It’s been an interesting, unpredictable year for esports so far. The worldwide pandemic has resulted in a boom for esports betting, with FIFA and NBA 2K taking centre stage and the Nevada Gaming Control Board approving wagers on major leagues both demonstrating the changes in the landscape.
To delve into the minutia of the developments esports betting has seen, EveryMatrix has released The State of Esports Betting Report 2020. The report provides a closer look at the esports betting market during the shortage of traditional sports and beyond.
40x growth for esports betting
Esports has witnessed 40x growth when it comes to betting, largely due to both FIFA and NBA 2K taking the top spots. With traditional sports – namely football and basketball – mostly becoming inactive, their virtual counterparts have stepped up to the spotlight. EveryMatrix has identified that FIFA and NBA 2K are making up 80 percent of the betting volume.
What’s worth noting when it comes to these two titles is the esports scene around them. FIFA has replicated much of what’s seen in professional football, creating virtual versions of major leagues with prominent teams getting involved – think of the ePremier League, the eSerie A, and the eLaLiga. The NBA 2K League on with its third season, not only bringing in NBA franchises but endemic esports brands such as Gen.G esports.
It’s not surprising to see the rise in prominence for both of these titles, mainly, because of how recognisable the gameplay is for punters that typically bet on traditional sports. Add established esports scenes into the mix and FIFA and NBA 2K were in prime position for such growth; it even allows the competitions to build brand affinity with new viewers and bettors, perhaps creating a permanent uptake in betting activity moving forward.
Before the lockdown came into play, the average bet values for football and basketball were EUR14 (GBP12.29) and EUR25 (GBP21.94) respectively; after lockdown, these changed to EUR12.50 (GBP10.97) and EUR21.80 (GBP19.13) respectively. After the lockdown was enforced, the average bet values for FIFA and NBA 2K rose to EUR15 (GBP13.16) and EUR22.50 (GBP19.75).
Age intervals of esports bettors
There has been a large increase in the activity of bettors aged between 26 and 35, when it comes to both watching and engaging in esports markets. Now, almost half of the core betting audience for esports is between these ages – growing from 27.63 percent to 43.88 percent. Formula One stepped up when motorsports took a backseat, bringing in prominent drivers to compete against sim racers for a culminative fan base. It’s easy to see how viewership and betting has become more prominent
Transparency
The level of transparency found in the report is seldom shared between operators, so EveryMatrix offering this amount of insight as a supplier is a rare occurrence – one that interested parties should take advantage of. Not only does it provide a better understanding of the impact that COVID-19 has had on esports betting, it highlights what customers want to see when sports take a temporary hit and are out of the equation and gives bookies an indication of how to minimise damages to business in such an unfortunate circumstance.
Download your free copy of The State of Esports Betting Report 2020!
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored piece by EveryMatrix