How to Play Fantasy Basketball

basketballFantasy basketball can be played during the National Basketball Association (NBA) season. Learning how to play fantasy basketball is easy, but mastering the strategies required to win is tough. Fortunately, fantasy basketball sites offer a number of free or highly affordable fantasy basketball contests, making it easy for new players to learn the game without risking much.

Here are some guidelines to help beginners get started with the game.

Choose a Good Fantasy Basketball Site

We have reviewed and recommended a number of top fantasy basketball sites at FantasySports.net. No two fantasy basketball websites are alike as they follow different methods of scoring and rules. Players will therefore have to alter their strategies depending on which site they are playing at.

For example, DraftKings permits late swaps, something that FanDuel does not. DraftKings players therefore have the privilege of switching players into and out of their lineups even after they are locked. This is not possible at FanDuel. At the same time, the availability of the player swap feature makes playing fantasy basketball more time consuming at DraftKings as players need to be online to make the swap. In addition, FanDuel does not offer any of the triple-doubles and double-doubles bonuses that are available at DraftKings.

Players should therefore study each fantasy basketball website and their offerings well and select a site based on the time they are willing to spend playing fantasy basketball and their level of expertise.

Learn the Formats

Fantasy basketball players will not quite finish learning all the new formats because new ones keep emerging all the time. However, all beginners must understand the Heads-up and 50/50 formats.

The 50/50 format enters players into an existing player pool, and if they finish in the top 50% of that pool, their money will be doubled. In case of Heads-up, players do not play in a pool, but against one opponent. For beginners, the 50/50 format is less formidable.

To play the best fantasy basketball game, players have to stay informed. If they keep tuned in to social networking feeds such as Twitter, they will always have a wealth of latest information regarding changes in rosters, injuries, suspensions, and so on. This will help them make great lineup decisions.

FAQ


Answer:

While building a fantasy basketball roster, you must include a point guard, a guard, a shooting guard, a small forward, a power forward, a forward, two centers, and one utility player. Depending on the league you have joined, you can also include a bench player or two.


Answer:

There isn’t anything called “best fantasy basketball site.” All the sites we have reviewed and recommended are good. You can join any of them to play fantasy basketball.


Answer:

Again, this depends on you. It also depends on a number of factors including lineup maintenance, draft length, watching and researching games, and so on. You may have to put in anywhere between two to several hours every week if you want to start seeing any money.


Answer:

It depends on individual tastes and preferences as each has its own advantages and disadvantages.


Answer:

Yes, you can play for free, but you will win real money prizes only if you play the paid fantasy basketball games.

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