Do I start Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady? Devonta Freeman or Marshawn Lynch? Odell Beckham Jr. or Calvin Johnson?

These are the money questions now, literally. Professional sports, the NFL in particular, is becoming more and more of a business led by fantasy giants DraftKings and FanDuel.

Over the past 10 years, fantasy leagues have revolutionized the way fans view professional sports. One-day fantasy leagues are relatively new to the scene, but they are quickly ascending to the top of the gambling world. Two companies, DraftKings and Fanduel, are everywhere now.

Both companies are endorsed by many corporations who have signs in almost all stadiums and arenas, and promote commercials on multiple sports channels.  Although many think it’s overbearing, the business model is genius.

The University of Las Vegas found that on average, casinos are making $630,000 per day, per casino. At the end of the fiscal year, casinos are taking in close to $5 billion of their visitors’ money. It’s clear that people love to gamble on sports, and DraftKings and FanDuel recognized it and capitalized.

The common question is how do these leagues work? It is pretty simple. First, DraftKings or Fanduel will place a value on a player. For example, Tom Brady is valued at $8,100. After looking through the potential players, drafting takes place with $50,000 of virtual money to spend.    

Once players draft teams, they are set to compete in any contest available. There are many different contests, and each one has a different entrance fee. Once the week is over and players have competed in the contest, winnings (or losses) will be credited to their accounts to use the following week. They can also withdraw their winnings.

It is simple but effective. The “one day” aspect of fantasy sports is so enticing because players are not stuck with a bad team or a hurt player for the whole year. It is also appealing because the money is dealt through the website. This way, if players win, they can use that money for the next week without having to withdraw and put it back into the system.

Many have questioned and criticized DraftKings and Fanduel. It does ruin sports in some ways. What have we come to when we ask if a player has exceeded his projections for fantasy before we ask who actually won the game? While it does take away from the “team” aspect of professional sports, it is highly entertaining.

It could be argued that many Americans’ two favorite things are money and football. When you put the two together, it is irresistible; and that is exactly what DraftKings and Fanduel have done.

While I applaud these businesses for what they have created, I can’t see them lasting long. In 2011, the United States government seized the domain names of the three largest online poker websites: PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Cereus. This made transfers of money via online gambling illegal. I do not see how DraftKings and FanDuel are any different. The absurd amounts of money that are being transferred through the sites do not differ from what the government shut down a few years ago.

Despite the possibility of the sites being shut down, I love what these two companies have done. Is their marketing scheme too “in your face?” Yes. Are the lawsuits being filed against the companies justified? Yes. Does it take away from the “team” part of professional sports? Yes. However, the two most important questions are, does the general public like it? And does it sell? The answer to both of these questions is a huge yes.

Avid sports fan J.J. Corbett said, “Instead of fighting it, we can embrace it. Whether it’s us at the bar gambling on our favorite teams or on FanDuel, if you say I can put in $20 and get $20,000 back, you’re going to get my $20.”