daily fantasy sports articles

Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) is a hugely popular pastime for the ease in which new players can jump right into the action. It’s a simple concept to pick a handful of favourite players within the salary cap and watch them play.

However, if you want to start putting your own hard-earned money into playing DFS, and have an expectation of winning, then you’ll want to read on! Here’s five top mistakes that new players make when they play daily fantasy sports.

1) Failing to do Basic Research

Basic research is often the difference between winning and losing players in DFS. It’s very tempting just to start clicking buttons without looking any deeper into the reasons behind your selections. However it only takes a moment to search on Google or Twitter for team news, or look on Daily Fantasy Rankings for data and projections, to help you avoid making poor selections in your lineups. It only takes one injured player to ruin your team entirely!

We understand that sometimes we’re all a bit time poor, but it’s important to allow some time for research, follow expert analysis, and stay up-to-date with the latest news before making your DFS lineups.

2) Tunnel Vision

Many new players will be fixated upon one player or team when constructing multiple lineups which can sometimes lead to disaster.

Try and avoid being biased towards the team you support. We know you love your team, but DFS is a place for clear, unbiased views so don’t let your team allegiance affect your decision making!

Also don’t get caught up in the media hype over any one particular player. Putting all your eggs in one basket is a dangerous DFS play, and if a player is over-hyped or has a high profile in the media, it’s probably a good spot to go against the field. We don’t always have to “eat the chalk” in DFS!

Being open to different selections and plays that might feel unusual is often a good way to find an edge over your opponents.

3) Understand the Points Format and Payout Structure

Again, it’s quite easy to just click buttons and select players in DFS without putting proper thought into why you are doing so. Just because a player is a star of a sport doesn’t always translate to optimal fantasy scoring or value as a DFS selection. You need to understand the rules of the contest you’re entering, including the points scoring and payout structure, before jumping in.

If a contest has a top-heavy payout structure, or is a winner-takes-all qualifier, you’ll want to find players who have high ceiling scores at low ownership. It’s a high variance play, but the right approach when the payouts are weighted towards the top. If you’re in a cash game or 50/50 type contest, then consistent scorers with high floors might be a better option.

4) Bankroll Management

There is a skill element to daily fantasy sports, but playing for money does still involve financial risk. If you’re a casual player, then only play with what you are prepared to lose.

If you’re looking to advance your game from a casual to intermediate level, then bankroll management is a vital skill to learn. To play more professionally, then set aside a bankroll that you use exclusively for DFS. Set a budget and be prepared to move down in stakes to preserve your bankroll and build confidence during a downswing. If you only use a small percentage of your bankroll at any one time, and only gradually increase your stakes as your skill and bankroll improves, then it will go a long way to ensure you remain a profitable DFS player.

5) Stick With What You Know

Draftstars offer a wide range of sports and contests, from AFL, NRL and NBA, to Golf, Formula 1 and Horse Racing. It’s a lot of fun to think we can just swing at every sport and win loads of money. It’s not quite that easy.

To start with, focus on one sport that you have intimate knowledge of. This will help you find your feet and get used to the nuisances of fantasy scoring and format of contests.

Once you see some success, then you can look to venture into different sports and apply some of the concepts you’ve learned.

Patience + Discipline = Success!

By taking your time and being disciplined enough to avoid the common pitfalls of new players, you’ll soon be able to progress from a beginner to a profitable player. No matter how much you think you know about a sport, jumping into daily fantasy sports is a different beast! There’s lots of fun ahead, so put the right processes in place from the start and as your skills and knowledge grows, so will your bankroll! Good luck!