The Best Daily Fantasy Basketball Sites & Mobile Apps

If you’re a basketball fan, you’ll be pleased to know that there are a number of top daily fantasy betting sites that provide unique drafting experiences and plenty of thrills. In this guide to the best fantasy basketball sites, you’ll find all you need to know about the exciting options available to you.

In addition to covering the best three basketball daily fantasy sites, you’ll also learn about their scoring systems and welcome offers. You’ll also discover some helpful strategies on how you can enhance your gameplay and boost your payouts.

Just a quick heads up: we at FantasyFest provide advice that’s completely independent and unbiased. Sometimes, we feature affiliate links on our pages, these may generate income for us at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!

How to Play Fantasy Basketball

While it may sound confusing at first, daily fantasy basketball actually has a very small learning curve, making it accessible to all types of basketball fans. It is different from sports betting in that you’ll be asked to draft fantasy teams of real-life basketball players from one league. The most common league is the NBA.

In most daily fantasy sports platforms, participants compete in small pools of other players, with small buy-ins required at the beginning of each tournament. You will earn points based on the weekly performances of your chosen players, with the top-scoring players receiving a share of the total prize pool. While each site is different, you’ll usually need to draft a 12-player lineup.

Tournaments usually last anywhere between one day and one week, though it’s not impossible to find season-long competitions. In this guide, we’ve covered shorter tournaments as these provide faster payouts and more versatility.

Overview of Fantasy Basketball with DraftKings

DraftKings is one of the most well-known names in daily fantasy sports for good reason. The site offers traditional styles of fantasy betting in addition to other contest types you won’t find anywhere else. The DraftKings platform itself is easy to use and responsive, and you will always be able to find tournaments.

You can either create a league to play with your friends or compete against strangers from across the USA. The only basketball leagues that are available at DraftKings is the NBA and WNBA, which is standard for major DFS betting sites. The site is legal in most states and is free to join.

Types of Fantasy Basketball DFS Contests at DraftKings

There are 12 different daily fantasy sports leagues on offer for basketball at DraftKings, with each offering variations on scoring, drafting, and general set-up. Below, we’ve covered several of the top offers for contestants so you can decide which is most likely to satisfy your individual needs.

DraftKings “NBA Classic”

The NBA Classic contest utilizes standard daily fantasy sports rules. This is a salary cap contest, which means that you’ll need to create a lineup of players within a $50,000 budget. Each player will be priced differently according to their stats. Your lineups require eight players of varying positions that will compete in at least two different games.

Scoring

DraftKings “NBA Showdown Captain Mode”

The NBA Showdown Captain Mode is a salary cap contest that differs in that players must select one player as a Captain. This player will earn a 1.5X multiplier on all points, so you must consider this selection wisely. Your lineup will consist of six players in total, with the five other players being utilities.

There are two other contest types available at DraftKings with similar mechanisms. These are called the KFC Colonel’s Pick and the Dark Horse Value Pick. The same team drafting requirements apply.

DraftKings “NBA In-Game Showdown H2”

This contest type is similar to the above Showdown mode but differs in that your chosen captain will only offer enhanced payouts in the second half and overtime of the game. The same six-person drafting requirements apply. Keep in mind that your Captain will cost more of your salary than the utility players.

There is another similar contest type also available called NBA In-Game Showdown Q4, which sees Captains only earn enhanced payouts in the fourth quarter and overtime.

DraftKings “NBA Tiers”

Unlike the standard salary cap contest, Tier competitions require participants build fantasy lineups according to set player tiers. Each player will be assigned a tier, with participants required to fill each tier spot on their teams. The number of tiers may vary according to each Game Set. The same point system as Classic contests applies.

DraftKings “WNBA”

There is only one contest type for the WNBA at DraftKings. This is a salary cap contest and has the same point system as the NBA Classic contest. The only major difference in terms of your lineups is that you will only need to draft six players from at least two different games.

DraftKings “Snake” and “Snake Showdown”

In NBA Snake, you will draft your teams using a live snake system. This differs from standard drafting procedures in that participants will take turns drafting players to create a more fair draft. The snake draft will begin once the required number of participants enter a contest.

