Multi-Player vs. Head to Head Strategies
By DCoop328
I am going to break down the advantages and disadvantages of both head to head and multiplayer contests in daily fantasy baseball. These strategies can be used to create winning teams at top fantasy baseball sites such as FanDuel.com.
Head to Head Contests
First, we are going to start with head to head daily fantasy baseball contests. These games are simple. You draft a lineup against one other person and double your money (minus rake) if you win. Head to heads (H2Hs) are a good way to make a profit in DFS. Here are some Head to Head strategies to follow:
- Opponent Selection - The first instrument I want to point out for head to head games is opponent selection. Opponent selection can be key to winning. You do not want to be matched up with a five-time DFS champion. Before jumping into a head to head game, make sure you are selecting the least experienced opponent available. For example, would you rather score a whopping 48 points and lose to Condia 55-48 in MLB DFS on FanDuel or beat newplayerA 27-21? The choice is obvious…take the money! MAKE SURE to avoid jumping into games with well-known professional players and try to find opponents with less than 100 wins in daily fantasy baseball.
- Lineup Creation - The next thing you need to know when playing head to head daily fantasy baseball is how to create a winning lineup. In head to head games, the key is to select players who play well on a consistent basis. For an example, Mark Reynolds should be avoided in cash games, because even though he hits 30 HRs in a season, the majority of nights he will go hitless hurting you in daily fantasy head to head contests. A player that you would want to target would be Dustin Pedroia, for example, because he is a very consistent hitter that can provide you with above average fantasy points.
In head to head games there may be nights when you have an amazing lineup and still lose your H2H game. There also may be nights when you have an absolutely dreadful lineup and you win your head to head game. If you use proper opponent selection and create solid lineups, these will eventually balance out or even tip the scale in your favor.
Multiplayer Contests
There are two types of multiplayer contests. The first is a Cash Game, which include double-ups, 50/50s, 3 man contests, 5 man contests, and 10 man contests and the other is a GPP or Guaranteed Prize Pool contest.
- Small Field Cash Games - Cash games are very similar to head to heads when considering lineup building. You want to make a consistent lineup on a nightly basis. So in the long run, you can win enough to grind out a steady profit. In 50/50s and double up contests you have to finish in the top half to double your money (minus rake). 3-man and 5-man games are usually winner-take-all (WTA) games that are crosses between cash games and GPPs. Ten man contests usually payout the top 3 players. To figure out which of these game types best suits your skill you have to try them all out. Personally, 50/50s and Double-Ups have been my main source of success in DFS MLB over the years.
- Multi-Player Cash Games - The difference between multiplayer cash games and head to heads or small field cash games is simple - in multiplayer cash games, usually a certain range of scores is going to win you your game. In a head to head, a score of 25 could win or a score of 65 may lose. Multiplayer cash games (excluding 3 man contests) are less of a risk because you know if you beat 3/4 of the field you will usually cash. But I believe if you use proper opponent selection, you should have more of an edge playing head to head games rather than playing daily fantasy baseball regulars in multiplayer games.
- Guaranteed Prize Pools - The second type of multiplayer contest is a tournament (also known as a GPP). These types of games are totally different and involve some luck, as you have to beat thousands and sometimes tens of thousands of opponents to win. But when you do win…you win big, and I mean BIG! The key to placing well in these is playing high risk / high reward players like Mark Reynolds, because if he goes off for three home runs, then you have set yourself up to cash in. If he does not, and goes 0-4 with 4 Ks, it is okay because you only have to win once in a while to profit. If you cash relatively high in one GPP per week, then consider this a success. This is because GPP cashes usually multiply your entry fee sometimes by as much as 1000 times. Though multiplayer tournaments are very fun, if you want to make a profit playing daily fantasy baseball, I would suggest playing 80-90% of your games in the head to head and multiplayer cash game categories.
RECAP: If you select easy opponents that have fewer than 100 wins, playing head to head games is the most profitable game type. When playing head to head contests and small field cash games, try to draft consistent players. Lastly, make sure to not spend all of your bankroll on big fantasy baseball tournaments. I would suggest playing 80-90% in head to head games and cash games. When you do play tournaments, make sure to draft high risk / high reward players as they can help you win huge.
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