Fantasy sports have existed since the 1960s, giving sports enthusiasts a way to manage their own teams based on the real-life performances of their favourite athletes and teams. When fantasy sports first began, participants used paper and pencil to track their team’s performance. However, the internet changed all of that, and, today, the millions of people who play fantasy sports overwhelmingly do so online. These online platforms keep users up to date on everything they need to run a successful fantasy franchise, including player statistics and news.
Cutting-edge technology plays a big role in the fantasy sports experience, with data analytics and big data helping players make informed decisions without having to manually comb through extensive performance metrics. Mobile apps provide users with personalised content on the go and have made it easy for players to check in on their teams. Keep reading to learn about the impact technology has had on modern fantasy sports.
Online Gaming and Fantasy Sports
For many players, fantasy sports and online gaming go hand in hand. Just like fantasy sports have experienced exponential growth over the past couple of decades, so too has online gaming. In both cases, technological advancements have driven this growth, including widespread access to high-speed internet and high-performance smartphones.
One subset of the online gaming industry that has been especially successful is the iGaming sector, where online casinos have taken off, making it possible for gamers to play their favourite casino games from almost wherever they’d like. Slot games like Dr. Toonz are just one example of how far technology has brought the online gaming industry. This game has advanced features like cascading reels and unique Quantumeter charge levels that enhance player engagement, a dynamic that’s similar to the real-time data and interactive features found in fantasy sports.
When we look at fantasy sports platforms, we can see the influence of online gaming, including elements like leaderboards, achievements, and in-game rewards. All of this helps keep players engaged and makes the platforms more interactive while promoting friendly competition. These platforms hope these features will keep players engaged and encourage them to compete with not only their friends but also other players globally.
Data Analytics and Big Data
Any sports fan knows there is a ton of data to keep up with when tracking their favourite sports teams. For those who play fantasy sports, organising and making sense of all of this information can mean the difference between winning and losing. That’s why data analytics and big data have such an important role in fantasy sports, transforming raw data into actionable insights. Fantasy sports platforms use big data and data analytics to do a lot, including analysing player statistics, game performance metrics, and historical data.
The detailed analysis these platforms produce helps fantasy sports enthusiasts predict player performance, assess potential risks, and maximise their chances of winning. All of these sophisticated metrics can help them gain a competitive edge on their journey to fantasy sports success.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been one of the most talked about news stories of the past couple of years, with the technology making its way into the hands of non-tech people for the first time. With chatbots like Gemini and ChatGPT, it’s no longer necessary to have a technical degree to use AI to your advantage. What many fantasy sports players might not know is that AI and machine learning are working behind the scenes every time they log into their favourite fantasy sports platform, powering the tools they use to predict player performance and optimise their lineups.
AI models analyse all types of data to make their predictions, including injury reports and even weather conditions. Some of the biggest names in fantasy sports use AI algorithms to suggest the best lineups to players and help them make real-time adjustments during games. One of the most influential tools is IBM’s Satson, which offers deep insights into player performance and game conditions.
