Sports have always been some of the biggest past times in the world. But the world has changed in ways that sports fans probably never anticipated. It’s become more interactive than ever and now attracts people that previously weren’t interested.
Another of world’s significant past times is gambling. When the gambling industry met the sports industry, esports were born. Simply put, esports is made up of video game competitions and tournaments. At first they were played in front of a live audience under the same roof.
But now esports are so much more than what they started out as. Now they are streamed online so that they can be viewed all over the world. As a result, online gambling took on a whole new life of its own.
Some gamblers are content to play a rousing game of Blackjack or try their luck at their favorite slot machine. But an overwhelming number of today’s gamblers have found that the real excitement comes in placing bets on who will win a video game tournament. This is the true essence of esports and one of the reasons why it has become so popular in recent years.
It started out with online casinos halfheartedly creating a sports betting section of their site. Then sportsbooks started going online and shutting down their offline operations. When they did, the world was introduced to a new way of gambling.
A Wide Selection of Games
Video game competitions have proven just as high profile as any other sporting event. One of the reasons for its soaring popularity is that esports include many genres of video games.Typically, the industry includes first person shooter, real time strategy, and even console games. Examples of all three include:
- StarCraft 2
- League of Legends
- DOTA
- Half Life: Counter-Strike
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
- Super Street Fighter IV
- Guitar Hero
- Halo 3
Appeals To All Ages
When esports was just beginning to gain traction it was almost exclusively dominated by Gen Z and Millennial players. With their growing popularity and continued success the industry is starting to attract the older generation. People of all ages are honing their skills at one game or another so that they can make their living as a professional gamer.
A growing number of people with sufficient disposable income have found esports a great (and profitable) way to pass the time. These people don’t hesitate to fork over their hard earned money for a chance to bet on games or even attend live tournaments.
Easy To Play On-The-Go
For the longest time, esports were something you had to jump on your home computer to bet on. Now, in 2020, with the ability to watch esports games and events on your phone or tablet, betting has never been easier before. It has also helped make esports more accessible no matter where in the world you are. There are countries where 80% of esports bettors are using their mobile devices to get the job done.
Constant Updates
You’d be hard pressed to keep up with the esports industry if you aren’t tuned into the ongoing changes it’s experiencing. Now that video game companies have seen how lucrative the field is, they are scrambling to gain more leverage against their many competitors.
One great example of this is Riot Games. Though you may not be familiar with this company, you have more than likely at least heard of its premiere game, in League of Legends. What you may not know is that Riot Games is currently in the process of creating a competitive circuit for players of Team Fight Tactics.
By the end of 2020, the first official Team Fight Tactics global champion will be given the winner’s crown. 16 of the world’s top players will be chosen to compete in the Team Fight Tactics: Galaxies Championship. Players will be chosen from eight different regions around the world. The prize pool for this tournament is expected to be $200,000.
But Riot Games isn’t stopping there. With the recent beta release of Valorant, a first person shooter game, viewers on Twitch have already reached one million. Before a league has even been created for the game, esports franchises around the world are recruiting professional players for the future.
Job Creation
While we can agree that esports are an amazing form of entertainment, it isn’t all just fun and games. The truth is that it is also creating jobs that wouldn’t exist without the industry. Aside from those who are lucky enough to become successful professional gamers, the industry has also opened the door for sports journalists and bloggers.
Sports reporters have long covered football, basketball, baseball, soccer and more. But now you can have just as lucrative a career by writing and reporting on esports tournaments and smaller competitions.
A lot of memorable moments happen during these events. With a way to capture those memories through words and pictures, someday esports will have as lavish of a history as traditional sports do. Decades from now we may look back on today’s esports scene and be happy that it is becoming so well documented.
Professional gamers, bloggers, and reporters can come together to further advance an industry that so many of us have grown to appreciate for its entertainment value.
Looking To The Future
Esports is all about bringing people together. It crushes the stereotype of an anti social video game player sitting at home glued to his or her console with little to no human interaction. The overwhelming majority of gamers seek out esports because they can use them to build a community of their peers.
In the spirit of togetherness, the future of esports is a positive one. Players from all over the world will keep coming together to pursue the games they can’t get enough of. Not only are they entertaining themselves and each other, they are entertaining countless spectators at any given time.
