Fantasy Sports
Fantasy Sports Market – Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 – 2027)

Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report “Fantasy Sports Market – Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 – 2027)”
Key Highlights
In recent years, the introduction of multiple sports leagues in badminton, soccer, football (rugby), basketball, and volleyball has driven a shift in sporting culture. Technology advancements, increasing smartphone and internet penetration, have accelerated the growth of sports in various countries. An enthusiastic fan base has emerged, with an increasing number of people participating in, discussing, and competing in these sports, which has changed the way fans engage in sports, fueling the growth of fantasy sports.
Sports Tech is expected to create opportunities for highly skilled software engineers, data scientists, and cyber security professionals. It will likely increase sports viewership, sponsorships, and participation, directly impacting sports development. Hence, sports fan engagement platforms, such as Fantasy Sports, are altering how fans interact with live sporting events.
Several software and platforms are introduced in the market to help the users customize and analyze their players, allowing them to choose the right players for their draft based on data. For instance, according to The Analyst, in June 2022, the Stats Perform group introduced their new and improved NBA Draft Model, which helps the users/franchises to plan and choose their players based on a performance slider. These sliders represent different on-field actions and stats of a professional athlete, giving an overall DRIP rating and helping users make the appropriate choice. Some sliders include boxes, passes, shooting, post-ups, attacking, etc.
One of the major market drivers for online sports gambling and fantasy sports is the convenience offered when compared to other channels, particularly when the betting is conducted through a connected mobile device such as a smartphone. Bets are placed through computers, smartphones, and other connected devices through the internet. With the increase in the proportion of bettors who place a bet using mobile internet, there are increasing growth opportunities for the market.
Further, increased internet penetration and usage of low-cost smartphones among the urban and rural populations, and realization of monetization through revenue streams, like in-app purchases, pay-per-download, and subscription services, by gamers, and in-app advertisements, incentive-based advertisements, etc., by the ecosystem, have been driving the growth of fantasy sports market.
As fantasy sports are similar to sports betting, they can position themselves as an important and legal alternative to sports betting in the future. However, the fairness and legality of fantasy sports and the secure nature of transactions are known only to fewer people, suggesting that further awareness and education should be required to familiarize people with these core aspects of fantasy sports.
Even though COVID-19 caused problems for some fantasy leagues, these leagues have remained active despite the shortened professional seasons starting in 2021. Despite the pandemicās setback, the long-term prospects for fantasy sports are anticipated to stay positive. The market has seen a major influx of new participants and well-funded new startups due to renewed interest brought on by the legalization of “sports betting”in the United States. Peopleās obsession with fantasy sports is a major factor in the industryās expansion. According to Sensor Tower, ESPN fantasy sports had 60,000 downloads and made USD 30,000 in revenue during July 2020. ?
Key Market Trends
Fantasy Soccer to Hold a Major Share
Fantasy football or soccer is the most popular, just like the real game, with thousands of leagues to compete in. According to FIFA, football, or soccer as it is more often known in the United States, has over 5 billion fans worldwide. Some major football leagues include Premier League, La Liga, the Bundesliga, MLS, Serie A, Ligue 1, etc.
Fantasy soccer has various equivalent formats played worldwide with over nine million participants. Entrepreneurs are offering these sports platforms from multiple locations to appease the growing demand from fans for virtual versions of their preferred sports.
The fantasy football leagues (for soccer) often replicate the official leagues in various jurisdictions, such as Fantasy Premier League, Fantasy La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, etc. However, players can also build customized leagues with several possibilities.
Various leagues have partnered with fantasy sports platforms to engage fans better and increase their fan base. For instance, in March 2022, MLS announced a multi-year partnership with Sorareto to launch non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for all MLS clubs and players that can be collected and used by the platformās 1.5 million users across 184 countries in its blockchain-based fantasy game. Major League Soccer (MLS) created a new emerging venture team focused on three areas, increasing the leagueās fan base, driving revenue, and bringing in new and emerging technologies to be utilized by the league and its 28 clubs.
Moreover, prominent market players such as DraftKings, FanDuel, etc., are generating revenues significantly from fantasy soccer platforms. For instance, according to Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, In February 2021, DraftKings accounted for the highest share of adjusted revenue from fantasy sports in Pennsylvania, amounting to approximately USD 1,1170.03 thousand. In comparison, FanDuelās fantasy sports revenue reached roughly USD 743 thousand.
North America to Hold a Significant Market Share
North America presently holds a prominent position in the football (rugby) fantasy sports market. In the future, it will account for notable expansion due to economic growth, the increasing demand for football (rugby), a growing number of internet-accessible tools, and sports sponsorships, partnerships, acquisitions, and innovations.
