Fantasy football is an exciting game where participants select a unique team of real-life players and get points for their performance on the field. The game has several variations, usually played locally in different countries. With many websites focused on fantasy leagues for many other sports, players can develop communities and bet on several game types.
In this article, we’ll look at how fantasy football came to be, how to play, what the different types of games are, and provide an overall guide to the world of fantasy football.
The Start of Fantasy Sports
Fantasy football began in the 1960s with American football. It was introduced by Bill Winkenbach, a part-owner of the Oakland Raiders when he established the Greater Oakland Professional Pigskin Prognosticators League (GOPPPL). Winkenbach was also responsible for some of the first fantasy baseball and golf leagues. The Fantasy Sports and Gaming Association granted him the title “father of fantasy sports.”
In the late 1960s, Andy Mousalimas, another one of the founding members of GOPPPL, introduced public fantasy football to his Oakland sports bar. The success of this implementation pushed the game mainstream. It was popular by the end of the decade, and many players were even intrigued by it.
Once the Internet started to take off, American fantasy football garnered even more popularity, and the game spread across many countries and into many more sports. Grandstand Sports Service was the first corporation to introduce an online national version in 1985. Then, in 1987, Fantasy Football Index introduced a magazine dedicated to the game itself.
After massive popularity in the US, the game eventually reached Europe. In 1990, Riccardo Albini developed the Fantacalcio, which was an Italian version of fantasy football. The following year, Andrew Wainstein officially introduced a European version of the game and founded Fantasy League Ltd.
As technology continues to advance, online gaming continues to rise in demand, especially through the emergence of virtual worlds and their influence on modern football gaming.
How to Play
Scoring in the first fantasy league was a little bit different than we know it today. It was challenging to put together a lineup, and putting together the results required more work. The commissioner would often single-handedly compile results from newspaper box scores and then send them out to the rest of the league.
The internet, of course, made things easier and caused the game to become much more popular. Fantasy Premier League is currently the world’s biggest and most successful league, with over 11 million players.
In general, there are generally three types of leagues: public leagues, global leagues, and invitation and cups leagues. A commissioner ensures that there’s an owner for each team that wants to participate in a particular league.
Premier leagues last for 38 weeks. The commissioner sets up a draft day when players can select the players who will comprise their fantasy teams. The team usually consists of:
- 2 goalkeepers
- 5 defenders
- 5 midfielders
- 3 forwards
The most common kind of draft is a random “snake-style” draft, which starts with a random selection process to determine the order of who picks where. Then, the team that picks first in the first round will pick last in the second round, and on until each team has all their player spots filled.
The general scoring is set up as follows:
- Goal: 3 points (all players)
- Clean Sheet: 2 points (goalkeeper and defenders) for 75+ minutes played
- Assist: 2 points (all players)
- Appearance: 1 point (goalkeeper and defenders) for 45+ minutes played
- Goal Conceded: -1 point (goalkeeper and defenders)
After all teams are set, a lineup is established for the first week of games. Having less than a full starting team may result in disqualification in some leagues or zero points for the week.
Transfers, formations, and subs are all managed on the hosting site. The monthly transfer window is where players place sealed bids for free agents against rivals. Every week, players get to decide which player to leave on the bench. Since every team is unique, it makes the league extremely competitive.
Types of Fantasy Online Leagues
Fantasy football comes in several variations. Players can find what game they like and play whatever leagues they want. Some of the most exciting leagues include:
- Invitational Leagues and Cups
- Public Leagues
- Global Leagues
Invitational Leagues and Cups
This is the most popular league, where players participate in the draft and take turns filling out a roster. This roster can be changed throughout the season via adds/drops on the waiver wire or trades.
It’s straightforward and exciting, perfect for playing with friends and family. The team with the most fantasy points in the weekly head-to-head matches wins for that particular week. NordicBet offers great, beginner-friendly Superliga matches that players can enjoy with their friends.
Public Leagues
The difference between public leagues and invitational leagues is that with public ones, players can join any game of randomly assigned teams. Players are allowed to compete in up to five public leagues at a time. Additionally, public leagues often have bigger rosters to help with the games missed throughout the season.
Global Leagues
In a global league, players are allowed to create teams and compete globally. The Fantasy Premier League automatically adds new teams to the following global leagues:
- The Fantasy Cup
- The overall league, featuring all registered teams
- A league for managers from the same country of origin
- A league for managers starting the same week
- A second-chance league
Conclusion
European fantasy football is more than just a game – it’s a cultural phenomenon that continues to advance with time. As technology evolves, so does the world of fantasy football. This incredible evolution has united fans and sparked debates worldwide. Football enthusiasts now have the opportunity to create their dream teams, select players from various leagues, and compete based on their real-life performance.
This industry has come a long way and will only get bigger and better. Something about managing a star-studded lineup and discovering hidden gems makes it all thrilling. Explore our news page for more articles like this.
