Fantasy sports attracts 56 million players and earns $1.5 billion in revenue annually. Given its large market size and popularity, it’s no surprise that fans often associate it with sports betting, an equally massive and more popular sector. Are the two markets related? Is fantasy football a form of sports betting, and is it legal where you live? Below, we explore the relationship between fantasy sports and online sports betting.
What is fantasy football?
Fantasy football is a type of fantasy sport. In fantasy sports, players create and manage virtual teams comprising players from real leagues. The performance of these virtual teams follows the real-world performances of the individual players that make up the team in their professional leagues. Virtual teams can compete against each other in daily matches or throughout entire seasons, coinciding with their real-world counterparts.
Is fantasy football sports betting?
Not technically. Although fantasy football involves some form of hedging (using stats and previous performance to pick the players to add to your team), it differs from placing a Betway sports bet on an actual match. Sports betting is a form of wagering that allows you to predict the outcome of matches, leagues, and tournaments.
When you place a sports bet on a platform like Betway, you put money on an assumed outcome based on what you know about a team and its players. It sounds very similar to fantasy sports, except in this case, the games are real-world matches happening in real-time.
Is it legal to bet on fantasy football games in the US?
Yes, and it depends. Fantasy football and fantasy football betting pools are legal under the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 because the federal government considers them games of skill, not luck. Fantasy football also doesn’t involve real money- players earn points- which means it is not a gambling activity.
However, different states have different attitudes towards fantasy sports. Check your local laws to determine if playing fantasy sports in your state is legal.
Where can you bet on regular sports?
Sports betting, on the other hand, is legal in multiple US states. If it is legal where you live, you can access betting lines and markets through regulated online sportsbooks like Betway. These sportsbooks are licensed and reviewed by international regulatory bodies to ensure data privacy and safety as you place bets online.
While they’re usually not limited to one sport, football betting remains the most popular form of sports betting on most platforms. You can bet on local games, college leagues, international tournaments, friendly matches, and more.
Wrapping up: Is fantasy football better than sports betting?
There’s no way to answer that because fantasy football and sports betting are different activities. It all depends on how you like participating in your favorite sports. If you enjoy storytelling and roleplay, you may enjoy putting together and managing a fantasy sports team. If you love crunching numbers and making predictions, sports betting platforms like Betway offer odds, stats, betting markets, and everything you need to wager on your favorite teams and players. Pick the activity that excites you, or try both!