For instance, in February 2021, To expand current daily fantasy sports (DFS) and content partnership to Canada, the National Football League (NFL) and DraftKings Inc., a pioneer in the digital sports entertainment and gaming industry and for its daily fantasy sports and mobile sports betting apps, have made a partnership. The two organizationsā connection has been strengthened by the announcement of an expanded agreement, which will also improve the DFS user experience in Canada as the NFL season moves closer to the Super Bowl.
American football (rugby) has a much more significant player base than other fantasy sports like fantasy baseball, basketball, or ice hockey in the US. Since the NFL accepted the concept of fantasy leagues considerable percentage of all fantasy league players nationwide currently participate in fantasy football (rugby). For decades, all fantasy leagues were unofficial and had no connection to the NFL. DraftKings became the leagueās first official daily fantasy partner in 2019. Through the agreements, the operators will have access to official game information and content and a presence on NFL.com and the official NFL app.
Fantasy football (rugby) and fantasy gridiron football are the two most prominent fantasy sports in the United States. Due to rising interest in football leagues like the Greater Oakland Professional Pigskin Prognosticators League (GOPPPL), National Football League (NFL), and American Football League, football (rugby) alone commands the largest portion of the fantasy sports market.
Canada has a significant gaming industry. Canadaās gaming industry is diverse, from online gambling to fantasy football and multiplayer first-person shooter games. The expansion of the Canadian fantasy gaming market has been driven by several key factors such as technological innovations, consumer preferences for new products, shifts in public perception, and innovation. This has further translated into interest from international companies wanting to make a strong foothold in Canada.
The region is witnessed various acquisitions for increasing performance metrics. For instance, in December 2021, A daily fantasy sports business called Betcha Sports, which blends gaming with social networking elements, was acquired by Vivid Seats for USD 25 million in Vivid Seat stock.
Competitive Landscape
The Fantasy Sports Market is fragmented, and the companies are leveraging strategic collaborative initiatives to increase their market share and increase their profitability. However, with technological advancements and product innovations, mid-size to smaller companies are growing their market presence by securing new contracts and tapping new markets.
April 2022 – DraftKings and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation announced that they have agreed to a deal to expand their relationship and pave the way to offering the DraftKings online and retail sports betting experience in Puerto Rico, subject to applicable licenses and regulatory approvals being obtained. The DraftKings retail sportsbook will be located inside the Foxwoods El San Juan Casino and is expected to open in the coming weeks, pending receipt of applicable licenses and regulatory approvals. Once complete, the space will feature a massive video wall, bar and dining services, two over-the-counter ticket windows, and six betting kiosks.
December 2021 – Flutter Entertainment plc announced the acquisition of Sisal, Italyās prominent online gaming operator, from CVC Capital Partners Fund VI for a consideration of EUR 1.913 billion / GBP 1.62 billion. The acquisition fully aligns with the Groupās strategy of investing in building leadership positions in regulated markets globally.
Fantasy Sports
Wire Industries Inc Announces Expansion of its FantasyWire Subdivision

Wire Industries Inc, an award-winning technology and media company that owns and operates the revolutionary sports betting marketplace WagerWire, announced the groundbreaking expansion of its FantasyWire subdivision.
FantasyWire recently garnered recognition by winning awards from the Fantasy Sports and Gaming Association (FSGA) for āBest Product Experienceā and āBest Innovationā. The award for Product Experience was attributed to the FantasyWire Pickem trading marketplace which launched in partnership with RealTime Fantasy Sports in 2024 and broke new ground as the first-ever secondary marketplace for users to buy and sell DFS (daily fantasy sports) Pickem entries. Their Best Innovation win acknowledged FantasyWireās robust pricing engine which powers the dynamic marketplace by allowing players to evaluate a live suggested sales price and deal score on any lineup they wish to sell or buy.
The overwhelming success of the Pickem entries marketplace laid the foundation to expand the offering to an even wider fantasy sports audience. And now, this latest release introduces DFS Pools to the secondary marketplace for the first time ever, further solidifying WagerWireās position as a leader in the daily fantasy and sports betting industries. The DFS Pool marketplace will operate similarly to the Pickem marketplace. After a player builds a lineup and joins a particular pool, they will be able to sell a portion, or the entirety of the entry within the marketplace directly embedded into the RealTime Sports platform.
āOur users fell in love with the Pickem marketplace and took to it right away. The results were astounding, so creating a new user experience to increase the action and engagement for our users was a no-brainer. There is no other fantasy platform on the planet that allows you to turn your unique entries, both Pickem and pool based, into an asset by leveraging the real time value of that entry. RealTime Sports has been leading the way in terms of fantasy sports innovation since 1995, and our ultra-successful partnership with WagerWire solidifies that weāre still the market leader in game-play, winnings, and innovation,ā said Tim Jensen, COO of RT Sports.
