Why the world is so obsessed with fantasy sports
Fantasy sports like Fantasy Football, baseball, hockey, and even NASCAR were first released in the noughties and have since grown to have a market value of more than $3 billion. What’s more, experts predict that this total will grow further as a result of our move towards an ever more digital society and as technology becomes more sophisticated and accessible. But why exactly have fantasy sports become so popular, and what does the future hold? We’ve taken a deep dive into fantasy sports to try and find out just that.
What are fantasy sports?
Put simply, they’re games that take place online and between friends. Participants create their own sports teams with real-world athletes, manage their teams throughout the season, and even trade real players between each other in order to try and get to the top of the leaderboard. Their scores depend on the players’ successes or failures in the ongoing season of their chosen sport, and the games are either played out over the entire season or every day in daily fantasy sports.
The games can also conclude with a predetermined winning pot that’s made up of entry fees. It puts strategic thinking skills to the test as well as tests the participants’ knowledge of the players’ skills, any injuries and the competency of the coach. This is an especially enjoyable part as it can be a way to demonstrate expertise and discuss the nuances and finer details of the game.
Why are fantasy sports so popular?
The prospect of choosing from millions of players from all over the world, and crafting a team that can top the league, is of course exciting to sports fans who know and care about existing teams and players. Also, everyone starts with the same points, so each participant has a chance at winning.
Add in the opportunity to win a cash prize, and it’s not hard to see exactly why fantasy sports are so popular. The fantasy sports industry appears to have been influenced by the online casino industry in this respect, as bonuses, such as a £200 welcome offer, are now a standard expectation from casino players.
Taking the example of successful casinos such as Casumo, Genesis, and 888Casino and applying it to the fantasy sports sector has attracted new players as well as incentivized returning players to keep interacting with it. This is another reason why fantasy sports are so popular.
So, what’s next?
As the number of fans increases in fantasy sports, it’s expected that the industry and service offering will grow too. Many are speculating that media companies in the UK will enter the fantasy landscape, in a similar way that they’ve already done with gambling and betting. Plus, VR technology is said to be on the horizon as game manufacturers seek to keep up with the trends that are set to manifest in 2022.
One thing’s for sure, the sector offers a huge amount of potential for gamers, manufacturers, the media, and casinos alike.
