Does the esports industry really have the audience to support my esports betting product?
It’s a fair question for any betting company to ask.
Esports is still, in the grand scheme of things, a new prospect. It doesn’t have a particularly established history and really has only just begun to erupt among audiences around the world.
In addition to that, the general perception around esports is that it’s a kids game. Competitive video games? Surely adults don’t watch that, they’re too busy working, looking after kids, watching traditional sports…right?
Well, 10 years ago you’d probably have a pretty reasonable point. But it’s 2022, and esports isn’t the quiet pastime that the nerdy school kids enjoy amongst themselves – it’s a behemoth with an audience that has grown alongside it.
And it might be just the audience you’re looking for.
A recent LOOT Bet study showed that the average age of their players is between 18-25 years old. Quite a far cry from the typical age of a traditional sports bettor.
Not only does this represent a fairly novel audience, but it’s an audience you’re unlikely to attract via your other products.
The same LOOT Bet study indicated that the majority of their esports players did not bet on traditional sports in any way, shape, or form. They may engage with traditional sports in other ways (watching or playing) but they simply don’t bet. They prefer to bet where their expertise lies – in esports.
They consume data and content surrounding their favourite esports title every single day – and not just because they watch these matches. They consume this data because they play their game every day as well. They want to know what the pros are doing so that they can implement those strategies into their games.
As a younger audience, these esports fans and viewers have a much firmer grasp on technology, and it’s important to think about that not necessarily in relation to mobile vs web, but also in the sense that younger bettors will have more capacity to simply navigate a website and explore more of the options on-hand.
That means the more options you can provide, the better. Fantasy, player prop-betting, and extensive in-play options to allow players to flex their knowledge. Showcase the fact that they are experts in their chosen game.
Stay tuned to GameScorekeeper where we will take a deep dive into the demographics surrounding esports bettors, how best to cater to them, and how we can help elevate your esports offering.
