This is the guide of all guides, covering all things Fantasy Premier League. We consulted some of the best minds in FPL to put together a very comprehensive and in-depth FPL guide, perfect for beginners and Veterans alike. This is an evolving beast that we will be working on over time with an aim to make it the most EPIC fantasy premier league resource online. At least, that's the goal!! :-)

Del, FPLBET Editor.

Introduction

Before we get started, please know that this guide is also available to download as a PDF eBook. All we ask is that you send a Tweet to unlock the download file. Thank you in Advance!

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The Fantasy Premier League (FPL for short) features real-life players and their actual statistical performance or what experts perceive is their contribution to the game. Allowing fans to assemble a team of such players, the Fantasy Premier League typically opens registrations mid-July, about a month before the game begins. Once you choose to participate, the experience is pure anticipation and thrill. From choosing 15 players based on statistics and performance reports to transfers and managing a budget, the FPL is all adrenaline and fun.

The fan frenzy surrounding Fantasy Premier League attracts a lot of attention. Even non-football fans are in-the-know when a season has begun, simply because of the excitement that it creates. For the fans themselves, the FPL has much to offer. Participating in an FPL enhances your football knowledge. Play the FPL long enough and you'll be able to name the right back player for every team, not just the one you support. You'll understand whether players will get the opportunity to pick up assists or make crosses.

If you have buddies who are serious football fans, you'll want to be an active part of the FPL. There's no better reason to catch up than to discuss draws and transfers. Plus, there's nothing like bragging after a win over friends or family.

Every year, the FPL adds more teams and ‘football manager's'. That's hardly surprising, considering how people love the feeling of being in control. By building your FPL league, you're given control over some of the biggest football stars in the world. From managing team affairs each week to squad planning, team and player analysis, there are many deep pleasures that the sport offers. And after you have made your pick, it's time to watch what happens after the kick-off at the edge of your seat. Your team may crush competition or fail you miserably, and either way, it's a crazy, exciting ride. 

If you want to extract the most fun out of this experience, it's best to absorb the rules and do your research well. Football is known to be one of the hardest sports to predict, and if you want to compete seriously, you have to know exactly what you're doing. The best part about the FPL is that anybody could win. Veterans may have more of a hold on the game, but novices can beat them with the right strategies. That's why we've put together an eBook to revisit FPL rules and understand strategies that could earn you victory. This eBook revises the basics while exploring advanced strategies that you could use to get an advantage over your competition. So, what are you waiting for? Let's get started.

The nuts and bolts: How to play Fantasy Premier

Free to play, the FPL attracts millions of football fans from across the world. If you have fantasised about being in control of your very own football team, then this game is for you. Every manager, like you, begins with a budget of £100m which they use to create their 15-member team. This line-up can be changed through the game, by transferring players in and out of your team. The FPL is just as exciting as the Premier League. After all, the performance of your fantasy FPL team players is based on the performance of the same players in real-time.

What is the Fantasy Football Premier League? How does it work?

What makes fantasy football so special is that it puts the sport back into the hands of the fans. Fantasy football participants get to build their own football teams and participate in leagues. In the United States it's the NFL, but over in Europe, it's Football. Irrespective of the country, fantasy football involves pitching your custom-built team against those of others.

Today, every country has its own fantasy league. Many of these leagues are organized by media houses that own the rights to broadcast them on TV. Fantasy football players also have their own private leagues. Fantasy FPL is probably the most popular among them. Each year, this league adds a whole bunch of players. At present, more than 6 million players participate in the FPL.

So, what's the purpose of the Fantasy Premier League? At the heart of it, the FPL gives fans the unique opportunity to manage actual Premier League Players. Each player has a price assigned, and managers have to use their limited budget to assemble teams of them. Once you have a team, you get to compete against the teams of millions of other players. When a player on your team scores a goal in the real Premier League, your team is awarded a point. If any player on your team is benched or injured, your team suffers that loss as well.

