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What to Consider When Choosing a Daily Fantasy Site

Daily fantasy sports have become an established part of the sports landscape across the United States. Thanks to legislative changes made specifically for the games, players in most of the country can play daily fantasy with the confidence that the contests are legal and well-regulated. 

There are a handful of companies at the very top of the daily fantasy industry that count the vast majority of the player base as customers.

The growing number of daily fantasy sites is fantastic news for players, with many offering bonuses for opening an account and playing real-money contests. But that means that choosing daily fantasy sites in the US can be tricky.

We at Gambling.com want to help you become an expert. If you want to find the site that’s perfect for you, we suggest reviewing our top picks using the following criteria. 

Finding Your Game Type

Each Daily Fantasy site offers a few options in terms of the type of contest you can play. Understanding the contest types provided is essential for players interested in either playing in a large field or leaning more towards head-to-head matchups common in other fantasy sports.

• Head-to-Head: This contest features you against one other opponent; your lineup is assembled and played against a single lineup, similar to the familiar fantasy sports layout.
• 50/50 or Double Up Games: Those interested in favorable odds will enjoy this contest, featuring your lineup playing against a large group of opponents to finish in the top half. These contests can also feature double-ups, triple-ups, etc., meaning you win a specific amount based on the percentile of the group you fall in.
• Multipliers: Similar to 50/50, these larger contests guarantee winners multiply their entry fee by a specified amount.
• Guaranteed Prize Pools (GPP): Like 50/50 games, GPPs feature anywhere from 10 to thousands per contest, but instead of offering payouts for the top half of the field, GPPs’ payouts heavily lean towards the top percentage of the field, featuring larger payouts if you can reach the top ten.
• Beginner Games: With Daily Fantasy being a relatively new addition to fantasy sports and having a plethora of beginners, most sites offer Beginner Games. These contests typically feature a higher salary cap for everyone involved to build more favorable teams and only include newcomers to the site. The payouts are lower, but can be a valuable way to learn the game with little risk.
• Qualifiers: These are contests with small entry fees; prizes include free entry into higher-stakes tournaments.
• Freerolls: These are free-to-play games where entry tickets to other games on the site are on the line, not cash.

What Contest Styles are Offered?

Daily fantasy sport sites offer different styles for each type of contest. The most common style is salary cap games, but other formats are offered, with some familiar formats to other fantasy sports.

• Season-Long Fantasy Leagues: While not strictly daily, season-long fantasy leagues allow participants to draft teams at the beginning of a sports season and compete against other participants over the course of the season. However, daily and weekly contests within season-long leagues are also becoming more common.
• Pick 'Em: Pick 'Em games require the user to pick over/under a player's projected total, such as Patrick Mahomes Over/Under 280.5 Passing Yards. These are available for a wide range of sports, including but not limited to football, basketball, baseball, hockey, and golf. This diversity allows players to engage with their favorite sports or explore new ones.

Consider the Markets Available

Traditional fantasy contests in America span popular sports, so all fans can find a game to enjoy. Daily fantasy competitions exist for all of those sports and more: 

• NFL
• MLB
• NBA
• NHL
• Golf
• Soccer
• NASCAR
• MMA
• Canadian Football
• League of Legends

Pay attention to when games are held for the sport you’re interested in. For example, for the NFL, that’s Sundays, Mondays, and Thursdays. For the NBA, Wednesday is a busy gameday.

Assess your bankroll and find the site with the most tournaments that offer buy-ins consistent with your budget. Consider guaranteed prize pools and the number of active players as well.

Budgets

Budgets or salary caps vary by DFS site. Bigger budgets typically give you more flexibility, so casual players will often do better when they have more money to spend.

If you like to spend big, go for a site with a large budget. In contrast, if you feel you have a greater edge working with a tighter budget where every cent counts, go for that.

Bonuses & Rewards

The best DFS sites offer new users a welcome offer that typically includes bonus cash, free tournament entries, freerolls, or another sign-up promotion.

Additionally, you’ll find deposit bonuses, freerolls, free games, guaranteed prize pools, jackpot games, and loyalty rewards. 

Most Daily Fantasy sites offer a loyalty point system and special free game offers. Sites offer a loyalty points system for returning players who frequently compete. The points can be used to play games, purchase items at the site’s shop, or reduce game fees.

Based on your experience level, look for a site that suits you best:

New users or small-stakes players should look for a site with a generous welcome offer and plenty of freerolls.

Experienced users should find a platform with large deposit bonuses, prize pools, or jackpot tournaments.

Drafting & Lineups

The draft is where a tournament is won and lost. You need to find the site that works best for your tactics and experience. The more experienced you are, the more flexibility you’ll want.

If you want more flexibility, opt for a site that offers Flex and Utility spots. If you’re a new user, find a site that’s a little more general so that small mistakes don’t equate to significant losses.

Remember that some sites will require entries to have players representing multiple teams.

Scoring

Like drafting, all sites score player moves differently. In general, you should look for the sites that don’t negatively score missed shots. If you’re a novice, look for a simple scoring system that doesn’t offer too many points. Always check your site to make sure you know the rules before entering, because scoring rules are not universal. 

Choosing a Platform to Play

Like most fantasy sports formats, Daily Fantasy sites understand the importance of instant, convenient access, given the constant changes in athletics. Whether it is injury updates or lineup changes, players need access to their lineups at all times to ensure they are fielding the best team available. 

So, Daily Fantasy sites have embraced the world of mobile apps. Almost all sites offer a smartphone app alongside their desktop versions, which still provide a robust, in-depth experience.

What is Rake?

Understanding how daily fantasy sites make money is vital for players. Many sites accumulate fees, known as "the rake," for hosting the contest. 

It's essential to pay attention to the site's rake and whether it offers any rake-back deals. This can affect your overall earnings and should be factored into your decision-making.