Fantasy football has been around since the 1970’s and millions in the UK play the game today. But did you know that you can bet on fantasy football too? An increasing number of operators offer players the chance to win real money from selecting football players from different leagues and tournaments. This guide covers everything you need to know about fantasy football betting, including the top sites.
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Bet £20 and Get it Back if it Loses
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Although it’s not as popular as betting on football matches, fantasy football betting is gaining momentum. The concept is relatively simple to understand. With most operators, players can enter a pool market, with winners claiming the prize fund. Fantasy football tournaments can take place over the entire season or just a single day. Punters pick their squad from real life professional players, whether it be a midfielder from Manchester United, striker from Chelsea or goalkeeper from Liverpool. This can be from an entire league or tournament, specific gameweek or from an individual match.
Before you get involved in fantasy football betting, it is important to understand exactly how a fantasy football game works:
Creating a fantasy football account is a simple task. The process is similar to when registering at betting sites. You must enter your personal details, including full name, email address and date of birth. New customers should also consider any promo code that may be needed for free bet stakes or welcome offers at this stage, with a first bet sometimes seeing punters qualify for such rewards. It may also be required that new customers upload a form of identification. Once your account has been verified, you will be free to start creating your fantasy football team.
Before you can consider winning cash prizes, it is important to understand the rules at fantasy football betting sites. The rules can differ between betting sites, however players will generally have a strict budget when selecting their team. Having selected your team, points will be awarded based on how your players perform in real life matches. Points are awarded for a goal being scored, a clean sheet and assists. Players can also receive negative points for picking up yellow and red cards, as well as scoring an own goal or missing a penalty. Points earned will ultimately determine who wins real money prizes.
There are many factors to consider when selecting your fantasy football team. Because of budgets, it is not possible to simply select the most expensive players. So, users must select players with a range of prices and abilities. There are a number of platforms offering fantasy football tips, so be sure to do your research. Players must take into account injuries, suspensions and form when picking their team.
There are a number of reasons as to why fantasy football betting has become so popular. The following are the main advantages of fantasy sports betting sites:
1. Firstly, fantasy sports is often seen as a more enjoyable alternative to sports betting available at a sportsbook or bookmakers. This is especially true for those with an in-depth knowledge of football, with a fantasy football league requiring excellent attention to detail to win.
2. Meanwhile, prizes can sometimes be won without even depositing money. Alternatively, fantasy football betting sites also cater for those looking to win big from small stakes.
3. Those involved in fantasy football betting are rewarded for their expert knowledge of teams and players. Whether it be Fantasy Premier League (FPL) or other leagues, players are aiming to collect the highest number of points possible. Therefore, many regard this form of betting as requiring more skill.
4. Fantasy football is perfect for those who enjoy the experience of simulating real life events. Picking a team of well-known professionals is hugely enjoyable. The potential rewards also warrant the time required to sit at the top of leaderboards.
Fantasy football betting and betting with traditional bookies is very different. Although there may appear to be many similarities, it is important to understand how the two differ. While both generally require some investment in order to claim rewards, fantasy football betting will normally involve a mix of pool betting and spread betting. Meanwhile, some fantasy football betting sites will give players the chance to place sportsbook bets too, while the same can be said vice-versa in some cases.
The best fantasy football betting sites offer a variety of leagues and tournaments. As a result, those signing up and wagering at the start of the season or on a particular gameweek or matchday have a host of options. Markets are created by the operators themselves or between players, with some offering free to play competitions too. All in all, those signing up at fantasy football betting sites can expect to come across the following tournament types:
Weekly Tournaments – Perfect for those looking to play over a short period of time. Such tournaments involve a particular series of fixtures, normally one round of matches from the Premier League game or other events. Players can create a new team each week if they wish.
Season Tournaments – The most common type of fantasy football betting is done over an entire season. Teams can be edited during the season, however the winners will only be determined once all fixtures are complete. This is normally where the largest prize pools will be on offer.
Player Tournaments – Some operators also offer player markets. Here, customers bet on the player they believe will score the greatest amount of points in a particular week. Those backing an outsider can win significant amounts of cash. As with all tournaments, points are awarded based on goals, assists, clean sheets and other factors.
Football betting offers will often be offered in an attempt to attract new players to fantasy sports. Full T&C’s apply, however a qualifying bet or deposit will normally be needed. However, such offers may not be what you are used to if you have previously bet with traditional bookies. Bonuses can offer entry into daily fantasy sports tournaments, which acts in a similar way to free bets. Meanwhile, others will have referral schemes in play, with a bonus being earned when bringing a friend to the fantasy football betting site.
However, in order to ensure that players gamble responsibly, limits are likely to be in play. Meanwhile, some fantasy sports tournaments will require a bet of over a certain amount to be eligible. So, be sure to take into account the deposit and withdrawal limits set by such operators, with the following table outlining just how our recommended fantasy football betting sites perform in this area:
Operator | Min deposit | Max deposit | Min withdraw | Max withdraw |
Paddy Power | £5 | £770-£100,000 | £0.10 | £20,000-£100,000 |
Footstock | £10 | n/a | £15 | £5,000 |
Tonybet | £5 | £200 per day | £10 | £5,000 |
Sportito | £10 | n/a | £10 | n/a |
FanTeam | £10 | £250 | £5 | n/a |
There are no guarantees when it comes to fantasy football betting. While there are a host of so-called experts, following these simple guidelines will help in giving you the best possible chance of finishing at the top of leaderboards:
If fantasy sports is not your thing, then fear not. We have a host of other betting guides available surrounding the beautiful game. So, be sure to check out the football betting guides below in order to give yourself the best possible chance of beating the bookies.
Having read our fantasy football betting guide, you should have a much clearer understanding of how it works. If you are tempted by what you have read, be sure to check out our recommended new betting sites, with all being safe, entertaining and potentially rewarding. The scene is growing at a rapid rate, with more and more players hoping to win money by picking their favourite pros. There is nothing more satisfying than finding yourself at the top of a leaderboard at the end of a matchday or entire season.
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Yes. Each of our recommended operators offers real money rewards for those successful at fantasy football. Prizes range, however the potential winnings will suit both beginners and experienced players.
Some betting sites offer free entry into fantasy football tournaments. However, generally speaking, players must deposit funds of their own in order to be in a position to win cash prizes.
Yes. All of our recommended platforms work well on mobile browsers. Meanwhile, some offer dedicated apps.
No! American sports including the NFL and NBA are popular fantasy betting sports, while golf is another popular option for players.
Points are awarded for a number of reasons. Appearances, scoring a goal, providing an assist, and keeping a clean sheet are the most common
The same as those operating with traditional bookies, players in the UK must be aged 18 or over in order to sign up at fantasy football betting sites.