Fantasy Basketball with Real Prizes
Runtiva is salary-cap daily fantasy basketball with peer-to-peer prize pools — you play other fans, never the house. NBA contests open when the 2026–27 regular season tips off: a fresh lineup every night there's a slate, no season-long commitment, and private contests with your own crew. College basketball runs all winter on the same scoring.
How salary-cap fantasy basketball works
Pick a slate, build a lineup under the salary cap, and score fantasy points from your players' real performances that night:
- Every position — guards, forwards and centers. The app shows the exact slots before you enter.
- Salary cap — stars cost more, so the skill is finding value: the starter covering for an injured teammate, the backup whose minutes just went up.
- Price-fixed at entry — the contest you join is the contest you get; nothing shifts after you enter.
- Live scoring — points update through every quarter.
New to it? How to play basketball walks through your first lineup, and NBA DFS for beginners covers strategy. Not sure which contest to enter? See contest types explained.
How fantasy basketball scoring works
- Points — 1 per real point (a three is 3, a free throw 1).
- Rebounds and assists — 1.2 per rebound, 1.5 per assist.
- Steals and blocks — 3 each, the most valuable plays per possession.
- Turnovers −1.
Minutes drive everything in basketball: a player on the floor for 36 minutes piles up rebounds, assists and stocks even on an off shooting night. Late injury news and rest days matter more here than in any other sport, so check your lineup right up to lock. The full table is in the contest rules.
Not a sportsbook, not a pick'em app
There are no odds here and no house line to beat. Entry fees make up the prize pool, the prize pool is paid back out to players, and Runtiva takes a transparent fee for running the contest. More on how we operate and keep player funds safe: is Runtiva legit.
Play your friends
Start a group, run private contests against people you actually know, and keep the trash talk in the group chat. The same wallet plays fantasy hockey and fantasy football.
Frequently asked questions
Is daily fantasy basketball legal?
Daily fantasy sports is a game of skill: you build a lineup against a salary cap and score against other players' choices, not against the house. On Runtiva, paid contests are available in 21 states and Washington, DC; in the other 29 states, contests are free to play. Runtiva verifies your location and identity at signup, so you always see exactly what's available where you live.
When do NBA contests start?
NBA salary-cap contests open on Runtiva when the 2026–27 regular season tips off. Install the app now and you'll be ready for the first slate.
How does fantasy basketball scoring work?
On Runtiva every real point is a fantasy point, a rebound is 1.2, an assist 1.5, a steal or a block 3, and a turnover costs 1. Steals and blocks are worth the most per play, so defensive guards and rim-protecting bigs score more than their box-score points suggest.
Do you have college basketball?
Yes. College basketball uses the same scoring as the NBA and joins in the winter.
Can I play for free first?
Yes. Free contests are live in the app — learn the format, then play private contests with friends at no cost.
How old do I have to be?
You must be 18 or older, where legal. Age, identity, and location are verified at signup.