eSports
How do sportsbooks and bettors benefit from esports?

Betting on esports events has numerous advantages when compared to sports betting. First of all, it’s because of its “always present” nature.
Unlike sporting events, held at a particular time of the year, esports events are available for bettors and fans 24/7/365.
Additionally, it is pretty easy to bet on esports events because there is a wide variety of live esports matches on various gaming and streaming platforms, including sportsbooks. Traditional sporting events: football, basketball or ice hockey are seasonal and follow a rigid schedule, unlike their console counterparts (efootball, ebaskteball, eice hockey). The esports betting world is the complete opposite, it’s all about 24/7 tournaments, a plethora of match formats that are constantly updated, a broad range of markets, and gripping competitions.
However, sports will always drive the esports industry. Even though the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the schedule of sporting events, they still attract millions of fans to tune in to traditional broadcast television instead of streaming platforms and services. Sports still get more views than esports, but it might only be a matter of time because the esports industry appears to be entering an impressive development stage.
Esports is expanding the betting industry
Thanks to regular broadcasts of esports events that boosted the gaming, esports and betting industries began to enjoy phenomenal demand. Even the international tournaments like the 2020 UEFA European Football Championship have increased the need for esports betting. According to the ESportsBattle tournaments’ organizer, their efootball matches became more sought-after by sportsbooks’ customers during the EURO 2020. The quantity of ESportsBattle efootball matches streamed by one of the leading betting operators has increased x3 from December 2020 to June 2021.
In July 2021, when IEM Cologne 2021 took place, ESportsBattle CS:GO matches chalked up far more views; the numbers have risen dramatically: from 120K in June to almost 200K in July. Furthermore, the number of views increased by 73% from the beginning of 2021. One betting operator stated a nearly 40% uptake in the number of active bettors of EsportsBattles’ CS:GO events (from June to July).
Bettors of ESportsBattle CS:GO tournaments are provided with the following markets to place bets on: match winner (2-way or 3-way), match handicap, total maps, correct map score, map winner (2-way and 3-way), total rounds.
How to bet on esports?
The betting landscape contains lots of companies and brands covering numerous events, including various formats and modes. Let’s say you have only 15 minutes and want to place a bet on the whole match. It is possible with esports because you will be able to watch the game, check the result, and get a quick bet calculation within this time slot.
Sportsbooks offer fast esports content to meet the above mentioned bettors’ needs. Once you have chosen the operator the next step is to select the markets to bet on. We’ll name the most common of them.
Betting Outrights
These are outright bets you usually make before an event begins. One of the most traditional bets in this category is which player or team will be the outright champion of a tournament.
Match Winner
As the name implies, all you have to do is choose which team or player you believe will win. The odds in this market may be fixed, indicating that they are set by an odds compiler some time before the match starts, or they may depend on how many bets are placed on one of the outcomes.
Handicap Betting
Handicap betting is similar to match-winner betting because you are choosing between only two outcomes. However, in this case, the sportsbook tries to remove one of the player’s or teams’ advantages by giving them a head start.
Totals
If you were to bet on this market, you would bet on how many of something (e.g., maps in CS:GO) will be played out in a match. For CS:GO, you can bet on the number of maps played in a match, or the number of rounds played in a map. The thing is that your bet is entirely focused on how long a match will last.
To sum up: if you are new to esports betting, the best way to be good at it is to try it. And the most incredible thing about esports betting is that anyone can do it since the bet types are pretty simple, and you only need to choose your sportsbook.
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Best Esports Product award
BETBY SHINES AT SiGMA AMERICAS WITH LOCALISED STRATEGY AND WINS ESPORTS AWARD

BETBY, the cutting-edge sportsbook provider, has further cemented its position as one of the most innovative suppliers in the sports betting landscape following a standout appearance at SiGMA Americas, the leading event for the iGaming industry in Latin America.
Hosted in São Paulo, Brazil, SiGMA Americas brought together the industry’s most influential stakeholders, with a spotlight on the dynamic and fast-growing Latin American market. BETBY stood out at the event by showcasing the full strength of its flexible sportsbook solution, designed to empower operators with complete control over the betting experience.
A major highlight of the exhibition was BETBY’s showcase of its hyper-localised content capabilities, which empower operators to engage regional audiences with culturally relevant offerings. This strategic focus was exemplified by the industry’s most comprehensive Vaquejada betting solution, a rodeo-style sport particularly popular in northeast Brazil. BETBY’s unique content portfolio, which includes both pre-live markets and an immersive e-sim version of the sport, resonated strongly with operators and attendees. It demonstrated not only a deep understanding of regional preferences, but also the supplier’s ability to create tailored content for any market.
Alongside this, BETBY exhibited continued innovation through its proprietary esports feed BETBY Games, and its comprehensive suite of AI tools AI Labs, which leverages artificial intelligence to deliver personalisation, real-time recommendations, and enhanced operational efficiency.
As further recognition of its ongoing innovation in the iGaming industry, BETBY was honoured with the Best Esports Product award during the SiGMA Americas Awards ceremony. This win underscores BETBY’s vision to redefine the esports betting experience through its BETBY Games solution, which is designed to deliver unmatched flexibility, customisation, and engagement for operators and players.
“This recognition at SiGMA Americas is a proud milestone for our entire team, even though our presence in Brazil this week was about much more than awards,” said Leonid Pertsovskiy, BETBY’s Chief Executive Officer. “It was about connecting with the region, understanding what local players truly value, and showing that we have the technology and vision to meet those needs. We’re building products that scale globally but connect locally, and that’s what sets BETBY apart.”
The post BETBY SHINES AT SiGMA AMERICAS WITH LOCALISED STRATEGY AND WINS ESPORTS AWARD appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
eSports
Esports World Cup to Feature Record-breaking Prize Pool of More Than $70M for 2025 Event

