Live Fantasy Sports and Esports have been around for quite some time, but recent developments have caused them to enter the mainstream. For the uninitiated, fantasy sports is essentially a game and activity where people can “draft” players from a sports league and face off against other people.
The player’s performance will cause them to score a certain amount of points for the person who drafted them. As expected, the winner of the fantasy participants is whoever accumulates the most points through the players they drafted.
Live fantasy sports has become its own profitable industry, with fantasy football being one of the most popular activities in the sporting world. With many live fantasy apps to choose from, participants can play on a significant number of platforms. And in recent years, said apps have begun to include esports.
Rise of Esports
Esports had humble beginnings, but in recent years have received a surge of popularity. And naturally, live fantasy esports has since followed. The concept is pretty similar to live fantasy sports, where participants draft a virtual team of players from an esports league and compete.
It should be noted that, like live fantasy sports, live fantasy esports has many different competitions and ways to play. There are leagues that can run on for months, allowing participants to drop and pick up many different players over time.
There’s also DFS, or daily fantasy esports. In the DFS format, contests are much shorter, usually lasting a couple of days or sometimes even one session. This shortened time frame has allowed many other games, without longer seasons, to enter the scene.
A good example of live fantasy esports that have seen impressive growth includes League of Legends, CS:GO, Rocket League, Call of Duty, and some others. And as esports continues its rise in popularity, expect the catalogue of live fantasy esports to expand with it.
How Does Live Fantasy Sports & Esports Work
With how popular live fantasy sports and esports have become, their workings and systems have become more diverse. As stated earlier, there are many different formats participants can use, but with the growing amount of games, each has taken its own unique format.
In regular, traditional fantasy sports, the position a player plays is often important, as players can’t just stack up at the best of one position. There are slots that players must fill, and each slot requires a certain position. And then, as per usual, the real-life performance of a player determines their score.
Similar things happen in live fantasy esports, with different players serving different roles and participants needing to draft players of various roles. And as per usual, each player accrues points dependent on how strong of a performance they had. But scoring methods often differ depending on the game played.
Fantasy Scoring
For example, live fantasy scoring in, say, fantasy Rocket League will differ heavily from fantasy League of Legends. The way the game works and is structured will often determine how its fantasy leagues are structured and operate.
In fantasy League of Legends, live fantasy points will be gained through a variety of stats in the game. Things like kills, deaths, turrets destroyed, first bloods, wins, and how fast wins happen all determine the score a player gets.
The in-game roles (Jungler, Support, Tank) for League of Legends also matter, as participants should take players with different roles, and each role will usually get more of a specific stat than the rest. It’s advisable for those participating to do their research on who to draft.
Budgeting is another aspect, as different players can have different prices depending on their skill level. Live fantasy sports and esports both have important team-building decisions that participants will need to make.
Below you can find the live fantasy points available at DraftKings esports:
Where to Play Live Fantasy Sports & Esports
The rise of live fantasy sports and live fantasy sports has led many sites for participants to use. Many companies are building fantasy services to get a slice of the pie that has gotten more profitable over the years.
One of the more notable sites, one which has become a leader in fantasy esports, is DraftKings. DraftKings quickly became one of the more popular daily fantasy sports apps and is still an impressive figure in the industry.
DraftKings live fantasy esports has become pretty extensive and currently covers several games and leagues. From DOTA to Call of Duty, DraftKings has many stable leagues and opportunities for interested participants to join.
How To Join
Players planning on participating in live fantasy esports will need to make an account to join. And for those interested in playing for winnings and money, they’ll probably need to connect some sort of payment information like a credit card or Paypal account.
DraftKings, and similar options, usually have their own ecosystem of tickets and currencies which are used to participate. New players usually get a free amount to start their journey into live fantasy sports and esports.
When looking at the wide variety of fantasy esports titles available and the ease with which new individuals can join, DraftKings has built itself up as a dominant presence in the live fantasy sports and esports industry.
DraftKings isn’t the only good option, as other companies have built up their own solid apps to use. However, DraftKings is one of the oldest and most reliable. For those interested in starting their own live fantasy esports career, DraftKings is one of the best places to join.
Why is Fantasy Sports & Esports Fun
So what makes live fantasy sports and esports so fun? At a surface level, it may seem mundane. But there’s a competitive thrill to it that draws in millions of individuals every year. And with live fantasy esports just starting to rise, expect more and more to join.
One way fantasy sports and esports can enhance the experience of sports and esports, in general, is the extra dimension it brings. Watching the players someone drafted can change the way games are watched and consumed. Suddenly, team results matter less, and the player’s performance is of the utmost importance.
There’s also the aspect of competition. Not everybody is super competitive, but for those who have that itch, fantasy leagues can help scratch it. Getting to go up against others, whether friends or someone online, with a team personally drafted, can be exciting and nerve-wracking.
Pride In Your Team
There are obviously bragging rights, and in some cases, actually money on the line. But there’s also that satisfaction of seeing a team, hand-picked after hours of research, dominate. It just feels gratifying, almost like watching your own kid grow up and succeed in life.
It’s always fun to see something you put effort into pay off, and that’s what live fantasy sports and esports can do. Depending on the level of commitment, an individual can always choose how much time and effort they want to invest, thanks to DFS leagues or longer alternatives.
The convenience, thrill of competition and the pleasure of seeing a team personally built go up against other teams all make live fantasy sports and esports so popular. It’s not something people need to enjoy sports and esports, but it does make it more engaging.
Admittedly, live fantasy sports and esports may not be for everyone. That being said, fans of the real thing, both sports and esports, should give it a try at least once. Participants should compete with friends to have the most fun. But even if they can’t, there’s a sizable community online for people to join.
Tips to Play Fantasy Sports & Esports
Now, for those who are convinced and ready to play, here are some tips to get started in Fantasy Sports and Esports. The most basic live fantasy advice for sports and esports is to know the game. Whatever league someone is interested in joining, it’s imperative they understand the activity.
For example, in something like CS:GO, knowing how to play the game is crucial. If they don’t, they shouldn’t join a CS:GO league until they do. Fantasy scoring is based on what happens in an esports match, so having an understanding of what’s going on in the said match is a must.
Study The Sport/Esport
Once an individual has gotten a good grasp on the game/sport itself, they should study the rules and scoring of the fantasy league they’re joining. Not all leagues have the same scoring rules, so it’s important they understand how things will be calculated.
To give a good picture, in the DraftKings CS:GO version, kills and assists produce points, while deaths lose points. This is pretty basic, but there are more unique ways for players to earn points.
Entry kills give half a point, and the amount of kills someone gets in one round can earn bonus points if they get a lot, and sweeping the other team reaches five points. Clutching a round, where a player wins a round as the last man standing while outnumbered, can earn bonus points.
Learn How Each League Works
Each league and iteration usually have their own gimmicks, and participants should base who they pick off their gimmicks. Someone prone to getting kill streaks may be more valuable than a consistent but not spectacular player in one league and less helpful in another.
Players on a good team can be more valuable even if they themselves are not excellent. This is because, in some leagues, dominating wins as a team can earn points for the player. Understanding the scoring system is crucial to determining who gets picked.
It’s also helpful if players have a vision of their roster and how they want to execute it. Do they want a more stacked, top-heavy roster where they use their resources early in a fantasy draft? Or do they want a more balanced but less explosive roster? Participants should think which direction they want their team to take before making a team.
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