Thirty years ago, no one expected esport to turn into a lucrative industry. The first esport tournament happened in the 1970s, but ‘professional gaming’ wasn’t a concept at the time. In the past few years, the market has brought global fans together, who share a similar enthusiasm for virtual gameplay. Esport gaming tournaments are highly competitive, with spectators engaging in high-stakes betting with one another.
The concept of online sports gambling is fairly new in the domain of cybersports. A significant reason behind the growing popularity of betting platforms for esport teams is global accessibility. Betting markets for esport games possess a considerable range and a social component irresistible to seasoned fans. Expert gamblers have already explored everything traditional iGaming offers, but esport betting odds present the thrill of stepping into the unknown by taking a leap of faith, a quality all gamblers appreciate.Â
Why Esport Is Popular?
Video games came out in 1958, but esport didn’t gather massive popularity until the 2011 advent of Twitch. The platform offered players the option to livestream their esport games, becoming the best free streaming service in the process.
Ninja, the current highest-followed Twitch gamer, has 18 million followers and receives a whopping 572 million channel views. These worldwide Fortnite fans tune in to watch the man rock his moves, many finding it more interesting than traditional sports. Increasing livestreaming accessibility and ultra-modern technological advancements have turned esport into a nearly billion-dollar industry.
The COVID-19 pandemic also offered a popularity spike to the electronic sports industry. Those stuck at home needed a distraction to escape the mundane of everyday life, so live sports views spiked across streaming services, with people finding refuge in cybersports.
Between 2020 and 2021, a 12.4% year-on-year growth was seen in esport audiences worldwide. The target audience for esport gaming tournaments is younger males, but female fans are also eagerly participating in the industry as gamers and spectators.
Most Popular Esport Games 2023
Seeing how esport games have stormed the athletic industry, it’s pertinent to analyze the most popular esport games of 2023. Out of the ton of video games in the esport market, these five received the most fame in the previous year:Â
- DOTA 2
Prize Money: $341,807,499.18
Players: 4840
Tournaments: 1865
Released a decade ago, DOTA 2 is still among Steam’s most-played games of the year. Based on data from December 2022, the game had 81.1 million registered accounts, making DOTA esport significantly famous. The top DOTA 2 tournament is ‘The International’, with a prize pool of $40 million. Team Spirit won the 2023 tournament, becoming the leading DOTA team of the year. The Russian team has a win streak of 15 and a 56% win rate.Â
- Fortnite
Prize Money: $177,277,837.97
Players: 9043
Tournaments: 2096
Epic Games’ Fortnite made a notable mark in the industry in less than six years, making it one of the greatest games in esport. Over 350 million players were registered for the game in 2022. 62% of players of online Fortnite are in the age bracket of 18 to 24, making this a pretty niche game. Although Fortnite PC and Xbox are popular, the mobile app brought in over $100 million in its first 90 days, establishing the game as a strong competitor.Â
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Prize Money: $162,225,178.02
Players: 16,392
Tournaments: 6958
CS: GO was released in 2012 and, at the end of 2023, had 1.25 million concurrent players on Steam. In 2021 alone, the game generated $160 million in revenue. Despite the game’s popularity, it was replaced by Counter-Strike 2 in 2023. The final Major Championship was held in Paris, France, in 2023, where Vitality won the tournament and $500,000. Official tournaments may have ceased, but the game is still available on the Xbox 360 console.
- League of Legends
Prize Money: $107,818,471.27
Players: 9336
Tournaments: 2926
League of Legends is the oldest game on this list, having been released in 2009. League of Legends’ gameplay remains revolutionary even after 15 years on the market. The LoL World Championship is the game’s biggest tournament, with its 2023 iteration being the most-watched esport tournament ever. South Korea’s T1 emerged victorious after defeating Weibo Gaming and taking home $445,000 in prize money. Players have also received additional awards through League of Legends Prime Gaming, but that benefit will end in March of 2024.Â
- PUBG
Prize Money: $79,888,542.68
Players: 4032
Tournaments: 302
PUBG is the latest game on this list, but one that accrued fame the quickest, especially among the younger demographic. The innovative Battle Royale gameplay was one of the most significant driving factors behind this growing popularity, intensified further by immersive graphics. Dynamic additions like the PUBG Royale Pass keep the game from stagnating, keeping players engaged for longer periods. Despite being banned in certain countries due to negative impacts on underage players, PUBG is one of the best esport games of 2023.
Best Esport Teams
These popular games are played in every household, but only a few teams crack the code to win millions in worldwide tournaments. See the top esport teams in the gambling industry right now:
- Team Liquid: $33.8 million in DOTA.
Founded in the Netherlands, the most extensive prize Team Liquid has won has been $10 million from ‘The International’ 2017.
- OG: $33.4 million in DOTA 2.
After winning the 2017 Kiev Major, OG received the honor of being the first DOTA 2 team to win four Major Championships. Unfortunately, the team disbanded in 2022 after failing to make a partnered team league.
- Evil Geniuses: $24 million in DOTA 2.
EG is one of the oldest players in the market and has made a name in several games other than DOTA 2. It was North America’s first organization to win ‘The International.’
- Fnatic: $14.3 million in CS: GO.
Fnatic is the first primarily Swedish organization to win three Majors in CS: GO. Their biggest prize was $800,000 from the World Electronic Sports Games 2017.
- Newbee: $14 million in DOTA 2.
The Chinese esport organization was making huge strides in DOTA 2 until 2021 when their match-fixing got them permanently banned from Valve events.
Esport Betting And Odds
Betting odds in esport are similar to traditional sports gambling; players just need to get accustomed to the particular dynamics of this gaming format. The simplest form of betting is match winner, known by several other names such as Head-to-Head, Moneyline, and Straight – depending on the betting platforms. Choosing this correctly is crucial to ensuring success in your bets, so the SoCanadianCasino platform has analyzed the main points for winning. Picking the right betting platform will help you ensure safety as well as bring other benefits to the table.
Types of Esport Bets
These are the unique types of bets in online sportsbooks for esport video games:
First Blood: This bet is placed on the first team to damage the other, either through a single shot or a full-on kill. (Available in CS: GO and League of Legends)
Knife Round: This bet is on the first team to deliver a killing blow, specifically in the Pistol Round. (Available on CS eSport)
Map Winner: This bet refers to picking which team will win which particular map in a game. (Available in CS: GO, DOTA 2, League of Legends).
Other bets can be placed on tournament winners.
Main Esport Betting Strategy
If you follow organizations like DOTA Team Liquid, don’t give in to the game’s excitement by placing your bet on the most popular option. It works in certain situations, but the better option is to spend time choosing the betting platforms and understanding the betting odds.
Knowing the game is crucial before deciding to place any bets. Furthermore, only bet at reliable sportsbooks, and don’t forget to research the players and their teams before the tournament. Use the available esport betting bonuses to maximize winnings. With a combination of these strategies, you can amp up your betting game to always place the best bets.