Do you people play either sports or games? Now you’re thinking, are they both not the same? Yes, there are specific differences between sports and games. Both help in the enhancement of physical and mental development. So let’s know first what sports and games are?
What are Sports?
Sports are the activities that involve physical and mental activities but mainly involve physical activities which enhance the development of ability or skills of the person while providing fun and sometimes spectators.
It involves both team and individual competitors, through casual or organized participation. Sports are mostly outdoor activities. We can learn teamwork and accept defeat and overall development of the person, which makes the person physically and mentally healthy and fit.
Usually, sports draw a large crowd to stadiums and a wider audience through broadcast media. A sportsperson should always eat a balanced diet and avoid eating an unbalanced diet.
Examples:
Cricket, football, badminton, swimming, diving, cycling, climbing, etc;
What are Games?
Games are the activities which involve both mental and physical activities; it generally involves their own game rules and tries to win against the opponent.
Usually, these are played for fun or entertainment, if any people say that we lost the game and some other says just says, ‘it’s just a game”. Which tells that games are not as serious compared with sports. Games can be played individually, between two or more, or between teams.
Even playing games, require skills, talents and these skills helps in practical growth.
Examples:
Checkers, video games, monopoly, life, poker, and bridge, etc;
Difference Between Sports and Games:
| Sports | Games |
|---|---|
| Meaning | |
| Sports is a physical activity that requires individual skills and performance. | Games are a mental and physical activity that has its own game rules and there is a luck factor also involved. |
| Activities | |
| In sports mainly physical activities are involved. | In games both the mental-physical activities are involved. |
| Outdoor/Indoor | |
| These are mostly outdoor play activities. | Games are mostly indoor activities. |
| Competition | |
| Sports are competitive and serious. | Games are also competitive but are not as compared with sports and are fun. |
| Rely on | |
| Sports rely on performance and commitment. | It relies on strategy. |
| Organized by | |
| These are organized and competitive which requires commitment and fair play through which it gains popularity and maintains a name for their skills | It is not the individual who gains popularity but its entire team that carves out a niche. |
| Chance | |
| Do not involve chance in sports. | It involves chance, especially tabletop games or card games. |
| Called as | |
| Sports players are called sportspeople. | And here we call them gamers. |
| Example | |
| Example: Cricket, badminton, rugby, swimming, football, diving, etc; | Example: Checkers, ludo, monopoly, snake and ladder, life, video games, etc; |
Bottom line:
As a result of the preceding discussion, It is clear that sports and games have their own meaning. Sports is a physical activity that requires individual skills and performance. Whereas, Games are a mental and physical activity that has their own game rules and there is a luck factor also involved.
As can be seen, both of these words do not mean the same thing and can be used in situations that are distinct from one another.