The FPL is particularly popular as a free alternative to betting. Unlike betting, where you have little to no control, you can stand to win by making good player choices in the FPL. However, if money is what makes it exciting for you, then FPL has a betting segment called the DFS (Daily Fantasy Sports). By laying down around £5-£10, you could stand to make millions, based on the league in which you're playing.

There are two basic ways in which the FPL can be played:

1. You can play the FPL solo, by pitching your team against all registered managers across the world.

2. Yet another option is entering Private Leagues to battle against friends, families or colleagues. You can enter into a maximum of three Private Leagues of this sort.

Creating your FPL team

To kickstart your FPL managerial career, visit the website. Once on it, you can register and create an account to get started. When logged in, you'll find an empty roster on your screen, which you can use to create your team.

So, who should you add to your FPL team? That's simple. The objective is to choose 3 forwards, 5 midfielders, 5 defenders, and 2 goalkeepers without exceeding your initial budget.

Now, why is this so complicated? Well, consider this. Expensive players consume more of your budget, forcing you to also choose cheaper players. So, the ideal team would have the best-performing mix of expensive and cheap players. However, there are ways to make this decision easier. For instance, during the game every week only 11 of your 15 players will start and play the field. And it's your decision to choose those 11 players. This creates some leeway for hiring expensive players as you can bench the cheap ones. Pay close attention to the roster and you'll see that many expensive players are forwards.

Without insights such as those above, choosing your Fantasy Premier League team is like shooting blind at the olympics. That's why we've extensively discussed team-picking strategies later in this eBook.

How to create a league

If competing against friends and family sounds fun to you, creating a private league is what you should do. Actually, setting this up is the easiest thing ever. You simply need to visit the FPL website, click on Leagues > Create and Join New Leagues > Create a League > Create a Classic League >. Once you have, it's simply a matter of choosing favourable options and inviting other participants via a code.

FPL app users are expected to follow more or less the same procedure to create their own private leagues.

The scoring system (how to win and lose points in table format)

What's exciting about the FPL is the different ways in which you can score points, through events such as goals, assists and clean sheets. Here's the best part - your captain can do double damage. Whatever your captain's score in the Premier League, it's doubled for your FPL scoreboard. But that's not all. You can also score with players in different positions in the following ways.

Action	Points scored
Playing up to 60 minutes	1
Playing more than 60 minutes	2
Each goal scored by a goalkeeper/defender	6
Each goal scored by a midfielder	5
Each goal scored by a forward	4
Each assist	3
Clean sheet by a goalkeeper/defender (must play 60+ mins)	4
Clean sheet by a midfielder (must play 60+ mins)	1
Every three shots saved by a goalkeeper	1
A penalty save by a goalkeeper	5
Bonus points for the best players in a match	1-3

Is there ways in which your team can lose points? Sure.

Action	Points scored
Missing a penalty	-2
Every two goals conceded by a goalkeeper/defender	-1
Each yellow card	-1
Each red card	-3
Each own goal	-2

Using chips to boost overall score during any gameweek

There are four types of chips that FPL managers can use to boost scores.

1. The Wildcard - Every manager is given two wildcards, the first of which can be used prior to December 29th and the second, after. The wildcard allows you unlimited transfers during a gameweek without incurring any loss of points.

2. The Triple Captain - During normal gameweeks, your captain's score is worth double. However, you can deploy the Triple Captain chip during any gameweek to triple your captain's score.

3. The Bench Boost - Usually, benched FPL players don't contribute to your score. But the Bench Boost chip allows you to add benched player points to your overall game score during one gameweek a season.

4. The Free Hit - Again, this chip allows you unlimited transfers for one gameweek without taking point hits. But transfers made using this chip last only until the end of that gameweek.

What happens when players get injured or suspended?

The objective in the FPL is to have active, reliable and scoring players. So, if you player looks to be out for whatever reason, injury or suspension, it's something you have to consider to act upon. Even if your player is a sub or being rotated regularly, you may want to replace him with an alternative who will get more gameplay.  Further, player form can also deteriorate through the Premier League. Ideally, it's best not to be wooed into choosing one-week-wonders and sporadic scorers.

