Choose an event
Select an upcoming slate and create the private pool before the event starts.
PRIVATE DAILY FANTASY SPORTS
Run your own private DFS salary-cap contest
Pool Duel is a private DFS contest manager for commissioners who want the familiar salary-cap draft experience without sending their group into a public lobby. Choose an event, share the pool, and let every participant build a five-player lineup.
Free to create Private lineups Commissioner controlled
PRIVATE PICK 5LINEUPS OPEN
SALARY-CAP CONTESTFriday Night Crew
1Commissioner$54,800
2Entry twoHidden
3Entry threeHidden
Rosters reveal when the event starts
THE SHORT ANSWER
What is private dfs contest manager?
A private DFS contest manager is software for running a closed daily fantasy competition with people you invite. Pool Duel creates the player pool and salaries, locks lineups at the event start, calculates fantasy points, and publishes the live leaderboard. It does not collect entry fees, hold funds, or pay winners.
ONE EVENT. ONE PRIVATE FIELD.
A familiar DFS contest, run by your commissioner
It is built for friend groups, offices, golf trips, watch parties, clubs, and recurring crews that already trust a commissioner to organize a prize pool. Only people with the shared pool link are invited to join.
Share one link
Invite your group directly. Joining the pool opens the lineup builder for that event.
Draft under the cap
Each entrant chooses five competitors while staying inside the shared salary budget.
Follow it live
Lineups reveal at lock, then points, ownership, and standings update on the live board.
LINEUP FORMAT
A true salary-cap lineup, simplified to five picks
Every entrant drafts five competitors while staying under the event salary cap. The same competitor can appear in multiple lineups, so the strategic edge comes from balancing stars, values, projected ownership, and the event-specific scoring system.
LIVE CONTEST
Live points and ownership after lineup lock
Lineups stay private before lock, including from the commissioner. When the event begins, Pool Duel reveals every roster, scores the contest from live event data, and shows each competitor's ownership percentage across the pool.
BUILT FOR PRIVATE GROUPS
The contest software does the work, not the money
Pool Duel handles the competition layer. Your commissioner remains in charge of the group and any prize arrangement.
Commissioner controlled
Create the pool, share one link, remove accidental entries, and keep your group's prize arrangements outside the software.
Private before lock
Each entrant can edit their own lineup until lock. Nobody else can inspect it early, including the commissioner.
Built for one event
Run a contest around a tournament, race, match, or single game instead of committing everyone to a full season.
Free pool software
Pool Duel does not charge a pool creation fee and does not require payment processing to run the competition.
SPORT-SPECIFIC GUIDES
Build the right private contest for the event
Explore salary-cap pool formats for the sports and single-event slates currently supported by Pool Duel.
QUICK ANSWERS
Private DFS Contest Manager FAQ
Can I create my own private DFS contest?
Yes. Create a Pool Duel pool for an available event, send the private pool link to your group, and have each participant submit a salary-cap lineup before lock.
Is Pool Duel a sportsbook or DFS operator?
No. Pool Duel is commissioner software for private groups. It does not take wagers, set prize payouts, collect entry fees, or act as the house.
Can the commissioner see lineups before the contest starts?
No. Before lock, each participant can see and edit only their own lineup. All lineups become visible when the event begins.
What sports can I use for a private salary-cap contest?
Pool Duel currently creates salary-cap slates for golf, baseball, soccer, and NASCAR events, with additional sports planned as reliable event and scoring feeds are added.
Does Pool Duel collect entry fees or pay the prize?
No. Pool Duel provides contest setup, lineup entry, live scoring, ownership, and standings. The commissioner handles any entry fees or prizes separately and is responsible for following the rules that apply where the group lives.
FREE PRIVATE POOL
Create free pool Give your group its own salary-cap contest
Create the event pool, share the link, and let Pool Duel handle lineups and live standings.