Sports betting and Esports are the latest trends in the gaming industry. Most of the online casinos are now powered by various sports betting channels and also now venturing into Esports. In a recent survey, it was declared that more than a hundred million people have watched live sports events throughout the years, and that number is only going up. The 2016 League of Legends World Championship saw around 43 million viewers for their tournament, while the Intel Extreme Masters Katowice (2017) saw 46 million viewers. These numbers have beaten those of the NBA and NFL without much struggle.
What is eSports?
Electronic sports, commonly called eSports, refers to the professional level of gaming within a competition or tournament setting. This industry has been growing exponentially over the past few years, moving from small venues and local competitions to global events with tournaments being broadcast all over the world.
With that being said, it’s evident that the number of people betting on eSports has begun to rise. Esports has culminated into such a large community that people getting on their PCs and phones just to place money on their favourite video game can be considered a commonality. Esports has become such a popular industry that it has surpassed that of other sports organizations like the AFL, NBA, NFL, and the MLB. It’s on the rise, and with the rise of eSports comes a larger fanbase dedicated to monetizing.
Can you be a millionaire betting at Esports? Experts say that it is a virtual gold mine, and those smart enough to put their money on it could make a fortune.
eSports viewers growth
Today, a major eSports event may attract 40,000 people watching live, and tens of millions watching over the Web. This could be interpreted as meaning that “eSports is bigger than basketball”. That may be true when measured by audience size for an individual event.
Tech and media companies are paying attention to eSports, for both growth opportunities and because it appeals to a narrow and desirable demographic: 75 per cent are millennials aged 18-34, and 82 per cent are men. Amazon acquired Twitch for just under $1 billion in 2014, while 2015 saw Swedish media company Modern Times acquire a majority stake in ESL, the oldest eSports company for $87 million. Russian investors have committed $100 million. Canadian motion picture exhibitor Cineplex is spending $15 million to acquire an eSports company and create a new gaming league that will take place in its theatres, and the first dedicated eSports venue has been opened in the UK in partnership with a cinema chain.
The Australian eSports
The Australian eSports scene is one of the fastest growing in the world to catch up with the rest of the globe, where some countries have already accepted the sport as a national television event like football or soccer. Premier League clubs are even creating their own eSports teams as the popularity of the sport continues to grow.
While Aussie teams are nowhere near as popular as some international teams, they are still growing at an exuberant rate. Fans are the driving force in the industry and through their continued support, companies have been attracted to the digital sport in droves.
Developers like Blizzard and Activision (creators of Overwatch and Call of Duty games) have even started hosting some national qualifying matches and tournaments here in Australia’s major cities, with Sydney and Melbourne being the centre stage for some important qualifying events this past year. Over the next few years, this trend will continue, with hopefully some tournaments holding their finals here in Australia.
Esports over other Sports
It have made online betting easier and more affordable than betting on other sports. If you were a serious bettor on the AFL, NFL or NBA; there would be several things you need to become a proficient bettor in one of those areas. Like being a serious bettor in the NBA; would require you to watch the matches on some sort of television provider; meaning that you’d have to pay for the upper edge.
Also as many league matches like the NBA being around for such a long time; the complexity of their system has made it hard for bettors to truly understand the full aspect of the game; so that they can gain the upper hand when it comes to making the bet.
While this is a fresh system vis-a-vis most sport formats, it is also more simplistic. In many league matches; the sheer number of teams; combined with the back-to-back matches; makes it hard to track top performers; as well as keep a good record on which teams you should bet on.
For most eSports, it’s not uncommon for a team to only have around eight to twelve competitors. In League of Legends; the North American region only has ten competing teams, while in CS: GO, each region only has fourteen competing teams. Esports are much easier to track and watch; especially considering the flexibility brought by free streaming platforms; like Twitch, which make it much easier to watch the sport you love without having to pay any money.
Things to consider while playing eSports
- Unlike betting in land-based locations, online betting is less rigorous, and you can start right away with e-Sports
- Before betting online at the eSports site; you should know your game as there is a wide variety of eSports you can play. Some of the most popular are Overwatch, League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Hearthstone, and Defense of the Ancients. All of these have become the subject of major online betting sites across the web.
