3 Reasons Sports Fans Should Give eSports Betting a Try

Constant developments in digital technology have paved the way for various innovations in existing industries. The video game industry used to be just that — a world where video game developers and publishers release video games that customers and gamers pay to play or enjoy. 

Nowadays, however, the video game industry has expanded to crossover with film and television as well as competitive sports. In 2022, the global eSports market revenue was valued at $1.38 billion and was expected to reach as much as $1.87 billion by 2025. As video games remain popular for gamers of all ages around the world, Asia and North America are leading the charge in representing the largest eSports markets in terms of revenue.

While eSports and traditional, real-life sports may seem worlds apart, one thing the two do have in common is their betting culture. While casual and relaxing video games do exist, many developers also enjoy releasing competitive video games that eventually become global eSports events, where professional gamers compete against each other for substantial prize pools. If you’re a long-time sports fan, whether it’s the NBA, FIFA, or the NFL, there may be elements of eSports and eSports betting that you can enjoy. Below, we’ll share three reasons sports fans should give eSports betting a shot:

Applying real-life sports knowledge

As mentioned above, eSports and sports are a lot closer to each other than you may think. If you’ve spent a lot of time watching traditional sports like football, baseball, or basketball, you can apply your real-life sports knowledge to betting on their eSports counterparts. Based on these eSoccer betting tips, licensed sports video games like FIFA are based on real-life leagues like La Liga, Bundesliga, and the Premier League. This means that not only are the in-game teams familiar for those who keep up with real-life FIFA, the in-game players are based on their real-life counterparts as well.

Aside from copying the physical likeness of these players, their real-life performance can directly impact the game’s meta, which indirectly impacts how eSports players perform in tournaments. If a sports player is performing well in real life, for example, developer EA Sports will adjust the in-game version of said player to match their real-life stats. The same also applies to other sports simulation video games like Madden NFL and the NBA 2K games, all of which come from EA Sports.

For NFL fans, for example, looking at wide receiver prospects and on- and off-season player performances and ratings can help inform you of the in-game stats of wide receivers in Madden NFL. Taking the time to understand in-game player and power ratings can help you determine which teams are performing the best, bettering your odds when you place bets on eSports.

Betting lower stakes

eSports betting is also a good alternative if you tend to feel overwhelmed or intimidated by real-life sports betting. This is because there are usually budget limits for eSports betting. As the eSports betting industry is still relatively new compared to its real-life counterpart, bookmakers are less likely to encourage high-cost wagers to avoid losing too much money. For example, real-life sports bettors can bet up to hundreds and thousands or even millions of dollars on their favorite sports teams. For eSports bettors, bets and odds are placed much lower, making them a relatively less risky avenue.

eSports betting also offers a wider variety of odds. While the most common form of traditional sports betting often hinges on the 50/50 outcome of whether your favored team wins or loses, eSports betting takes into account various other factors. Depending on the video game in question, eSports bettors can place bets not only on which team wins as a final outcome but also on the first player to score or, for less sporty eSports titles, the first player to kill or destroy enemy objectives.

The variety of betting odds allows bettors to diversify their bets instead of placing all their eggs in one basket. So, if you ever need a break from high-stakes sports betting, eSports betting may be a less consequential avenue to experiment and test your luck.

Less seasonal schedules

Finally, another reason you may want to check out eSports betting is its availability all year round. Traditional sports are understandably more physically demanding on players. As such, sports like football or soccer tend to be dependent on physical conditions like weather, time of day, and time of the year. On the other hand, eSports tournaments only require an audience, the competing players, and hardware — whether desktop computers or video game consoles.

As such, many eSports titles have official leagues, tournaments, and events taking place globally at a higher frequency in a year. For example, Madden NFL’s lineup of annual eSports tournaments includes events at the NFL Pro Bowl Games, the official Madden Championship Series (MCS), and other sponsorship or brand-related eSports events like Twitch Rivals. This means that, even if official leagues like the MCS have concluded, eSports fans and bettors can still watch and bet on other Madden eSports tournaments instead of waiting for the next season to start the next year.

Ultimately, for sports fans who may miss the hype and excitement of watching live sports tournaments and matches when they’re in season, eSports can be a good escape. Many eSports tournaments also have live shows that viewers and bettors can attend, thanks to the increase in eSports stadiums, venues, and infrastructures being built in major cities around the world.