How to Break the Code and Maintain the Buzz in Esports Betting

February 1, 2023 World iGaming & Gambling

We can all agree that esports is one of the most popular video game and, more recently, iGaming trends right now.

What started as a small group of people fighting against one another online has expanded into a global phenomenon that has won over millions of fans. The sports betting business has taken notice of this expansion. However, many operators are having trouble with their esports betting services, especially those who are accustomed to a more conventional sports betting strategy.

Don’t blame a lack of betting interest or skill on esports fans if your esports offering isn’t successful; instead, blame lackluster esports betting options that don’t maximize esports bettors’ betting experiences and fail to keep them interested.

It is crucial for betting companies to comprehend the distinctions between traditional sports fans and esports enthusiasts, as well as what they must be able to provide as part of their esports betting services to account for these differences, if they are to be successful in the esports market.

Let’s delve deeper into the esports fan culture, analyze what distinguishes esports supporters from regular sports fans, and highlight some of the possibilities available to betting operators to enhance their esports offerings.

All focus is on the game
Esports viewers are likely also participants in the sport as well as supporters. In esports, the great majority of spectators have logged hundreds, often even thousands, of hours playing the game in question. Esports is frequently just as much about entertainment for these gamers as it is a learning opportunity. They can pick up on subtleties that will offer them a competitive advantage the next time they play by observing the best of the best. For instance, after being played by professionals, League of Legends’ playable characters, or “Champions,” frequently experience a sharp increase in popularity among more casual players.

While esports fans frequently have a favorite team to support, the fan culture surrounding specific teams and players is not as well-established (yet) as it is in other sports, like football. Esports fans typically follow the esports scene surrounding their favorite game far more carefully than fans of traditional sports do, as opposed to rooting for only one team. Fans of esports focus on the gameplay itself rather than just one team’s performance.

These two qualities of typical esports fans indicate that the target market for betting operators wanting to offer esports betting services is far more interested in what happens in any individual game and the strategy a team used to win than the normal fan of traditional sports.

Esports enthusiasts prefer to be able to test their understanding of the game by placing bets on what they think is going to happen next, although many traditional sports gamblers may be content to be able to wager on a favorable outcome of their favorite teams’ next match week after week. To keep them interested, they require current and live content.

Let’s have a look at some of the alternatives that betting operators have at their disposal to do just that.

How you play it also
Micro markets are crucial for the development of esports betting options, first and foremost. Esports enthusiasts have a fantastic opportunity to test their understanding of the game by looking ahead into the near future with betting options like who will score the next kill or which team will take the next objective. A bettor may choose to choose a different team to wager on depending on the stage of the game or the favored playing style of that squad. For gamblers, the bet itself becomes much more about being correct and much less on the money value it carries. It stands for a test of whether or not the bettor’s analysis of the game is accurate. The more adaptable and frequently they are updated these micromarkets are, the more exciting these difficulties are to the bettors.

Esports betting services must be based on the quickest and most accurate data possible to maintain such agility. Because of this, only official data can ever support high-quality, frequently updated micro markets that yet produce positive profits for the betting operators.

In-depth statistics and data visualizations could be offered as an added service by betting companies who want to go above and beyond and maximize the betting experience for their esports bettors.

Bettor decision-making can be aided by the use of 2D player heatmaps, player statistics not available in the live broadcast, and historical team information. Using tools like the Shadow Esports Live Data Visualizations Widget or the Shadow Esports Live Ticker, such information can be readily included into an esports betting service. These tools provide users with information on the most recent esports outcomes as well as access to live updated insights that enable them to delve further into the world of esports. They are powered by Bayes Esports, the top source for official esports live statistics.

Last but not least, betting companies may consider providing more cutting-edge betting options that include the competitive element of esports into betting. Fantasy leagues offer esports enthusiasts a chance to test their knowledge of the game they follow over the course of an entire season, making them an excellent route for betting companies wishing to get into esports to explore. A great way for betting companies to make sure their esports bettors stay interested for a long time is to give them the task of assembling a team of professional players with the budget they were given, the opportunity to change their lineups ahead of every matchday, and the requirement that they compete against one another to determine a champion.

Even while these leagues are still not common in esports, the data offerings needed to make them interesting do exist.

In order for esports betting to be successful, betting companies must be able to provide their customers with services that actively test their game-knowledge and are as quick-moving as the games themselves. Fans may remain interested and get the most out of their betting experience by supporting such solutions with in-depth information that are otherwise unreachable to the typical viewer. Betting companies must be open to changing how they approach esports betting, be aware of the differences between esports and regular sports, and build their services around official live data if they want these solutions to be effective.