DFS Psychology
The psychological aspect of being a DFS player is the most underrated variable that acts on every player in the field. Upon further investigation of this statement, you will realize the main variable acting on the psychology of a DFS player is the almighty dollar. That’s right! Money is the root of all evil and it is also the root of your discouragement because you are in a “slump”. Fortunately, collecting data and evaluating it will help you understand that maybe your “Slump” is not really a “Slump”. Even though you are losing slight amounts of money, it does not mean your process is off. Therefore, this article will explore a user friendly way to track your progress in order to overcome the psychological barrier that accompanies the sport of DFS.
Money Math:
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- This explanation will focus specifically on mass multi-entry contest.
- No one likes losing money, but let us dive deeper into the concept of achievement percentages as they relate to DFS psychology
- MME= collect top: 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10%, 5%
Contest Example:
- Contest Details: 5000 participants total. Top 15% min cash
- you played 20 entries in a 20me and lost 2$ as the final outcome. .
- Total participants * Placement Percentage= Placement range
- 5,000 * .50 = 2500 (Top 50% will be finishing 2500 or lower)
- 50%= 2,500
- 40%=2,000
- 30%= 1,500
- 20%= 1,000
- 10%= 500
- 5%= 250
What a nice day, but look closer and you will see where he could have easily done just as well building but not cash as much due to a player or 2. Does that mean he did something wrong? NO! Track and reflect.
GPP Placement Tracking
Scenario: we have the top 50% of the tournament, which is 2500 or lower. Therefore, let’s say we had 15 lineups finish in the top 50%, but ultimately lost 1$. Losing money is discouraging, but understanding placement values and how they align you with a higher chance “getting lucky”. Instead of feeling like a failure, you now realize your process has aligned you with 15 lineups in the top 50%. That equates to 75% of your lineups being in the top 50%, good job! Let’s dive deeper, say of those 17 lineups, 4 of them were in the top 20%….
But I lost a 1$! 🙁
Well, it is a good thing you are effectively spending your 6% nightly, therefore now you realize you have 75% of your lineups in a position to win some cash. That dollar you lost looks less terrible now, right? Therefore, if you are struggling with your confidence, start tracking and get a picture of how well you are doing.
How can this make you better in life?
Personally, a lot of the mistakes I have made in the past have been because believing I was a “Failure”. That was my self-imposed identity. Every time things did not go the way I wanted, I would feel bad for myself and say, “well, I guess you are no good Geno”. I remember a dear friend telling me, “Geno, you just need to get over yourself”. This disturbed me, but at a closer look, my friend was helping me in that he made me realize I needed to cut out the self-pity and start finding solutions. When a person feels pity for themselves, that is just a projection of their own selfish nature. I will say it one more time, just in case you really need it, GET OVER YOURSELF AND FIND A SOLUTION.
Suggestion: Continue to think about people you love and start finding solutions! See the earlier DFS Lessons Article that covers the benefits of focusing on others.
Notebook/Pen
If you read the Daily Planning article, you know I am old school with the pen and paper practices. I prefer them in that it is quick and easy for me, I have 2 other jobs, I don’t have time to sit in front of spreadsheets.
K.I.S.S
In college, I worked under the legendary “Bill Dee” who was the head coach at Phoebus High School (Hampton, VA). Coach walked into a program that was losing, and he turned it into one of the most winning football programs in the state. How does that matter? The best lesson I learned from coach was K.I.S.S (Keep it Simple Stupid). Coach did a few plays and focused on getting his players really good at those things. Clearly, it worked in that they won several state championships under his leadership.
Unfortunately, we lost the great coach dee, but I hope we can continue to carry on his legacy as we reflect on his teachings. RIP Coach Dee, and thank you for investing in a cocky young coach who did not know half of what he thought.
Connecting to DFS
Suggestion: don’t try to track every contest you play if you are doing playing a large amount of lineups. Find a sample similar to the 20me example I shared with you all and evaluate the data. If you spend too much time on this process it will defeat it’s purpose. Remember, this is about psychology more than it is about achievement data.
Did I Spark an Idea in Life or DFS??
Come talk to me! I am in the discord 24/7 and love being able to connect with people. My goal for this is to make you better DFS picks while making your life better, too. Because, let’s face it, a million dollars is no good if you are a lonely old jerk.
Twitter: @geno_casas
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