Thread by @psychidiaries

● FANTASY GAMES.
A 🧵
A fantasy sport is a type of game, often played using the Internet, where participants assemble imaginary or virtual teams composed of proxies of real players of a professional sport and the person whose team performs the best wins a cash prize.
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● What is their legal status in India?

Online games that involve the use of skill, such as skill-based online gaming, are permitted, while games of chance are prohibited under the Public Gambling Act.
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● Let's talk about some numbers-

The industry is growing at a CAGR of 32% and is expected to be worth $3.7 billion by 2024.
Dream 11, which is the biggest Indian fantasy sports company has over 110 million active users every day.
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● How different is it from betting?

While betting is an activity that completely depends upon luck, fantasy sports games offers a different perspective.
Betting depends upon real life events to go your way without using any skills.
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In case of fantasy games your team comprises of players you have chosen on the basis of the current form, pitch, weather, etc. and the way they perform will lead to you gaining some points.
But how the player will perform on that particular depends a lot on luck as well!
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● Why do people play such games?
1. It gives an ordinary fan a chance to own a team consisting of his favorite players
2. To socially connect and compete with similar fans and to show off his sports knowledge
3. A chance to earn quick money

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● When does it become risky?

If a person starts playing fantasy games only for the purpose of earning money then the problem starts.
Many people make multiple teams with various different combinations hoping at least one will win.

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● Let's look at the statistics.

In a cricket match, 22 players play the sport and you have to select your best 11
11 players out of 22 players can be selected in C(22, 11) = 22!/11!×11! =
22×21×20×19×18×17×16×15×14×13×12
=705432 no. of ways.
(Maths, Class 11, NCERT)
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There are more than 7 lakh combinations possible of making your team!!
Hope you imagine how slim are the chances of your team being the best out of lakhs of possibilities!
"Apun 20 combinations banayega, 1 to jeetega na!"
NO. SORRY.
Regards,
Mathematics. 😉
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● Secondly, by its very nature of offering quick and free money, it's similar to gambling where it gives us an immense positive reinforcement by dopaminergic boost in our reward centre.
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● Why gambling and fantasy games could be difficult to give up?

When we lose we don't give up easily because it's an activity based on scheduled variable positive reinforcement meaning we have learnt that we will not be rewarded every time we try it..
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..So what we do is we keep on making more and more efforts in the hope of getting the reward.

To read more on how reinforcement schedules work do read this.
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verywellmind.com/what-is-a-sche….

● Final word

Isn't it ironical how these fantasy games share success stories of cricketers achieved by hard work but in turn entice us to earn quick money!?
Remember, they are sponsoring tournaments like IPL so imagine the amount people are putting in such games!
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If you are doing it for the sake of fun, do set limits.
If you are someone who is unable to control your impulses, then don't play such games.
If you are having trouble coming out of it, do seek the help of mental health professional near you.
BE MINDFUL OF SUCH GAMES!

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