74% Of Indians Relax With Fantasy Sport Like My11Circle

Fantasy cricket offers users a sense of ownership of a cricket team, they are challenged about everything they know on cricket and keeps the subscribers at the edge of their seat as the match progresses.

Fantasy sports are zooming ahead with success. In a survey, 74 percent of the respondents played fantasy sports 1-3 times a week, but the majority played it once a week to take a break. But 20 percent played the game of skill more than five times a week.

The Indian Federation of Sports Gaming and KPMG report found that 71 percent of the Indians played fantasy cricket. It aligns with the fact that the majority of the cricket fans live in India. Playing cricket is also an ideal way for Indians to wind down. By adding fantasy cricket to the mix, there is a newfound appreciation for the sport.

What is in it for Cricket Fans

Fantasy cricket offers users a sense of ownership of a cricket team, they are challenged about everything they know on cricket and keeps the subscribers at the edge of their seat as the match progresses. There are two options for the game-play for free or cash matches. Plus, participants can log on to the app anytime. These features that have been incorporated in fantasy sports have boosted its popularity as a source of entertainment and recreation among Indians.

These aspects align with what the report states about the reasons why fantasy sports are played weeks on end.

• 72 percent participated in fantasy sports for fun and excitement. It is fun to pick and choose players to form a team. Also, the thrill rises when the live match is in progress. The performance of the real-life player impacts the overall score.
• 48 percent played it as you can manage teams. The user has a renewed fondness for cricket as he is in control of the team. There is a sense of responsibility and influence that the user embodies. Otherwise, he would be a spectator cheering on a pre-decided team.
• 47 percent of the respondent felt it was a way to remain connected to the sport. Watching any sport is fun, but the viewer is not involved in it. Fantasy sport changes that paradigm and allows the subscriber to be part of the match.
• 46 percent of the participants engaged in eSports use their knowledge of the game. While watching a sporting match, you are a passive viewer, here fantasy sports players get to apply their sports knowledge. Each user has a varied level of information in sports, but they can use it to play esports.

The other factors that draw sports-loving Indians to this genre of online gaming are the fact that they can win tickets for the live match or win an opportunity to meet their favourite sportspersons. The promotional activities also extend to giving out autographed merchandise for top players and offering credits for playing more games or winning rewards on the platform.

The Leading Player in Esports

One of the big players in the market is My11Circle fantasy cricket app, which is part of Play Games24x7. This company is also known for establishing online rummy game in India, i.e., RummyCircle with over 10 million users.

My11Circle, the skill-based game, allows users to select a match from the multitude of options and apply their cricket knowledge in creating a winning team of 11. This is the exciting part. Based on the player's performance in the real match, the points are calculated in the virtual team. The subscriber forms a team to earn points and the person who scores the highest is the winner. This app did something extra for the Cricket World Cup. They roped in former Indian cricket captain, Sourav Ganguly to play with subscribers. Also, winning players got an opportunity to meet and interact with this legendary cricketer.

After cricket, the other esports played in India is football, which is the next favoured fantasy sport, followed by kabaddi and basketball. eSports offer a healthy outlet to take a break and feel at ease. So much so that companies are considering introducing esports at work than banning it. Quantum Workplace's report concluded that employees who participated in fantasy football showed better engagement, teamwork and felt valued at a workplace.

The fantasy sports industry in India is expected to flourish in the coming years as digital infrastructure improves, rise in disposable income, increase in investments, and entry of international players. You may have flipped through television channels or scoured the web for a show, but it led to disappointment. With fantasy sports, the user is in the driver's seat and he or she is in charge of the entertainment.