Manchester City’s Erling Haaland (l) and Chelsea’s Kalidou Koulibaly challenge for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match in London, January 5 2023.
AP/Kirsty Wigglesworth
Participating in fantasy sports should be a fun hobby, and for the most part, it is. But when your virtual soccer team takes over your life, it might be time to reassess.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrates after his team won the NFL divisional playoff football game against the Houston Texans on Jan. 12, 2020.
AP Photo/Charlie Riedel
Watching the chances of victory change injects life into sports, both real and fantasy.
Sydney’s Lance Franklin is a popular choice for many fantasy AFL coaches.
AAP/David Moir
Fantasy sports began as a niche hobby for statistically inclined sports fanatics. But, with the internet, it has evolved into a multi-billion-dollar industry.
Wagering on players can add a layer of excitement to a game that’s already full of drama.
Dominick Reuter/Reuters
For many, the marriage of two American pastimes – gambling and sports – can be almost impossible to resist.
DraftKings will sponsor professional poker players like Ken Weimer – indicative, perhaps, of the demographic they’re courting.
World Poker Tour/flickr
The fledgling industry faces a minefield that could undermine its valuation and growth.
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is the top-rated fantasy player on Yahoo’s preseason rankings.
USA Today Sports/Reuters
While season-long fantasy football has been around for years, the rise of daily formats has radically changed how fans watch and root for teams.
The real game gets filtered by the imaginary.
OlegDoroshin / Shutterstock.com
Football games are now watched through a haze of statistics, generated by betting, fantasy football and video games.