It’s a great time to be a sports fan, and even better for those who like to have a little money on a game. As more and more legal sportsbooks come online across the US, sports betting is booming. For those who were already participating in the massive daily fantasy sports (DFS) industry, it’s another added arrow in the quiver.
The number of people who take part in either sports betting or DFS is nothing short of staggering. On the sports betting side, the estimate is well over 100 million when you factor in all forms of sports betting. As for daily fantasy sports, the number has been pegged at north of 50 million.
So which of the two is the better choice? Which one has the potential for more profit? Does one offer any clear advantages over the other? Should you just shrug your shoulders and play both? We’ll dive in and answer those questions right here.
In its simplest form, sports betting revolves around picking the winner of a game or an event. Sportsbooks will release odds for all games they choose to, and bettors can then make their selections from there.
That’s the simple explanation, but there’s a whole lot more to it. Success in sports betting revolves around making the correct calls (and avoiding big sports betting mistakes), but there’s also the little matter of playing against the house.
In terms of fantasy sports, its roots can be traced back for decades. Early incarnations of fantasy football and baseball have been played as far back as the 1960s. By the latter part of the 2000s, daily fantasy sports made its debut and the story of its rise is nothing short of remarkable.
What started as a niche pursuit for smaller entities has evolved into big business with major companies leading the way. DraftKings has emerged as the market leader in terms of users and prize pools, while FanDuel is firmly entrenched as number two.
DFS differs from standard fantasy sports in a couple of different ways. For starters, DFS games revolve around just a single slate of games as opposed to the entire season’s worth. You can also build out a lineup of anyone you want in daily fantasy sports, provided you stay within the confines of the salary cap for the contest, that is. In standard fantasy games, you build your daily lineups solely from players on your roster, which you manage for the full season.
As for the contests and matchups, both DFS and traditional fantasy are user vs. user (rather than against the house). Many standard fantasy leagues have head to head games, and that’s part of DFS too, but there are also bigger DFS contests to play in that attract thousands of other players.
As with sports betting, there’s both a skill and luck element involved. There are high-level DFS players who have honed their skills and can put together the lineups that consistently back it up. However, just like with sports betting, no amount of research or skill can predict exactly what is going to happen once the games begin.
That said, it’s certainly possible to become a winning and profitable player in both pastimes.
There are a wide range of bet types that you can place, ranging from those that are super simple to ones that are a bit more complex. Here’s a quick run through of the main bet types you’ll come across.
You’ll be able to place all of the bet types above and more at legal TN online sportsbooks. Additionally, be on the lookout for bonuses and incentives which afford you the chance to employ a strategy known as matched betting. In a nutshell, that means you’re trying to lock in a profit while reducing risk thanks to the offers you’re taking advantage of.
At most online sportsbooks in Tennessee, you’ll find a wide range of sports offered up for betting, from the Big 4 (football, basketball, baseball, hockey) to college football/basketball, NASCAR, golf, and sports in between. But it can also reach much deeper than that, from international soccer leagues to darts and rugby.
These are the major sports leagues you’ll be able to bet on.
If it’s a big game or event, you won’t have any trouble finding odds at TN online sportsbooks. Among the niche sports available, you’ll likely find:
As a general rule, if it’s a game or event that’ll attract at least a decent amount of interest, then you should be able to find odds for it at TN sportsbooks.
As the daily fantasy sports industry has continued to grow, so too have the different ways you can play. There are simple head-to-head matchups, massive tournaments, and many different options in between. Here’s a glance at the most popular game types.
At the biggest and most popular DFS sites you’ll find all of the above game types.
Similar to sports betting, it’s the biggest games and events which really move the needle for DFS. Here are the most popular attractions on the menu.
DFS games are also offered for other popular sports. Those in this category certainly have loyal and passionate players, but not quite to the level of those up above.
It wasn’t too long ago that daily fantasy sports solely revolved around the major North American team sports. Today, the menu has many more choices for players to consider.
Yes, it’s completely legal to play DFS in Tennessee. The legality of DFS on the federal level has been subject to question, and there are still a handful of states which prohibit the practice. The Volunteer State enacted legislation specific to DFS in 2016.
In short, DFS is an enjoyable pastime in which you can generate profits, and there are a number of different ways to play and get involved. However, it’s not as simple as logging in and picking the players you like. The world of DFS is a competitive one, and it can be very research intensive to boot.
Sports betting continues to surge in popularity, and it’s not too hard to figure out why. You can earn some money off of rooting interests, and learning how to handicap isn’t as tough as it may seem. However, actually turning a profit over the long haul is a lot more challenging than that. Oddsmakers are very good at what they do, and there’s simply no way to make the right call every time.
At the top level, DFS and sports betting are similar pursuits. In both cases, you’re putting money at stake in hopes of generating even more. However, there are also distinct differences that you need to factor into the equation.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the biggest points of variation between the two pursuits.
Item | DFS | Sports Betting |
---|---|---|
Playing field | Can be as simple as head-to-head, but also much larger for GPPs and other contests | You vs. the sportsbook |
Results based on | Individual player performance | Team-based, but also based on players via props and individual sports |
Research/Handicapping | Can be labor intensive, but there are resources to lean on to cut down on time | Slightly more streamlined as you're worried about overall results as opposed to fantasy scores |
Competition level | High. GPPs attract massive amounts of users, and other game types can be filled with pros | Very challenging. Oddsmakers at sportsbooks are quite talented |
Profit potential | Varies. Possible to generate consistent returns on 50/50s and other games, but nailing high finishes in GPP is tough and far from something you can rely on | Takes time to generate consistent returns, and it can be a grind to do so. Big scores possible from parlays and other bet types, but most returns are smaller than that |
While there are a number of differences to consider between DFS and sports betting, there’s also a good amount of crossover appeal. Here are some of the most notable similarities to keep in mind.
Understanding the differences and similarities for DFS and sports betting can help you make a much more informed decision between the two, but you’ll also find that there’s room for both in your overall strategy.
Sports betting and DFS are two incredibly popular ways to get even closer to the games that you love. Even better, there’s a chance for you to earn some profits along the way.
While you can certainly have a preference between the two, the reality is that there’s a lot of crossover appeal. As such, it can make tons of sense to incorporate both of them into your overall wagering strategy.
In fact, while doing research for both, you may come across nuggets of intel that you may not have spotted if you were solely focused on one over the other. That only makes the time spent researching and handicapping all the more valuable.
DFS and sports betting may be different approaches for getting to the same endpoint, but they are also closely intertwined.