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How to pick the perfect Fantasy Football
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Fantasy football
leagues have been a popular way for sports fans to be more involved with the
sport since the 1950s. The idea began in Oakland, USA first with golf and then
baseball, followed in 1962 by American Football. Now there are few sports that
dont have an associated
fantasy
sports league with football gaining the most participation in the
UK. |
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The interest
generated has certainly been reflected by the growing number of UK football
fans that bet on the real teams they support. Fans obtain tips and follow their
teams news on well-informed internet sites;
Stakers being a popular one with plenty
of useful information available that includes odds for the Premier League and
European competitions.
The fantasy sports industry is a big one and
generates an estimated $7.22 billion in the US, $2 billion in Australia with
the UK adding yet more to the mix. With huge cash prizes on offer its
hard not to see the appeal of this engaging way of following a sport. And,
theres never been more ways to get involved; from daily newspapers to
internet giants and sports betting sites you can find a league to suit
you.
But, is there a formula for doing well in a fantasy football
league? Everyone who has ever played fantasy football has an opinion on
what makes the best team and certain strategies can work well for some
individuals. However, there are some basics when it comes to picking the
perfect team.
1. Stick to tried and tested
As a founding
rule, you cannot go far wrong if you start with a squad of players who have
already achieved good form. New signings and hot new players might
be tempting to differentiate your team but always make sure you dont
reinvent the wheel.
Study the form guides and try to get some solid
performers with a touch of class. Of course, this will eat into your budget but
if they are not injured or banned, they will be a good return on
investment.
You would also do well to look closely at players from teams
that have had a change in managerial position. Managers can take a while to
bed-in at a club and often do so at the expense of some poor form returned by
big players.
2. Hit the Big 6
The top six clubs in the
Premier League are usually from a small stable of teams and they remain in the
top-flight for a reason. Give yourself the best chances of success by getting
coverage in your squad from all six clubs.
3. Defence as a form of
attack
Unlike real football, you dont need to balance your
team with a traditional but solid back four. Opt for players in those positions
who have form across the field, particularly with goal assists and a more
up-front style.
Now if you had backed the clear 2nd favourite you
return 91.2% and the 3rd favourite returned 76.8%. These are massive profits
for the bookmaker who are actually giving away money on the
favourites.
Its worth noting that if you had backed the same favourites
at exchange prices and take into consideration a 4% exchange commission, you
would have returned 106.1%! Betting 100 units per bet that is a profit of 4979
units.
4. Get a safe (but cheap) pair of hands
The price
tags for goalkeepers can be staggering when you compare them to some players
and is often not justified when you consider the return of points for a clean
sheet. Picking a pair of mid-range keepers to rotate makes a lot more sense
than paying through the nose for a big name.
5. Always keep an eye on
the fixtures
Once you have a squad, its imperative you rotate
your players to make the most of how fixtures fall. This is often more
pertinent with your goalkeepers and rotating players in your starting line-up
whose teams have a better chance of keeping a clean sheet. They could mean you
banking more points.
6. Give bench players a miss
When
you are balancing your spending, it can be tempting gap fill your squad with
budget players from successful teams. However, if they are more likely to spend
more time on the bench or be swapped out of the line-up then you wont be
able to bank any points from them. It is far better to put your money on a
guaranteed starter than a regular sub.
7. Goals are the
goal
The story behind every successful dream team is the goal
scorers and banking the big guns. Dont ignore your up-front
players.
There is some skill involved when selecting a winning fantasy
football team but also an element of luck, however, with the basics covered you
should give yourself a better chance of performing well. |
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