The Ropes of Budget Management

When you have £100 million to spend, the pressure is on! How do you build a capable squad and get the highest ‘returns' from your player investment? Here are some ideas.

Distribute the money evenly: Spending more or less evenly on defenders to forwards will offer you the flexibility to pick quality players in every position. With a balanced approach, you don't have to pay a big sum on defenders at the cost of your midfielders or forwards. For example, you can bring in two for £4.5 million, and pay more for top players – this will allow you to build an overall strong team and reduce the chances of ‘I paid too much' buyer's regret at a later stage.

Get your midfield strategy right: A common mistake managers make is to spend too much on midfielders and create a budget deficit in other positions. By spreading out prices, you can make the most of early transfer targets, include one or more expensive players and still have a decent midfield. For instance, you can splurge £5 million on a midfielder and start with a 4-4-2 or 3-4-3 trio when your defenders have good potential in the next couple of gameweeks.

Split £9.0m between two goalkeepers: Fantasy Premier League research indicates that elite level competitors are spending less on goalkeepers than average players. The idea is to invest more in forward and midfield players to score consistently every gameweek. Spending between £8.5m and £9.5m on goalkeepers and rotating regularly is an astute strategy. Split the amount equally between two goalkeepers – bringing in an elite goal stopper at £5.5m may not be the best move.

Balance defensive and attacking positions: Try to include defenders at every price point to swap easily for any emerging target in the early gameweeks. You can also pick a less expensive defender early on to focus more of your funds on attackers.

Big investments in two strikers up front: A back three and two strikers may not always work, but it is increasingly being used by real-world Premier League managers. Consider loosening your purse strings for the front two and bring in a cheaper striker after looking at the early fixtures. If you find a strong forward who isn't expensive, use him instead of a pricier forward to rebalance budget and quality.

Watch out for want-away players: A Premier League reality is that players speak publicly about wanting to leave their club. High-priced want-away players are a risk because they could move to a rival club and perform swimmingly well for them. It's the same for an out-of-favour player, who may easily be part of a different Premier League team and help them move up the scoreboard.

Your backline does not have to come from seven different clubs: The purpose of choosing two goalkeepers and five defenders from seven different clubs is to increase the odds of a clean sheet bonus. On the flip side, this tactic can also lower the likelihood of big scores as there's no guarantee that all your picks will outperform opponents on the same weekend. An alternative is to pick a couple of your backline from the same team that has a good defensive record.

Note top players who have adapted to different positions: FPL players may be listed incorrectly, and herein lies an opportunity to spend more on say someone like Mo Salah who is listed as a midfielder in FPL but plays as part of Liverpool's forward line. In fact, any player used in a more forward position than what the FPL lists should be noted. In contrast, a player who has been listed as a forward during the season and previously categorized as a midfielder is best avoided.

Don't follow the crowd on big-money signings: The tendency is to prioritize big-money signings, but the possibility that they won't start strong should also be considered. In other words, avoid fixating on the handful of top players that everyone wants, rather, check if they are quick or slow starters. This way, you will end up spending big money on a deserving star player who rakes up points for you early on.

Give new signings time to settle in: Overseas signings present an exciting prospect, but they can also be duds if not employed in the right positions. To be on the safer side, give high-potential new signings some time to get comfortable before including them to your team. See how they adjust first or you could lose.

Budget players: Inevitably you will have to fill out some of your squad with ‘bargain basement' players. The cheapest Goalkeepers and Defenders cost you 4.0m whereas Midfielders and Forwards cost you 4.5m – finding a player in these categories who plays most weeks and returns either basic to good points return can prove its weight in Gold. Keep an eye out for who has been under-priced, who has played more minutes at the end of the last season, or who has been sold / or returned from injury.

