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MarketingVOX: As the government bans online gambling sites that collect money from users, "fantasy" gambling sites that allow users to gamble for free are growing in popularity.
Free online gambling sites such as Faniq.com, NBX.com, Fanlete.com, Pickheads.com, Wagerline.com, and PicksPal.com are surging in popularity, letting users gamble for free, with incentives and prizes given to the winners, the Wall-Street Journal reports. The sites also incorporate social-networking elements such as friends lists and updates from sports teams.
The gambling may be free, but the sites still make money. They sell advertising and some otherwise monetize their user base as well. For example, PicksPal has a feature called "Genius Picks," with the highest-ranked players agreeing on a particular game - and their pick being sold to users for $19.95. If the selected team wins, the users won't make money, but they can earn more points as well as prizes and prestige.
explains why he enjoys fantasy gambling: "I needed something where I don't have to worry and that's legal," says Zach Wesseling, a 21-year-old Indianapolis, Ind., resident, who has won a 42-inch plasma TV and three iPods from PicksPal. With PicksPal, he adds, there's "no real risk involved because it's free and it's good competition with friends."
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