Fantasy Sports and Its Positive Effects

Fantasy sports probably seem like an extraordinary waste of time to the outside observer- grown men hunching over their computers or television sets, managing make-believe teams in make-believe leagues to win... well, most of the time to win nothing but bragging rights. However, there is more to fantasy sports than meets the eye.

First of all, fantasy sports have allowed sports fans to expand their interaction with their favorite sports and players to a whole new level. Fans can now own their own teams, make important trade and draft day decisions, and get a taste of what they enjoy so much. Whether or not their home teams are competitive, their fantasy teams always have a chance to win (and, if they don't, they have no one to blame other than themselves).

Fantasy sports provide an arena for fans to test their own knowledge of the game and their opinion of players' values. Owners can try to best each other through the draft and waiver wire pickups or try and get the upper hand in a trade. This inter-fan rivalry is perhaps the most addicting aspect of fantasy sports.

Another value of fantasy sports is its ability to make usually non-descript games intensely interesting for the fantasy owner because of its impact on team. I don't care about non-Dallas area teams if they're not playing one of my favorite teams, but, because of fantasy sports, I actually pay attention to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, if only because I have Carlos Pena on one of my fantasy teams.

This concept also applies to mid-season games in any sport, but specifically baseball, whose regular seasons are so long (162 games for Major League Baseball) that the outcome of a single game, especially in the summer months, is seemingly unimportant. Attach fantasy sports to these games, however, and they attain a new level of impact.

Fantasy sports have clearly made inroads in sports fandom. Games scroll live stats for fantasy owners, ESPN brings in fantasy analysts to breakdown potential trades, draft picks, etc., and millions of people own a fantasy team of one kind or another.

Thanks to fantasy sports, professional sports are as popular now as ever and won't be going anywhere soon. After all, how else would I waste my time if I didn't have 9 fantasy baseball teams to manage? I suggest giving it a shot. There are fantasy leagues available for just about any sport - hockey, football, baseball, basketball, golf, auto racing, you name it. Any of your fantasy-league friends would welcome you with open arms.

Fantasy Sports Tips For Beginners

We can’t deny that Fantasy sports had been very popular especially in this internet age. It took the world by storm and almost every sports fan knows about it. But the fact is that, many sports enthusiast still don’t know what fantasy sports is, how you can join in one and what’s the feeling of playing in one. If you’re one of these people, then this article is definitely for you.

If you can turn on a computer, you can play fantasy sports. It’s as easy as ABC if you choose the right site to play. The first step is to get signed up with a site that provides fantasy sports, like FantasyFactor.com or ESPN. You go to one of these sites and go to the fantasy sports tab and pick a user name and a password, and you’re ready to go. All sites with fantasy sports will have different categories which include different pay scales or free.

I recommend that Beginners should start out with free, it's less intimidating and you will not have anything to risk (especially if that money you’ll put is your hard earned money). You then join a league that suites your interest and follow the directions. Just be very careful with these first step especially if you want to play fantasy sports with money involved. Choose a site that is trusted and is already well known in the Fantasy sports world. I personally choose Fantasyfactor.com in playing fantasy sports. Although it’s not as popular as ESPN, the interface is just so great and it is much secured too.

Now the fun begins, if you are a stats nut this is where you can really dig in and do some research on who you might want to pick in the draft. Some fantasy sports sites even provide their own research so that you can see who the best players for your draft are. If you are not too serious with fantasy sports, this will do. But if you are eyeing on winning, then you should do your Due Diligence and start your research. The draft for most people is the funniest part; it's where your strategy for the season begins.

In the draft you have specific rules, which will be drawn out before the draft begins, and you follow the rules to pick certain positions and a specific number of starters and backup players. You pick players from all over the "real league" and those players from different teams make up your specific team. Take the NFL for example, you can draft Jay Cutler from the Broncos as your quarterback and Terrell Owens as your receiver from the Cowboys. It's a matter of taking the best players from different teams as soon in the draft as you can. The great thing about fantasy sports is there are thousands of different strategies to use.

So, for either the avid sports fan or the casual, fantasy sports can be a fun way to get to know your favorite players better and also get a little competition in your life. A fantasy sport is easy and enjoyable. It is a perfect thing to do in your leisure time and I would probably be playing fantasy sports after writing this. So good luck and see you playing!