Arizona DFS: Best DraftKings, FanDuel NFL Contests for Beginners
The NFL season is just around the corner, but you can start playing DFS today while you wait for Arizona sportsbooks to launch on September 9th. In the meantime, make sure to pre-register for more than $500 in free bets with these AZ sportsbook offers!
If you are new to playing daily fantasy sports, viewing the contest lobbies on FanDuel and DraftKings for the first time can be an overwhelming experience. There are SO many different contest types and numerous options to choose from. This article attempts to explain the various options available and can be used as a guide to direct you to contests best suited for a new player.
Contest Types
Tournaments – Many new players are attracted to daily fantasy contests because of the “WIN BIG NOW” advertising. The harsh reality is that you’re likely not going to win big – it’s not nearly as easy as the advertising makes it seem. However, if you’re set on trying to win the $1 million prize, the only way you can do that is by playing in large-field tournaments with a guaranteed prize pool (GPP). Most GPPs pay out the top ~20% of high scores, awarding more money the higher you finish.
Head-to-Head/50/50’s and Double-Ups – If you’re looking to get your feet wet before jumping in, these contests are a decent place to start. While the payout for winning a head-to-head or placing in a 50/50 isn’t nearly as high (typically 2X minus 10% rake) as you’ll get for winning a tournament, you have to beat significantly fewer people. In the case of head-to-head contests, you’ll only face one opponent. The player pools in 50/50’s and double-ups can be significantly larger but in each contest type, you’ll only need to beat out ~50% of your opponents to get paid.
Beginner Contests
New players should take advantage of Beginner Contest offerings on both FanDuel and DraftKings. Beginner Contests are offered in multiple contest types (tournaments, head-to-heads, etc) and are only available for users who have played less than 50 contests. These contests offer an environment to play in that doesn’t immediately pit you against experienced competition. Once you have played 50 contests, the easiest way to avoid stiff competition is to stick to lower-level buy-ins. Experienced players are restricted from playing all contests with a buy-in of $2 or less. They are also restricted from playing in $3 tournaments on DraftKings that have a guaranteed prize pool of $25,000 or less.
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