Gambling now goes beyond the free penny slots online. Punters can place bets on the Overwatch League coupled with the Call of Duty League with the peace of mind they need, courtesy of a new partnership.
ESports: The New Top Dog of Sports Gambling
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While the MLB and NBA are trying, their efforts are falling short of capturing the attention of sport-deprived fans via the array of ESports tournaments comprising professional baseball and basketball players competing in MLB the Show Tournament. Meanwhile, ESports leagues with professional gamers such as the Overwatch League (OWL) along with the Call of Duty League (CDL) are rapidly becoming the go-to alternative for a barrage of people to watch and bet on as the nation shelters in place.
Gambling on ESports continues soaring in popularity as that on the conventional sports is plummeting after the NHL, MLB, and NBA regular seasons were postponed until further notice. Stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s no secret that sportsbooks are feeling the pinch of not having sports in action. For instance, the Nevada sportsbook incurred a hefty 96% revenue loss in March 2020 compared to March 2019 and February 2020. Perhaps it’s a wise business move or speculative to help the Nevada economy that took a nosedive by offering betting odds on the Call of Duty League on the 17th of April 2020. This is courtesy of the Nevada Gaming Board (NGB).
No Cheating or Biasness in eSports
Courtesy of a multi-annual, new collaboration between an integrity strategy and anti-fixing provider of policy solutions (Sportradar) and the developer (Activision Blizzard) of the two renowned video games, punters are on the quest to bet on CDL along with OWL. And, they can do so with unwavering confidence. The ESports CEO of Activision Blizzard is aware that his sports leagues and video games are in prime position to dive right into primetime courtesy of quarantine regulations or rules during an ongoing global pandemic.
Along with the Overwatch League Commissioner, the Activision Blizzard CEO said that it comes as no surprise that there’s a significant increment in attention surrounding their live tournaments in the absence of conventional sports. Therefore, the partnership with Sportradar is the perfect opportunity to elevate integrity efforts that are already in place.
The CEO of a UNIKRN (an entertainment and betting organization) told Sports Illustrated that this partnership is a major win for ESports betting because theoretically, bookmakers currently use live data for the development of live wagering markets at a fidelity that will make gambling on conventional sports seem slow. Furthermore, he mentions that it’s great seeing publishers jumping on the betting bandwagon. Guaranteeing the integrity of sports matches, particularly with the soaring popularity of ESports gambling is of unmatched importance to the organizations.
According to the Head of Strategic Initiatives at Activision Blizzard says, fans increasingly delight in betting on the barrage of matches, guarantees that the company is doing all it can to proactively protect its ecosystem.
Activision Blizzard ushers in an additional boost as it has also signed off on a new collaboration with Xfinity. And, the Comcast brand becomes the go-to Internet Service Provider (ISP) for OWL and presents sponsorship of the 2020 online season’s English-language feed in a 2-year contract.
ESports Wagering Revenue to Hit the $14 Billion Mark in 2020
The global gambling revenue of ESports is geared to double to approximately $14 billion in 2020 as per a new study from market analysts ProdegeMR along with 2CV (renowned international consumer surveyors). As gamblers veer from the conventional wagering areas as a result of the impact on COVID-19 on live sports, 69% of the survey respondents claimed to have lowered their spending whereas 54% pumped the brakes on ESports betting altogether.
What Is the Future for ESports After COVID-19?
The survey took responses from 1028 gamblers aged between 18 and 64. And, it factored in the impact of the current climate on betting in the UK coupled with the role that ESports plays in becoming the potential new revenue generator in the sector. The study also unveils an evolving interest towards other gambling properties, for instance, ESports with 36% of gamblers placing bets on competitive gaming over the last 3 months. Furthermore, it revealed that 30% of consumers trying their luck on ESports gambling have only begun doing so since mid to end March 2020. And, an additional 22% of gamblers that haven’t tried gambling on ESports unveiled that they’ll consider doing so in the coming months.
So How Will Sportradar Maintain Integrity in CDL and OWL Matches?
As per the company’s press release, the Fraud Detection System (FDS) of Sportradar monitors odds stemming from more than 600 gambling operators across the globe. It also utilizes proprietary algorithms for the identification of anomalous activity and is operated by a team of competent analysts that keep their eyes peeled for irregular gambling activity. If possible integrity issues or irregularities are flagged then the team alerts the appropriate league in real-time which ushers in the respective investigations.