How does NBA DFS work?

Daily fantasy basketball is just like season-long basketball but much quicker. The premise is just the same in that players get to assemble their starting line-ups and the team that picks up the most points wins the contest.

So, to play DFS basketball, you would pick your team out of all of the available players for the day’s NBA games, and then you will get points according to how these players perform in the real world.

Points will be awarded for different things like if a player in your team scores a point, three-pointer, assist, block, rebound, steal, and so on. If you manage to get more points than the other players, you win the contest and a prize.

Award

DraftKings Bonus

20% up to $500

18+ in most eligible states, but age varies by jurisdiction. Eligibility restrictions apply.

Get bonus now

Award

ParlayPlay Bonus

100% up to $100

T&Cs apply, 18+

Get bonus now

Award

Underdog Fantasy Bonus

Claim your Special Pick via Code + First Time Deposit up to $250 in bonus!

T&Cs apply, 18+

Get bonus now

The legal status of DFS basketball sites

Daily fantasy basketball is legal across much of the US. This is because, unlike regular sports betting, fantasy sports is largely skill-based and therefore cannot be considered to involve any kind of gambling.

As a result, you will be able to play DFS basketball in most states as long as you are at least 21 years old. Just bear in mind that some states like Washington, Montana, Nevada, and Idaho don’t currently allow any form of fantasy sports.

Which are the best NBA fantasy sports sites?

There is very little doubt that both FanDuel and DraftKings are kings of daily fantasy basketball. After all, these were the originators of the whole fantasy sports phenomenon, and it’s no surprise to find that they both have a massive number of competitors playing a huge range of DFS basketball tournaments with some impressive prize pools.

However, it’s worth noting that many new DFS sites and apps are worth a look for fantasy basketball. Brands such as MonkeyKnifeFight feature a more user-friendly interface with a lack of a salary cap that could be more suitable to fantasy sports newcomers.

Plus JockMKT has come up with an interesting twist that blends fantasy sports with the stock exchange. This gives you a fun way to trade on the talents of your favorite NBA stars and is well worth checking out.

Our top DFS picks

1.

4.7/5

Underdog Fantasy Review

Claim your Special Pick via Code + First Time Deposit up to $250 in bonus!

Players from California accepted

Play now

T&Cs apply, 18+

2.

4.7/5

ParlayPlay Review

100% up to $100

Players from California accepted

Play now

T&Cs apply, 18+

3.

4.6/5

OwnersBox Review

100% up to $500

Players from California accepted

Play now

T&Cs apply, 18+

4.

4.5/5

Sleeper Review

100% up to $100

Players from California accepted

Play now

T&Cs apply, 18+

5.

4.5/5

Dabble Review

$10 Sign Up Offer

Players from California accepted

Play now

T&Cs apply, 18+

Different types of daily fantasy basketball

Each different DFS provider will feature different ways of awarding points and there will be different types of tournaments too. These will feature varying prize pools and different entry fees for taking part.

Recent additions have included the likes of pick’ems, single game contests, and player props gameplay. But here are the most common ways to play basketball DFS:

• Guaranteed prize pools: This is where you compete to win a share of a prize pool that is split up among the highest-ranked players.
• 50/50s: These require you to get a better score than the bottom half of the leaderboard. If you do this, you’ll get a prize.
• Head to heads: Here you simply go head to head with one other player and the person with the most points wins the prize.

Picking your ultimate fantasy basketball lineup

Lots of DFS fans get obsessed with drafting their line-ups and rightly so. This is because your line-up determines whether you win or lose and so it’s essential that you do plenty of research beforehand.

What complicates matters is the fact that many providers feature a kind of salary cap that stops you from filling up your squad with the best players. This is why many DFS fans opt for a good balance of tried and tested players in each of their key positions. Plus don’t forget to check the latest basketball news to see which stars might be able to pull out through injury.

Tips for enjoying NBA fantasy sports

Want to get started in NBA DFS but don’t know where to begin? Here are some things to consider:

Conclusion - Keep it here for more NBA fantasy sports options

We’ve shown you that there are many excellent DFS basketball sites to pick and choose from. This means that you’ll have plenty of choices when it comes to enjoying these daily fantasy basketball contests.

Our recommendation is to read our reviews of each operator and see how they work best for your own needs. From here it’s a matter of doing your research, assembling your squad, and then waiting for gameday to come around. So watch this space to see who’s offering you the best daily fantasy basketball entertainment.

Awesome offers from top DFS sites

1.

4.7/5

Underdog Fantasy Promo Code

Claim your Special Pick via Code + First Time Deposit up to $250 in bonus!

Players from California accepted

Copy

Get bonus now

T&Cs apply, 18+

2.

4.7/5

ParlayPlay Promo Code

100% up to $100

Players from California accepted

Go to ParlayPlay

Get bonus now

T&Cs apply, 18+

3.

4.6/5

OwnersBox Promo Code

100% up to $500

Players from California accepted

Min. Deposit: $10

Go to OwnersBox

Get bonus now

T&Cs apply, 18+

4.

4.5/5

Sleeper Promo Code

100% up to $100

Players from California accepted

Copy

Get bonus now

T&Cs apply, 18+

5.

4.5/5

Dabble Promo Code

$10 Sign Up Offer

Players from California accepted

Requirements (WR): 1x Deposit

Copy

Get bonus now

T&Cs apply, 18+

NBA fantasy sports FAQ