Crownbet launches AFL DraftStars to bet on fantasy football

ONLINE bookmaker CrownBet.com.au has joined forces with Fox Sports and the AFL to launch Draftstars – Australia’s newest and richest fantasy football competition.

The hybrid sports betting platform, which went live on Thursday, March 31, gives footy punters the opportunity to pit their fantasy teams head-to-head across a number of events for real cash prizes.

Unlike traditional fantasy footy competitions such as SuperCoach and AFL Dreamteam, the Draftstars format requires no season-long commitment and allows players to compete on a daily or weekly basis.

Instead of carrying over the same roster from week to week, players can pick a brand new team for each event they enter.

Registered members can enter events by paying a buy-in fee for any given match or round, much like playing an online poker tournament, with various entry stakes, guaranteed prize pools and game styles available.

The Draftstars lobby features a number of unique categories for daily and weekly AFL betting events:

Salary – Put together a nine-man team (two forwards, two defenders, four midfielders, one ruckman) within the $100,000 salary cap.

Turbo – Play a quick-draft game with only six players required and no salary cap or positional restrictions.

Guaranteed – Even if the event doesn’t fill out, the prize money is 100% guaranteed.

H2H – Go one-on-one against another fantasy tipster for real cash.

Double up – The top finishers win double their entry fee (e.g. buy in for $10, win $20).

Qualifier – Win entry to a bigger-paying event, much like a poker satellite tournament.

Live draft – Assemble a full roster via a traditional AFL fantasy draft with no salary cap restrictions.

Multiplier – Finish among the winners to multiply your buy-in fee.

Bracket – Win your way through the ranks in a classic head-to-head knockout tournament.

Players can also create custom leagues and invite their friends, family and co-workers to duke it out for bragging rights and/or a real money prize pool.

The process of adding an NRL fantasy betting branch has already begun, while there are also plans to add international leagues such as the NBA into the mix.

Draftstars chief executive Matt Sanders, the former head of commercial operations at CrownBet, said the new enterprise was a “game-changing” development in Australia’s sports and betting landscapes.

“As Australians, we love our sport, we love to compete and we love to test our knowledge of sports against our mates,” Sanders told reporters last week.

“Anyone who lives and breathes AFL will love Draftstars for the exciting and engaging digital sporting experience our platform will deliver.

“Draftstars is a game-changing product, offering massive guaranteed prize pools and a range of games to suit any player, from the sports fanatic to the beginner.

“If you love the competitive grit and excitement of live sport, you’re going to love Draftstars.”

Players will also have access to exclusive live AFL content via the desktop site and dedicated Draftstars apps for mobile devices.

Fox Sports CEO Patrick Delany said: “As Australia’s sport leader with a dedicated AFL channel and coverage of every round live and with no ad-breaks in-play, millions of AFL fans already delve into the game with our broadcast and digital platforms every day.

“Draftstars is a natural extension of the way we connect with Australians’ passion for sport, bringing together our broadcast credentials with CrownBet’s gaming expertise to allow AFL fans to immerse themselves in the sport in a whole new way.”

You can join Australia’s most advanced fantasy sports competition by visiting Draftstars.com.au and signing up for a free account.

For the hottest match odds and footy betting specials, check out CrownBet – the official wagering partner of the AFL.