Deepu Ojha, a car mechanic from Kohda village in Bihar’s Arrah district, found himself in the spotlight after clinching a 1.5 crore rupees through IPL fantasy gaming during the recent KKR vs RCB match on the Dream11 app.
As reported by India Times, having dropped out in the 8th grade—Ojha resisted the odds by selecting Andre Russell as the captain for his fantasy team, sealing his victory. When someone asked Ojha about his winnings, he said he couldn’t believe it. He admitted that at first, he thought it might be a trick because he didn’t trust gaming apps like that.
“I felt very good. Could not believe it. Thought it was fraud and no money ever comes on such apps. I work in a garage. I have been playing fantasy gaming for the last six months. On Sunday, I had no work and made the team. I saw it was a match between KKR and RCB. I had little knowledge about the players,” Ojha shared with PTI.
Despite his lack of cricket expertise, Ojha’s decision paid off, leaving him thinking on how to best utilize his newfound wealth.
In the closely contested IPL match itself, KKR emerged victorious over RCB by just one run. However, the game was spoiled by controversy, notably the dismissal of Virat Kohli due to a full toss delivery. The decision, made using the new Hawk-Eye technology to determine no-balls, led to Kohli’s departure after an innings of 18 runs off seven balls.
Ojha’s win echoes similar tales of fortune in the world of online gaming. In 2023, a driver named Shahabuddin Mansuri from Madhya Pradesh won money by spending just Rs 49 on an online gaming app. He ended up winning 1.5 crore rupees during a match between Kolkata and Punjab. In the same year, Somnath Jhende, a sub-inspector with Pune Police, achieved status through a Dream11 win but faced suspension from duty due to alleged misconduct and misuse of his position.
