This is Money’s Fantasy Share Picking Game: Play to win £28k of prizes

This is Money’s Fantasy Share Picking Game is back for a second year and we are offering readers the chance to win £28,000 worth of prizes.

The game lets you play the stock market for free and has a top prize of £15,000 for the player who racks up the best performance.

And this year, there is an even greater chance to win a prize as we have introduced runners-up prizes of £5,000 and £2,000 – as well as bringing back our hugely popular £500 weekly prizes for the best share pick.

All you need to do is pick the best performing shares over 12 weeks to compete for the prizes – while you can also set up private leagues to challenge friends, family and colleagues. 

You can sign up now at ThisisMoney.co.uk/game and scoring kicks off on Monday, 14 September 2020 and ends at the close of trading on Friday, 4 December 2020 – with a practice period running until 11 September.   

> Play This is Money’s Fantasy Share Picking Game  

Following the success of our first Fantasy Share Picking Game last summer, This is Money is launching another game in association with Fidelity International. 

The game is easy and fun to play and offers the chance to compete for both the jackpot and weekly prizes, to play for glory against those you know, and to learn more about investing in the stock market. 

This year there is a £15,000 top prize, a second prize of £5,000 and third prize of £2,000.

In addition to those main prizes, we will give away 12 weekly £500 prizes for the top-performing share pick each week.

Also new for this year is a 10 share pick per week limit, to make the game more competitive and accessible to everyone.

Last year’s winner was 25-year-old Anthony Pepler, who said he first got interested in investing as a teenager after taking part in a student investor challenge.

The musician and composer, of Bournemouth, Dorset, said of winning the game: ‘It’s been a brilliant opportunity and a lot of fun’.

This year’s share picking game also gives you the opportunity to pit your share picking skills – and luck – against fellow players, friends and family, members of the This is Money team and a pair of celebrity participants.

They are quiz stars Shaun Wallace and Anne Hegerty, who will be playing the game over the 12 weeks and have already started looking at shares to pick. 

How to play the Fantasy Share Picking Game

If you have ever fancied yourself as a bit of a stock market wizard, then our Fantasy Share Picking Game is definitely for you.

But even if you don’t buy and sell shares, or keep an eye on the stock market regularly, it is easy to play.

The game is simple and you have every chance of beating those who reckon they know it all.

All you need to do is sign up to the game and then pick shares from companies listed on the UK’s main stock markets and your portfolio’s gains and losses will determine your performance.

You must pick six shares to be eligible to play in the main league and you can pick a maximum of 10 new shares per week.

You can also set up private leagues to compete against friends and family. 

As a helping hand we have signposted where to find the stock market data, business and investing articles, and share tips that can help you choose them. 

• You can sign up to play the game now and enjoy a practice period
• The game officially starts on 14 September 2020
• The winner will have the best performance over 12 weeks to 4 December
• The best performing share pick each week will win a £500 prize
• Find out how to play the Fantasy Share Picking Game here 

Your chance to win   

£15,000 grand prize

The winner of the grand prize will be the player with the best performance, whose share prices increase the most over 12 weeks.

But remember share prices can go up and down, so not only will you need to pick the stock market’s winners, but you will also want to avoid the losers.

You can sell out of shares that you have picked; either to bank your gains, or to cut your losses.

Performance is aggregated, which means if you buy and sell a share that increases by 10 per cent, another one that increases by 5 per cent, and another one that decreases by 2 per cent, then you would have an aggregated performance of 13 per cent (10% + 5% – 2% = 13%).

£5,000 second prize

If you miss out on the top spot, don’t despair. We’re also giving away a cash prize of £5,000 for the player who comes in second place.  

£2,000 third prize 

One lucky player who comes in third place will grab themselves a cash prize worth £2,000.

£500 weekly prizes

We will give away a £500 cash prize for the best share pick each week.

To win a weekly prize you need to pick a share that increases in price the most between the open of market trading on Monday morning and the close of trading on the Friday that week.

Players will be entered for the weekly prize automatically in any week that they pick a new share for their main prize league portfolio.

Play against others

Don’t forget you can also set up private leagues to pit your skills against friends, family and colleagues. Find out how to invite them by signing up to the game.