No prizes for guessing which the most popular sport in India is. Cricket is a sport that is larger than life for millions of people in the country. Despite the growth in popularity of other sports such as football, tennis, basketball and hockey, cricket still reigns supreme. So much so that cricket fans regard the sport as something that is no less than a religion. And if cricket is their religion, cricketers are nothing less than their idols. These people are the stars of the show, who bring home tremendous glory with each cricket victory.

According to an article on Sportskeeda, the reasons for the immense popularity of cricket in India can be chiefly attributed to its ease and versatility of play, India’s victories in the sport over the years, the emergence of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the rise of cricketing icons like Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Sunil Gavaskar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and many others.

One of the more visible byproducts of India’s cricket craze is the growth of fantasy cricket. Fantasy sports have existed for a long time now, and this genre of sports has been catching on rapidly in India over the past few years. In short, fantasy cricket is nothing more than an online, virtual version of cricket that is played through an app. Playing fantasy cricket involves making one’s own virtual team consisting of real players for an upcoming match. Users then earn points on the basis of how these cricketers perform on the actual match day.

But did you know that you can earn money by playing fantasy cricket?

Yes! Believe it or not, you can play fantasy cricket and win cash daily! All you need to do is select an upcoming cricket match, create your team, deposit some money and join a contest. Once the actual match begins, track the performance of each of your players. You will earn points based on how they play.

However, before you rush into it, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. The likelihood of winning money or prizes from fantasy cricket matches depends on the points you earn and the rank you hold on the leaderboard. If you win maximum points and maintain a top spot on the leaderboard, you can make some serious money!

Fantasy cricket is a game of skill, and with a little prior preparation and alertness, you can win big. We share with you some of our tips and tricks so that you can increase your winnings from fantasy cricket.

Familiarise yourself with different fantasy cricket apps

Whether you are new to this genre of cricket or a seasoned player, you will notice that there are a variety of fantasy cricket apps available, but they all have different point scoring systems. On some apps, more weightage is given to batting points (such as runs), while on others, more weightage is given to bowling points (such as wickets). Yet, on other apps, there is a balanced point scoring system for batting, bowling and fielding. Furthermore, the points you score on some fantasy cricket apps will vary depending on the format of cricket you play. This means you will be scored differently for Test, T20 and One Day International matches.

Choose the best players

Sometimes our logical judgement is clouded by our love for our favourite cricketers. However, as fantasy cricket is a game of skill, select the best players for your team. Don’t just go for the ‘big names’ or the players you have a special liking for. Try to have a higher proportion of all-rounders on your team as these players will give you points for both batting and bowling, in turn, increasing your chances of winning.

Select your captain and vice-captain wisely

While creating your dream team, pay special attention to who you select as your captain and vice-captain. It may sound surprising, but the choices you make for these two players can often make the difference between victory and defeat. In fantasy cricket apps, the captain and vice-captain respectively get 2 times and 1.5 times the points that regular players get. Making the right choices will give you a considerable advantage over your competitors!

Select top order batsmen

If you play limited overs games (such as T20 matches), make sure you select top-order batsmen as these are the players who will be playing the maximum number of balls. In other words, your batsmen are going to win you the most points in the match you play. By selecting top-order batsmen, you not only increase your chances of winning the game, but also the likelihood of earning more money!

Analyse pitch and weather conditions

In cricket, there are few factors that affect the outcome of a match more than the weather scenario on the day of the match and the condition of the pitch. Both these factors directly affect the performance of players during the match. The time you spend researching weather on the day of the match and pitch conditions of the stadium where the match is to be played will be a worthwhile investment.

Use apps that give you greater flexibility

A lot of how a cricket match plays out hinges on the all important toss. Most fantasy cricket apps close contest entries one hour prior to the official commencement time of a match. The toss is conducted only 30 minutes before the match is set to begin, so try and find fantasy cricket apps that allow you to make changes to your team even after the toss until the game actually begins.

Stay alert and updated

As the old adage goes, knowledge is power. Always try and keep yourself updated with the latest developments and news regarding your players as well as the team so that you can make adjustments to the team as you deem necessary. Follow briefings and post-match presentations as well as keep a track of player performance in recent games so that you make the best player choices for your team.

With these tips in mind, you are now better equipped to take on your competitors in a fantasy cricket tournament. Check out this link for more information on playing fantasy cricket and how you can maximise your gains.