In recent years, esports has exploded in popularity, becoming a multibillion-dollar industry with a massive following. Esports refer to competitive video gaming, where players compete against each other in organized tournaments, often with substantial prize pools. The popularity of esports has attracted the attention of traditional sports franchises, entertainment companies, and bookmakers looking for new revenue streams.
As the esports industry grows, bookmakers have been quick to recognize its potential and started offering betting options on esports tournaments and matches. Indeed, esports betting has become one of the fastest-growing segments within betting, with bookmakers expecting a significant boost in users from this sector a report by Statista indicates that the global esports audience size is estimated to reach 640.8 million viewers by 2025.
Bookmakers are capitalising on this lucrative market by using esports to attract new audiences into the betting industry. As younger generations demonstrate an affinity for online gaming and esports, betting sites are using esports as a vehicle to reach out to an entirely new group of potential customers. This has resulted in the development of specialised esports betting platforms, dedicated sections on betting sites, as well as exclusive promotions and offers tailored specifically to this segment of customers.
Esports Betting: A Brief Overview
Esports betting works much the same way traditional sports betting does, with bettors placing wagers on the outcome of a match or tournament. Bettors can place bets on both the outright winner of a match as well as game-specific markets like map/round betting. Esports also offers in-game betting where one can place bets during play such as which team will score the next point or who gets the most kills.
The top esports games for betting include League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, Overwatch, Rainbow Six, Valorant, and Rocket League. These games have large player bases, fan followings, and active esports scenes, making them popular choices for betting.
The Appeal of Esports to Bettors
Esports has a unique appeal to bettors, especially younger and more tech-savvy individuals. While there are similarities between traditional sports and esports that make them tempting for betting, such as the competition, the skill and strategy involved, and the excitement of the game, esports also have unique characteristics that draw in a younger audience.
As traditional sports have faced various disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the world of esports thrived, drawing in both casual and hardcore gamers globally. The growing popularity of esports has also caught the attention of the betting industry, with more and more bookmakers in the UK and abroad offering esports betting markets. Given the abundance of options available, resources like BetReligion have taken on the difficult task of finding and reviewing the best bookmaking companies in the UK. Make sure to check out their ratings and see the most popular options for yourself.
Expanding the Reach with Esports
Esports has emerged as a promising avenue for bookmakers looking to attract a younger demographic to the age-old betting industry. Esports appeal to a generation that has grown up with video games and is more comfortable with digital platforms and technology. This younger demographic may not have been interested in traditional sports betting, but the excitement and familiarity of esports can be a gateway for them to explore other forms of betting.
Social media and streaming platforms have been instrumental in the growth of esports, leading to an expansion in esports betting. These networks enable gamers to connect with a global audience while creating a tightly-knit community. Bookmakers now utilise social media’s reach as well as streaming services to target younger customers with tailored offers.
Esports betting could potentially serve as a gateway to other forms of sports betting. Once new players become acquainted with the world of betting through esports, they may be more inclined to explore other forms of wagering. As the esports industry grows and develops, all businesses that decide to engage with it are likely to find profitable opportunities and swaths of new customers.