Strange comparison, right? Horse racing and eSports is like comparing oranges and apples, but since we live in a digital world where the presence of eSports is constantly growing, it kind of makes sense compared to age-old sports like horse racing with millions of fans all around the world.
The growth of eSports is truly scary. Over the last couple of years, it went from a niche event to a big sport with millions of fans all around the world, eye-watering revenue, and the power to threaten the popularity of other sports.
But how popular is eSports actually? Can it outgrow sports like horse racing that have been around us for many centuries?
Well, yes, and it all comes down to the change of generations. Young people nowadays are all about playing games, which is why it is not surprising to see eSports surge to the top as the most popular sport.
On one hand, we have horse racing, a sport with a long history and global dominance, and on the other hand, we have a not-so-niche-anymore sport like eSports with a bright future.
Let’s compare numbers and find out which sport is more popular.
Horse racing isn’t a new sport. In fact, we are talking about one of the oldest sports in the world that dates back to the Ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians. They all loved watching horses run around in circles.
This tradition held on, and we have places like the UK, Australia, the United States, Japan, and others, where horse racing is not only alive but dominates in terms of popularity and attendance levels.
Events like the Royal Ascot, the Melbourne Cup, or the most popular Kentucky Derby, which get more than 150,000 people to watch the race live (more than any other sport apart from F1), have built long-lasting traditions and generate billions of dollars every year.
So, the legacy of horse racing is undeniable. But one thing is also clear. The fan base of the sport is aging. Young people are more interested in video games than in watching horses race around the track.
Therefore, if we are talking about trends, horse racing as a sport is losing its momentum. We have the completely opposite on the other side with eSports. We are talking about a sport with a small tradition, but positive growth every year.
Now let’s talk about eSports. What started in arcades and living rooms has exploded into a global industry that is now worth somewhere around $2.5 billion. Speaking of numbers, that’s significantly lower than the horse racing industry, which has an estimated global market value of around $127 billion.
But it’s about trends. The eSports industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of 19.95% which is more than any other sport on the planet, reaching a value of $18.85 billion by 2035.
Top games include League of Legends, Dota 2, CS:GO, Rocket League, Valorant, Fortnite, and others. The best thing about the eSports scene is that it is very dynamic.
So, it is safe to say that eSports is not niche anymore; it’s big business.
The thing is, how do you measure popularity? Is it viewership? Revenue? Cultural relevance? Trends? Number of fans? Or just how many people casually tune in?
If we are talking about global viewership, eSports is significantly more popular. Why? Well, just because it is more available. Most of the tournaments are live streamed on free platforms like YouTube.
However, if we talk about revenue, horse racing is a much more valuable sport. Not to mention that the horse racing betting market generates more revenue than eSports betting, that’s for sure. People are more likely to check the horse racing odds and place a bet on a race, even if they are gamers.
The same goes for attendance levels. Nothing compares to the Kentucky Derby crazy weekend. No other eSports tournament gets close to real-life attendance like some of these big races.
Walk into a college dorm or a high school cafeteria and ask who won last year’s Kentucky Derby. You’ll probably get blank stares. Now ask who their favorite streamer is. Boom—instant answers, Twitch usernames, and maybe even a TikTok dance.
eSports has woven itself into the cultural fabric of younger generations. It’s everywhere—music, fashion, advertising, even traditional sports teams now own eSports franchises. The NBA has the NBA 2K League, and F1 teams have their own Sim Racing teams. Horse racing, by contrast, is struggling to stay relevant outside of betting circles and big-name races.
Even when horse racing tries to innovate (virtual races, NFTs, betting apps), it often feels like it’s chasing trends rather than setting them. eSports, on the other hand, is the trend.
Yes, and No. eSports is the top trend at the moment, but just because we don’t see horse racing on social media as much as eSports tournament replays it doesn’t mean that horse racing is less popular.
At the moment, if we are talking numbers like fans and revenue generated, horse racing is more popular. But in the future this might change. eSports is growing like crazy, and it is more available and popular among youngsters.
So, even if eSports is not as popular as horse racing at the moment, there is a good chance that things could shift in the near future.
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
