting players as if they were real NBA team managers.
However, fantasy basketball has a few unique scoring features, such as awarding points for three-point shots and blocks.
Fantasy hockey is the least popular of the major fantasy sports, with an estimated 2 million players in the United States.
Fantasy hockey operates similarly to fantasy football and fantasy baseball, with fans drafting, trading, and cutting players as if they were real NHL team managers.
Fantasy hockey also has a few unique scoring features, such as awarding points for short-handed goals and penalty minutes.
Table of Contents
What are the best sites for Fantasy Sports?
#1 FanDuel
FanDuel is one of the most popular fantasy sports sites, with millions of users and a user-friendly interface.
FanDuel offers a wide variety of fantasy sports, including football, baseball, basketball, and hockey.
One of the best features of FanDuel is their customer support; they offer phone and email support seven days a week.
FanDuel also offers sportsbetting.
#2 Yahoo! Fantasy Sports
Yahoo! Fantasy Sports is another popular fantasy sports site.
Yahoo! Fantasy Sports offers practically all fantasy sports.
One of the best features of Yahoo! Fantasy Sports is their live scoring feature, which allows fans to follow their team’s progress in real-time.
#3 ESPN Fantasy Sports
ESPN Fantasy Sports is another popular fantasy sports site, with millions of users and a user-friendly interface.
ESPN Fantasy Sports offers football, baseball, basketball, hockey, and more.
They also offer the ability to build your own bracket for the NCAA tournament and other special events.
One of the best features of ESPN Fantasy Sports is their “My Team” feature, which allows users to track all of their teams in one place.
#4 DraftKings
DraftKings is one of the most popular fantasy sports sites, and is a newer addition to the mix relative to the previous two.
One of the best features of DraftKings is their “Live Scoring” feature, which allows users to follow their team’s progress in real-time.
#5 CBS Sports Fantasy
CBS Sports Fantasy is another popular fantasy sports site, and has been around for more than 25 years.
One of the best features of CBS Sports Fantasy is their customer support.
What are the rules of Fantasy Football?
Fantasy football is a game in which fans draft, trade, and cut players as if they were real NFL team managers. Fans can follow their team’s progress through an online league standings page, and some leagues even offer cash prizes to the top-performing teams.
There are a few different ways to score points in fantasy football, but the most common method is to award points for each player’s statistical performance in a real-life NFL game.
For example, a player might earn six points for each touchdown they score, three points for each field goal they make, and so on.
Most fantasy football leagues have 10-12 teams, and each team has a set number of players (usually 16-20).
Each week, each team must “start” a certain number of players from their roster (usually eight), and the rest of the team’s players serve as backups.
If one of a team’s starters gets injured or has a poor statistical performance in a given week, the team can replace that player with a backup.
At the end of the fantasy football season, the team with the most points is declared the winner.
Some leagues also award prizes to the top-performing teams in each division, and some leagues even offer cash prizes to the top-performing teams.
What are the rules of Fantasy Baseball?
Fantasy baseball is a game in which fans draft, trade, and cut players as if they were real MLB team managers.
Fans can follow their team’s progress through an online league standings page, and some leagues even offer cash prizes to the top-performing teams.
There are a few different ways to score points in fantasy baseball, but the most common method is to award points for each player’s statistical performance in a real-life MLB game.
For example, a player might earn two points for each hit they get, four points for each home run they hit, and so on.
What are the rules of Fantasy Basketball?
Fantasy basketball is a game in which fans draft, trade, and cut players as if they were real NBA team managers.
Fans can follow their team’s progress through an online league standings page, and some leagues even offer cash prizes to the top-performing teams.
There are a few different ways to score points in fantasy basketball, but the most common method is to award points for each player’s statistical performance in a real-life NBA game.
For example, a player might earn one point for each free throw they make, two points for each field goal they make, and so on.
What are the rules of Fantasy Hockey?
Fantasy hockey is a game in which fans draft, trade, and cut players as if they were real NHL team managers.
Fans can follow their team’s progress through an online league standings page, and some leagues even offer cash prizes to the top-performing teams.
There are a few different ways to score points in fantasy hockey, but the most common method is to award points for each player’s statistical performance in a real-life NHL game.
For instance, a player might earn two points for each goal they score, one point for each assist they make, and so on.
Daily fantasy sports (DFS)
Daily fantasy sports (DFS) are a subset of fantasy sports games where participants assemble imaginary or virtual teams of real players from a professional sport’s league and compete based on the statistical performance of those players in actual games.
There are many different ways to score points in DFS, but the most common method is to award points for each player’s statistical performance in a real-life game.
For example, a player might earn two points for each goal they score, one point for each assist they make, and so on.
Most DFS games are played as “contests” with friends or strangers, with the winner taking home a prize of some kind (usually cash).
However, some DFS games can also be played for free.
How to play Fantasy Football
If you’re interested in playing fantasy football, there are a few things you’ll need to do first.
1. Choose a fantasy football league
There are many different types of leagues, so make sure you choose one that’s right for you.
For example, some leagues allow members to make trades during the season, while others don’t.
2. Draft your team
Once you’ve joined a league, it’s time to draft your team of NFL players.
Each league has its own rules for how this is done, but typically each team will take turns drafting players until they have a full roster.
3. Set your lineup
Each week, you’ll need to set your lineup of active players.
Again, the rules for this vary by league, but typically you’ll have to choose a certain number of players from each position (e.g., quarterback, Running back, wide receiver, etc.).
4. Follow your team’s progress
After you’ve set your lineup, all you can do is sit back and hope your team performs well in real-life NFL games.
You can track your team’s progress through an online standings page, and most leagues also hold a playoffs at the end of the season to determine a champion.
Which Fantasy Sport Is Right for You?
Now that you know a little bit more about the world of fantasy sports, it’s time to decide which one is right for you.
If you’re a fan of baseball, basketball, or football, then there’s almost certainly a fantasy league out there for you.
And if you’re looking for something a little different, there are also fantasy leagues for sports like NASCAR, golf, and even mixed martial arts.
No matter which sport you choose, playing fantasy can be a fun and exciting way to stay involved with your favorite team or players.
Conclusion
Whether you’re a die-hard sports fan or just looking for a fun and unique way to stay involved with your favorite team, playing fantasy sports is a great option.
There are many different types of fantasy leagues available, so you’re sure to find one that’s right for you.
And with so many different ways to score points, you can tailor the game to fit your own personal preferences.