Knowing how to play poker game is a prerequisite to becoming a poker expert. But what differs between poker games and fantasy sports is that in the latter, the games are played on two different grounds. The hybrid fantasy sports format has real-world players as the primary performers. But then, there’s you, someone playing fantasy sports.
Fantasy sports leaderboards are influenced by real-world players. But your strategy and decision-making are also crucial to your success. This is what makes it skill-based and not luck-based, as several honourable high courts in India observed. Apart from the favourable verdicts, there are many reasons why fantasy sports and the hybrid format of competitive gaming are overwhelmingly popular.
Fantastic Rise of Fantasy Sports
Like gaming in general, the popularity of fantasy sports has been mostly US-centric. However, just like gaming, fantasy sports has now permeated into other parts of the globe at a fast pace. Nevertheless, North America continued to have a 30% market share in this gaming segment by the end of 2023.
Globally, the fantasy sports market was valued at $29.85 billion in 2023. Between 2024 and 2032, it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 15%. At this rate, the segment will grow to $100 billion by 2032! Sporting events are big drivers for the popularity of fantasy sports in a country. In India, it received a wider audience in 2023, thanks to the Cricket World Cup. Some of the popular fantasy sports platforms in India even saw a 60% rise in active users.
Apart from the popularity of sports events, innovations in mobile technology and data analytics have been important growth drivers. The platforms have been effective in their marketing and advertising efforts, while the user experience has improved significantly.
Going Hybrid, Getting Engaged
The overarching observation coming out of the popularity of fantasy sports is the way we enjoy sporting and gaming events. From watching a game of cricket or football as a fan, fantasy sport now allows us to actively engage in it. Fantasy sport is no longer a niche hobby; it is an excuse to engage in your favourite event or sport.
From playing fantasy cricket during the T20 Cricket World Cup or the Indian Premier League to the popular football or soccer leagues, more and more are transforming from passive fans to active participants. In some ways, it is similar to the wide participation seen in esports events. By 2025, esports is expected to attract more than 600 million fans. Esports events featuring games like Call of Duty and Fortnite have a cult following. Through games like FIFA on esports, football fans can participate in a simulated version of the real game, just as a fantasy football league brings you closer to a real-life football game.
Fantasy sports have thrived on this hybrid format with the help of several significant innovations.
Trends Fuelling Fantasy Sports’ Popularity
One of the new additions to all gaming platforms is the availability of data, insights and analytics. Apps like Pocket52 don’t just offer a poker game platform. You can also learn how to play the poker game and excel in it. Fantasy sports go a step further and provide a host of useful analytics.
Since these games are based on real-life sporting events, platforms provide a host of real-time stats and figures, historical data and information, and AI-generated predictions and previews. Gamers are now building strategies that are based on all this information. Predictive modelling, performance analysis, and player insights help gamers refine their strategies.
The introduction of blockchain is adding a new dimension to fantasy sports. Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) like player cards, virtual team franchises and other in-game items add exclusivity to a gamer’s collections. The use of blockchain has democratised the gaming ecosystem and adds both safety and transparency to the format.
Most of the popular fantasy sports platforms are now available across different devices and ecosystems. PC, console and mobile users can now seamlessly interact between fantasy sports sessions.
Coming Together
The popularity of competitive gaming and the race for the leaderboard sees the coming together of a variety of gamers. This segment gets the usual share of casual gamers who quench their curiosity for the segment. Esports enthusiasts see fantasy leagues as a perfect avenue to engage in competitive gaming that extends beyond watching a real game. Fantasy leagues allow them to participate, just like they do in real-life esports events.
Apart from these sections of gamers, fantasy sports also attract a lot of traditional sports fans. These are avid sports watchers with opinions and technical knowledge of the game. With fantasy sports, they can role-play as a game manager, pick teams, select and bench players, adopt game strategies and so on.
This assimilation, along with the timely technological innovations in the gaming segment, has made fantasy sports a perfect combination of competitive gaming and real-life sporting engagement.
