If you have ever played in an online poker contest you will be familiar with Guaranteed Prize Pools (GPPs). This is a tournament structure in which the total number of permitted entries is capped and the total prize pool is guaranteed regardless of how many players actually enter. The operator is obliged to make up any deficit in prize money if the competition is under-subscribed. GPPs are one of the contest alternatives that you will find in most Daily Fantasy Football competition lobbies.

By way of an example let’s look at this weekend’s Mondogoal £10k Shootout. The ceiling for entries is 2200 and the buy-in is £5. The operator will make a loss if he gets less than 2000 confirmed entries in this particular tournament. Prize money is distributed to the top 450 places so if the total number of buy-ins is less than or equal to 450 each one would be a guaranteed a profit!

 This phenomenon is known as ‘overlay’ and it’s worth shopping around our featured operators to look for contests where the prize money on offer exceeds the amount generated by the entry fees.

Remi Garde has an enormous task on his hands to transform Aston Villa’s season and he will desperately be hoping to see the side that put up a brave show in the 0-0 draw with Manchester City rather than the one that capitulated at Everton last weekend.

 The bookies think this will be a low-scoring affair so we’re taking a chance on Brad Guzan, Micah Richards and Alan Hutton. On the contrary Bournemouth vs Everton may turn into a goal-fest so we’ve included the in-form Ross Barkley, the blossoming Gerard Deulofeu and Andrew Surman. The latter as yet to register a goal or an assist despite chipping in with 3 and 6 respectively in the Cherries promotion season but it was his passing stats that really caught our eye. Only 2 players have completed more in the Premier League this season according to WhoScored.

We wouldn’t blame anyone for going in heavy on Crystal Palace players in Game Week 14 when they face a hapless Newcastle side. We have included Yohan Cabaye but have decided to go for a Manchester City quartet instead in the hope that they click this weekend. Kevin de Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, Sergio Agüero and Nicolás Otamendi are all included.

The Foxes put 5 past Manchester United last season and we may well regret not including the record-breaking Jamie Vardy but Louis van Gaal’s troops are stifling the opposition of late so we have swerved this one.

Searching for overlay is a great way to find an edge and adds a little extra spice to any daily fantasy football contest that you enter!