Bookmaker Parimatch has become the betting partner of the international Dota 2 competition, Omega League.
The online tournament, presented by WePlay! Esports and Epic Esports Events, will feature teams across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. A combined prize pool of $650,000 (GBP496,590) will underline the main event, which concludes on September 6.
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As a betting partner, Parimatch will receive brand signage on both the Russian and Portuguese livestreams of the event. ESforce Holding’s studio broadcast group RuHub will provide Russian coverage of the event, while the Brazillian division of Beyond the Summit will operate the Portuguese stream.
Stepan Shulga, Head of Esports at Parimatch, commented on the partnership in a release: “We are happy to become the partners of the largest Dota 2 series of 2020. As you know, this would be the time for the centerpiece event of Dota 2 community at other times, but we hope Omega League will help the fans take a break from such unusual circumstances around us by offering them a brilliant series featuring the world’s finest teams.”
Virtus.pro, a company under the ESforce umbrella, has been in partnership with Parimatch since 2018 and recently renewed the deal to last through 2020. The Russian organisation is one of eight Dota 2 teams invited to compete in the Omega League.
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ESforce Holding Commercial Director Sergey Barkhudaryan added: “We are excited to see Parimatch become our partners again. We have quite a history of esports campaigns and events together. As part of the Omega League, we are continuing the mutual development and expansion of our markets. Parimatch is a brand with a huge baggage of experience when it comes to the esports world, and as such, millions of people around the world, including us, place our trust in Parimatch.”
Last year, Parimatch reached deals with Team Spirit and EPICENTER’s Counter-Strike: Global Offensive event. In February, the bookmaker joined forces with the Esports Integrity Commission to combat fraud and cheating in esports.
Esports Insider says: Parimatch has developed a respectable footprint in the Russian esports market, having ushered past partnerships with organisations and events based in the region. Omega League promises a high level of Dota 2 competition in absence of this year’s The International, and should generate a large volume of wagers.