Is there a way to enjoy MLB The Show 21 without getting absolutely fleeced? There is. In fact, for those who choose to master the economy of ticket stubs, gamers can pretty easily turn the tables around. Instead of being subjected to a bunch of in-game microtransactions, they can become experts at making transactions that give them a wealth of stubs. After a month or two of intelligent and thrifty behavior, stubs become an afterthought.

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So how does one take advantage of a system designed to be predatory and come out ahead? There are a few techniques that make this process less laborious. Best of all, gamers won't have to spend copious amounts of time analyzing the market; a bounty of stubs await for those who just want to play the game and collect their just rewards.

Of course, the easiest way to collect stubs is to shell out real-life currency for it. It is highly recommended not to pay for stubs. While it may be the easiest, it is the most expensive and players can easily earn $100 worth of ticket stubs (150,000) within a few months if they take advantage of the systems already built into the game. However, for those who insist on this method, make sure to buy the most expensive option as rewards diminish for cheaper packs.

It doesn't require a mastermind to earn more stubs. Follow these simple rules.

• Never use quick sell until after checking collections and the market.
• Select cards with the most expensive "sell now" option.
• Never wait for the market to change to sell a card.

Quick sell is generally a ripoff for the seller. Even diamond quality cards can quick sell for two-digit values; that is a colossal underpayment. Check the market first to see if there is a buyer who will take the card for more than minimum value. After that, check the collections section to see if the card can be added to anything; these payouts aren't the best, but they are absolutely better than a quick sell.

When opening packs, choose cards with the highest "sell now" option, even if the card itself is less highly ranked than other cards. It's better to find a buyer now than to hope for a buyer later.

Madden fans know all too well that cards only become less valuable as the season goes on. While it is possible to "buy low and sell high" in very limited circumstances, every initial card in the game will eventually be outclassed by cards later in the season. Yes, that even goes for Babe Ruth. Demand will decrease for these cards as players fill out their rosters and their collections. Be an early seller and a late buyer. Selling a diamond 95 in April means having the wealth to buy a diamond 99 in August. For Road to the Show players, this can be used to buy the best bat/glove/shades in the game.

And though it should go without saying, do not forget to open packs. Looking at the list of achievements, there are far too many players buying stubs and yet they've never once looked at their packs.

Playing a game in Road to the Show or Diamond Dynasty yields between 25 to 100 stubs for a nine-inning game. Rewards are just as high or higher for playing through various moments in baseball history. Better yet, these moments are truncated; full games are usually boiled down to three innings, and controlling players is mostly just for certain at-bats.

• Play the Daily Moment every day.

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Be advised that the listed rewards are a minimum amount for completing the challenge. The game will still reward successes like base hits, steals (except for those who have turned off baserunning), throwing strikes, etc, with extra stubs.

Keep in mind that packs and experience are just as good or better than stubs. Experience leads to more milestones and more milestones lead to more stubs and packs. Every card from these packs can be converted to stubs.

• Play through the Welcome to Moments.
• Play through the 42 Moments.

While a few thousand stubs might not feel like enough to justify playing through every single one of these moments, the experience and packs will be more than adequate to compensate the player for their time. Playing through the Moments is currently the most efficient way to gain stubs. Some gamers are even complaining because it's so much more worthwhile than playing Road to the Show or Diamond Dynasty. While this is true, remember that there are only so many moments.

Logging on daily and playing through any new content for the Moments mode should take no longer than five to fifteen minutes.

• Go Through The Topps 2021 Moments Weekly.

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Unlike the daily Moments, the Topps 2021 Moments do not expire, but it's wise to get to them before they pile up. The rewards for these are higher and include a pack of cards, but the tradeoff is that they are difficult. It's very important not to quit a challenge even when it will be failed. Failed challenges can be redone and even losing efforts reward experience and progression.

Gamers will usually be either playing Road to the Show, Diamond Dynasty, or Franchise modes exclusively. By playing both Diamond Dynasty and Road to the Show, gamers will get multiple incomes and only have to spend stubs on one mode. This is a huge leg up over the majority of the community that leaves these stubs on the table by refusing to participate in other modes.

• Play through the missions in Diamond Dynasty.

It takes a massive investment to be competent in head-to-head play, but Diamond Dynasty has plenty of missions with large rewards that do not involve beating a human opponent. Success does not require expensive cards, either, just a little skill and a touch of occasional luck with guessing pitches.

• Make a character and play through at least one season of Road to the Show.

While some of the backlash about the lucrative nature of Moments might be deserved, there are tons of stubs to be earned in Road to the Show. Even a player who is completely negligent about opening packs and doesn't make a major league roster will be sitting around 50,000 stubs by the season's end. Yes, this takes days or even weeks, but that amount of stubs can buy any piece of equipment in the store. Even the most ardent Diamond Dynasty fan would be a fool not to create a player just for the low-hanging ticket stubs.

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