In recent years, fantasy sports apps have come to be one of the most interesting and profitable sectors in the mobile app industry. There are over 180 million users in India alone. Dream11 has changed how fans engage with sports; instead of just passively watching a game, users actively participate as they strategize, create a dream team of players, and win real prizes.
With the increased live sports streaming, mobile internet use, and digital payments, fantasy gaming is becoming a first-class, engaging, accessible, and rewarding experience for users. With the industry set to surpass $5 billion worldwide by 2025, it is the right time for startups and entrepreneurs to jump into the sector.
This practical guide will take you through what you need to develop a fantasy sports app like Dream11, from determining the method of development to determining core features and monetizing your app.
What is a Fantasy Sports App?
A fantasy sports app allows people to create virtual teams based on real players from upcoming matches. Players earn points based on how those real players play in the real game. Those total points from all players in that team determine where the user ranks, and the ranking can lead to real cash prizes in a paid contest.
These apps gamify live sport, allowing users to put their sports knowledge and strategic thinking to use. Unlike traditional sports betting, which is about guessing the outcome and putting blind faith into the win, fantasy apps are skill-based because you must rely on your predictions, manage a team, and engage in a real-time contest.
Dream11, being the early pioneer in this space, perfected this model with live data feeds, wallet system features in secured payment methods, secure payment gateways, and a back-end that scales, delivering a rewarding and addictive experience.
Methodologies to Build a Fantasy Sports App Like Dream11:
Develop From Scratch
Building from scratch means you can control every aspect of the app from UI design to developing custom features, game and logic, security protocols, and backend systems that can scale. Building from scratch should be the first choice for businesses wanting to build a unique app that has a brand, differentiable game mechanics, and future reliability.
Though this approach requires a significant commitment in time, cost, and technical capabilities. In a typical fantasy sports app development, you will need to assemble a full-stack team, a real-time sports data API, and staff to create UI/UX, QA, and keep your fantasy sports application up and running after launch. You will also get a unique, optimized, scalable, and future-proof product.
Using Clone Script
A clone script is pre-developed source code for an existing fantasy app like Dream11. Think of it as a quicker and easier-to-market opportunity for every entrepreneur who doesn’t want to start from scratch.
A clone script will usually have all of the features you would find in a fantasy sports platform. Consider reviewing existing apps and code before choosing a clone script. You can customize the UI and UX by accomplishing branding, layouts, and adding features.
This can be better for startups testing out the fantasy sports concepts or markets before a planned major tournament. You just want to make sure your script features are secure, scalable, and you are working with a trusted vendor that does not compromise stability and performance.
Build Your Fantasy Sports App Like Dream11 From Scratch:
Market Research and Planning
The initial step is to research your target audience, their sports preferences (cricket, football, kabaddi, etc), competition, and their regulatory guidelines. With this, you can identify their pain points and implement them in your app as USPs.
Design a User-Friendly Interface
Secondly, make sure you design an intuitive and highly user-friendly interface, as UI/UX is the backbone of user engagement in fantasy apps. Ensure you design an app that is easy to navigate, responsive across devices, and consistent. The onboarding experience, contest creation, live score updates, and team management should be seamless.
Development and API Integration
Next comes the development process, where backend logic should handle user actions such as player selection, real-time scoring, point allocation, payment processing, and leaderboard updates. Also, integrating sports data APIs will offer real-time statistics hassle-free.
Testing & Quality Assurance
This stage ensures all the modules work smoothly under different scenarios. This can include performance testing, bug fixes, and security validation. The major motto is to ensure that advanced features like score updates, payments, and team rankings perform reliably under load.
Deployment
Once the testing phase is done, your app is deployed on servers and submitted to app stores ( Google Play and Apple App Store). Also, ensure that the hosting infrastructure can scale based on match days, when user traffic peaks significantly.
Maintenance & Support
Finally, post-launch and regular updates are essential for feature upgrades, seasonal tournaments, and handling user queries. A highly responsive support system helps retain users and build trust.
Using a Clone Script for Faster Launch:
Using a Dream11 clone script can reduce development time by 60–70%. Most scripts come with core modules like contest creation, team building, scoring logic, and wallet systems already built. All you need is to customize the theme, add third-party integrations, and configure user limits and payment options.
Key Benefits of Using a Clone Script to Launch Your Fantasy Sports App Like Dream 11:
Low Cost
Clone Scripts provide a cost-effective option for entrepreneurs and startups as they eliminate much of the complex logic that must be built from scratch.
Faster Launch
Depending on the level of customization, you can be up and running with a working app in a few days to weeks, which is ideal for launching before a sports season or the start of a league.
Customization
Clone scripts often have a modular approach that allows you to change the UI, add or remove features, change payment gateways, languages, and customize your app to match your brand, audience, and their preferences.
Scalability
A highly crafted clone script should be built on advanced tech stacks like Node.js, Laravel, or React Native, allowing you to scale as your traffic grows during events.
Security Feature
Most clone solutions come with built-in data encryption, wallet safety protocols, GDPR compliance, and protection against bots or multiple account abuse.
Key Features to Develop a Fantasy Sports App Like Dream11:
User Panel Features:
User Registration
Users can register via their mobile number, email, or sign in through social media platforms. A simple verification process via OTP or email gives more security and prevents single users from creating multiple accounts.
