Playup’s Frequently Asked Questions

Q What is 6UP?

A 6UP is an exciting new game where you can win thousands, possibly tens of thousands by using your skill to pick the result of each ball of selected overs for One-day or 20-20 cricket matches. If you get the result right, you win!

Q How do I play 6UP?

A Using your mobile, simply text your pick for the ball-by-ball combination for an over to shortcode 84411 and we’ll send you a confirmation text to say you’re in!!
 
Your first entry is free – we’ll send you a text describing how to sign up for a prepaid account. Each additional entry will cost £2.
 
If you don’t want to sign-up or register, you can text your entries to our premium rate short-code, 89010. Each entry costs £2 and will be billed to your mobile phone bill/pay-as-you-go account. - You’ll need to have your operator remove the “adult bar” from your phone .
 
You can also play on-line! See virgin.play6up.co.uk.

Q How do set up a pre-paid account?

A It’s easy! Call our call centre on 0845 389 1112, select option 5 and speak with one of our agents. They’ll ask you for your mobile phone number, date of birth, credit-card details and your address, and the amount you want to add to your account. They’ll process the transaction on the spot, and give you a receipt number. That’s it! You’re ready to start!
 
Once this is done, you will be able to start sending your entries to 84411, and we’ll recognize you from your mobile number, and charge your prepaid account £2 for each entry. The texts to 84411 will be charged by your mobile operator as a normal text message.
 
You can also set up a pre-paid account online at our website virgin.play6up.co.uk. You can use this prepaid account for both online and mobile/text play.

Q How do I remove the adult bar from my phone?

A Once you have removed the content bar, you are free to play. Each £2.00 play will then be billed to your phone account.

• Virgin call it ‘Adult Services’ - no credit card required.
  Call 789 and choose option 0. Request registration for Adult Services. You will be charged 10p.
   
  
• Vodafone call it ‘Content Control’ - credit card required.
  Call 191 and request a lift on your Adult Bar. You will be given £1.50 phone credit.
   
  
• O₂ call it ‘Age Verification’ - credit card required.
  Call 61808 and request a lift on your Adult Bar. You will be given £1.50 phone credit.
   
  
• Orange call it ‘Safeguard’ - credit card required.
  Contract customers call 150 and choose options 1-4-2-2-1, Prepay customers call 450 and choose options 3-2-3-3-1, You will be charged 25p.
   
  
• T-Mobile call it ‘Content Lock’ - credit card required.
  Call 789 and choose option 0. Request registration for Adult Services. You will be charged 10p.

Q How can I use knowledge of cricket to improve my chances of winning?

A Here’s a couple of examples that show you how you can use your skill.
 
For example, if it’s late in a game, there’s a big run chase on and a batter carving up the bowlers, you may pick a combination that includes a few boundaries – in which case, you’d text in something like: 446240 to shortcode 89010 or 84411.
 
Or on the other hand, if feel the bowler is about to get the upper hand in a game, you may pick a few dot balls and perhaps a wicket later in the over as the pressure to score mounts on the batsman – in which case, you’d text in something like: 0000W0 to shortcode 89010 or 84411.
 
You can put your skills to the test and play as many times as you like in an over and throughout the game.

Q How do I know my entry is in?

A You will receive a confirmation text from 6UP within about a minute of your entry going in. We will confirm the game, your over combination, the innings and the prize pool value. ; Example: ‘You’re in! 6UP combo 1246w2 Over 2, Ings 1 Eng v Ind Pool Value £20,000. Good Luck!’

Q Do I have to choose an over number?

A No. If you don’t choose an over number, your entry will be entered into the next open over. If you choose an over number, your entry will be entered for that over as long as it is received on-time. If you want to select a specific over Include a # in your SMS like the example following; Example SMS: 1203w0#12 for an entry in the 12th Over.

Q What happens if there is a no ball?

A Wides and no balls are ignored for the purposes of a 6UP over. Only valid balls are included so if a no ball occurs the next valid ball is included as part of your prediction. Valid balls are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, W (W = Wicket)

Q When can I play 6UP?

A You can only play 6UP anytime. Your entry will be put into the current live game, or if you enter when there is no game running, the next game on our schedule. A schedule of matches and selected overs is published at virgin.play6up.co.uk

Q What if you get my entry after the over has started?

A You’ll receive a text back indicating which over your entry is in. If you miss the start of one over, your entry will be included in the next scheduled over. This happens whether you have chosen an over or not.

Q What if I get my combination wrong?

A A 6UP entries are run through an interpreter to try to lessen the impact of common texting slip-ups as follows;

• Key-press errors in a 6Up entry are converted to the number value on that key on a standard mobile telephone keypad. For example M, N, or O would be 6;
• A 6Up entry that is longer than six characters is cut back to the first six characters, with the trailing numbers removed;
• All dots in a 6Up entry are converted to zeroes;
• A space in a 6Up entry is removed;
• A blank 6Up entry is converted to a maiden over 6Up entry (i.e., each of the six balls in the 6Up Over resulting in no runs being scored and no wickets being taken);
• A 6Up entry that is shorter than six characters is completed with trailing zeroes;
• A 6Up entry with characters that cannot be interpreted as key-press errors is not valid;
• Characters such as # and * are over designators. Example: 1203w0#12 or 1203w0*12 would give you an entry in the 12th Over.

