Why Has Fantasy Cricket In India Grown Popular?
The fantasy sports space is one of the fastest growing segments of the Indian economy, worth hundreds of crores and growing almost exponentially. Regardless of whether it’s that time of year when India are playing, or when the national team’s stars are in action in the Indian T20 League, the interest in fantasy cricket only grows by the day. Each new tournament or series adds hundreds of thousands of users to the player base, and they in turn rope in friends, family and colleagues. If cricket is India’s great unifying force, fantasy sports apps have become the meeting place for millions from all backgrounds. Here we look at 5 reasons why interest in fantasy cricket has spread like wildfire.
Increased mobile phone usage
What may have been inaccessible for many 10 years ago is now commonplace. More than 50 crore Indians now use mobile phones, with more and more gradually switching to smartphones. That immediately opens up a world of possibilities and fantasy cricket is just one of them. The very fact that over 13 crore Indians now play at least one fantasy sport is proof of how quickly the craze has caught on since these fantasy apps were launched half a decade ago.
Easy-to-use interfaces
There are dozens of fantasy apps in the market, but for one to become as popular and trusted as Howzat has, it needs to be easy to use. The registration process should be simple and hassle-free, and you shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to deposit or withdraw money. And most of all, each transaction should be totally secure to earn the users’ trust.
No longer a passive experience
Watching cricket, whether on a screen or inside a stadium, no longer needs to be a passive activity. With fantasy cricket, the user is invested in every ball that’s being bowled. Runs scored, wickets taken and catches grabbed equate to points for your fantasy team, so that’s definitely added incentive to pay more attention to the on-field action.
Chance to show off your knowledge
You may not have played cricket at a high level, or even at all, but that doesn’t mean you can’t master fantasy cricket. It provides a great opportunity to show off your understanding of cricket and its nuances. It’s also a way to show off your eye for talent. Those that win fantasy contests invariably recognize new talent before others do and include them in the team much earlier.
The sheer thrill of winning
Even playing fantasy cricket contests without cash prizes can be great fun. Howzat, for example, allows you to play unlimited free games. But the cash contests that draw in the best players from across the country represent a thrilling challenge. You can enter multiple teams in a contest, but ultimately, your selection strategies need to be spot on if you’re to take on and beat fellow cricket experts.
