I was coming off a successful DFS season in 2021. I had a great MLB season in 2021, winning multiple 5k tourneys that allowed me to build my bankroll and play in contests for more money. Then in Week 8 of the NFL season, I hit a huge payday, taking first and second place in the Power Sweep for 150k and first place in the $100 SE for another 100k. I was featured on an episode of the Winner’s Circle with JM where I got to talk about my lineup and the decisions I made. I had a lot of confidence that I could do it again, and that all it took was time, waiting for the mysterious “variance” to fall in my favor.
The next year was far from as good. I struggled as a DFS player for long stretches during MLB, and I came into the 2022 NFL season knowing that I could not rest on my laurels. I needed to get better. During the OWS kickoff party, I had the chance to ask JMtoWin a question: “What new element are you adding to your process this year?” Without explanation, he answered, “Recognizing Bias” and my journey to get better had begun.
I first learned about neurology and the study of the brain from a theological perspective. I teach theology and am a campus minister, and I find that high school boys are controlled by bias. I teach about having a growth mindset and the positivity training that can cultivate that type of thinking. I have spent the better part of two NFL seasons and one MLB season exploring what this idea means to a DFS player, researching what neuroscientists have to say about bias and decision making, and reading most of the highly acclaimed book, Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman (ask my wife, I’m a strange reader of books).
The DFS world is so fast-paced and repetitive that we are ripe for the trappings of bias. My wife always asks me why I would want to write up a slate and give my winning information to people I will be competing against. It’s because most people can’t recognize their biases enough to put that information into a DFS lineup as well as I think that I can. I am really a humble person and can admit I haven’t always been good at recognizing bias. It takes constant reflection to avoid it, but I do recognize the importance it plays in my DFS journey. In fact, I am sincerely hoping that starting this journey of writing about bias in DFS keeps me sharp and keeps me playing fearlessly and playing for first place. I invite you to join me on this journey and learn how to recognize the bias that controls or affects your DFS play.
