Best Fantasy Sports Betting Sites (2022 Guide)
Fantasy sports has an element of a “game of skill. Rather than picking a team at random, participants deliberately select genuine players based on information readily available online.
Fantasy sports is an online game for fans of popular sports leagues like the Indian Premier League. Each participant is given a chance to create a virtual team populated with real players from the league. You have to pay a fee to play the game.
In fantasy sports, you act as the manager or selector of your team. If you are playing an IPL-based fantasy sports league, you have to create a team made up of IPL players. The team has to be balanced according to a budget. You cannot make a team made entirely of superstars.
With IPL betting so prominent in the country, fantasy sports platforms have taken the craze further.
What is Fantasy Sports?
In most fantasy sports betting sites, you have to pick your team before the beginning of the live match. This deadline will be clearly specified in advance. Some betting sites have special games that allow you to place fantasy bets during the match.
Your fantasy team will earn points based on the real-life performance of players in matches. Things like runs scored, wickets taken, catches, run-outs all matter. Points scored by your captain and vice-captain will add a small bonus multiplier. The manager with the highest points tally wins the fantasy sports league.
Fantasy sports leagues run parallel to the tournament. Some last the entire season with managers selecting and tweaking their teams before each matchday. Winners are announced at the end of the season.
Best Fantasy Sports Betting Sites 2022
Daily Fantasy Sports Betting LEAGUES AND TOURNAMENTS
Fantasy sports can be played over any major team sporting event. Cricket is the most popular sport in India by a country mile and people take part in online cricket betting. Naturally, it is one of the main options on the best fantasy sports betting sites in the country.
But other sporting events are also available. The following are your options if you are interested in Indian fantasy sports betting:
Sport | Available Leagues/Tournaments |
Cricket | IPL, Big Bash League, PSL, BPL, International T20, ODI, World Cup, other tournaments/matches |
Football | Indian Super League, English Premier League, Champions League, Other European Leagues, International Tournaments |
Kabaddi | Pro Kabaddi League, International Tournaments |
Hockey | Hockey India League, International Tournaments |
Basketball | NBA, Pro Basketball League |
Baseball | Major League Baseball (MLB) |
American Football | National Football League (NFL) |
Handball/Volleyball | Club competitions, International matches |
How to Bet on Fantasy Sports in India
Playing fantasy sports in India is easy. Once you pick one of the top fantasy sport betting sites, you can start playing immediately. All modern fantasy sports brands support mobile play. You can also use a computer/laptop to play.
Bet on Fantasy Sports
Step 1: Visit your preferred fantasy sports betting site.
Step 2: Sign up and create an account. Create a separate account using an email and mobile phone number.
Step 3: Provide your PAN card details for KYC.
Step 4: Pick a sport and fantasy sports tournament you want to play.
Step 5: Deposit the entry fee using the available online payment methods. You can deposit with UPI on fantasy sports betting sites.
Does Daily Fantasy Sports Betting Involve Gambling?
Fantasy sports is considered to be “a game of skill”. Instead of blindly selecting a team, participants carefully select real players based on information that is easily available on news and online. Pure luck does not play a major role in fantasy sports. Knowledge and skill make all the difference in this game.
However, there is an element of luck involved. Players can make mistakes during a match. The ball can take lucky deflections and other random events can also play a decisive role.
But fantasy sports only becomes true gambling when you pick your players at random, without checking their stats, form, and other factors.
Frequently Asked Questions about Fantasy Sports
According to past decisions of the Supreme Court and High Courts, any game of skill is legal under Indian law. It is completely legal in most states.
However, a small selection of states has passed specific laws prohibiting online games like fantasy sports. These include Assam, Odisha, Telangana, Nagaland, Andhra Pradesh & Sikkim. If you are a resident of any of these states, you cannot play at the top fantasy sports betting sites in India.
You have to do some research and pick your players very carefully to maximize your chances of scoring points. Find out in-form players, avoid injured ones or those with suspensions. In cricket, learn about the pitch and weather conditions to figure out which players are likely to perform well. Ideally, you should play fantasy sports in leagues that you are familiar with.