How NBA daily fantasy works

So, what is Daily Fantasy Sports for the NBA? Glad you asked! NBA Daily Fantasy is all about creating an imaginary team of 13 of the best professional ball players possible across the NBA. It’s kind of like handpicking your star-studded cast of the best Hollywood actors and making a movie that YOU have full creative control over. But for this particular exercise, substitute Bruce Willis with Lebron James, the movie set with the court, and lines delivery with strategy skills. That’s NBA fantasy basketball!

So, how do you win? You compete against other teams in heart-stopping contests that run from a day to a week to prove who’s best. Each player in your starting lineup earns points based on actual game statistics from their weekly NBA games. When your team accumulates more points than other players’, you can win cash prizes.

NBA DFS differs from seasonal fantasy basketball in that you line up new players every day and stand to win more frequently. You just need to join a site that offers fantasy basketball odds. That shouldn’t be too hard, considering it’s the second most-played fantasy sport, and the NBA is the biggest basketball league, with an average of 1.59 million viewers. I’m pretty sure if you throw a virtual stone online, you’ll hit an NBA DFS site.

Best NBA DFS sites

Since you have so many options to pick from, I’ve already done the legwork, by sieving out the best sites so you don’t have to. All these sites are legit and reliable, and will make your NBA DFS journey rewarding.

Underdog Fantasy – High tournament prize pools

Underdog Fantasy: Pros and Cons

• No salary cap
• Higher chances to win
• Seamless app
• Massive tournament prizes
• Small player pool

• Limited contact options

Up first is Underdog Fantasy. Besides regular NBA events, it has a slew of DFS tournaments like the Best Ball Mania that awards a whopping $1 million for the main prize. Battle Royale and Pick’em contests are also included.

I found the app lightning-fast and the logical display of information intuitive. As a relatively new site, its player pool is smaller than platforms like DraftKings, making it easier to cash. Plus, I like that every owner gets one shot at winning the league. So, you don’t have to worry about a salary cap or being beaten by a pro who has entered the tournament with maximum lineup entries.

DraftKings – Trustworthy brand

DraftKings: Pros and Cons

• NBA lineup optimizer
• Affordable entry fees
• Intuitive app
• Several contest modes
• Trustworthy brand

• No phone support

DraftKings is the King of fantasy sports and shines with innovative features like the NBA Lineup Optimizer. The free NBA lineup generator makes it easy for you to build optimized lineups.

There’s no shortage of NBA DFS DraftKings contests to join at this site. Cash games like 50/50s are available and pay out 50% of the field, while Tournaments payouts 20-30%. Several game-style formats like Showdown Slates, Tiers, and Classic are present to cater to all skill levels. There’s a buy-in for people of all income levels, ranging from free entry to over $1,000 for the pricy contests.

FanDuel – Flexible price points

FanDuel: Pros and Cons

• Reputable brand
• Several contests
• Flexible price points
• Customizable site
• Easy-to-use interface

• Limited promos

FanDuel is another iconic fantasy sports brand, with millions of paid users and some of the largest paying contests. That’s after I discovered how in 2023, FanDuel offered a $1 million prize pool for multiple NBA contests. NBA DFS Contest types include head-to-head games, 50/50s, leagues, and tournaments.

Buy-ins for contests range from free up to $10,000, with $1 being the cheapest entry for a paid contest. Because of the flexible price points, gamers of all income statuses are welcome. Its sleek and elegant web design that’s easy to use is a plus. Furthermore, you can customize your league play as often as you want and edit multiple lineups with a few clicks.

ParlayPlay – Rewarding loyalty club

ParlayPlay: Pros and Cons

• Beginner-friendly
• Several contests
• Rewarding loyalty program
• Referral bonuses
• Intuitive site

• Few payment options

What I like about ParlayPlay is that users don’t have to compete with daily fantasy sharks that spend every waking moment analyzing stats and using advanced metrics to win. Players compete against themselves and simply need to predict outcomes of various player stats to bring the bacon home.

Higher/Lower, Hit it, and Free 2 Play contests are the main game formats on offer. The site also delivers unique game modes like the ParlayPlay Pick “M” that significantly boosts your payout. ParlayPlay encourages social interaction and awards its existing players cash prizes for referring friends to the site. You can also be part of the Parlay Club and have access to exclusive contests.

