UI mockup showcasing features of a fantasy sports app inspired by Underdog Fantasy, with modern layout, real-time player stats, and sleek mobile interface design

How to Develop a Fantasy App Like Underdog Fantasy?

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Fantasy sports have transformed passive spectators into active participants. Apps like Underdog Fantasy prove just how engaging and lucrative this space can be. If you’re an entrepreneur or product leader aiming to build a similar platform, this comprehensive fantasy sports app development guide walks you through every stage, from concept to post-launch growth.

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Understanding the Fantasy Sports Landscape

Three mobile app screens of a fantasy sports platform showing a home dashboard with live sports events, a draft interface for selecting players, and a real-time leaderboard with team rankings and scores

Fantasy sports allow fans to draft virtual teams made up of real athletes and compete based on real-world statistics. This global market is growing rapidly due to smartphone penetration, faster internet, and fans’ desire for deeper engagement.

Underdog Fantasy’s success is built on:

  • Simplicity: Minimal menus and intuitive navigation

  • Innovation: Draft-only contests, daily formats, and best-ball leagues

  • User Trust: Fast withdrawals and transparent scoring

These core principles should inform your product strategy and user experience.

Choose Your Business Model

Three mobile app screens illustrating different monetization strategies in a fantasy sports app: one with a freemium paywall for premium features, another displaying non-intrusive in-app advertisements, and the third showing a pay-to-play contest entry with wallet balance

Define your revenue model early—it impacts features, legal compliance, and monetization experiments.

ModelDescriptionProsCons
FreemiumFree basic access with paid premium featuresLow barrier to entryRequires strong upsell paths
Ad-SupportedDisplay ads in non-critical sectionsEasy to implementMay degrade user experience
Pay-to-PlayUsers pay contest entry fees (e.g., Underdog)Predictable revenueRegulatory requirements
SubscriptionRecurring payments for premium accessConsistent cash flowHigh value delivery needed

Select Sports and Contest Formats

Three mobile screens of a fantasy sports app interface: one showing sport selection with icons for football, cricket, and basketball; the second displaying a list of contest formats like daily fantasy, best-ball, and salary-cap leagues; and the third featuring location-based filters for region-specific contests
  • Single vs. Multi-sport: Start small, then expand

  • Contest Types: Season-long, DFS, best-ball, salary-cap, head-to-head

  • Geographic Focus: Ensure compliance with local laws before launch

Nail the UI/UX Design

Three mobile screens of a fantasy sports app demonstrating polished UI/UX design: the first screen shows a streamlined user registration process, the second displays a visually organized contest lobby, and the third features an interactive draft room with intuitive controls and clean navigation

Design is key to user retention. Begin with wireframes and progress to prototypes using tools like Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD.

Core Screens:

  • Registration

     

  • Lobby

     

  • Draft room

     

  • Live scoring

     

  • Wallet

     

Design Best Practices:

  • Clear visual hierarchy

     

  • Accessible color contrasts

     

  • Smooth micro-interactions

Build a Scalable Backend

Three mobile screens of a fantasy sports app highlighting backend features: the first screen shows secure user authentication with biometric login, the second displays a responsive draft interface handling real-time player selections, and the third presents an analytics dashboard with performance and user engagement metrics

Your backend must handle everything from user management to real-time scoring:

  • Authentication (OAuth, KYC, two-factor)

     

  • Contest engine (drafting, validation, payouts)

     

  • Real-time data ingestion

     

  • Payment processing (PCI-DSS compliant)

     

  • Analytics & monitoring (fraud, engagement)

     

Tip: Use AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure for scalability and speed.

Integrate Real-Time Sports Data APIs

Three mobile screens from a fantasy sports app displaying real-time data features: one screen shows live match scores updating instantly, another presents comprehensive player statistics and performance projections, and the third delivers real-time alerts for injuries and lineup changes

Partner with trusted providers like Sportradar, Stats Perform, or FantasyData for:

  • scores and play-by-play

  • Historical data for projections

  • Injury and roster updates

Accuracy and low latency are essential.

Secure Payment Gateway Integration

Three mobile app screens from a fantasy sports platform demonstrating secure payment gateway integration: one screen shows wallet funding options including Stripe, PayPal, and Razorpay; the second displays a secure, encrypted checkout process; and the third confirms a successful withdrawal transaction with a receipt

Handle deposits, withdrawals, and bonuses with care:

  • Use trusted processors (Stripe, Razorpay, PayPal)

     

  • Encrypt all transactions

     

  • Minimize card data storage using tokenization

     

  • Clearly communicate withdrawal timelines

Test Relentlessly

Three mobile app screens from a fantasy sports platform showing the testing process: the first screen captures bug reporting with highlighted UI elements, the second allows beta users to submit feedback through an in-app form, and the third confirms successful testing completion with a green checkmark and system status indicators
  • Unit & Integration Testing: For draft logic, scoring, payments