- To gain the upper hand when it comes to placing your money on an expert team; you first need to know your game and how it works. This includes knowing the aspects of the game, and what players do to win.
- When betting on a team or an individual, you’ll want to know how they’ve performed in the past. If they’ve been a powerhouse that’s been dominating the game, they’re probably a good choice to bet on. Note that the higher the odds are, the lower the payout.
- If you want to bet on the underdog or want the big payout despite the low odds;you’ll want to be careful with your money. When betting on the underdog, you not only want to check their record; but you also want to check every type of stat possible. Making sure you can stay up to date with the stats is an important aspect to give yourself the upper edge. It not only lets you know how the team has been performing; but it also gives you a good idea of how the game is going to turn out.
- Also know the players as before you can bet on someone and entrust your money on how they do; you need to know who you’re betting on. The difference between betting on an upcoming novice; and an experienced veteran can be huge in terms of which one can make you more money.
- Knowing a player doesn’t mean knowing what their name is and where they were born. Knowing a player means you know their playstyle, how they’ve performed in the past, and what their current status is.
- If you know that a player or team performs much better against a specific opponent; because you’ve watched this team over and over, then your chances of winning big is sure.
- Knowing the organizations of a specific sport can be an advantage over other rival bettors. Due to most esports being cutthroat in terms of the system; most rookie teams rarely last long on the competitive scene. An organization is a mastermind behind who runs the team like Cloud9, OpTic Gaming, and Fnatic controlling different esports and bringing out strong results for the bettors and fans alike.
If you want to bet on a rookie team in either CS: GO or League of Legends, check their organization. In case you’re fairly new to the sports scene; then you’ll want to think twice before putting your money on them. If the organization has been around for a while; but has just begun to devote time to this specific esport, then the team could potentially be a powerhouse.
The organization is what feeds the team, what keeps it alive, and most importantly, what keeps it going. If you want a team that will really make you money in the long run, check who’s running it behind the curtains, because they’re crucial to the team’s survival.
What are the Good eSports to Bet on Online?
Here are some top-notch esports that have been reputable for their large fanbase and popularity, making them top picks for your next betting fortune.
Counter-Strike is the originator of the sports betting scene. CS: GO, which stands for Counter-Strike Global Offensive, is an extremely popular first-person shooter, which has accumulated a large dedicated fanbase since it arrived in 2012. Counter-Strike became one of the first eSports to bet on.
Dozens of sites opened solely to bet on Counter-Strike’s gameplay. Because of this, many consider CS: GO to be the game that led eSports to such popularity in the betting world. If you want a reliable game that you can continue to bet on for the coming months, choose CS: GO.
League of Legends has become the largest esport of the year, accumulating millions of viewers to its annual League of Legends World Championship. Because League of Legends has a fanbase that goes into the tens of millions, there’s no doubt that the betting scene is just as large.
Like CS:GO, League of Legends has made itself a formidable force for online betting websites. In fact, today people are willing to bet on everyday streamers when there is no League of Legends tournament in play. League of Legends has grown to become the most viewed and most played video game in the world in the current day. With this comes a large betting audience to accompany it. The betting scene of League of Legends has high risks, but with it comes plentiful rewards.
Overwatch has been one of the most popular video games to release in the twenty-first century, largely thanks to the fresh face it gives to the first-person shooter genre. However, the anticipation of it becoming an official esport has become far more exciting than the game itself.
Overwatch’s fan base has reached the likes of CS:GO and League of Legends within only a year. Now, with the Overwatch League Season starting soon, you can expect millions of viewers to flock in to watch the first official season start.
If you want a fresh esport that has lots of potential in the near future, you’ll want to keep your eyes on Overwatch. They’ve already proven themselves to be one of the top video games, and even when Overwatch was only testing out the esport scene, they were bringing in more viewers than most esports.
There are other games like DOTA2, World of War Craft, StarCraft 2 and many others to enjoy and make a real fortune.
Remember betting with Esports is easy. You don’t need to go to a casino or the event itself. All you need to do is find a laptop, mobile or PC with WI FI service and you are all set to play.
