Until recently, I didn’t understand what the big deal was with Fantasy Football.  But, this 2019 football season has totally flipped that perspective, as our very own Elkhart Memorial football team is holding its own Fantasy League for a large group of the players.

So far, with it only being week five in the NFL season, I have had a blast. Even though I may have lost to most of the opponents I have faced, there is still a long season to go, and I’m having fun with it.

The Fantasy Sports Trade Association, yes a trade association for fantasy sports, has said that “32 million Americans spend $467 per person or about $15 billion in total playing. Roughly, 11 billion flows toward football.”

These numbers do not even account for all the money spent on sites that host fantasy tournaments, which to me is absolutely crazy because the app our football team is using is totally free.

But in order to understand this better, the way I think about it is almost like gambling. A participant puts money in on a team of players they have drafted, and then they hedge their bets hoping the players on their team perform well and don’t get injured or disqualified.

If you’re a football fan or just competitive in nature, I would totally recommend participating in a fantasy football league. Especially with a close group of friends, it could be filled with unforgettable memories or lost friendships depending on how serious you take it.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the GENESIS staff. Email Caleb Webb at [email protected] .