Videogames, from their early beginnings, have always remained a popular and competitive pastime ever since their creation. With the progressive rise of eSports competitions and streaming services in the past decade, the future of video game entertainment is brighter than ever. However, if we are to understand the appeal of eSports, we must rewind the clock to the conception of video gaming itself. The first country to officially recognize eSports as an actual sporting event was South Korea in 1999, followed by China in 2003. Eventually, many other countries, such as the USA, followed suit. This eSports would attract millions of spectators eager to see their favorite games played by the most skilled players in the world. Since their first iteration, video games have been heavily competitive by nature, and betting over who would be the ultimate winner has been a common practice. If you’re a punter who likes to make money on the side while enjoying your favorite game, check out these casinos not on Gamstop.
The videogame industry grew from a modest hobby that entertained millions of young people through arcades and home consoles to a multimillion-dollar business with countless sponsors, investors, gaming tournaments and professional gamers. The first video game tournaments ever started in the 1960s, and over the decades, these would evolve into massive events.
The eSports betting scene
This rise in the popularity of eSports can also be attributed to the COVID-19 lockdowns that began in the year 2020. Lockdown restrictions drew in waves of content-starved spectators to streaming platforms like Twitch, where they could pass the time watching professional eSports matches. Games like Fortnite, Hearthstone, Starcraft II, League of Legends and Counter Strike are some of the most popular eSports games in the current market, spectated and viewed by millions of fans. There is even some mainstream backing of eSports coverage on TV as it is possible to watch eSports matches on BT Sport, Eurosport and GINX eSports TV. It is estimated that over 250 million people tune in to watch eSports worldwide, and significant finals draw in 70 million spectators. Even though this is still quite a low number compared to other sporting events, such as the Super Bowl or the FIFA World Cup, it is still an impressive number that showcases how eSports is slowly but surely rising into the mainstream scene.
The meteoric rise of video games has also been felt in the eSports betting scene across the world. Undoubtedly, the gambling business has been a big investment that has assisted in the rise of eSports. For example, in the United Kingdom alone, its gross gambling yield of eSports grew from a measly sum of £50,223 in 2019 to a much more impressive amount of £4,616,616 in 2020, and it is expected that this amount will continue to rise over the years.
Guide to eSports betting
Now that you are more familiar with eSports and its gambling scene, you might be wondering where to start if you want to gamble in eSports. The following section introduces you to the basics of eSports betting principles to give you a head start ahead of the competition.
- Game Genres: First, you need to know which game genre you are interested in betting on. There are many games available for you, and these are categorized by genre. If Tocceed in eSports betting, you need to understand gaming genres and what features characterize them.
- MOBA Titles: MOBA stands for the multiplayer online battle arena. This type of game introduces two teams, typically five players. Each player controls a character with unique abilities and the ultimate goal is for a team to destroy the opposite team’s base. Some of the most popular MOBAS are games like League of Legends, DOTA 2 or Smite.
- FPS Titles: FPS stands for First Person Shooter. These action-heavy games require both teams to cooperate to destroy the enemy in intense shooting matches. FPS games need CSGO, Overwatch, TF2, Valorant or Call of Duty.
- Sport Simulator Titles: These games act as simulators of real-life sports. Players select a team and compete against the opposite team to win. Sports video games like FIFA, NBA or Madden NFL are included in this genre.
- Others: In this category, we include games that do not fit into the categories above. Here we would find fighting games like Tekken or Street Fighter, card games such as Hearthstone, or strategy games to classify like StarCraft II.
- Tournaments: This particular category focuses not on a specific game genre but on special competitions and contests. These are some of the eSports’ most viewed and exciting matches with the most competitive gameplay and action. Examples of highly reputed tournaments would be Lol Worlds, Fortnite World Cup, DOTA 2 Pro Circuit or CS: GO Major Championship.
Betting options
The main options regarding the different types of betting in eSports can be divided between cash or skins.
Skin betting is the most popular form of gambling activity in eSports. CSO: GO skins account for 80% of total skin wagering activity. This is due to the ease with which skins can be transferred between accounts, thus functioning similarly to a bargaining chip. Players deposit a skin into a skin betting site and make bets using that skin. They win in different skins they can use in CS: GO matches.
Betting money in eSports works similarly to how it functions in other sports. Punters can choose among several options, such as:
- Match Winner: Choose the winner of a specific game.
- Round/Map Winner: Bet on a specific round or map winner.
- Correct Points/Score: Punters bet on predicting the ultimate score of a match.
- Over/Under: Bet on whether a game’s ultimate score will be over or under a certain amount.
- Time: Matches restricted by time limits can bet on whether the game will go to overtime or not.
- Group/Event Winner: Bet on the winner of an individual group or a specific tournament stage.
- Handicap Bet: A team with an advantage is given a series of handicaps to make the match a more level bet. Teams must overcome the handicap to win.
- First Blood: Bettors bet on which team or player gets the first kill.
Esport Betting Sites
If you’re interested in entering the world of eSports betting, you need to make sure you choose the best betting eSports sites possible. Here are some tips to help you decide which eSports sites are the best for you.
- Make sure they offer the best range of primary and minor tournaments.
- Find the sites that reward loyal bettors and give the most enticing and beneficial bonuses.
- Ensure top-quality customer service for any doubts and assistance you might require.
- Look for those sites that enable the widest range of different payment options so you may choose the one you’re most comfortable with. These may vary from flat currency to crypto.
