An exciting game of cricket in India has the power to unite families, friends, and even strangers in support of their beloved teams and players. The launch of Twenty 20, the shorter format of the game (popularly known as T20 and consisting of 20 overs each inning), as well as the immense popularity of the annual Indian Premier League (IPL), has increased viewership for the sport across the country. The component that people enjoy the most is using their knowledge and methods of the game from the comfort of their homes.
But not everyone can become a cricketer, can they? So the other option might be broadcasting, but not everyone is as talented as Harsha Bhogle to become a commentator.
The option that fantasy cricket sports gives you is that it gives you an immersive experience making you feel as if you are a part of the match being played. You have to make crucial decisions like selecting your playing eleven and deciding the captain and vice-captain of your fantasy cricket team. You are the sole decision-maker of your fantasy cricket sports team. What more would a cricket fan want? Another fundamental reason is the points system. Indians love to compete, and the scoring system on the fantasy cricket sports apps lets users pit their teams against other players from all over the country. Combining the love for cricket with the passion for competing makes for a very lucrative business proposition. Enter fantasy cricket sports apps. The likes of Dream11, Gamezy, and others have used this opportunity to monetize fantasy cricket in India and are reaping the benefits of the same.
The fantasy cricket sports market in India is poised to grow at 38% CAGR from Rs 34,600 crore in FY21 to about Rs 1,65,000 crore by FY25.
A report by the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS) and Deloitte found that India is the biggest market for fantasy cricket sports and fantasy cricket in the world, with more than 13 crore active users.
According to the report, the total attributable revenue of the fantasy cricket sports industry is Rs 10,700 crore, which includes Rs 5,500 crore indirect revenue in FY21 from service providers and vendors.
Fantasy cricket sports will continue growing at about 30 percent for the next four years and remain the number one contributor to the total revenue of the fantasy sports industry. The Indian Premier League (IPL), India’s biggest sporting extravaganza, was a huge contributor to adding new users to the fantasy cricket ecosystem. During the first half of the 2021 IPL season, the fantasy cricket user base grew by 20 Lakh users.
While cricket will remain the top sport on fantasy sports platforms (FSP), several other sports, such as football, hockey, kabaddi, and volleyball, are also gaining popularity.
It is estimated that almost 30 percent of the registered users for fantasy cricket sports players in India are female, a number that is expected to rise continuously, according to the report by Deloitte. Throughout the world, the fantasy sports user base has been dominated by men, with the male population contributing about 67 percent of the total revenue.
In addition, more than half of fantasy cricket sports transactions in India come from tier 2 and tier 3 cities, further signifying the reach of this sector.
“Fantasy sports in general and fantasy cricket sports more so are making immense strides in India’s overall growth story – creating highly lucrative jobs in the technology and management domains, attracting investments from multiple avenues, and generating substantial income. It is also helping develop an interest in other sports as people acquire knowledge to hone their fantasy sports skills.
The fantasy cricket sports market in the country is booming, and the industry is poised for growth aided by factors like improving internet access and increasing disposable income. It is fair to say that we can expect great things from this industry in the future.
