eSports

IEM Cologne 2021: how major events increase the popularity of esports betting

Published

3 years ago

August 27, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

IEM Cologne is one of 2021’s best Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournaments. This newsworthy event brings together 24 teams from all around the world, has a $1 million prize pool and three stages of play.

Counter-Strike is flourishing

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is the fourth game in the Counter-Strike series of games. As with its forerunners, the game is a multiplayer first-person shooter in which two teams (Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists) compete against each other in various game modes.

Just imagine, the first release of Counter-Strike was published on November 9, 2000. This game has existed for more than 20 years. Even though the last game in the Counter-Strike series Counter-Strike: Global Offensive was released nearly 9 years ago, in August 2012, the game is still top-rated online and has millions of fans.

European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

According to Statista, as of February 2020, Counter-Strike had 24 million monthly active users, more than double the figure from May 2016. In May 2021, CS:GO reached more than one million concurrent players on Steam.

More than just a game

And what’s interesting is, it’s not just a game for millions of gamers, but for watchers of esports content too, of course. ELEAGUE Major, which took place in January 2018, was the most-watched CS:GO tournament that year, reaching nearly 1.9 million viewers. With such a large number of supporters, it is par for the course that CS:GO competitions are worth big money.

The game’s annual cumulative tournament prize pool reached $21.77M in 2019. And in 2020, the estimated prize money for CS:GO tournaments stood at $15.85M, making it the online game with the highest cumulative prize pool in that year.

Gamers are not short of attention and cash rewards. For instance, the Danish gamer, a member of Astralis, Andreas Højsleth, known by his online alias, Xyp9x, has earned over $1.88M playing CS:GO competitively. Currently, he is in second place in the earnings table for players of CS:GO. Another Danish player, Peter Rasmussen, who goes by the alias dupreeh, occupies the first spot with around $1.91M.

CS:GO betting

Professional gaming quickly became a matter of interest to sportsbooks. Today, as reported by iGB, the most popular esports betting titles fall under two categories. The first includes the “Big Three”: League of Legends, Dota 2, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. They’re also some of the most popular video games globally.

The growth of popularity of these games turned the attention of the majority of sportsbooks. Global betting operators are widening their portfolio with popular online PC games. Some of the most popular CS:GO events are commercial CS:GO tournaments with 24/7 schedules that allow sportsbooks to fill free airtime with engaging content.

Betting on commercial CS:GO events works the same way as betting on major CS:GO events. Bettors wager on various markets: the outcome of a match, top-performing players, final scores, etc.

One of the platforms that provide fast and dynamic 24/7 esports tournaments is ESportsBattle. It is worth noting that the organizers of ESportsBattle CS:GO tournaments have noticed the huge spike in bettors’ engagement rate in the run-up to big matches.

ESportsBattle & CS:GO

Because of increased global demand, ESportsBattle decided to expand its horizons and became the first platform to launch 1×1 CS:GO matches, guaranteeing beginner players an opportunity to have a shot at it. Earlier, ESportsBattle had only a 5×5 format and later became the first to offer 2×2 CS:GO matches.

This variety of formats and modes allows pro and amateur players to face off in EsportsBattle tournaments, develop their skills, and make money on it.

For bettors of EsportsBattle CS:GO tournaments, operators provide the following markets: match winner (2-way or 3-way), match handicap, total maps, correct map score, map winner (2-way and 3-way), total rounds.

During July 2021, when IEM Cologne 2021 took place, ESportsBattle CS:GO matches chalked up far more views, which, in turn, led to increased bettor engagement. The number of views of ESportsBattle tournaments has risen dramatically: from 120K in June to almost 200K in July.

Furthermore, the number of views increased by 73% from the beginning of 2021. Betting on CS:GO gives bettors a chance to feel even more engaged in the whole IEM Cologne 2021 experience, as though they are participating in the tournament.

Thanks to regular broadcasts of esports events that boosted the gaming, esports and betting markets began to enjoy particular popularity. Moreover, one of the betting operator stated that there was almost 40% uptake in the number of active bettors engaged with EsportsBattles’ CS:GO events between June and July. Since the beginning of 2021, the number of people betting on EsportsBattle CS:GO events has increased by 10,000%.

eSports

BLAST Announces Landmark Expanded Partnership as Blacklyte Becomes Global Chair & Desk Partner Across Five Esports Titles in 2025

Published

2 days ago

October 30, 2024

George Miller

blast-announces-landmark-expanded-partnership-as-blacklyte-becomes-global-chair-&-desk-partner-across-five-esports-titles-in-2025

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Esport entertainment company BLAST has announced an expanded Global Partnership with Blacklyte for 2025. The landmark partnership marks a significant milestone in esports history, being the first of its kind to encompass five leading esports titles.

As a Global Chair & Desk Partner, Blacklyte will play a pivotal role in supporting the world’s best esports players by providing custom-made esports desks and chairs for the competitive landscape across these five popular esports titles: Rainbow Six Esports (Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege), BLAST Premier (Counter-Strike), BLAST Slam (Dota), RLCS (Rocket League Championship Series), and FNCS (Fortnite Championship Series).