The FantasyWire experience is powered by the same award-winning pricing engine from Pickem, but now enhanced to accommodate the complexities of a DFS Pool. The platformās dynamic suggested pricing and deal scores empower users with unparalleled insights, ensuring players can maximize returns on their assets. The models are built on thousands of real-time simulations ā which are constantly run both before the games and during the games as scores are changing ā to calculate where entries will finish against their competitors within a specific pool. Based on these simulations, WagerWireās data science team models the calculated probability, as well as a live and real-time dollar value for an entry, to help buyers and sellersā price and set the market accordingly.
Wire Media serves as the growth engine behind FantasyWireās expanding product suite by inverting the traditional media model. Instead of relying on paid ads or celebrity endorsements, Wire Media tells the story of the fantasy entries and the people playing them, elevating users into influencers to organically drive engagement.
The expansion of the partnership and product has begun to make noise in the fantasy sports and gaming industry. With the news of this latest launch in partnership with RealTime Sports as well as the two 2025 FSGA awards, the industry acknowledged Wire Industries even further by electing cofounder and CEO Zach Doctor to the FSGA Board of Directors.
āOne of the main missions behind the creation and founding of WagerWire is to provide liquidity and value to every form of gaming asset, from betting tickets, to Pickems, to contests. And DFS pools were the next asset class to be utilized. Our industry recognition is proof that our products and offerings are truly cutting edge, reshaping the fantasy user experience and changing the expectations around the fantasy market forever,ā said Zach Doctor, CEO of WagerWire.
Fantasy Sports
Will Booth: blending the best of fantasy and sports with PickāEm Player Props

For those that might not know, can you give us a brief overview of PickāEm Player Props?
In simple terms, the new PickāEm Player Props product from WA.Technology is almost like a hybrid between fantasy sports and sports betting. In the same vein as traditional player props products that you see in traditional sports, players can select markets on individual players ā we have just taken that model and elevated it.
During the game, players can make between two and six bet selections. For example, will Erling Haaland score more or less than 2.5 shots? The number of bet selections the player makes then determines their multiplier. By allowing bettors to unleash their sporting knowledge and provide engaging games for them to play, we are helping our operator partners to not only engage with a wider player base but also to fuel long-term retention. It really is a one-of-a-kind product and one weāre incredibly excited about. Itās already proving to be a top performer in LatAm.
Why has now been the right time to unveil PickāEm Player Props?
Over the last few years, weāve seen significant growth in the number of player proposition products. There are several reasons for that. Sports fans have shown a growing affinity for individual players rather than a team. They follow players on social media and engage with content featuring that player.
This reflects the wider trend weāre seeing: the new generation of fans is more in love with the players than the team itself. A great example of this is both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Bettors worldwide would wager on either of those players and engage with their content regardless of which team they played for or what club they supported.
The appetite for player-driven betting is increasing dramatically, resulting in a greater demand for products specifically tailored to individual athletes.
With more traditional sportsbooks, however, weāve found that there isnāt as much depth of product regarding player propositions ā aside from goal scorer markets. We wanted to change that ā we wanted to deliver a fun, engaging product that helps build a sense of community among players.
Since PickāEm Player Props is also a hybrid of fantasy and sports, it can act as an attractive tool to facilitate new market entries, as fantasy sports are not regulated like sportsbooks or iGaming. Take the US for example. In most states, operators do not need a licence to offer a fantasy sports product. This is the case for many markets around the world, too. I believe this will be an attractive proposition for operators looking to expand their international footprint, and as a truly global provider, weāre here to make that happen.
In your view, what differentiates WA.Technologyās PickāEm Player Props from other player props products on the market?
Currently, we are the only B2B provider to offer a player propositions product that combines sports and fantasy. A handful of companies in the US offer something similar, but they are all B2C companies ā we are bringing something totally unique to the B2B space.
Fantasy Sports have always been popular in the US. But over the last 18 months, weāve seen a meteoric rise in the demand for player proposition markets; we wanted to develop a product that caters to that growth in demand and delivers something unique for our partners.
For other player props products on the market, something that is worth noting is that the design and UX are doing little to engage Millennial/Gen Z bettors. This audience demands a streamlined UX that is easy to use. Our PickāEm version has been specifically designed with this demographic in mind, although we have been careful not to disenfranchise other age groups. We have kept the design sleek, streamlined and easy to use to deliver that. Itās extremely well-designed compared to what you might see in a more traditional sportsbook.
The game is straightforward to understand because we have fixed multipliers. This decision differentiates us from more traditional products, where the multipliers vary depending on how many bets you place. It also makes the product much more accessible for players who might otherwise not be familiar with fantasy or player props.
Another major defining factor is that we have ensured players can add multiple bets from different markets together. On most sports betting sites out there, you cannot combine player props markets. You couldnāt, for example, have a bet slip combining Erling Haaland’s Over/Under Shots and Kevin De Bruyneās Shots on Target. We know this is frustrating for many bettors. We wanted to eliminate that barrier and elevate sports fans’ experience.
