Sia’s Secrets to PGA Success: Contest Management

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Building your bankroll in PGA DFS is as much about choosingthe right contest as it is choosing the right golfers.  I’m assuming that most readers of thisarticle do not need a breakdown of why the odds of success are extremely low incontests like the Millionaire Maker, which have a max entry of 150 lineups andsometimes a few hundred thousand total entries. Those contests are winnable, but are typically taken down by professionalswho are maxing out their 150 entry allotment and utilizing optimizers.  What most DFS players should be focusing onis the cash games (head to head and double ups) and the low max entry contests(typically single entry or three max).

In PGA head to head matchups and double ups ownership leverage is not a critical component and therefore you can construct a roster with golfers that you like, in spite of their anticipated popularity.  What you are looking to do in cash games is max out on golfers with high floors while factoring in, to a lesser extent, golfers with upside.  Winning these contests on a fairly routine basis is a great way to keep your bankroll steady while you take some bigger swings with the tournaments.  As stated above, it is critically important to stay disciplined and enter the tournaments that yield a realistic chance on a return.  And make no mistake about it, there are plenty of single entry and three max entry contests that will yield big gains (even in the lower entry fee contests). 

The key takeaway here is that you need to exercisediscipline and focus on slowly building your bankroll by entering PGA conteststhat are winnable.  This approach will allowyou to build your bankroll while also providing the opportunity to have somebig hits along the way.  Without thisdiscipline, you will enter the wrong contests and wonder why you’re not good atDaily Fantasy Sports.  The fact is, youmay be very good at DFS, but the best way to measure your DFS acumen is to makesure you are on an even playing field with those you are competing against. 

I should note I’m not saying you can’t throw an entry in here and there to a big GPP 150 max entry PGA contest, but just keep those instances limited and make sure that they only comprise approximately 10-20 percent of your weekly output. 

This is the 4th installment of Sia’s Secrets and it can be read in tandem with the 3rd installment here (Don’t be Afraid to Fade).