The four contest types
Most Indian operators run four core contest types: cash contests (50/50 and 10 percent paid), head-to-heads, large-field GPPs and beginner leagues. The math of each is different; the lineup that wins a 50/50 rarely wins a 100,000-entry GPP.
| Contest type | Field size | Payoff structure | Lineup preference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash (50/50) | ~50 percent of field wins | Small cash, high hit rate. | Floor. |
| Cash (10% paid) | ~10 percent of field wins | Medium cash, moderate hit rate. | Floor with a moderate ceiling tilt. |
| Head to head | 1 opponent | Cash for the win. | Floor; tight variance control. |
| Large-field GPP | 10,000+ | Top-heavy prizes. | High ceiling. |
| Beginner league | Limited to new users | Cash or contest credit. | Floor; field is thin. |
Payoff structures
The payoff structure tells you what the contest rewards. A 50/50 pays a roughly equal prize to half the field, which means a high floor with low variance wins. A GPP pays a top-heavy prize, which means a high ceiling with high variance wins. The contest type is a proxy for the payoff structure; verify the structure on the operator's contest detail page before entering.
Matching the lineup to the contest
The matching framework below is a starting point; refine it with your own reads.
- Cash contests: build around consensus picks with a stable role. Captain a player whose role is locked and whose floor is high.
- Head-to-heads: same logic as cash contests, with even tighter variance control. Avoid pure differentials.
- 10 percent paid: balance the floor with a moderate ceiling tilt. Consider a captaincy pick with a higher ceiling than the consensus but a stable role.
- Large-field GPPs: build around differentials. Captain a high-ceiling pick whose matchup is favourable. Avoid pure consensus picks in the captain slot.
- Beginner leagues: build around floor. The field is thin and the upside of going differential is small.
Multi-entry tactics
Multi-entry contests allow you to enter the same contest with multiple lineups. The right way to use multi-entry is to run distinct lineup shapes, not to enter the same lineup multiple times. The distinct shapes should map to distinct captaincy preferences: one conservative lineup built around the consensus captain, one aggressive lineup built around a differential captain, and so on.
Common errors
The most common error is to enter a GPP with a cash-contest lineup. The lineup is too conservative; the variance is too low; the upside is too small to win the top prize. The second most common error is to enter the same lineup multiple times in a multi-entry contest. The lineups will score similarly; the second lineup adds no information; you have effectively paid two entry fees for one shot.
Confidence label: editorial inference. The framework is a starting point; refine with your own reads and the prediction desk's match-day calls.