As of 2025, the fantasy sports market in the United States was worth an incredible $31 billion. Predictions suggest that the number could reach $100 billion by 2034 and continue rising. The fantasy football market in the United States was worth $13 billion alone in 2022, highlighting the huge sums of money involved in what is basically a fun hobby for most people. The question is, how has fantasy sports grown to such a huge industry in the US?
Early Fantasy Sports
Today, we have season-long fantasy sports and daily fantasy sports, with the best DFS apps seeing millions of players. However, we must go back to the 1950’s for the introduction of fantasy sports and a fantasy golf game created by Wilfred Winkenbach. An early form of fantasy football was created in the 1960’s, but it was not until the 1980’s that fantasy sports developed into other areas. Rotisserie Baseball led the way, having been created by fans of the sport.
Moving to the late 1990’s and, the Fantasy Sports Trade Association (FSTA) was founded as more people started playing fantasy sports in the US. Fantasy sports were played mostly using pen and paper, and players had to send in their teams to the game organisers by post. That changed with the invention of the Internet.
Internet-Based Fantasy Sports
Widespread access to the internet and the development of online technology allowed players to play fantasy sports easily. Gone were the days of using the post to send teams, and players could make their selections online, and with the click of a button, the entry was confirmed. The ease of playing fantasy sports saw more people get involved, and the leading fantasy sports companies introduced dedicated mobile apps. Now, it does not matter where you are; it is possible to select a fantasy sports team on a smartphone within a matter of minutes.
From playing fantasy football for fun to betting on the outcome of daily fantasy games, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Fantasy sports did not come under the same ruling as traditional online gambling in many US states, and that made it a tempting prospect for both players and fantasy sports companies.
Social media and Content Creators
With millions of people playing fantasy sports in the United States, it opened new avenues for online content creators. There are now social media accounts based purely on fantasy sports, and they discuss team selection and offer tips. There are fantasy football, baseball, and golf websites created by individuals that have grown to become hugely popular. For some fans, it seems the outcome of the players in their fantasy team is more important than the result of their favourite team.
Artificial intelligence is also playing a role in modern fantasy sports. There are AI-based websites that will select the optimal team for each week, meaning players do not have to pick their own players. For some people, that may be taking the use of AI too far, but there is no hiding from the fact that AI is going to be the next major development in fantasy sports.
