Getting Into Online Fantasy Sports

By Rich Calder

Over the past decade, more and more diehard sports fans have come to love playing online fantasy sports and getting into the thrills, headaches, heartaches and pace of managing their own teams.

For fantasy league play, reliable internet is especially important—and nothing beats speedy fiber optic service, with plenty of bandwidth, so all the members of your household can be online at the same time. There’s nothing more frustrating while playing fantasy sports than trying to make a last-minute roster change before first pitch or opening kickoff, only to have the website or app you’re using freeze because of a bad connection.

How did fantasy sports start?

In 1979, Daniel Okrent was widely credited with developing a novel idea that tied his love for baseball with the thrill of competition—and winning some cash.

Okrent and a group of fellow sportswriters met in New York City for an inaugural “draft,” where they took turns choosing Major League Baseball players to fill out a roster of outfielders, pitchers and other positions. Each participant shelled out a $250 league entrance fee. Home runs, batting average and other stats of each MLB player they chose, compiled over a season, determined top finishers, who split the prize money.

They dubbed the game “Rotisserie League Baseball” after La Rotisserie Française, the French eatery where the first player draft was held. Over the years, similar “fantasy leagues” popped up—including for other sports like football, basketball and hockey.

How does fantasy sports work?

Although rules differ league to league—and sport to sport—the concept is pretty much the same.

Participants coach virtual teams of real pro sports players, and outcomes of games are based on top statistical performances. And like real sports, team owners can draft, trade and cut players.

You can run a league with a group of friends. Or you can use various platforms to join leagues on your own. In group leagues, a commissioner is usually tapped to run the show.

Winners can win cash prizes and, just as important, secure bragging rights at least until the following season.

Through the 1980s and early 1990s, fantasy sports coaches and commissioners had to track down player statistics on their own—typically through newspaper box scores—and calculate league scores themselves.

However, the internet’s growth simplified participation and mainstreamed fantasy sports, making it the multibillion-dollar industry it is today.

Fantasy sports sites like CBS Sports and ESPN operate leagues where pro players’ stats are instantaneously calculated to keep track of winners and losers in a given contest.

Do you have to be a sports expert to enjoy and succeed in fantasy sports?

Knowledge is power, and thanks to the internet, there are many ways to get information.

Yahoo! Sports, ESPN, The Sporting News and CBS Sports are among the dozens of websites with free expert advice—including pre-season “cheat sheets.” Those seeking to go the extra mile can try paid services like FantasyPros with premium content that even taps into AI for assistance.

Word of warning: Make sure you’re getting the advice you’re seeking to tailor the rules of your particular league.

For instance, in fantasy football, some leagues award extra points per reception and bonuses for players rushing at least 100 yards, while others do not. And while one quarterback is typically started in standard leagues, others called “Super Flex Leagues” allow two starting quarterbacks.

What are the best fantasy baseball league sites?

ESPN Fantasy Baseball and Yahoo! Fantasy Baseball are top-notch. They offer expert analysis league functions and are easy to navigate.

Creating a league is free on these platforms, but extra features like player scouting typically come with fees.

What are the best fantasy football league sites?

Although fantasy baseball has been around longer, there’s no doubt fantasy football is king.

Check out these top options: ESPN Fantasy Football, Yahoo! Fantasy Football and Sleeper Fantasy Football. Winnings are typically based on pots collected from entry fees, but each site also offers prizes for leagues without fees.

For groups in existing leagues seeking “commissioner” help calculating scores, take a look at CBS Sports’ “Fantasy Football Commissioner” feature. This paid league offers customization options for drafting, scoring, scheduling and more.

What are the best fantasy basketball league sites?

CBS Fantasy Basketball, ESPN and NBA.com are among the best options—and they’re free to join.

What are the best fantasy soccer league sites?

Fantasy soccer isn’t fantasy football just yet, but it’s growing in the U.S. just like the sport itself.

Virtual franchises can pick players from Major League Soccer or focus on leagues overseas.

Among the best options are Fantasy Premier League and MLS Fantasy if you want to play free for prizes with little risk, and DraftKings if you’re ready to shell out entry fees for larger cash winnings.

Can you actually make money in fantasy sports?

 Over the past decade, the industry has grown significantly with sports-betting apps like FanDuel and DraftKings providing daily fantasy sports (DFS) tournaments. Some DFS contests are free, but most have buy-ins with the apps taking a cut of all winnings.

Also, check the platform you’re using to learn about winnings and payouts. Typically, you need to be in a paid league to win cash at the end of the season. Find out your options for cash prizes in various guaranteed prize pool (GPP) tournaments, public prize leagues and private leagues.

Is fantasy sports legal in all states?

For the most part—yes.

Unlike actual gambling, fantasy sports—like traditional “office pools”—are considered “games of chance” by law. So anyone looking to play solo or with a group of friends in leagues need not worry.

However, FanDuel, DraftKings and other DFS apps are prohibited from accepting action in five states—Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada and Washington.

Frontier Fiber is built for the way you live today—and tomorrow

If you’re still on the lookout for the right ultrafast internet connection for streaming, gaming, working from home and running your smart home—all with enough bandwidth for everyone—find out about Frontier Fiber. Frontier Fiber is available in select areas—check here to see when it’s available at your address.

Product features may have changed and are subject to change.