Research, research, research

Whether you're new to FPL or a veteran, investing time in legwork will undoubtedly improve your decisions. If you truly love the game (and its virtual version), research should not feel like a chore 😊

Here's what you want to consider:

• Players who have been regular fixtures on the pre-season circuit
• Players who have not been performing on par with their status
• Player injury doubts and news
• Which players are playing where?
• Young players who have entered the first-team squad
• Players with a shaky disciplinary record

If you have the patience for it, consider creating an Excel sheet of these details so you can refer to them as needed. Of course, if your memory muscles are exceptionally powerful and you stay on top of the latest FPL and footie news, you may be able to process these details in your mind. We also recommend downloading an Excel sheet of FPL fixtures to figure out which players have a favourable run of games coming up – based on whether they're playing home matches or the strength of the opposition. A color-coded Excel sheet of fixtures will help you make regular changes to your team more easily and accurately.

The Best Formations to Use

Popular formations

Let's start with the most common formations used by FPL managers: 3-5-2 and 3-4-3. You may have used it too because the stronger your attacking assets, the more points you can potentially win. There are instances where three attackers and seven attackers have outscored the best defenders of the season.

Here's the catch: as you invest more on the seven attacking players, you will be left with less to build a strong defence. A leaky defence will cost you points. From a budget perspective, 3-5-2 may encourage you to bring in expensive mid-fielders to bolster your attacking line. As a short-term strategy to gain points, these two formations do fine.

4-4-2 and 4-3-3

It has become increasingly difficult to maintain a clean sheet. When choosing defenders, assess if the team is capable of maintaining a clean sheet. Also note if the defender is playing in an attacking position in set pieces or during counter attacks, as this can earn you bonus points. If you can spend wisely on defenders, 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 should be under consideration. A wise pick of four defenders and six quality forwards and midfielders will help you do better in the long term. This is also a safe strategy as you will still have six attackers to make up for any gaps in points. On the downside, bringing in top players for these formations will be an expensive proposition.

5-3-2, 5-2-3

A few FPL managers are fans of the 5-3-2. Their arguments are usually along the lines of being able to afford the most expensive attackers and the potential for quality midfielders to score a goal. Sure, strikers may not score goals consistently, but a formation with five defenders will always be stressful even for the most mentally tough manager. Maintaining a clean sheet is next to impossible with this formation. Overreliance on midfielders seldom works out – if it does, that's more points for scoring goals but a few bad moments during the 90 minutes will be pretty disastrous.  Defenders often return the most consistent points over the season, so sticking with this gives you a good baseline of points. However, the lack of explosive and form players higher up the pitch can stop you from getting those big scores and moving up the rankings.

5-4-1, 4-5-1

A highly defensive formation can be a hit or a miss. There is the chance to rake up points with four or five midfielders. And those who have used these formations to capitalize on top player injuries have also successfully raked up points. Unless you have a good answer to ‘do you really need that strong a defence?', you're better off opting for other formations.

Ask FPL managers about their preferred formations and you're bound to get different answers. Even though there can be no perfect formation, some are more fool-proof and less risky than others. Deciding on a formation is ultimately up to your personal preference, track record and a bit of luck.

Mastering player picks: Goalkeeper, Defence, Midfield and Attack

Everyone wants to have the best team possible and this can be done by getting yourself all the best performing players. The only hitch is that you are on a budget and need to stick to that budget. So, what do you do? You weigh all the pros and cons and find the players for your team that not only fit in your budget but can give you your best value for money.

The four positions you need to look at are: Goalkeeper, Defence, Midfield and Attack. In this section we look at each of these positions individually and find out the best strategy pick the best player for your team. With these tips you be able to form a strong team that keeps those points coming in consistently.

Goalkeeper

Goalkeepers are one of the most important players in the team though often overlooked and picked last. However, the right goalkeeper can get you a good number of points while one that concedes goals regularly can lose you points. It is therefore important to pick the right goalkeeper for the team.

