It’s not a new trend, but fantasy sports have become increasingly popular in recent years. Nowadays, leagues can be joined for just about any sport you can think of and many people are even starting their own with friends or family. So what is all the hype? Fantasy sports started out as an idea to make watching games more entertaining by letting fans play against one another with imaginary teams made from professional players. Additionally, they omit gambling restrictions in many places because they can be wagered on as sports and still not considered gambling. The stakes are usually low so you can use matched betting to win in both outcomes, so it is a great sport to test that technique.
When has it all started?
Fantasy sports idea was born in the mid 1950s when a group of sports fans got together to play against each other with imaginary teams made from professional players. They did it on a chalkboard and had to fill out a form with stats of the players.
As everything, fantasy sports evolved over the years. The invention of computers in the 1970s was, as everything else, a game changer for fantasy sports enthusiasts. The first online versions were created and people could play against one another from different locations all over the world. Technology allowed them to do it without being physically together which made it more accessible to players who didn’t know that existed. Moreover, people started to merge leagues and players, and have more fun than struggling to fill out forms with players’ stats.
The popularity of Fantasy Sports has grown exponentially since the early 1990s when John Campea started managing his own personal sports league with friends and family members for fun. He called it the Fantasy Sports League, and after a few years of competing against one another in different sports with different rules, he decided to offer his original league online. The website was launched on October 17th 1995 as “JCampea’s Fantasy Football League”.
In 1999 the first annual National Fantasy Baseball Championship (NFBC) took place which was the first event to offer fantasy sports as an official sporting event.
How has it gained so much popularity?
Fantasy sports are not only betting opportunities, but also a lot of strategy, and knowledge about certain disciplines and players. It is more than just luck, as a player has to know what he/she’s doing. It also gives people the feeling of being part of something bigger and making decisions that can make them feel like they have control in places where they don’t.
If you have ever wanted to feel like a coach who is completing the team for the next match, Fantasy sports are just for you. Moreover, it is possible to merge players from different disciplines. and trade them for others.
It is not only about the pleasure of winning and having control, but also a way to socialize and have fun with other people who share your passion. Players can check their strategic abilities in games with other players, and others can bet who will win.
Nowadays, games are easy to operate, wager on and follow, as it is mostly done online. Stats are filled automatically, and all the players need to do is pick which athletes in the team they want.
In which countries Fantasy Sports are the most popular?
Fantasy Sports are incredibly known in the United States and Canada, but it is also very popular in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.
That is why the most popular leagues available in the game are the NFL, NBA and MLB.
In some countries Fantasy Sports are illegal, because people see them as gambling due to betting possibilities. These countries are China, Japan and India.
However in other countries like the United Arab Emirates or Bahrain they are legal as it is not considered gambling while gambling is illegal there.
Conclusion
Fantasy Sports are great for any sports fan that loves to be involved in their favorite sport but is not able to play it themselves. It brings people together from all over the world and if you are too busy to watch games on television, this game has your back! Moreover, this is an excellent idea for lazy people to have some part in sports activity and it is also a good idea for those who are bored. They can be played by anyone, even if you’re not an athlete yourself! It’s the perfect way to enjoy sports without all of that running or batting practice…just some time in front of your computer! To add more, you can learn about betting since some casinos that offer no deposit bonus, have the choice to bet on fantasy sports so you can try your luck and strategy without losing your own money.