An arena. A hype tunnel, the kind through which NBA players typically streak. A competitor dressed in a jersey patterned with six-pack abs. In a new

The winner got $5,000, a fancy title, and perhaps most importantly -- a real championship title belt. Turns out, you really can make a competition out of almost anything. A recent The New York Times piece peeled back the cover on the e-sport you didn't know you were missing: the Microsoft Excel World Championship.

At stake was prize money, a championship belt and the title of world’s best spreadsheeter. Read more at straitstimes.com.

In a spectacle that blended corporate precision with e-sports flair, the Microsoft Excel World Championship turned a traditionally mundane tool into the centerpiece of a riveting Las Vegas competition.

Andrew Ngai is a 37-year-old actuary and Microsoft Excel world champion based in Sydney, Australia. Here are his top tips for spreadsheet users at any level.