This partnership not only showcases Blacklyte’s commitment to the esports community but also emphasises its dedication to elevating the industry by providing players with the best equipment possible to compete at the elite level.

Last month, BLAST announced Blacklyte as the first commercial partner for Fortnite Competitive for the FNCS Global Championship 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas, United States.

The expansion of the partnership means Blacklyte will cover all esports titles BLAST operates in 2025. The partnership will focus on delivering unique and immersive experiences for fans and players alike. Alongside Blacklyte’s products being used by streamers and players across more than ten arena events and many more studio events in 2025. Blacklyte will also be integrated physically into these events and within broadcasts.

Blacklyte produces desks that set a new standard for quality and durability. These state-of-the-art desks are designed to withstand everything. They will be showcased at the BLAST Premier World Final in Singapore for the first time.

Alexander Lewin, SVP of Commercial Revenue for BLAST, said: “We are proud to expand our partnership with Blacklyte to encompass all five of our esports titles heading into 2025. This marks a landmark moment for BLAST. We work across a number of leading esports ecosystems, which gives us the ability to leverage these different communities and tournaments. This partnership is testament to harnessing that network to create best-in-class partnerships.”

Alexander Liu, CEO at Blacklyte, said: “We are excited to enter into this unprecedented partnership with BLAST, which will enable us to reach a broader audience and create a lasting impact across multiple titles. This collaboration signifies a new era for esports, where we can unify diverse gaming communities under one strategic initiative, providing equipment to help esports players compete at the top level.”

The post BLAST Announces Landmark Expanded Partnership as Blacklyte Becomes Global Chair & Desk Partner Across Five Esports Titles in 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Asia

GG.BET is inviting BLAST Premier: World Final attendees to the GG.BOOTH to take part in some fun activities

Published

3 days ago

October 29, 2024

George Miller

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

From October 30 to November 3, the BLAST Premier: World Final 2024 will be held at the Resorts World Convention Centre on Sentosa island in Singapore. GG.BET, the tournament’s exclusive betting partner, is inviting the arena’s attendees over to the GG.BOOTH during the playoff to bag some unique merch and join in some fun activities, including autograph sessions with the teams. GG.BET also has a special 200% deposit bonus and a freebet lined up for its users.

The World Final is the concluding stage of the 2024 Counter-Strike 2 tournament season in the world-famous BLAST Premier series. In the final, the strongest 8 teams will butt heads, with 6 advancing to the playoff and battling it out in a LAN tournament for a $1,000,000 prize pool.

GG.BET have created a special area so that fans can have an even more amazing experience at the playoffs, from November 1-3. Here, you’ll be able to take photos to remember the event by and create posters to support your favorite team. Don’t forget to grab some merch so you stand out from the crowd. You’ll find the GG.BOOTH on the left as you enter the Resorts World Convention Centre via the main entrance.

There’ll be activities going on at this spot with a host and GG.BET brand ambassadors, as well as autograph sessions with the teams. More details about the activities will be posted on the GG.BET pages on Х and Instagram. Make sure to follow so you don’t miss a thing!

GG.BET is also offering its users a special bonus for BLAST Premier: World Final 2024: a 200% deposit bonus and a $50 freebet.

How to use your bonus on GG.BET:

Register on the GG.BET website or log in to an existing account.
Activate this offer in the Bonuses section.
Make a deposit of at least $20 to get a bonus of up to 200% and a freebet.

This offer is available from 00:00 (UTC+0) on 30 October 2024 to 23:59 (UTC+0) on 03 November 2024.

In 2024, BLAST Premier and international betting brand GG.BET entered into an exclusive one-year partnership. For the entire tournament season, GG.BET has been organizing exciting online and offline activities for Counter-Strike 2 fans, as well as creating exclusive content featuring the players.

The post GG.BET is inviting BLAST Premier: World Final attendees to the GG.BOOTH to take part in some fun activities appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

eSports

IESF Announces Freeze Nums as Official Partner for the WEC24

Published

3 days ago

October 29, 2024

Niji Narayan

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Reading Time: < 1 minute

The International Esports Federation (IESF) announced a new partnership with Freeze Nums, who will be the official partner for the 16th World Esports Championship (WEC24) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. As part of the largest event of the year, Freeze Nums will bring their innovative products, adding a fresh flavour to the championship experience.

“We are very excited about this new partnership with Freeze Nums. The unique ideas and flavors that they’ll present to both fans and athletes throughout the event, along with the activities we have planned together, will undoubtedly excite everyone attending. We can’t wait,” said Ana Karakolevska, Chief Marketing Officer at IESF.

“We are thrilled to partner with and support the International Esports Federation and the World Esports Championship 2024 in Riyadh. We share a passion for innovation and delivering new and exciting experiences. We look forward to a future of supporting competitive gaming while we pursue advancements in confections and delight our customers,” David J. Rotman, CEO of Freeze Nums, said.

Fans can look forward to exclusive activities and exciting new collaborations unveiled during the championship. Freeze Nums will bring their signature flavors to the event, offering attendees the chance to “taste the excitement” while following the world’s top Esports talent in action.

The post IESF Announces Freeze Nums as Official Partner for the WEC24 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.