How Fantasy Sports Platforms Are Bridging the Gap Between Betting and Gaming

Fantasy sports have been a staple as an entertainment activity for fans looking to get more out of the sports that they are passionate about.

It’s been around for decades, although it’s an activity that has continued to evolve with time and technology. One notable advancement is in terms of its availability, with platforms having been created with the advent of the internet that allow players to play daily.

As a result, this has seen these platforms begin to bridge the gap between betting and gaming with the activities that they offer.

What is fantasy sports gaming?

Fantasy sports gaming is considered a skill-based game. In its simplest form, players create teams based on the players or teams involved in the sport. They select the players they feel can earn them the most points and help them win contests against other competitors.

It’s an activity that can be enjoyed across many different sports because of its versatility. Punters in America will often engage in fantasy sports concerning American football, basketball, or baseball.

At the same time, Europeans will often engage in fantasy sports that are based on soccer due to the affinity that they have with that particular sport. Aussies who play the best online Australian pokies available may also engage in fantasy sports because of their availability, with sports like cricket and Australian Rules Football both being playable. These platforms often blend traditional gaming elements with modern features, creating a versatile space for entertainment.

However, it’s possible to argue that fantasy sports have become even bigger in the last couple of decades as they have become available daily. Players no longer had to wait and play on specific days when events took place with these versions. Platforms that were offering these types of games could create new games daily and use virtual methods to create outcomes, allowing players to play whenever they wanted.

Daily Fantasy Sports platforms created interest in sports betting

The rise of the daily version of this game can be argued to lend a hand to an increased interest in sports betting. This is perhaps evident in America, where sports betting has only become a legal activity across many states.

Given the nature of playing fantasy sports, it’s essentially the same as placing wagers on player prop bets. In the former, they will be betting on a player to be able to achieve a certain outcome without necessarily placing money on it. For instance, they will be more focused on picking the players that are going to score them the most points, whether that be touchdowns, home runs, scoring goals, etc.

In terms of sports betting, it’s almost the exact same type of activity. Players can now bet real money on whether the player that they select can achieve the type of outcome that they desire. However, in this instance, they can win the wager on this specific bet rather than requiring a points total that is higher than another player.

Rise of Sportsbooks offering both activities

With how blurred the lines between fantasy sports and sports betting have become, and the availability of the game as a daily activity, it’s no surprise that some of the top sportsbooks have decided to incorporate it as an offering.

There have even been some businesses that started out as daily fantasy sports entities that have turned into sports betting platforms because of the similarities that the two activities share. 

Technology has allowed this to happen, as it has been able to combine many aspects to enhance both activities. For instance, the availability of live real-time data has allowed fans to wager on certain outcomes as they happen, while they can also make decisions for their fantasy teams based on information that is accurate and timely.

Integration of social elements bridges the gap between gaming and betting

The social aspects and elements of both have helped to bridge the gap between both activities even further in recent years, especially with the help of technology.

Players and punters can use social media to share ideas, debate strategies and create discussions about the different aspects of each activity. As they can share data and information easily and with a larger pool of people, it has helped to enhance the experience of both pastimes.

In the past, fantasy sports could be seen as an activity that was as much about sociability as it was about winning. Players would often compete in leagues against those they knew—work colleagues, family, friends, etc. Now, with the availability of the Internet, the two activities have become blurred together as a wider community has been created.

Final Thoughts

While fantasy sports and betting have been separate entities for several decades, the two have been merging together with each year that passes.

The former of the two has arguably had a huge influence on how sports betting operates, with it arguably making the latter more accessible.