The Indian Premier League (IPL) has launched 6UP, an SMS mobile game through which people watching the IPL can send their predictions as to how many runs will be scored on each ball of an over, before the start of every over at Rs 5 per SMS.

IPLAYUP Interactive Entertainment, a UK-based mobile business generation company, powers 6UP. “Everyday you will have a couple of hundred people winning a couple of lakhs. It provides a big commercial opportunity, a new revenue stream into sport,” George Tomeski, co-founder and managing partner of PLAYUP Interactive Entertainment, said. However, Tomeski did not reveal the revenues generated and the number of SMS’s that have been received, terming it as ‘too early’.

Out of every Rs 5 SMS sent during a live game, a minimum of 50 per cent of the total pool (number of people who send the SMS multiplied by Rs 5) goes to the person who sends the message, while the remaining part goes to telecom company, governmental tax and Australian ex-captain Steve Waugh’s charity – Steve Waugh Foundation. “I am really excited on being associated with this game. There is a reasonable revenue opportunity for charity as well,” Steve Waugh told Financial Chronicle over telephone. Shane Warne, who is also captaining the Rajasthan Royals, has been identified as the brand ambassador for IPLAYUP-6UP.

According to the rules of 6UP, the person who gets all six predictions of the runs per ball in an over correct, wins the maximum amount of money, followed by the ones who get five and four predictions correct. The winning prize would be divided in case there is more than one similar correct prediction, and game winners can collect their prize money from their mobile subscriber’s offices, showing their identification proof.

IPLAYUP has restricted the number of SMS’s per mobile number to 20 an innings. “Players can play only 20 times an innings, so that no player can send in multiple predictions before an over to increase chances of winning,” Tomeski said. He added that the company has ‘Avoided a resemblance to betting’ while developing the game, and gone to highest possible legal advice regarding 6UP.

The live interactive SMS game, which is currently only available to Indian mobile subscribers, may also open up to five more countries including Australia, New Zealand, West Indies, England and South Africa for the T20 Cricket World Cup coming up next month. “We are also looking to develop a game for the 50 over format, but it is too early to reveal details,” Tomeski said. IPLAYUP is also planning to foray into football and baseball in June this year. “Even the next skill game we develop would be priced at Rs 5,” he added. However, the possibility of the game being in the next edition of IPL is not certain as yet.