OwnersBox – Exclusive game modes

OwnersBox: Pros and Cons

• Generous welcome deal
• Unique game variations
• Several contests
• Responsive support
• Navigable menus

• Somewhat cluttered web design

Players can also have a go at daily and weekly contests at OwnersBox. Take full advantage of the up to $500 welcome bonus when you sign up. Lightning Lineups are the brand’s most innovative feature.

For your NBA games, you can participate in this game variation, where the platform provides three sets of lineups. You pick the one you believe will score the most points and win cash prizes if you’re on the ball.

Various tournaments and contests are also available. I was able to jump from page to page with no lags. If you tap the “Messenger” menu at the bottom of the home page, you can connect with friends and groups on the platform for that community feel.

Comparing fantasy basketball sites

It’s easier to pick a site when you can see all your options and what they have to offer in one spot. Use this comparison table to help with your decision.

Choosing the best fantasy basketball sites

I rely on the following criteria to evaluate fantasy basketball sites in order to come up with the best recommendations for you:

• Exclusive features: Leading NBA DFS sites stand out because they think outside the box and deliver features no one else does, to improve player experience. DraftKings has Lineup Optimizers and OwnersBox has Lightning Lineups, while Underdog Fantasy is the boss of Best Ball tournaments.
• Usability: I believe the user experience is more important than you think. It’s what ensures you can easily navigate the site rather than wandering and confused about where to locate certain features and information.
• Customization: DraftKings is a good example of a site that allows you to create private and customizable leagues for a personalized experience.
• Real-time updates: NBA games are notorious for late scratches and injuries that can send you scrambling for last-minute changes to your roster. Look for a site that provides real-time updates and push notifications on such matters to stay informed about your players and team performance.
• Community aspects: The best NBA DFS sites encourage social interaction on the platform through social forums and the ability to share scores on social platforms.
• Tools for drafting and managing teams: To draft teams optimally, players would benefit from lineup optimizers, projections, and detailed stats.

Get off to a great start with these DFS betting bonuses

How to pick a winning NBA DFS lineup

I’ve played fantasy basketball for money and won for some time now. So, I’d like to share some tips for building winning teams that I’ve learned over the years.

Fantasy basketball DFS tips – pro strategies for winning

Winning at NBA DFS has more to do with strategy than luck. Try and incorporate the following fantasy basketball strategy options the next time you want to rake in those points and win cash:

• Don’t sleep on the younger veterans: I get that every fantasy basketball fan’s dream is to line up the stars. But don’t overlook younger players or breakout stars (sleepers) attempting to carry their teams into the postseason. They’re usually more agile and durable.
• Low-risk contest selection: I noticed that the best return on investment comes from single entry 50/50s and H2Hs. You might want to look there first.
• High-risk contest selection: Don’t enter contests unless you can enter the maximum number of players needed. Also, you need at least one low-owned player on your lineup to balance the scales and your budget.
• Be open to trade: No matter how good your NBA lineup looks, you’re going to have to make trades at some point. If you want to win, make trades early and often too, but after considering what your team needs.
• Watch the games: Finally, I urge you to watch the NBA games, watch SportsCenter regularly, and listen to Tim Legler break down plays. That’s the only way to be in tune with the latest developments, making it easier to draft the best players.

Fantasy basketball terms to know

Is this your first rodeo with NBA DFS? You may have found some of the terms I used throughout the guide foreign.

Let’s break down a few:

• Usage rate: This is the percentage of plays a player participated in while on the court provided the play concludes in a free throw attempt, field throw attempt, or turnover.
• Minutes: This is the amount of minutes each player sees in a game.
• Defense by position: When a player goes up against a bottom-three defense against his position, he’s recommended as a lower-risk option.
• Value option: A value option is a cheaper player who would hit 5-7X+ value on a slate. X, in this instance, refers to fantasy points scored divided by 1, 000.
• DK/FD points per minute: This is when fantasy points are divided by minutes played in the current game.[/toggle-item]

Enjoy hoops to the fullest with NBA DFS

If you’re a true fantasy basketball betting fan, you can never regard learning the tricks of the trade as work. Be prepared to do extensive research and even engage in barbershop conversations to establish the best NBA players for the job.

When tackled with intent and finesse, NBA Daily Fantasy can be decently lucrative. You need the help of noteworthy sites with various contests, and team-building tools to get the most value. Underdog and DraftKings are excellent options, but you can pick what works for you from my list.

The DFS betting sites we recommend

NBA Daily Fantasy FAQ