The lines between sports betting and daily fantasy sports are blurring, and it’s making it harder for bettors to know where they stand. As the names suggest, sports betting refers to wagering on the outcome of an athletic competition. It’s a widely accepted fact that the most popular sport among American bettors is baseball, followed by football and then basketball. As more and more people are getting involved in bets on all sports, the industry has boomed.
Though there’s a lot of overlap between these two wagering platforms, there are key differences that separate them. So, it’s imperative that you know the key differences if you want to succeed as a sports bettor. Here are some of the main points of interest:
Difference In Structure
You probably know what daily fantasy sports are: it’s a game where you choose a team of athletes you think will score the most points in a given sports game. You then follow their performance throughout the season and, at the end, you calculate the outcome of your wagers. The point of this game is to try and predict the outcome of a given season’s worth of games.
However, traditional sports betting is much more structured. You make your picks before a game even starts and, as a result, you know whether or not your wagers will succeed. There’s also a lot more strategy involved in sports betting. While you don’t need to have a crystal ball to succeed, you do need to have a decent understanding of the sport you’re betting on. This is because you can’t simply guess which team will win a game. You need to back this up with facts and figures. For example, when you wager on the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series, you’re effectively placing a bet on which team will win the World Series.
Key Difference In Goals
The main difference between sports betting and daily fantasy sports relates to the goal of each game. When you wager on sports, your goal is to guess which teams will win. When you bet on the outcome of a game, you’re literally playing the game itself. In other words, you’re staking your own money and hoping for the best. This is something that will likely bring a smile to the face of every professional poker player. Though there’s a distinct professional feel to sports gambling, it’s still all about money and having fun.
On the other hand, daily fantasy sports aim to predict the winner of an entire sports season. This means you’re not just picking a single game, but you’re wagering on whether or not an entire team will accomplish what it sets out to do. Your goal is to pick a squad that will compile the highest numerical score at the end of the season. Though this sounds like a lot of work, it also affords you the thrill of seeing your picks come true. Just ask those who enjoy playing daily fantasy football. Unfortunately, there are also those who get hurt by betting on daily fantasy sports, just like there are with any other game of chance. Just remember, the more you understand the risks the more you’ll understand why it’s not for everyone.
As you might imagine, there are a lot of similarities between sports betting and daily fantasy sports. The biggest difference is in the structure of each game. As a general rule, you shouldn’t expect too much from a game that lasts only two hours. However, if you’re looking for a game that you can play on your mobile device and that doesn’t require a lot of luck, look no further – this is the perfect game for you.