Making the transition from traditional betting formats to fantasy basketball wagering doesn’t have to be a daunting task. When old-school bettors hear the words “fantasy sports” used in the same sentence, they seem to turn their focus on what moneyline or point spread wager they can make next. However several online fantasy sports wagering sites — including leaders DraftKings and FanDuel — are turning even the conventional bettors into believers.
Regardless if you’re looking for a one-day league to score on a few short-term payouts, or a more complex league that may require longer-term commitment, DraftKings and FanDuel have you covered.
Much like any online sportsbook, the signup process for the DraftKings and Fanduel is seamless. All that is required is a valid email address and a secure password to protect your account.
From there, you’re ready to join millions of people compete for fantasy sports supremacy.
Fantasy Basketball Tips
Once you’re signed into your account, the real work begins.
First and foremost, it’s crucial to prepare for your upcoming draft. Unlike other fantasy sports, it may require a little extra work when competing in a basketball league. Do you bite the bullet and take a pure shooter like Stephen Curry in the opening round or do you play it safe by selecting LeBron James, who not only scores, but adds other key stat categories such as rebounds and assists.
Your decision will depend on the scoring format of your league. A rotisserie league — the most common way to play fantasy basketball — ranks teams from first to last in each statistical category, making your top draft picks integral.
Russell Westbrook of the OKC Thunder is the No. 1 ranked player in many online fantasy basketball leagues — an for good reason. Westbrook consistently finds himself at the top of many categories each season, including points per game and assists, making the all-star guard a valuable fantasy basketball commodity.
Field goal percentage is another crucial stat category to keep a close watch on. Golden State Warriors all-star forward Kevin Durant is a player worth taking in the early stages as he consistently finds himself among the league leaders in field goal percentage.
Fantasy Basketball Tools
Doing your pre-draft homework is only the beginning of what will help make your fantasy basketball team a successful one.
Once you’ve put together the exact lineup you want, it’s time to manage your club on a weekly basis in order to keep your team as competitive as possible right from opening tipoff. Not every player you draft will live up to your expectations, so eventually, you’ll have some tough decisions to make.
When you’re ready to make a drop, tailor your searches that will help you find the most recent productive players. You can also narrow searches down to specific stats you need help in to strengthen your chances of coming out on top.
The more research you do throughout the season, the greater your chances are on winning your respective fantasy league. Follow and keep track of transaction trends — a tool that keeps you informed in the most added and dropped players throughout the year.
The injury bug or player suspension is something you’re more than likely to face during a season. There’s no need to panic, especially considering many online fantasy websites allot a specific amount of injured reserve spots on your roster. Take advantage of those extra spots by placing your injured player on IR and picking up another player on the waiver wire.
Are you ready to embark on a fantasy sports betting journey? Follow these steps and the transition from traditional wagering to fantasy sports betting should be a seamless process.