Is there an overlap between fantasy sports and sports betting? Should that even be a question? But how close is this overlap? Does every fantasy sports player engage in sports betting? These and a few more interesting questions got some solid answers in a new survey recently released by the Fantasy Sports and Gaming Association (FSGA). Due to an increasing number of the states in the United States making fantasy sports a legal game, there has been an increased interest and participation in the industry. Now legal sports bettors too want to jump the bandwagon because fantasy sports are now recognized worldwide as a proper sport that adds to the engagement of any sports.

The FSGA asked questions from the general population of the US, national sports bettors, fantasy sports players and sports bettors in New Jersey. The objective was to compare the preferences of New Jersey state’s online gamers and players with those in the rest of the US.

That means there is an equal interest in both the types of online gaming. Since sports betting is becoming legal in a few states in the US, there’s a good chance of growth in this industry as well.

So what’s common between sports bettors and fantasy sports players?

• # Most are males younger than the general population.
• # Higher-income than their non-playing peers.
• # Higher-income than their non-playing peers.
• # More educated.
• # Most players are single.

NFL is the king

Another common factor between sports betting and fantasy sports among Americans is their undying love for the National Football League. NFL is followed closely by Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The traditional fantasy sports v/s DFS cross-over

There are still many fantasy sports players who play either only traditional fantasy sports or only daily fantasy sports (DFS). So what’s the chance of a cross-over? Let's see-

This means that those considering creating a fantasy sports website may want to include both DFS and traditional fantasy sports in their gameplays.

What about the crossover between fantasy sports players and sports bettors?

Sports betting v/s fantasy sports

Sports betting participation in various leagues shows that the NFL is an all-time favourite when it comes to sports betting.

% Have bet on the following leagues-

How many fantasy sports players bet on various sports leagues?

How many sports bettors play fantasy sports?

As many as 75% of sports bettors play fantasy sports? And what are they playing in fantasy?

How’s the volume of participation in either fantasy sports or sports betting changed? More is an important keyword here. FSGA reports that 40% of fantasy sports players played more than last year while 41% of sports bettors bet more than last year. Similarly, 47% of fantasy sports players played it the same amount as last year while 43% of sports bettors bet on sports the same amount as last year. Only 14% of fantasy sports players played less than last year and only 16% of sports bettors bet on sports less than last year.

This is a positive sign that both sports betting and fantasy sports industries are growing, thanks to the willingness and excitement of users. There’s also a significant percentage of cross-over between sports betting and fantasy sports.

How about building a sports betting website that offers fantasy sports or a fantasy sports application that also combines betting? We, at Vinfotech, are always brimming with cross-over ideas because our clients have been benefited immensely by innovative concepts in fantasy sports platform development. If you are considering to take advantage of the current fantasy market opportunities, get in touch with us now.