Sports betting isn’t the only option for sports fans in Arizona. Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) is also live in the state, giving players a skill-based alternative to traditional sportsbook wagering.
DFS platforms typically run contests across most major sports year-round, so there’s always something to play regardless of the time of year. DraftKings is one of the most widely used DFS platforms available to Arizona players.
What Is Daily Fantasy Sports?
DFS uses the same basic concept as traditional fantasy sports, but turns it into short public contests that can last as little as one day. Instead of drafting a season-long roster, DFS players build a brand-new lineup for every contest they enter, and many of these contests offer sizable potential payouts.
To get started, download and sign up for a DFS app such as DraftKings, then choose a sport to play; basketball and football are common choices, but most major sports are supported. After picking a contest, players build a roster to score as many fantasy points as possible. Unlike a traditional draft, each DFS roster must fit under a salary cap (a dollar value assigned to each athlete), so building a winning lineup takes some strategy.
Fantasy points are awarded based on real in-game statistics, just like traditional fantasy leagues.
Unlike traditional fantasy leagues, where players compete head-to-head over a full season, DFS contests are usually tournaments with anywhere from a couple of players to many thousands, across a variety of formats. Players can filter contests by number of entrants if a smaller field is preferred, and some contests offer a straightforward head-to-head format.
What Are The Top Daily Fantasy Contest Types?
Salary Cap
Most DFS contests use a salary cap format. Each athlete is assigned a price, and DFS players must build a full roster while staying under a set budget. Assembling the best possible lineup under that constraint is the core strategic challenge of DFS.
Guaranteed Prize Pools
Guaranteed Prize Pools (GPP) are among the most popular contest types because of their potential for large payouts. Rather than a single winner, the top-performing lineups across the field all get paid.
“Cash” Games
Cash games typically have smaller fields than GPP contests, so the payouts are smaller too, but the appeal is a flat payout structure. As long as a lineup finishes in the top half of the field, it wins. Common cash game formats include:
- Head To Head — one-on-one play with a double-or-nothing payout structure, similar to traditional fantasy leagues.
- 50/50s — finish in the top half of the field and roughly double your entry.
- Multipliers — a flat payout multiplier (often 2x–10x the entry) is applied to a smaller percentage of top finishers.
Single Game
Single-game contests are popular in football. Rosters are still built under a salary cap, but only athletes playing in that specific game are eligible. One athlete is typically designated captain and earns a scoring bonus (often 1.5x points).
Prop Bets
Similar to prop bets in sports betting, some DFS contests let players build lineups or make picks based on an individual athlete’s stats in a single game or across a season.
Leagues
Some DFS platforms offer season-long league formats, similar to traditional fantasy sports, where a group of players competes across an entire season rather than in daily or weekly contests. Leagues can be set up as public or private.
Tiers
Tiers contests skip the salary cap. Instead, available athletes are divided into tiers, and players must select one athlete from each tier to build their roster.
Types Of Bonuses At DFS Sites
Deposit Match Bonuses
DFS platforms, like sportsbooks, commonly offer a deposit match bonus, bonus funds equal to a percentage of a player’s first deposit, usually unlocked by hitting a specific play-through requirement over time.
Sign-Up Bonuses
New players are often offered a sign-up bonus: free credits granted after meeting a minimum deposit amount, which varies by platform.
Referral Bonuses
Players who invite friends can typically earn a referral bonus once the referred player signs up and makes a qualifying deposit.
Free DFS Contests
DFS platforms often run free-to-enter contests, giving players a shot at cash prizes with no entry fee, sometimes offered as a perk after an initial deposit.
Bonus terms, amounts, and availability change often and vary by platform, so always check the current terms directly on the DFS site before opting in.
Is Daily Fantasy Sports Legal In Arizona?
Yes. Daily fantasy sports were included in the same legislation that legalized sports betting in Arizona.
What Sports Are Offered In DFS Contests?
Nearly every major U.S. sports league, along with several international leagues, is available on DFS platforms.
NFL
Fantasy football is the most popular sport across DFS platforms, with large-scale contests running throughout the NFL season. Since NFL teams play only once a week, fantasy football is easier to track than sports with more frequent games.
NBA
NBA DFS contests are popular thanks to an 82-game regular season, giving players frequent chances to enter both single-game and multi-day contests.
MLB
Baseball has the most games of any major sport, with 162 games in the regular season giving DFS players the most opportunities to play, though the sheer number of players and games adds complexity.
NHL
Like the NBA, the NHL runs an 82-game season, giving hockey fans plenty of chances to play DFS.
College Sports
College football and basketball are both popular DFS options, with hundreds of programs and games providing a wide range of contests to choose from.
NASCAR
NASCAR is an individual sport that’s easy to follow with weekly races, and DFS platforms typically offer head-to-head and 50/50 contest formats for it.
PGA
Like NASCAR, PGA golf is an individual sport well suited to DFS. With tournaments scheduled throughout the year, players have near-constant opportunities to enter fantasy golf contests.
International Soccer
DFS players can enter soccer contests: leagues, single-game formats, and 50/50s, covering competitions such as the English Premier League, German Bundesliga, and Spanish La Liga.
Esports
Esports contests are also available on many DFS platforms, with popular titles including Call of Duty, Rocket League, and League of Legends.
Arizona Daily Fantasy Sports FAQ
Is DFS the same as sports betting?
No. Sports betting is a form of gambling in which you bet against the sportsbook. DFS is considered a game of skill in which players compete against each other rather than against the house.
Can you play DFS in Arizona?
Yes. Daily fantasy sports were included in the same bill that legalized sports betting in Arizona.
What is the difference between DFS and traditional fantasy sports?
With DFS, you draft a new roster for every contest, so injuries or a bad week for one player don’t follow you into the next contest. Traditional fantasy sports use a season-long league format, where you draft a roster once and manage it over time through trades and waiver moves.
Do I have to pay taxes on DFS winnings?
Yes. In the U.S., DFS operators are generally required to issue a 1099-MISC tax form to players (and to the IRS) once winnings cross a certain annual threshold.
Is DraftKings legal in Arizona?
Yes. DraftKings is legal in Arizona.
Can I play DFS contests for esports in Arizona?
Yes, though not every DFS platform offers esports contests.
How old do I need to be to play Daily Fantasy Sports?
18 years old. DFS platforms verify identification and age during sign-up.
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