Fantasy football has become a national obsession, reaching new heights annually. The NFL game certainly isn’t perfect, with imperfect referee blunders every week and some of the worst QB play we have seen in decades. No one is questioning the power of the top professional sport in America. The NFL is king, and this is undisputed.
Fantasy football allows for average Joes to feel as if they are a part of the action by drafting a team of players, managing said team throughout the arduous NFL season, and, if they’re lucky, ultimately winning a league championship and having bragging rights over their friends or co-workers all year long.
As fast as the NFL has grown in popularity, as has fantasy football and the ways fans can bet on the game. Everywhere you look, there is a different betting outlet. The NFL cracks down on betting and punishes players who break the rules harshly. With how stringent the NFL betting policy is, does the league allow players to participate in Fantasy football?
Can NFL Athletes Play Fantasy Football?
The NFL is clear that it doesn’t allow the players to gamble. Many players have tried, have been caught, and have paid the price. There seems to be some confusion on whether NFL players can play fantasy football. Allow for confusion no more. NFL players can play fantasy … but it comes with a few stipulations.
The NFL allows players to play fantasy as long as they cannot earn considerable amounts of money. Naturally, what is a “considerable amount” of money? Glad you asked.
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Players, or anyone associated with the NFL, like coaches or officials, can play fantasy as long as they cannot win over $250. The exact terminology explains the allowance in greater detail.
“NFL Personnel may not accept prizes valued over Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250) in any fantasy football game. This prohibition is intended to avoid any appearance of impropriety which may result from participation in fantasy football games by individuals perceived to have an unfair advantage due to their preferential access to information.”
What Is the Difference Between Betting and Fantasy Football?
Many fans and those associated with the NFL scratch their head, attempting to decipher the league’s intention behind allowing players to play fantasy and not bet on the games. Isn’t fantasy considered a form of betting? It is not by the NFL’s standards. To avoid natural confusion, the NFL lays it out plainly:
“Fantasy football games and League or Club-sponsored skills competitions (e.g., racquetball tournaments, ‘Club Olympics’ events) for prizes generally are not considered to be gambling or a gambling-related activity, provided that there is no wagering on the outcome.”
Well, there you have it, straight from the horse’s mouth. The NFL bans players who gamble but allows players, coaches, and officials to participate in fantasy football, as long as they can’t make over $250, because fantasy is not considered gambling, at least in the eyes of the NFL.
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