  • Load Testing: Ensure the system handles high traffic

  • Beta Testing: Small group for UX feedback

  • Security Audits: Prevent data breaches

Launch and Market Strategically

Three mobile app screens from a fantasy sports platform showcasing launch and marketing strategies: the first screen features a promotional banner highlighting a new contest, the second displays a referral program offering user rewards for inviting friends, and the third shows a push notification alert about an upcoming live draft
  • Soft Launch: Start in one region to monitor performance

  • Influencer Marketing: Collaborate with sports personalities

  • Referral Program: Incentivize user acquisition

  • Push Notifications: Update users on contests, drafts, scores

Maintain, Iterate, and Innovate

Three mobile screens of a fantasy sports app showing key post-launch operations: one screen displays a version update log highlighting new features and improvements, the second features an in-app chat for customer support, and the third presents analytics dashboards tracking user behavior, retention, and app performance

Long-term success depends on:

  • Frequent feature updates

  • Regulatory compliance updates

  • Responsive customer support

  • Data-driven improvements (e.g., ARPU, churn, retention)

Fantasy Sports App Development Cost

Three mobile screens displaying fantasy sports app development costs: one screen shows a detailed pricing comparison between MVP and full-featured versions, another includes a budgeting calculator for estimating expenses, and the third presents a cost projection chart segmented by design, development, and testing phases
FeatureMVP EstimateFull-Featured Estimate
UI/UX Design$4,000 – $8,000$10,000 – $15,000
iOS Development$8,000 – $15,000$20,000 – $35,000
Android Development$8,000 – $15,000$20,000 – $35,000
Backend & APIs$6,000 – $12,000$15,000 – $25,000
Testing & QA$3,000 – $6,000$8,000 – $12,000
Total Cost$30k – $55k$70k – $100k+

Note: Costs depend on team location, complexity, and third-party integrations. Build an MVP first to validate demand.

Why Build a Fantasy Sports App?

Three mobile screens of a fantasy sports app illustrating key benefits of building such a platform: the first screen highlights strong user engagement through daily logins and activity tracking, the second showcases monetization opportunities including contest entry fees and premium subscriptions, and the third emphasizes user loyalty with repeat participation stats and achievement rewards
  • High User Engagement: Fans return daily

     

  • Monetization Options: Entry fees, subscriptions, ads

     

  • Global Growth: New markets and leagues are emerging

     

  • User Loyalty: Season-long play fosters retention
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Key Challenges & Solutions

Three mobile screens of a fantasy sports app addressing key challenges: the first screen displays a legal compliance message with geolocation restrictions, the second highlights real-time data syncing to ensure score accuracy, and the third features a secure two-factor authentication login process to protect user accounts
ChallengeSolution
Legal ComplianceWork with attorneys; geofence restricted regions
Data AccuracyUse redundant APIs and real-time syncing
RetentionOffer engaging features and gamification
Security & TrustEncrypt data, conduct regular penetration testing

Tips to Stand Out

Three mobile screens of a fantasy sports app showing strategies to stand out: one screen highlights niche sport options like cricket and college leagues, the second features gamification elements such as badges and streak rewards, and the third displays a social chat interface enabling users to interact within leagues and discuss player choices
  • Target Niches: e.g., cricket, niche college leagues

     

  • Gamify: Badges, levels, streak bonuses

     

  • Social Features: League chat, shareable lineups

     

  • Advanced Tools: Projections, player comparisons, data insights

Final Thoughts

Building a fantasy sports app like Underdog Fantasy requires a strategic mix of technical innovation, compliance, and user-centric design. From choosing the right fantasy sports business model to integrating real-time data and scalable backend systems, every element impacts success. With strong UI/UX, data-driven improvements, and smart execution, your app can thrive in the competitive fantasy sports market and set new standards for engagement and growth.
Ready to bring your fantasy sports app to life?
Contact us, and our expert team will help you build a game-changing platform.

FAQs

1. How Much Does It Cost to Develop a Fantasy Sports App Like Underdog Fantasy?

The development cost typically ranges from $30,000 to $100,000+, depending on features, platform (iOS/Android), complexity, design, and developer location. Starting with an MVP helps reduce initial investment and test market viability.

An MVP can be developed in 3–6 months, while a full-featured fantasy app with real-time data, gamification, and payment integration may take 6–12 months or more.

Yes, depending on the country or state. Many regions classify fantasy sports as skill-based games, but regulations vary. It’s crucial to consult with legal experts and ensure full compliance before launching.

They monetize through:

  • Entry fees for contests

  • Subscriptions for premium features

  • In-app ads

  • Referral programs and affiliate partnerships

Key features include:

  • User registration and authentication

  • Real-time draft and scoring

  • Contest creation and lobby system

  • Payment gateway integration

  • Push notifications and reward system
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