Fantasy Sport
Are you that crazy sports fan who has always dreamt of being a part of a sports team & getting the real-time experience of playing a live game? If yes, then ‘Fantasy Sport’ is the ultimate answer to your dreams. First, let us understand what does ‘Fantasy Sports’ actually mean? The term Fantasy sports refers to online games where people are free to make their virtual teams & then participate in contests & leagues that simulate real-life conditions of the game. These fantasy games are played on the internet where people create their virtual teams by selecting players from a pool of real players & then participate in the upcoming fixtures completely based on their knowledge, experience, perception of the players and the teams. Based on the real-time performance of the players the users get points that form the basis of their winnings. The users who actively participate in fantasy games by creating their virtual teams have to adhere to certain specific values while making their teams and enter in the contest through an entry fee. Growth of Fantasy Sports in India The growth of fantasy sports in India has drastically changed the way people consume sports. Long before the emergence of ‘Fantasy sports’ in India, the consumption of sports was merely restricted to passive entertainment right from the comfort of one’s room but the advent & bloom of ‘Fantasy Sports’ has turned passive viewers into active participants who create their won virtual teams & participates in various real-time matches & contests. In a society where people pursue sports as a religion, Fantasy sports provided them an opportunity to get more close to their favorite sports & experience real-time action. Though Cricket has triumphed among fantasy sports in India, other fantasy sports such as fantasy football, fantasy kabaddi & fantasy basketball too have started gaining popularity. While ‘Fantasy Sports’ was already blooming in India the pandemic has helped push it along as it forced countless people to stay indoors & look for entertainment activities on the internet. Several Indian Fantasy sports operators used this opportunity to grow their player bases with great success. By the end of 2020, almost 100 million Indians were involved with Fantasy sports playing different virtual games by forming their teams & earning rewards. Fantasy Cricket The growth of Fantasy cricket in India is hugely credited to the popularity of this sport & in particular the inception of the Indian Premier League in 2008. In a country that not only pursues cricket but actually ‘breathes’ it, the growth of Fantasy Cricket is not at all a surprise. The inception of the IPL has only contributed to raising the hype for cricket in Indian society. While Fantasy cricket is the first fantasy sport that has become an obsession in India, the application which has contributed to the flourishing of Fantasy cricket in Indian origin is none other than ‘Dream 11’. Dream11 offers competitions in all formats of international cricket. Users can play online cricket games from various leagues such as the Indian Premier League (IPL) –the most watched and played game in the world — in addition to other events like the ICC. Introduced in the year 2008, Dream 11 has grown in leaps & bounds for years. This interactive platform supports most of the ‘Fantasy Sports’ such as cricket, football, basketball, hockey, etc. Participants can choose the sport they love and can show their statistical & analytical skills by making their virtual teams & playing contests. The users will earn points based on real-time players' performances in ongoing matches. For example, players earn points for scoring runs, taking wickets, etc. (cricket), scoring goals, making assists, etc. (football), and similar actions for other sports. Once a match is live, you can follow your contests leaderboards to see how you’re performing against your competition. These Fantasy Sports platforms also enable its users to participate in various contests such as mega contests, head-to-head contests, low-entry contests, big winning & winner takes all contests, & earn money easily. Fantasy Sports- ‘The Big Money Making Game’ Undoubtedly fantasy sports is the ‘Big Money Making Game’ of the current era that has helped various sports lovers to fulfill their dream of playing a real-time game. With Dream11 hosting the IPL 2021, you can understand the reach of fantasy gaming companies. The revenue earned by fantasy gaming companies reached a mighty 2470 crores in 2020. These whopping numbers themselves show the immense popularity of Fantasy Sports in India with companies like Dream11, MPL, Zapak, CricPlay, etc. ruling the markets