Here is a pick'em entry in its simplest form. A point guard has a line of 24.5 points. You decide whether he finishes with more or less. Add a second and a third pick, choose your entry fee, and wait for the games.
That is the whole appeal. No salary cap, no full roster, no sorting through hundreds of players. Apps such as Underdog Fantasy, PrizePicks, and Sleeper helped make this style popular, and both big salary cap operators have tried versions of their own in some states. Rules and formats change often, so treat this page as a general guide and read the rules inside any app you use.
How the picks work
Each pick is a player and a stat line. The app sets the line, often with a half point so there are no ties. You choose more or less. Most entries need at least two picks, and the most you can include varies by app and contest.
The stats can be almost anything the app tracks. Points, rebounds, passing yards, strikeouts, shots on goal, or combined numbers like points plus rebounds plus assists. Some apps also offer fantasy point totals for a player.
Fixed payouts and pooled contests
Pick'em money tends to work one of two ways.
Fixed payout tables. The app publishes a payout for each entry size before you play. Hit every pick and you win that set multiple of your entry. Your result depends only on your own picks, not on how anyone else did.
Pooled contests. Entries go into a shared prize pool, and the players with the best results split it after the operator takes its fee. This works more like traditional fantasy contests, since you are measured against other entrants.
Some regulators have viewed fixed payout games as closer to sports betting than to traditional fantasy contests, and that is a big part of why the rules have changed in several states. Some apps have shifted toward pooled formats in response.
When one pick misses
Many apps offer two kinds of entries. An all or nothing entry pays only if every pick hits, and it pays the most when it does. A flex entry pays a smaller prize when one pick misses, and on larger entries it may still pay something after two misses. The tradeoff is simple. Flex entries give up some of the top payout to cushion a miss.
Ties and players who sit out are handled differently by each app. Some drop the pick and shrink the entry, while others treat it another way. Check the rules before you build.
Why correlation matters
Correlation means two outcomes tend to move together. If a quarterback throws for a big day, his top receiver probably caught a good share of those yards. Picking more on both leans into one game story. If the game turns into a blowout and the starters sit early, several picks can miss at once.
Correlation cuts both ways. Linked picks make an entry swing harder, which can help an all or nothing entry and hurt a flex entry built to survive one miss. Apps know this too, and some limit or reprice combinations they see as closely linked. Think about how your picks relate to each other, not just whether each one looks good alone.
How it differs from salary cap DFS
Salary cap contests, which we cover in how daily fantasy works, ask you to build a full lineup under a budget and finish ahead of other entrants. Pick'em asks you to judge a few individual stat lines.
- Fewer decisions. A handful of picks instead of a full roster.
- No salary math. Lines take the place of prices.
- A different opponent. In fixed payout games you are playing against the payout table, not a field of rivals.
- More swing. One quiet game from one player can sink an entry, so results bounce around a lot.
For a look at the apps and operators themselves, see our guide to the best daily fantasy sites.
Check before you play
Several states have restricted pick'em games or pushed operators to change how they work, and the picture keeps shifting. Apps check your location and may offer different formats, or none at all, depending on where you are. The minimum age is 18 in most states and higher in a few. Our page on whether daily fantasy is legal explains the bigger picture.
Pick'em is fast, and fast games make it easy to play more than you planned. Set a budget, use the limits inside the app, and read our responsible play guide. If you need to talk to someone, call 1-800-GAMBLER.