You can also choose a fast draft system, where players have up to 30 seconds to make a pick. In the regular Snake contest, you’ll be required to draft lineups of seven players of varying positions, while the Snake Showdown contest requires only four players. The standard point system applies.

DraftKings “NBA Series”

The NBA Series contest follows a traditional daily fantasy sport structure in that you will earn points from a series of games as opposed to one round. You will also be required to pick a Captain and teams will consist of six players. Unlike traditional DFS competitions, you won’t be able to edit your lineup after the first game.

DraftKings “NBA Best Ball”

The Best Ball mode combines both the Snake drafting and Series systems to create an exciting long-term game. You will need to draft teams of 16 players, with seven starters and nine bench players. Each week, your top-scoring players will be assigned as your starters. You won’t be able to change your lineups after the first week.

Best Ball drafts have either fast draft or slow draft settings. Fast drafts see participants given 30 seconds each to make a pick, while slow drafts give players up to eight hours to make a pick. The same point system applies to Best Ball contests.

Features of the DraftKings Basketball Fantasy Mobile App

The DraftKings mobile platform has beaten strong competition from Monkey Knife Fight to be our top recommended daily fantasy basketball apps thanks to its high-performance design and versatile features. You’ll be able to join and create contests, draft your teams, and make payments all while on the go. It is compatible with both iOS and Android devices.

DraftKings Fantasy Basketball Summary

The DraftKings basketball fantasy betting platform provides one of the most well-stocked betting options in the United States. There are plenty of contest variations to choose from, and you’ll be able to compete against your friends or total strangers. There are also frequent promotions to take advantage of. Whether you’re looking to draft fantasy teams from the NBA or WNBA, there are several contest variations to select to ensure a bespoke experience. The buy-ins are very accessible, and many players will also be able to take advantage of the site’s sports betting platform where legal.

Overview of Fantasy Basketball with ParlayPlay

As outlined in our review of ParlayPlay, the up-and-coming operator is steadily building a large user base across the USA. It offers a distinct experience from other major sites in that it provides two different contest types. The scoring system is also much more simple and more refined, so it’s a great site for beginners.

ParlayPlay is unique in that it relies on a system similar to player props betting. Rather than scoring based on the vague performances of your chosen players, you will need to make accurate predictions about how they score. You can also compete in free traditional contests here.

Scoring

Types of ParlayPlay Fantasy Basketball Contests

The two contest types at ParlayPlay include More/Less and Hit It. While the same point-scoring table listed above applies to both options, they are vastly different from one another in terms of structure. The only basketball league offered at this site, for the time being, is the NBA.

ParlayPlay “More/Less”

To get started in a More/Less competition, participants must select between two and four players that are competing in an NBA basketball event. Each player will have a set of projected stats for that game, and you will be required to predict whether they will score more or less than these projections. Participants earn a payout depending on how many correct picks are guessed.

ParlayPlay “Hit It”

In Hit It, participants must select two basketball players that will compete in an upcoming basketball event. You must then predict a projected point range. If you accurately predict the point ranges for both players, you’ll win 6X your entry fee. If you predict only one, you’ll win a 2X multiplier on the entry fee.

ParlayPlay Fantasy Basketball Summary

If you’re looking for unique contests with simplistic scoring and payout mechanisms, ParlayPlay is the site for you. The site mixes daily fantasy sports and sports betting to create a rewarding product you won’t find anywhere else. Its free-play games also give you a great opportunity to practice DFS without any financial risk.

Overview of Fantasy Basketball with OwnersBox

OwnersBox offers two unique contest modes that are much different in set-up than traditional daily fantasy sports contests. One option combines a slot-machine style picking system for your picks, while another gives you greater control over your final lineup with an added random bonus pick.

You’ll be able to enjoy NBA drafting, and as we’ve outlined in our full review of OwnersBox, the site is legal to play in most states across the USA. In the following section, you’ll find the point sheet for both types of fantasy basketball contests at this site.