User Profile
A user profile shows their statistics, contests the user has joined, wallet balance, and previous contest performance. Users can also edit their information, collect their rewards, and see previously redeemed rewards.
Search Option
Users can search for specific matches, contests, or teams using keyword search or filters based on match type, prize pool, or entry fees.
User Screen
The user screen consists of a personalized dashboard that shows contests the user is active in, live scores, upcoming contests, wallet balance, and ongoing promotions.
Live Matches
Live updates for matches in progress are provided via sports APIs, so users see the live scores, players’ performances and ranks, and teams’ comfort and rank.
Create a Contest
Users can create custom private contests and invite their friends, including determining prize pool amounts, how many people can take part, entry fees, etc.
Payment Channels
Support UPI, Paytm, credit or debit cards, net banking, and crypto so deposits and withdrawals can be done seamlessly while the wallet updates in real time.
Multi-Language Support
Allow wider reach by having the user interface in regional languages like Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, etc.
Leader Board
Live leaderboards show users with the highest performing points and prize earnings. Users can filter to see how they are ranking in either their one contest or multiple contests.
Manager Mode
Advanced users may switch between multiple user team strategies while sharing insights from prior matches, and make changes to their team as needed if allowed within that specific contest.
Projected Points
Display projected users’ points based on an algorithm to help users with choosing players when creating their team, as they will need to sustain within the allocated points.
Powerplay Mode
The user chooses moments in a match to gain bonus points via moment based on the match. Adds strategy and excitement to contests.
Admin Panel Features:
Admin Login
Two factors of authentication for secure admin logins, and a role-based admin access for admin members.
Dashboard
A powerful admin dashboard provides key performance indicators and stats like new registrations.
User Management
Admin can monitor, suspend, and verify users. Admin can manage KYC requests, resolve disputes, and monitor suspicious events.
Contest Management
Create, edit, and copy public contests. Admin can set prize pools, limit visibility, and schedule contests for future matches.
Games Management
The admin is able to add new games, manage player databases, create scoring rules, and update whether a team or player is available in the competition in real-time.
Payment Request Handling
Admin can approve and deny withdrawal requests, audit transactions, detect previously flagged transactions, and offer tracking for any resolution.
Rewards & Referrals
Admin can create and manage referral programs to help with bonuses and promotional codes/ competition types, and manage seasonal rewards promotional campaigns.
Revenue & Ads Management
Admin can flag banner ads and video ads, sponsored and promoted contests, and use various advertising networks to integrate their app with passive income, like AdMob, for example.
Additional Features:
Live / Group Chat
Users can chat during contests or within their private group to engage with each other and interact to develop a sense of community while also engaging with the contests.
Live Commentary Feed
The ability to integrate match commentary, providing users with match updates, and experience live without leaving the app.
Dashboard Analytics
Tracking user growth, session duration, retention, conversion, and monetization to help improve each area.
Payments for Subscription
As the app gets developed, we provide capabilities for ‘premium’ tiers where users can have benefits such as entries into high-stakes contests, ad-free contests, or advanced player statistics.
Push Notifications
Send notifications for match start times, team deadline times, wins, and offers to promote engagement.
Security Shield System
Utilize machine learning algorithms to identify duplicate and impersonating accounts and fraudulent transactions while guaranteeing no false positives for a fair and unbiased gaming experience.
Revenue Streams for Building a Fantasy Sports App Like Dream11:
Entry Fee
Users would pay a fee to enter contests on the platform; the platform would keep a commission portion of the fee and pay the remaining amount as winnings.
Transaction Fee
Each deposit and withdrawal can incur a minor transaction fee, which becomes substantive over high volume.
Platform Fee
Establishing a fixed platform fee on contests could provide a sustainable income to the platform independent of wins and losses.
Commission on Wins
You can keep a small percentage of winnings when winning totals are above a certain threshold to ensure the sustainability of your services.
Subscription Policy
You can provide exclusive content, fast withdrawal wait times, and/or an ad-free experience to your paid users.
Participation Fees
An entry fee is imposed on entering certain contests or tournaments, even if the contest or tournament uses entry fees to fund the prize pool (especially during large events).
Paid Contest
If your users are willing to put money in a contest, consider organizing a paid match or premium contests that your audience would enjoy.
Advertisements
Allow the display of advertisements in a manner that will continue to appeal to or attract users (with advertising partners that allow for gambling in cases where gambling is legal). This could involve having regular and non-intrusive banners, intermixed video ads (either from sponsors, brands, or partners), or interstitials from sports brands or gaming companies (or both).
Premium Features
Allow users to pay for features that would allow them to gain an edge over other users. Examples may include powerplay mode, extra analytics, or early access to contests.
Final Thoughts:
Developing a fantasy sports app like Dream11 will require a good mix of strategy, technology, and user experience. Whether you choose to use custom development or a clone script, the emphasis has to be on building real-time, fair, and entertaining gameplay.
As a booming market with skyrocketing expectations for users, innovation is your calling card. If you are going to build with scalability, security, and user experience in mind, your fantasy app could be the next big thing!
Author Bio:
Santhosh Kumar is the Co-founder of Fourchain, a software product development company that specializes in blockchain, fantasy gaming, and AI-based applications. He combines his love for sports with product engineering to help businesses build engaging applications for a real-world impact.
