Intro to Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) – Wolf of Wallstreet

By Staff Writer Joe Paeno:

The United States is currently facing an epidemic that is affecting 35 million Americans every year and it’s spreading at an alarming rate.  Fantasy Football is here to stay ladies and gentlemen and it is bigger than we could have ever imagined.   The Fantasy Sports industry has ballooned into a billion dollar market  and it  looks like it isn’t going to slow down anytime soon.  In fact, there is a new strand of the virus that is infecting thousands of Fantasy Sports Junkies every day.   It  goes by the name of  DFS or Daily Fantasy Sports.   ESPN  just aired a special on DFS for “Outside the Lines” that reported that DFS currently has only 1% of the fantasy market, but that 1% already accounts for 26% of all of the entire fantasy industry’s revenue!

So, the question is “what is this fantasy phenom, DFS, and why should I care?”

DFS is an entire season of fantasy football condensed into one week.  Think of it as fantasy football on steroids.  Everyone loves Fantasy Football, but there a few things that can be really frustrating.  How many times have you experienced the heartbreak and disappointment of losing your #1 pick to a devastating injury?  All of that hard work,  research, and smack talk for what!?  The worst part is when your season is over and you have to wait until next year to reclaim your chance at  fake football greatness.   With DFS you start a new season every week!  You can select as many teams as you want on a Sunday morning and find out if you won your contests  after Monday Night Football.  Yes, my friend, it is true.  DFS is the real deal.

If you are still on the fence, ponder this for a minute.  What is the most exciting part of fantasy football?

THE DRAFT.

In DFS the “draft” experience is different, because you don’t typically “draft” at all.  Instead, you are able to select any player you want as long as you stay under a given salary cap.  Each player is assigned a pre-determined salary and you can pick whatever studs and sleepers you want, just make sure you stay under the cap.  You are able to play small amounts of money (Free,$1, $2) or for the high rollers over $1,000 per game.  You can select a lower risk cash game, where you just face one other person, Head to Head (H2H) or a 50/50 where you need to finish above 50% of the league in order to win.  You also can join or create leagues consisting of 3 team, 5 team, or more that can increase the pay outs.  If you feel really bold, then just enter one of the hundreds of GPP’s (Guaranteed Prize Pool), which is the riskiest %, but it offers the highest payouts, sometimes up to $1 Million at sites like FanDuel and DraftKings.  Does your Uncle Joe’s Fantasy League pay that kind of money?  Nope, I didn’t think so.

DFF v. SLF

DFF and SLF (Season Long Fantasy) have more similarities than differences, but they both compliment each other perfectly.  You do not need to get rid of SLF in order to play DFF.  Actually adding Daily Fantasy Football will be the perfect balance to your Complete Fantasy Football Diet. You don’t have to worry about 1 injury or suspension to your star player derailing your entire season.  DFF is much more flexible and convenient because everything is up to you and if your players do have a bad week you won’t be suffering ALL SEASON LONG.  You decide how much or how little you play.  If you are a good daily fantasy player, you get the additional thrill of seeing how you stack up with the other best fantasy players in the United States.  Another bonus is that you can play through the divisional round of the playoffs whereas season long games are usually over on week 16.  Those aspects provide a good variation to your fantasy football regimen, but there is one thing that separates DFF from SLF.

The Market Factor or “The Wall Street Effect”      

In order to win in Fantasy Football, you need to be skilled at gauging a player’s worth and if he is priced appropriately (Average Draft Position, ie ADP)for your expected ROI (Return On Investment).  The more value you stockpile, the better chance you have at winning your league.  This is part of the investment and excitement of fantasy football.  There is a definite skill involved and strategy in order to be consistently successful.

However, in DFF, the players ADP ($alary) fluctuates every week based upon his talent and previous production.  Just like Day Traders, Grinders are able to spot how the market affects these players (stocks).  If the player has a really good week, then the next week his price may see a significant spike.  This is where there is a significant transition from SLF to DFF.  Any NFL fan can  predict if a stud running back is going to run all over the Cowboys.  The difference is WHAT PRODUCTION DO YOU NEED that RB TO  OBTAIN IN ORDER TO MEET OR EXCEED HIS $VALUE$. This is where you become a Day Trader on Wall Street.  Or, shall I say, the Wolf of Wall Street.  This is the same premise for SLF, but because players salaries fluctuate week to week, it creates a stock market like atmosphere.  SLF is all about ADP (Average Draft Position) and how much equity you can obtain from the players that you draft and supplementing through waivers.  The more equity and ROI, the more likely your team will make it to the playoffs and hopefully win a championship.  This is a lot of fun, but you are acquiring these values for the long haul.  This is more of the long term investing route.  There is definitely a lot of skill involved, and it is rewarding, but it is not as exciting as grinding it out on “Wall Street”.  And, of course the instant gratification from DFF is AWESOME too.

So, are you a long term investor or are you the Wolf of Wall Street? The good news, is if you are just starting out, you already have a wolf on your side, or Gordon Gekko if you will.  Fanspeak.com and I are partnering to provide you with extensive insight on Daily Fantasy Football.  Most fantasy websites and experts charge a fee for their expert advice and weekly picks.  At Fanspeak.com, they are giving this to you free for their loyal Fans.  Here is a few things you can expect to see shortly….

STRATEGY AND BANKROLL MANAGEMENT

• How to Build Your Bankroll and Manage it
• What Types of Games to Play
• Strategies for Cash Games vs.GPP’s (Guaranteed Prize Pool)

These tips will be essential to building a profit.  If you do it right from the beginning you may never have to deposit any $ again!

WHERE TO PLAY AND INVEST YOUR BANKROLL

I will review the best DFF sites to play on, FanDuel and DraftKings. These are the two giants in the DFF community and offer the best games, tournaments, and service.  I will examine the pros and cons of both sites and differences in scoring and rules.

• FanDuel and DraftKings reviews.

Last but not least, I will be providing you with PAENO’S PICKS every week.  Paeno’s Picks will be customized for both DraftKing’s and FanDuel, saving you time and making you $$$.  You will receive my Cash Game Players and Tournament (GPP’s) Plays of the Week, Sleepers, and a snapshot of the market with my OVER/UNDER analysis.

Remember to check FanSpeak.com for upcoming Daily Fantasy content and don’t forget to follow me on Twitter.@Paeno

NOTE: “The Market Factor” is a term referenced from C.D. Carter’s book, “How to Think Like a Daily Fantasy Football Winner.”  His book is a fascinating read that will help you understand the psychology and obstacles of winning at DFS .  I  HIGHLY RECOMMEND  it.  Buy it now, and thank me later.  NO, SERIOUSLY. BUY IT.