Q Where can I play 6UP?

A You can play 6UP from anywhere with mobile coverage for your particular service provider in the UK. You should consult their coverage map for this. This means that you can play from the match venue, while watching a live broadcast on TV or while listening to a broadcast on the radio. And of course, you don’t even need to be watching or listening to play.

Q Who can play 6UP?

A In the UK: Anybody with a mobile phone account. You must also be over 18. To play using free-play 84411 or online, you must be registered. To play using 89010 (billed by your mobile operator), you need to have contacted your carrier to remove the “adult bar” on your phone account.

Q How much does it cost to play?

A In the UK: £2

Q How do I win?

A If you get the ball-by-ball combination for a selected over right, you’re a winner – instantly. Within seconds of the over finishing, the 6UP gaming system matches the ball-by-ball over result with every 6UP play. If you’re a winner we’ll text you instantly letting you know exactly how much you’ve won and how to collect. Example: ‘Congratulations, you’re a 6UP winner! Win Value: £100,000 Win Combo 1246w2 Over 22, Ings 1 Eng v Ind Go to www.play6up.com/winnings to collect’.

Q How much can I win?

A The value will depend on the number of entries for each over (the prize pool), and the number of winners. A prize pool of £500,000 dollars shared amongst 5 winners will return £100,000 each. If there are no winners for an over, the prize pool value will jackpot, increasing the value of the prize for the next over. Some overs will have guaranteed minimums – if your entry qualifies – you can win the prize pool plus the minimum. To qualify, make sure your bet is not a maiden or a combination of zeros and two or fewer 1’s. You can find out which overs have minimum win values, and guaranteed prize pools by looking up the match and over schedule on the web site at virgin.play6up.co.uk.

Q How do I collect winnings?

A All winners will receive a WIN TXT from 6UP immediately after an over that gives the website address to collect winnings and the unique win code for your win. To collect, just visit the website and enter your details.
All winners will be paid via cheque or direct transfer.
All winners will need to prove that they are the owners of the mobile phone from which the 6UP play was made, and that they are 18 years of age or older.

Q What types of balls should I include in my entry?

A Include all ‘fair balls’. So do include:

• Runs hit off ‘fair balls’
• Byes and Leg Byes (these are also from ‘fair balls’)

But don’t include:

• Wides
• No-balls
• Penalty runs
• A 7th ball, if the umpire miscounts

When you are predicting a wicket, use the ‘w’ letter, even though there could be runs from that ball. Runs for a ball with a wicket aren’t included.

Q How do I know which matches and overs are available?

A Look up the schedule of matches and included overs at virgin.play6up.co.uk

Q How does the prize pool work?

A The pool is determined by three elements as follows;

1. The number of players and winners in an over
2. The guaranteed minimum pool being offered by Playup
3. The jackpot value of previous overs where there were no winners.

So the winning amount depends on the specific 6UP Over Pool and the amount of winners of the Over:
If you’re the only winner in a 6UP Over, the entire Over Pool is yours.
If there are multiple winners in a 6UP over, the Over Pool is shared equally.
If there are no winners, the Over Pool simply rolls into the next 6UP Over Pool jackpotting its value. This keeps occurring until the exact ball-by-ball combination is picked by one or more players.

Q What if the over isn’t bowled?

A There are a number of reasons why an over may not be bowled. Rain may stop play, the batting side may be all out, or the batting side may win the match before the 50th over in one-day cricket, or 20th over in 20-20. The rules of 6UP have been designed to increase your chance of having your entry included, and therefore winning where this happens:

• if a 6Up Over is not bowled in the first innings, a 6Up entry for that 6Up Over is transferred to the second innings;
• if a 6Up Over is not bowled in the second innings, a 6Up entry for that 6Up Over is not capable of winning and You will not receive any refund or payment in respect of that 6Up entry; and
• if either innings in a 6Up Match is shortened (for example, due to bad weather before or during play), an entry for a 6Up Over that will not be bowled will be reallocated to the first available 6Up Over, if there are any remaining in the 6Up Match.

Q How do I know if I have won?

A Firstly, If you’re a winner we’ll text you instantly letting you know exactly how much you’ve won and how to collect. Example: ‘Congratulations, you’re a 6UP winner! Win Value: £20,000 Win Combo 1246w2 Over 22, Ings 1 Aus v Eng Go to virgin.play6up.co.uk/winnings.

Q What is a valid entry?

A An entry is valid if your entry includes a sequence of numbers for the over (it doesn’t have to be 6 numbers to be accepted). If we can’t understand the over number you have chosen, your entry will be included in the next scheduled over.

Q Is there a cut-off time for an entry?

A The cut-off time for an over is as near as possible the start of the run-up for the over’s first ball. If you miss the cut-off, your entry will be included in the next scheduled over. This happens whether you have chosen an over or not.

Q Is the prize pool common to all countries?

A In this version of the game, the prize pools are totally separate for Australia, the UK and the Caribbean.

Q Is 6UP timed to the match broadcast?

A No, 6UP is timed to the match timing, in other words, when it actually happens. This means that with a live broadcast, you will see the event about 8 seconds after it happens at the match.