Daily Fantasy Sports, or DFS, is really a remarkable mixture of skill, luck, and calculations. But, for the players in the lone star state, there are some things you didn’t know about daily fantasy sites in Texas.
First of all, they are not entirely legal. While the disputes are ongoing and you can’t be persecuted as a player, the Texas penal code might imply that any type of betting on any type of sports result is illegal.
That is why there are three main rules when dealing with daily fantasy sports in Texas:
- Don’t speak about DFG (publically)
- There are no DFG pubs in name
- It is a very competitive community
Texas is a fascinating place when it comes to DFS as it simultaneously needs to be on the down-low and is very popular and competitive. This has created a sort of a subculture where football fans that are used to being rowdy and boastful now need to hide what they are doing.
Thankfully, most of the actual betting is done online and great deals can be found on sites for Texas DFS like online-gambling.com helping you to win money with your optimized dream team.
Everything is Bigger in Texas
Probably both due to the local culture and the legal system in the state, Texans are not frequent gamers or gamblers. But, when they do enjoy the entertainment they do so in a big way.
This size also applies to sports in the state, especially when it comes to college football. Between competition, education, teamwork, and the younger generation, everything sparks something in Texans to go all in.
Regretfully, with the Daily Fantasy Sports not being exactly legal in the state, such behavior needs to be veiled into something else. This is why you will see sports bars that play multiple games at the same time and have separate screens for detailed player performances.
The bar itself doesn’t offer any type of gambling, only good beer and often food, but they know that a lot of patrons are there to talk about DFS.
#1 Silent Fanatics
The fact that you won’t hear Fantasy Football being mentioned in polite company doesn’t mean that nobody is playing it. Quite the opposite, it is unlikely to be in a group of five Texans with none of them at least having a small steak in-game.
Also, the lack of noise doesn’t mean they lack enthusiasm. People like their fantasy teams as much as they do their home teams and will fight you tooth and nail if you don’t share their belief in who are the best players in the season.
Thankfully, this is all in good fun and there is no real animosity between players, more like playful banter.
#2 Speakeasy Sports Pubs
Sports pubs have been popular across the state for a long time now. Those who can’t travel to see their team play an away game will always follow the game from a local bar. This only increased with the popularization of sports betting.
But, when it comes to DFS you will see a picture much often seen on the East Coast of the nation. These bars are more relaxed, play a lot more games on their screens, and allow the patrons to sit in booths rather than around the bar.
This is because friends will go to a bar, observe the games and their results on their smartphones and argue with each other about who made a better pick and who is the winner from their little group.
#3 Legal Limbo
As previously mentioned, daily fantasy sports are not exactly legal in Texas and there is a push from the State to ban the practice or at least regulate it as sports betting. Although such a push from the administration is not absurd, it might be a bit misguided.
A lot of operators are pushing against this change as it will change the rules for the players, as well as the price of doing business.
Because it would affect the game, the players aren’t supporting their home state on the matter and would like for the administration to lay-off. But, because everyone knows that the issue is currently unregulated nobody is really pushing.
#4 Playing for Prestige
Because of the limbo, a lot of players in Texas don’t play their DFS for money, or at least not for money placed with an operator. Rather, they play for prestige in their own circle of friends.
Sometimes cash bets are made who will come out as the best fantasy manager, but this is all in good fun and meant to show someone’s knowledge about the game and the players and not to win money.
#5 Can’t Regulate Global Operators
Finally, the issue with regulation is that it is impossible to regulate someone that is offering a service from halfway across the world. While DraftKings is stationed in Massachusetts and can be at least bargained with, there are others that are much further.
And, these operators are at least honest and do everything to stop any kind of addiction or exploitation. If the state pushes players underground there might be a chance for predatory companies and scammers to take their place.
This is why it is important to play from legitimate websites, even if the legality of the game is in question.
