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The UK’s relationship with betting on sports is one of the most established in the world with regulations allowing operators to provide extensive markets for all sporting events.
Betting expert and senior sports editor Ian Bruce has explored the best bookies in the UK to help consumers choose safe betting sites online and has discovered a variety of specialist markets for sports fans. For example, being able to place bets on your favourite sports teams is relatively simple, but finding the best odds for in-play betting can inject an additional element of excitement into a sporting event. Betting sites that also offer cashing-out options give the bettor more choice.
On the other hand, fantasy leagues are also popular among armchair sports fans who fancy their knowledge against other amateur competitors. But a new option appears to be growing traction among UK sports fans in the shape of daily fantasy sports.
What is Daily Fantasy Sports?
Daily fantasy sports, often referred to as DFS, is similar to fantasy games but is typically played over a shorter period with winners receiving a dividend from a pre-determined prize fund.
These paid competitions are structured in a way that allows competitors to compete over a week, weekend, or day of competition with players building teams under a certain value or salary cap with points earned based on real-life statistical performances.
DFS is well established in the U.S. and has been able to work between betting regulations by describing itself as a game of skill rather than chance. DFS games have been established in most minor and major league sports in the United States.
The popularity of DFS lies in the combination of competition and immersive gaming experience that puts players in control of picking teams and lineups based on form, ability, and team knowledge.
How does Daily Fantasy Sports Differ from Traditional Sports Betting and Fantasy Leagues?
Sports betting markets are relatively straightforward with bettors wagering on a specific outcome. Bets can be as simple as one team beating another or more complex by predicting certain statistics like how many goals will be scored in a football game or how many yellow cards will be issued.
Bettors can create accumulators to improve overall odds with winnings running onto consecutive bets. UK bookmakers create special odds for selections with related contingencies. For example, a first goalscorer correct score double would be a related contingency bet because if a player scores a goal, it means the chances of a certain score will be more likely. In this case, bookmakers will offer one specially created price, rather than the two original prices.
Sports betting in the UK will typically be defined by set odds that can change depending on different factors that affect the match. Some betting markets are parimutuel where the total bet on the event creates a prize pot after fees are removed, this is then split among the winners.
Fantasy sports will usually be set over a season and allow players to pick teams and make transfers throughout the year. Players earn points in a variety of ways with winners earning the highest amount of points by the season’s end. Players can play for free or enter competitions to compete for grand prizes.
DFS works as a shorter-term combination of both with parimutuel payment dividends based on what has been placed on the defined period. It offers more involvement for sports fans than traditional sports betting and shorter-term options than fantasy sports.
What Sports Will UK Players be able to choose from in DFS?
Daily Fantasy Sports have been available in the UK for around a decade, and while they have not achieved the same popularity as they have in America, the UK is starting to get more involved in the statistical side of sports, resulting in more interest.
