KOCHI:After missing out on the top rank at the recently-concluded IPL, Ajith (name changed) wants to make it big this time. For Hamid Fazil, the World Cup is a chance to have fun by competing with friends and relatives! For Nujum, it is the lure of money that takes him to the arena every time. They are just three of the thousands of passionate players who vie for honours in an altogether parallel world of fantasy games.
The increasing internet penetration and popularity of online apps have triggered a boom in fantasy games, where one can build his own team on apps and online platforms and compete with others. Exciting prizes can be won through official sites and cash prizes through apps. The FIFA World Cup in Russia has already thrown its share of surprises, but ‘fantasy players’ say their version is even more intriguing.
Ajith, who took part in 194 contests during the last IPL, scripted 89 wins. He played some head-to-head contests in the `13-399 range per match. “The biggest factor which attracts us to fantasy games is the fun in competing with our friends and relatives,” said Hamid, who works in Kuwait.A recent study said India has more than 20 million active fantasy sports players, across 60 platforms, which is expected to grow to 100 million by 2020.
Money is always a lure in fantasy games
On most platforms, the games are played for free while the official versions offer big prizes for winners. In some apps, you can select the team and join the fantasy leagues as well, with entry fee ranging from `13 to `20,000 per game.
“Money is always a lure. The ultimate aim, obviously, is to finish on top of the pile. It was fascinating to read about the boy who won the recent IPL fantasy league. We’ve seen small groups arranging prizes in the form of gifts and prize money, which is a good thing. It’ll make sure that nobody walks home empty-handed at the end of the game,” said Nujum from Thiruvananthapuram.
A recent court order which observed fantasy sports is not gambling and requires a great amount of skill, saw the platforms go for aggressive marketing, resulting in a surge in the participants’ number.Meanwhile, cyber security expert and Data Security Council of India member Manu P Zacharia said unless anyone reports any wrongdoing or officially lodges a complaint, the cyber force cannot take action against the fantasy game platforms.“They’ve their own privacy policies and terms and conditions, to which the player agrees at the time of signing in,” said Zacharia.