Fantasy cricket glossary
Cap, VC, ownership, differential, contest entry, prize pool, mega contest, grand league.
Why a glossary
Fantasy cricket has a vocabulary that varies subtly across platforms and contexts. Below is the consistent glossary we use on this site. Match the terms against your platform's documentation; if a term differs, the platform definition wins for that platform.
Captain (C)
The player in your XI whose fantasy points are multiplied by 2×. One captain per team. The captain pick is the highest-use decision in any fantasy XI — see the captain picks page for the full framework.
Captain and vice-captain points system
Vice-Captain (VC)
The player in your XI whose fantasy points are multiplied by 1.5×. One VC per team. The VC is the second-highest-use decision in any XI.
Account basics for fantasy cricket
XI (11)
The 11 players selected for your fantasy team. The XI must include the role requirements set by the platform (typically a minimum number of batsmen, bowlers, all-rounders, and wicket-keepers) and must fit within the salary cap.
Cricket match context for fantasy
Salary cap
The total value (in credits) of the 11 players you select, constrained by the platform. Typically 100 credits. Each player has a credit cost based on their base price and recent form. The salary cap forces you to pick a balanced mix of stars and differentials.
Ownership
The percentage of contest entries that pick a specific player. Ownership data is published within minutes of contest lock. Low ownership = differential candidate. High ownership = crowd favourite.
Differential captain
A captain candidate with low ownership (typically under 12%) who scores well above the field median. Differential captains win mega contests because the field cannot easily beat them.
Mega contest
A fantasy contest with typically 50,000+ entries, a top-heavy prize pool, and a long tail of small ranks. Mega contests are the high-ceiling, low-probability win. Best played with bankroll discipline (5% per entry).
Grand league
A fantasy contest with typically 100-10,000 entries. Grand leagues are the middle ground between mega and head-to-head — a smaller field with bigger payouts than H2H, more predictable than mega.
Head-to-head (H2H)
A fantasy contest with 2 entries — your team and one opponent. Win takes all. H2H is the best learning format for new players because the math is simpler and the result is binary.
Practice contest
A free-to-enter fantasy contest with no monetary prize. Practice contests are the form tracker — enter them with experiment lineups to test captain pick reasoning before committing bankroll.
Bonus
Promotional credit offered by platforms on first deposit, signup, or contest entry. Typical bonus terms are 6×-12× turnover before withdrawal. Always read the bonus terms; 6× turnover bonuses are fine, 12× turnover bonuses are a trap.
Turnover / wagering requirement
The total amount you must wager before bonus credits become withdrawable. 6× turnover on a ₹1,000 bonus requires ₹6,000 in contest entries before withdrawal. 12× turnover requires ₹12,000.
KYC (Know Your Customer)
The platform's identity verification process. KYC is required to deposit and withdraw. Documents: PAN (mandatory) plus Aadhaar or driving licence or voter ID. KYC clears in 2-5 minutes during business hours.
UPI (Unified Payments Interface)
The Indian instant-payment rail. UPI is the primary deposit and withdrawal method on all fantasy platforms. Median deposit-to-wallet: under 60 seconds. Median wallet-to-bank withdrawal: 4-15 minutes on the fast platforms.
Prize pool
The total amount distributed as winnings in a fantasy contest. Mega contests have prize pools of ₹1 lakh to ₹1 crore. Grand leagues have prize pools of ₹10,000 to ₹5 lakh. The prize pool breakdown (how it is split across ranks) is published on each contest page — always read the breakdown before entering.
Impact player
An IPL 2023-onwards rule allowing each team to substitute one player from a list of 4 substitutes at any point during the match. The impact player is in your fantasy XI if they bat/bowl at any point — read platform rules for specifics.
Rank
Your finishing position within a contest. Rank 1 gets the largest share of the prize pool. Rank 1 typically takes 5% in a mega contest. The rank-to-prize mapping is published on every contest page.
ROI (Return on Investment)
Total winnings ÷ total contest entries. A positive ROI means you are profitable. A negative ROI means you are net spending. New players typically run 30-50% negative ROI for the first 20 contests; experienced players run 5-15% positive ROI for the season.
Bankroll
The total amount you have allocated to fantasy cricket. Bankroll management is the discipline of allocating 1-5% of bankroll per contest entry to survive losing streaks. The classic mistake: depositing ₹5,000 and entering ₹500 per contest — bust in 10 contests.
Form
Recent match-by-match score trajectory. Form is a leading indicator on small samples. Form-positive players ride a 3-5 match sweet spot; form-negative players drop in the 30-day window. Track the last 8 innings for form reads.
Matchup
The historical head-to-head performance between two specific players. Some batsmen dominate certain bowlers; some bowlers consistently dismiss certain batsmen. Matchup edges inform captain picks.
What is the most important fantasy term?
Captain (C) — the 2× multiplier player. The captain pick is the single highest-use decision in any fantasy XI.
What is a good ROI for fantasy cricket?
5-15% positive ROI across a season is strong. 15-30% is elite. Negative ROI is normal for new players in the first 20 contests.
What is the safest contest format?
Head-to-head. Win/loss is binary, the math is simple, and the result tells you whether your captain logic was right.
What is a practice contest useful for?
Testing lineup picks without risking bankroll. Enter with your experiment teams before committing real money.