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has announced a record-breaking $70+ million prize pool for the upcoming Esports World Cup 2025 (EWC), the world’s largest esports event, set to return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 through August 24. With the highest stakes in esports history, the $70+ million prize pool elevates EWC as one of the world’s most prestigious sporting events and reinforces the EWCF’s long-term commitment to the sustainable growth of the esports industry. The total prize pool is a $10 million increase from last summer’s inaugural event, marking a significant step in the Esports World Cup Foundation’s mission to create life-changing opportunities and provide sustainable career paths for competitive players and multidisciplinary esports Clubs.
“The record-breaking $70+ million prize pool, along with our commitment to the Club Partner Program and our multi-year publisher agreements, is a privilege to announce and validation of our purpose to elevate the industry, by giving players, clubs, publishers and all other stakeholders the stability needed to invest for future success. While more than $70 million is an incredible, life-changing sum, it’s always aligned with a long-term vision rather than short-term impact. It’s not just to have more money at stake, but to create opportunities for everyone at every level of the ecosystem, and strengthen the industry for generations to come,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of Esports World Cup Foundation.
With 25 tournaments in 24 games announced to date, including four new games—Chess, Crossfire, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves and VALORANT—EWC 2025 will bring together more than 2000 elite esports players and 200 top Clubs for the largest multi-game competition in history, with a life-changing prize pool rewarding more players and Clubs on the world’s biggest stage.
“Winning the Club Championship crown and $7 million at the inaugural Esports World Cup was a defining moment for Team Falcons. The opportunity to compete in front of our home fans, where they made the arenas shake with every great play, motivated us like never before, and it was an honor to secure the victory for them. We’ve used the momentum and winnings from last year to build on our success and we look forward to continuing that legacy this summer,” said Mosaad Al-Dossary, CEO of Team Falcons.
“Competing at the inaugural EWC contributed to one of the most successful competitive years in our 24-year history, securing a strong second-place finish in the EWC 2024 Club Championship. With our winnings, we expanded into new games like chess, strengthened our international presence in Southeast Asia, and supported philanthropic initiatives. The experience, momentum, and rosters we’ve built over the past year put us in the perfect position to claim the Championship crown at EWC 2025. We believe this to be our year,” said Steve Arhancet, Co-CEO of Team Liquid.
The post Esports World Cup to Feature Record-breaking Prize Pool of More Than $70M for 2025 Event appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
ESFI’s Lokesh Suji Re-Elected as Asian Electronic Sports Federation VP, South Asia, Strengthening India’s Esports Leadership

In a significant boost for Indian esports, Lokesh Suji has been re-elected unopposed as Vice President for South Asia in the Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF) during its recent online Electoral General Assembly in Hong Kong for a four-year term. Holding this position since AESF’s inception, Suji’s re-election highlights India’s growing influence in international esports, reinforcing the Esports Federation of India’s (ESFI) role in shaping the region’s competitive gaming landscape.
The AESF Electoral General Assembly, chaired by outgoing President Kenneth Fok, convened representatives from 38 member nations and OCA Deputy Director General Vinod Tiwari. Thailand’s Santi Lothong secured the AESF Presidency with a simple majority, alongside new Vice Presidents for different Asian zones.
“I am deeply grateful for the continued trust placed in me and extend my sincere thanks to Kenneth (Fok) for his leadership and guidance over the years. I also look forward to working closely with Santi (Lothong) for this next phase. This re-election is not just a personal milestone but a testament to the remarkable growth of esports in India and South Asia. Esports in Asia is entering a defining era, and I am committed to ensuring that our players, federations, and stakeholders receive the recognition, opportunities, and platforms they deserve,” said Lokesh Suji, Vice President, South Asia, of AESF and Director of ESFI.
As Asia’s esports governing body, recognised by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), AESF has been instrumental in getting esports included in Asian Games and hosting major tournaments like the Asian Esports Games 2018 and the Asian Games 2022, featuring top titles such as Dota 2, Street Fighter 6, and FIFA Online. AESF has also been selected as the Technical Delegate for Esports at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
Commenting on Suji’s re-election, Santi Lothong, the incoming AESF President, said: “Having worked alongside Lokesh for years, I have witnessed his unwavering dedication to developing esports in South Asia and beyond. His leadership, vision, and relentless efforts have helped shape the region’s competitive landscape. I look forward to continuing our collaboration and strengthening esports across Asia under this new leadership phase.”
Kenneth Fok, the outgoing AESF President, added: “Lokesh has been a steadfast pillar in AESF’s journey, always pushing to elevate esports across Asia. His passion and commitment have left a lasting impact, shaping key initiatives and strengthening our community. It’s been a pleasure working alongside him, and I am confident he will continue driving esports forward.”
Under Suji’s leadership, India has made significant strides in esports, with historic medal finishes in the Commonwealth Esports Championship 2022, BRICS Esports Championship and Asian Esports Games and strong performances in the Asian Games 2018 and 2022, where Indian athletes proved their mettle against the world’s best. ESFI is further cementing India’s esports dominance with the WAVES Esports Championship (WESC) —a pioneering initiative that fosters homegrown talent and provides Indian players with an international platform to compete at the highest level. WAVES Esports Championship is one of the ‘Create in India Challenge’ as part of Ministry of Information & Broadcasting’s marque event ‘World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit’ (WAVES) to be held on 1-4 May 2025, Mumbai.
Recognized by and Member of the International Esports Federation, Asian Esports Federation, and Global Esports Federation, ESFI remains dedicated to strengthening India’s position on the global esports stage.
The post ESFI’s Lokesh Suji Re-Elected as Asian Electronic Sports Federation VP, South Asia, Strengthening India’s Esports Leadership appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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