Goalkeepers come in varying price brackets with the one that belong to the top teams costing more and those that belong to teams down the line being more affordable. When picking a goalkeeper, you need to keep a few things in mind:

Clean sheets: When looking for a goalkeeper for your team you first need to look at their stats. A clean sheet is the one of the first things that is looked at for a goalkeeper. To have a clean sheet a goalkeeper needs to be in the game for a full 60 minutes at least and not concede a single goal. The more clean-sheets a player has, the better that speaks for his abilities.

Fantasy points: The next thing that is looked at when picking a goalkeeper is their fantasy football points. There are number of areas where players can score points. Players can score points for the matches they played in, the goals scored, assisting a goal, saving a penalty and so on. In the case of goalkeepers, they can win points for every three goals saved. A goalkeeper with higher points has saved more number of goals than one with fewer points. 

Two is better than one: It is always better to pick two goalkeepers and rotate them on a weekly basis. You can pick one from a high pay bracket and one from a lower pay bracket or both from a mid-range pay bracket. We would advise the latter option as it improves your chances of gaining points. Having two goalkeepers is also a good strategy in case one gets injured and needs to be replaced.

Weaker teams have advantages too: If you need to choose a player from a lower price bracket because of budget constraints you might actually be at an advantage. When a goalkeeper plays with a weaker defence, he usually has to face more shots. This give the goalie a chance to make more saves and actually earn point for your team.

Defence

When choosing the defenders for the team there are some things that simply cannot be ignored. Here's what you need to look for in the defenders that you choose:

Clean sheets: With defenders it's all about the clean sheets. The more clean-sheets the stronger is your defence. Again, you need to look at your budget before going all out and getting the defenders in the top pay bracket but looking at clean sheets instead of just team wins can also help you decide if a player will earn points for your team or not. Clean sheets are shared between the team so you don't have to pick the most expensive player for your team.

Fixtures: Just getting your defenders is not enough, you also need to plan for fixtures. Easy fixtures improve the chances of a clean sheet. Plan ahead for the next five games keeping the fixtures in mind when you choose the defenders for a match.

Contribution to offense: Fantasy points can be earned from assisting a goal, so when choosing your defenders find those that have earned points in this area. Look at a few wingbacks and full-backs when selecting players for your team. With the right balance your team will have a much stronger chance at gaining points.

The penalty takers: An additional advantageous skill to look for in a defender is someone who can take set-pieces. Those that can take the penalty shots are always handy to have around and those that score goals can earn six points per goal scored.

Avoid the Yellow Card: Defenders getting yellow cards is quite common, but you need to be careful of the ones that get them too often. Yellow cards can lose you points as each card equals -1. You also run the risk of the player being banned if they collect more than five yellow cards before the year ends.

Bonus points: Clearances, blocks, and interceptions (CBI) can earn defenders bonus points. If you can't decide between two players and they both cost about the same, you might want to look at bonus points. Players that pickup bonus points more regularly will always be an asset to your squad.

Diversify: As far as possible get all your defenders from different teams. Not having two defenders from the same team helps you to split your risks and better your chances at earning points in the long run.

Midfield

Midfielders are all about traveling across the field, disrupting the other teams play, and scoring the goals. When choosing your midfielders, you can save some of your budget to get the best of the best but there are also a few things to consider before you spend all your money.

Goals are good: One of the first things to look at when picking midfielders is how many goals they score on an average. You want the midfielders that score more goals. Every goal a midfielder scores in FPL earns you five points. You first pick should always be midfielders who score goals.

Choose good form: When it comes to midfielders the better form an individual player is in, the better for the team. Players in lower price brackets who are in good form could also serve the team well. If you are worried about your budget, then you should use form as a deciding factor among the cheaper players.

Watch closely: When you see a midfielder in good form get him on your team as soon as possible. Chances are that if he keeps it up most other managers will have him on their teams by the end of the season. But if you were one of the first to sign him on you would have a definite advantage over the rest.

Set piece takers: Just like with defenders, if you can find players that are good at taking penalty shots, free kicks and corners, you should have them on the team. Every opportunity to earn points is a good idea when selecting