One of the ways we know that esports is becoming a legitimate sport is through the popularity of esports betting. Today, almost every online and land-based bookmaker has a section devoted to esports where gamblers can wager on their favorite gaming teams and events.
The most popular esports betting markets include DOTA 2, CS: GO, League of Legends, various sports video games, and so on. Due to the nature of esports, bettors can place different types of wagers, which makes esports betting even more attractive.
So how popular esports betting really is? If we take a look at the infographic called “The Rise of Esports” created by NJ Games, we can see that $5.5 billion was wagered on esports in 2016 alone. The sum is growing along with the popularity of esports, which means that we can expect it to reach $12.9 billion by 2020.
This makes esports very attractive to various brands as well. Experts predict that brands will invest $694 million in the esports industry, which accounts for around 77% of the whole market. The majority of these brands are big tech and gaming companies, such as Apple, Google, Nintendo, EA Sports, Logitech, and so on.
The number of esports fans worldwide is growing steadily as well. It is estimated that it will surpass 400 million by the end of 2019. That means that the number of potential esports bettors is going to grow as well and we will see even more wagers and wagering options on betting sites.
Moreover, there is a high chance that esports will become an Olympic sport sometime soon. It has already been included in the 2024 Paris Games as a demonstration sport. Therefore, we can expect it to become a rightful part of the Olympics by 2028.
If this happens, it will make esports even more popular and an even more attractive betting market for gamblers worldwide.
