Fantasy Baseball -A Quick Start Guide

In 1970, when fantasy baseball began, it had just one standard format and few categories and the winner was decided at the end of a full season. The recent invasion of dot com, mobile applications, real time data and new versions of fantasy sports games have reshaped the rules, styles and formats to fit the needs of new generations of fantasy sports players.

If you are new to fantasy baseball games or fantasy sports, in general, and have been interested in trying, then here are the basics, so that you can get started today. There are now over 56 million people playing fantasy sports in the U.S. and Canada, so you probably know someone who is playing already. People playing fantasy, enjoy watching games on television and reading more about players than they would if they didn't play.

They are called fantasy sports because you fulfil a fantasy of owning a sports team and building a roster to compete against others who are doing the same thing.  Real life players and their statistics help you win an imaginary game vs. your friends, family and colleagues.  Winning is based on skill and not luck. Your experience as a fan of the game and your decision to put the right players in the line up to help you win is based upon your knowledge and understanding of what is happening on the field/court/ice/track that day and trends of teams and players.

There are basically two kinds of fantasy baseball leagues, season long and daily.  Season long are the traditional style that have been going since 1970, but have been booming the last 10 years in which the players in a league take turns drafting players for their fantasy teams. Only one team in a league can own a player and that player is on the fantasy team for the season (unless the player is traded or cut from the team – just like real life sports).

Daily games, on the other hand, are known as Daily Fantasy Sports games, and they take place in one day.  You get to select a new roster of players every day and the contests are over in the same day.  You can challenge friends to play in head to head games, you can play in a league of people, or you can play against the world.  There is always action in Daily Fantasy Sports games.  Oh and these games are legal, so you can pay and entry fee and win real money.

Whichever style you choose to play, it is helpful to pick players based on your head instead of your heart.  Fantasy Sports are all about the numbers.  Statistics mean more than Facebook "Likes" or baseball cards sold.

You should also have a strategy to fill out your roster with players who will help you win. For some, this is balance while others believe in putting faith in a few big star performers at key positions. Know the injury status of the players before you select them.  Read the latest news and other information that will help set you apart from your competition.  You will find what works best for you as you gain experience.

If you choose Daily Fantasy Sports, then play free contests and get the feel of the site before you play in paid entry contests. Some sites will allow you to win cash or prizes even during free contests.  Eventually, you will feel comfortable to play in paid contests with chances to win money.

Hope that this has helped you learn more about fantasy baseball and fantasy sports.  With all of the options and styles of play, it doesn't hurt to give it a try sometime and see what other sports fans all over the world are engaged with playing every day.  You might just put some cash back in your pocket too.