DFS or Daily Fantasy Sports is again one of the hottest places for sports bettors to head for their Sunday fix. Draftkings is the worldwide leader when it comes to daily fantasy sports with millions of regular players.
So, there’s little doubt that as the upcoming NFL season approaches, hordes of faithful players will be logging in to set their lineups and compete head to head for serious cash prizes with others around the globe.
Daily fantasy sports is growing at a rate that probably has many of the sportsbooks licking their chops. Draftkings has become such a hot name in the scorching hot world of DFS that the casinos came calling to partner with the behemoth for naming rights in their sportsbooks.
Many of you may be embarking on your maiden voyage through the world of daily fantasy sports; that’s fantastic. DFS offers tremendous entertainment and gives players the opportunity to cash in if they have the proper skills. It’s definitely a better value than placing a prop bet on who’s going to be the next Pope. It’s comparable, in fact, to finding value in the NBA or other sports.
I will give you a few of my best strategy tips for winning NFL bets at Draftkings.
Some may call them Draftkings secrets from the pros.
Look to Las Vegas Lines
Always watch what’s happening in Vegas when you’re researching your lineup for the week. The Vegas oddsmakers and sharp bettors are experts at grading and evaluating matchups.
Use their knowledge and skillset to help you look like an expert. For example, if Las Vegas has the Tampa Bay Bucs at a team total of 29, the odds are Brady and company are in for a high-performance week.
Of course, there’s some variance here, and the Buccaneers may not precisely meet that high level of scoring. Still, suppose you compare their expected output to a team that Vegas has at only 12.5 points. In that case, it becomes clear that you’ll be better off taking players from the higher valued squad.
This strategy will also assist significantly in pulling the best defenses for the week.
The Late Swap May Make the Difference
One of my favorite features of Draftkings is the “late swap.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been granted a reprieve by the ability to change my roster all the way up to kick-off.
Other sites lock things down as soon as the first game kicks off. That’s been the fantasy sports standard for years, but I never understood it, and I definitely didn’t like the rule.
You’ll regularly come across players that are listed as game-time decisions. By utilizing the late swap, you won’t have to endure the frustration or ridicule of rostering a player in street clothes.
You’ll want to always put your questionable player in the flex position. By doing this, you’re able to swap the player for any skill position.
For example, if the Cowboys are playing on Monday Night and you have Elliot as your RB, but he’s listed as questionable. You’re locked into picking his back-up or the opposing RB for the game.
However, suppose he’s in the flex position. In that case, you can swap him out for the talented CD Lamb or any other skill position from either team.
Don’t Get Bit by Injuries
None of the information I just gave you will be worth a penny if you’re not paying attention to the injury report.
It’s a simple five-minute process to comb over your roster and make sure everyone is active for the game. I gave you, excuse me, Draftkings gave you a superb get out of jail free card with the “Late Swap.”
Don’t squander it by never making an effort to check the injury report.
Bankroll Management is Fundamental
Bankroll management is vital for every gambler on the planet. I don’t care if you’re playing slot machines or DFS. It also matters little if you’re worth $20,000 or $10 million.
Without proper bankroll management, your gambling adventures will be short-lived. The idea is to grow your bankroll through wins, but that takes a lot of work and a little luck.
As your bankroll grows, you can begin increasing your average wagers. For most advantage and savvy gamblers, 1-3% of their bankroll is the most they’ll risk on a bet.
However, I know many of you couldn’t meet the minimums with those types of figures. So, let’s look at a good rule for beginners.
I recommend only wagering 10% as a maximum, and that’s only if your bankroll is under $300. By staking only 10%, you can survive many of the bumps and bruises of losing weeks.
Secondly, you need to develop or implement a formula to calculate your wagers for each contest. This formula should account for the total bankroll and what percentage you’re wagering. This number will change as you win or lose and makes a tremendous difference in how far your bankroll will last.
Finally, keep track of everything. All of your wins and losses should be well documented.
Try including the contest’s date, field, sport, entry fee, format, and total won or lost. This will paint a clear picture as you look back to see how the variables may have played into your ultimate success or failure.
Bankroll management can sink the best players when ignored. When adequately executed, bankroll management can carry a losing player until something clicks and they begin turning a profit.
Leave the Sleepers
I’ve always shied away from the sleepers. I remember being in my mid-twenties and playing fantasy football with my friends.
One of my buddies was obsessed with finding sleepers. I always thought that was a silly approach because the NFL is in no short supply of top-notch talent at the top.
If a player is assigned a low value, there’s likely a good reason for the evaluation. Still, if you know what you’re doing, sleepers offer incredible upside.
The problem is that you need to spot a player the week before they have a breakout performance. It’ll be a massive advantage if you beat the public to the punch on a player, but it’s not a sustainable model for winning.
Take Advantage of Lightly Held Players
A notch above the all-out sleeper is the low-ownership player. These players aren’t necessarily sleepers; they’re merely players on the fringe that have potential but are outshined by more prominent market players.
Take the additional time to become intimately familiar with these players. You can make a lot of ground on your competition.
When a lightly held player has a big game, you’re making points on a massive portion of the field. When Tom Brady has a stellar game, you’re getting your points, but so is a large section of the contestants.
However, far fewer players will be taking advantage of the big day Mattew Stafford is having in L.A.
Look for players that have a lower ownership percentage, and you’ll unlock an advantage in daily fantasy sports with Draftkings.
Be Flexible Based on the Format
You need to account for the format of the contest being played. That means you must be flexible throughout the season.
If you’re playing in a massive tournament with a vast field, the payout is going to be awarded to the top 10% of finishers. There will be a heavy purse for the top three, and anyone outside of that will make a minimum score.
So, it will behoove you to take some risks on players who may break out game and separate you from the pack. I consider these to be an all-or-nothing contest where anything other than a win may as well be a loss.
This mentality allows me to open things up and attack with both barrels, a vast departure from my typical habits.
In contests that are 50/50, I lean to the more conservative. These events pay half of the field, and all winners split the prize pool.
My sole focus in these events is to place in the top third; this way, I’m almost guaranteed to cash. In these cases, I set a lineup where I’m sure to get value from every player on my roster.
Be flexible with your approach to setting lineups, and you’ll gain ground on unaware opponents.
Value Consistency and Upside
There is a ton that can be said about daily fantasy sports with Draftkings. You must understand the importance of the bonus points offered with specific players and the scoring format.
Still, there’s nothing more vital to your success in daily fantasy sports than consistency and upside. Players who consistently perform will be your workhorses; these are players that guarantee you points on the board.
Unfortunately, they’ll be doing the same for thousands of other players. So, you’ll need players with the highest upside.
This task becomes tricky because it requires you to dive deeper into the athletes, coaching tendencies, and opposing trends. You can’t merely look at Patrick Mahomes and know he’s “The Man” week after week.
Look for the position players that look to have the best week given their opponent. Finding the upside of consistent players will make you money faster than any strategy in DFS.
Conclusion
You’re now privy to my Draftkings secrets. These strategy tips for winning NFL bets at Draftkings will put you ahead of a ton of your competitors.
Still, you’ll need to be better than average to make a profit playing DFS. Put in the work to develop your skills for evaluating matchups, and you’ll be on your way to the bank.