The Growth of eSports and its Effect on the Betting Industry

The rise of eSports has forced sportsbook managers to rethink their strategies in the general sports betting market. Considering the ever-growing demands in the sports world dictate the industry, the entry of eSports could just be the latest to shake the entire system. It might not be as popular as the mainstream sports like soccer and rugby, but the rate at which it is growing leaves much to be desired.

What is eSports?

ESports is a general term for competitive video games that are played in head-to-head or tournament formats. It is a sport that grew from zero to become a billion-dollar sport, and it continues to get even bigger. Players who play at the highest level rake in millions of dollars annually, in addition to sponsorship money.

With the amount of money involved, it was only a matter of time before sportsbook managers took interest. Researchers estimate that betting on eSports alone could hit the $30 billion mark before the end of 2020. With that meteoric rise in the new venture, there is a very bright future for eSports.

So, what are the main games making up eSports betting?

League of Legends

Also popularly known as LoL, the League of Legends is a multiplayer online battle arena video game played on Mac Computers and PCs. This game enjoys massive following in North America, Asia, and Europe, with organized competitive scenes across all three continents. It attracts millions of players and fans, and has grown to become one of the most lucrative sports in eSports. In 2019, the League of Legends World Championship series had a viewership of over 60 million people, and a prize money award of $4 million.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

In CS:GO, a head-to-head format is used, with a first-person shooter pitting teams against one another in several rounds. Teams are made up of terrorists and counter-terrorists, with the main goal of protecting a bomb or defusing it.

The competitive edge of CS:GO includes several tournaments hosted by third-party organizations and developers. There are usually daily tournaments across the world, with the latest major tournament having a prize pool of over $1 million, up from $250,000.

DOTA 2

Another popular multiplayer online battle arena game pitting two teams of five players each, with the aim of destroying each other’s base center or ancient. The task of each player is to control a hero player, each of which possesses different powers, play styles, and abilities.

DOTA 2 boasts a huge eSports base, with international players competing in several tournaments and leagues organized throughout the year. The biggest league is known as DOTA Pro Circuit consisting of a series of competitions where players win points to qualify for invitation into “The International”, which is the champions tournament.

In 2019, DOTA 2 pooled in the excess of $34 million, easily making it the highest paid in eSports.

Betting types on eSports

In much the same way as with traditional sports betting, eSports offers a wide variety of betting options depending on the game you choose to bet on. With the general understanding of each game, you realize there are various options that have been captured by your sportsbook.