How does the level of data granularity influence the design and effectiveness of player proposition betting products, particularly in terms of player engagement and personalised betting options?
We are very fortunate that the data feed we use for our player props markets is the best. We have a wide range of insights and data analytics available, giving us an edge over other companies within the space ā this is a serious differentiator.
The enhanced data range means we can deliver many more bespoke, personalised betting options to players while also getting more granular with the markets we can offer.
Our Managed Services Team, which oversees all things trading, also closely monitors the markets that are most popular with players. For example, if we see an influx in bets on āshots on targetā, we know how to create more promotions around this particular market. We can tailor the CMS to engage better with players and create a more personalised experience.
Players can also āfavouriteā particular players and clubs. Any market featuring that player will automatically appear when the PickāEm Player Props application loads up.
Are there any markets where you believe PickāEm Player Props will prove to be particularly popular? If so, why?
In all honesty, I canāt think of a market where this wonāt be popular! Regions such as LatAm present an enormous opportunity for the growth of player proposition markets. I believe we can really plug a gap in the products currently offered to bettors.
Across the continent, weāve seen players show a real passion for player-focused markets, and weāre here to capitalise on that. In Brazil, for example, if we were to create markets on Neymar, Iād anticipate this would gain much traction!
The real selling point for PickāEm Player Props here is that we offer an extensive range of sports and markets that cater to a broad audience ā but within that, we can personalise sports and bet selections not to overwhelm the player. Iād expect that markets on football will perform exceptionally well across Africa and LatAm, while countries such as South Africa may have a stronger preference for Rugby or Cricket.
Ultimately, itās about understanding the unique preferences of players within each jurisdiction our partners operate in and tailoring the product accordingly. With teams based in various markets worldwide, we can get to grips with the local knowledge and fully understand what resonates with bettors.
In your view, what are some of the factors behind the growth of player props products in the last 12 months?Ā Ā
Most definitely shows how sports media companies are incorporating more player-specific content into their roster. This already has a huge impact, and I canāt see it changing anytime soon.
Whether itās interviews with specific players, post-match analytics on performance or even the inherent growth of social media, the balance is undoubtedly tipping more towards the player rather than the team.
Personalisation will also have a considerable knock-on effect on the growth of player propositions. Bettors want more bespoke offers, specific bet suggestions and more instant content tailored to their unique playing habits. With a product like PickāEm Player Props, you can personalise that betting experience to your heartās content.
It also becomes much easier for sportsbooks to align with a specific userās interests when we deliver unmatched data analytics and levels of personalisation that are available via WA.Technologyās product suite.
In short, PickāEm Player Props gives operators the tools they need to create wide-ranging engagement opportunities without sticking to the rigid sporting calendar, where sometimes you might have to wait several days between a game. By incorporating fantasy sports, we can deliver round-the-clock content much faster, therefore meeting the demands of players. If you want to find out more ā make sure to stop by Stand 1095 at SiGMA!
Fantasy Sports
RotoUnderworld Closes $1.5 Million in Pre-Seed Round to Transform Fantasy Sports & iGaming with FastDraft Mobile Platform

RotoUnderworld, a technology company that analyzes statistical data for fantasy sports, announced that it has raised $1.5 million in a pre-seed funding round to build the next-generation fantasy gaming platform. The round was led by iGaming mavens and technology investors recognizing the companyās hyperactive user base and mobile development capabilities.
RotoUnderworldās new FastDraft app is revolutionizing the iGaming sector with high-engagement fantasy contests that appeal to both low and high-volume customers. By reducing draft times, simplifying the user experience, and providing more actionable in-game data, FastDraft is accessible to a wider audience of sports fans and fantasy enthusiasts.
āRotoUnderworld is on a mission to bring knowledge and joy to sports. Soon after our sports data business ramped up, we were inundated by fantasy sports consumers eager for more mobile fantasy gaming options, especially in the rapidly growing best ball vertical. We listened and delivered,ā said Matthew Kelley, founder of RotoUnderworld and gameplay architect of FastDraft.
āOur drafts finish in under 5 minutes, which is 10 times faster than traditional best ball formats. By simplifying the scoring and reducing the time to draft, FastDraft appeals to over 50 million fantasy gamers worldwide who love drafting but often feel overwhelmed by the complexity, competition and time commitment. FastDraftās streamlined format makes it easy to engage with the app and significantly increases user spend per session,ā said Kelley.
After acquiring more than 1000 new FastDraft users in the first month, the company is preparing a seed funding round to scale the platform, introduce new contest formats and promote the brand to the millions of fantasy gamers worldwide eager to start drafting faster.
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