Scoring

Types of OwnersBox Fantasy Basketball Contests

There are two daily fantasy drafting options at OwnersBox that can be enjoyed on all of its sports, including basketball. These are the Super Flex and Lightning Lineups modes. Each is vastly different in terms of user input, though both can still deliver generous rewards to successful players.

OwnersBox “Super Flex”

The Super Flex system is applied to OwnersBox’s standard daily fantasy sports offerings, including basketball. To begin, participants must build teams of 10 players from the NBA. You’ll be able to access accurate data about each player in player cards to help inform your selections.

Once you have filled these slots, the Flex slot will be utilized. You’ll be able to select an additional player of any position to round out your lineup and enhance your total score. The Super Flex slot will then automatically be filled by the site with another position.

OwnersBox “Lightning Lineups”

In Lightning Lineups, players spin to reveal three different three-player lineups. You can then either choose one of the lineups to add to your bet or wait for another respin. You’ll want to choose a lineup that you believe will score the most points. It is possible to add multiple lineups to your bet. This will increase the payout multiplier. The participants whose Lightning Lineup earns the most points will win the round and receive a payout.

OwnersBox Fantasy Basketball Summary

The OwnersBox daily fantasy sports site is great in that you can choose from either a traditional-style game with a twist or a game that does most of the picking for you. This allows you to be as involved in the gameplay process as suits you that week. The site itself is well-designed and easy to navigate, with plenty of walkthroughs provided to ensure a smooth experience.

Basketball DFS Tips & Strategy

There are several tried and tested strategies for basketball daily fantasy sports that can help to boost your performance. The most common bit of advice that you’ll here for DFS basketball is to do your research on players and their projections. Basketball tends to be more predictable when it comes to player projections than other sports.

You’ll also want to keep an eye on your picks right up until the game begins, because you may have to react to injury reports. In many instances, you won’t be able to edit your picks once the first game has begun, so continue to research the participating teams and lineups until the game starts.

In NBA DFS, you’ll want players that can accumulate minutes as this will increase their opportunities to produce points. If a player is injured, his backup will have the opportunity to score, and its likely that they will be priced lower. You’ll want to take advantage of backups for the most efficiency.

Guide to Basketball DFS Roster Construction

While it is can be useful to choose lower priced players that other participants are likely to overlook, there are certain players that are always worth choosing even if most will pick them. These will almost guarantee you points, so it doesn’t pay to be a contrarian here all the time.

It also isn’t necessarily beneficial to stack players from one team in NBA daily fantasy sports, as aside from points and assists, the points aren’t correlated between players. You’ll want to draft your teams from a mix of both popular and unpopular players to give you the best chance to come out on top and receive the largest payout.

Helpful Basketball DFS Resources

There are plenty of resources that you can rely on to inform your odds. While most DFS sites will provide accurate player statistics, it’s helpful to refer to the official NBA page for more detailed insights. You can also listen to DFS basketball podcasts for expert picks and discussions on upcoming games.

Similarly, there are a number of YouTube channels that cover daily fantasy sports and basketball betting, and it can also be useful to look at player prop odds at sports betting sites. Despite the fact that most channels focus more on fantasy football, there is still plenty of DFS basketball content to be found. To see how the community will be picking, you can also find many forums where a range of relevant topics are discussed.

Our Pick of the Top Daily Fantasy Basketball Mobile App

We believe that DraftKings is the best mobile app for basketball as it has the most versatile contest options. Whether you want to draft with the tier, salary cap, or snake system, you’ll find an option to suit you. The fact that this can be easily done through your handheld device is a huge bonus. The DraftKings platform is also a great option for competing in daily fantasy college basketball contests as well.

Final Thoughts on Choosing a Basketball Fantasy Site

With this expert overview of the top basketball daily fantasy betting sites, you’ll be able to make an informed decision about which site is best for you. All sites are legal in most states in the USA, and while the buy-ins are quite small, the payouts can be huge. You can claim a sign-up bonus at each site to get you started with an increased budget.

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