How esports bookmakers are marketing to potential bettors

With esports reportedly reaching up to $8 billion in total wagers in 2019, there’s no saying what the figure for 2020 will be with the recent boom in esports betting. It’s no surprise that this is happening though, with much of traditional sports being postponed or cancelled for the foreseeable future.

Though esports has too been affected by coronavirus, its digital nature means the show can go on in most cases. With the likes of Call of Duty League and ESL Pro League – major competitions in the esports calendar – shifting to an online-only format, esports is proving to be one of the main sources of entertainment in a tough time. And with that, comes betting opportunities, especially with the absence of traditional sports.

A major development in the esports betting landscape during this unfortunate pandemic is the approval of certain events from the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Nevada-licensed bookies can now accept wagers on ESL Pro League: North America, ESL Meisterschaft, ESL One Los Angeles, and eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series. As the board presumably continues to allow betting opportunities on esports, it’ll be seen by more and more people. The only way is up.

With countries having their own stance on esports betting this, understandably, leads to confusion for some, not knowing where they can bet on competitive gaming – whether that’s on the NBA 2K, FIFA, and sim racing or titles that aren’t sports simulations.

With the escalation of esports betting, it’s interesting and noteworthy to see where bookmakers are turning to promote their offerings. Having covered partnerships and sponsorships for years, Esports Insider is in a good spot to identify the main sources of marketing. With that mind, we’ve explored the main esports betting marketing methods, with that in mind too here is esports betting guide for 2020 at Freebets.com.

Where are esports bookmakers advertising?

Events are undoubtedly a main point of concentration for big and small bookmakers alike. Garnering the most concurrent eyeballs of any activity in esports, it makes complete sense as to why such companies look to events to advertise themselves. Whether it’s Pinnacle sponsoring Flashpoint or Betway sponsoring both ESL Pro League and BLAST Premier, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive appears to be the most desirable title for bookies.

Much like in traditional sports –  with Betway sponsoring West Ham United, for example, esports organisations are a great way for bookmakers to advertise services to hundreds of thousands of people on a consistent basis. Instead of having to wait for audiences to be tuned in, like with events, organisations have constant access to an engaged, invested audience.

Rivalry is betting big on organisations as a prime way of bringing in punters, sponsoring the likes of Fnatic, FURIA, beastcoast, and B8. What’s notable here is Rivalry’s regional approach, not putting all of its eggs in one basket. It’s also investing in content.

Many comment that HLTV.org is a gambling business disguising itself as a CS:GO publication. With millions upon millions of visitors to its platform each and every month, and its recent acquisition by affiliate marketing giant Better Collective, the website is perfect for bookmakers to advertise. Its website is rife with advertisements and it has its own betting landing page with odds from Betway, Bet365, Unibet, and plenty of other providers. Not only that, but its social media partner is LOOT.BET. 

It’s clear that CS:GO is the target for many bookmakers, and this extends into content also. Richard Lewis, a journalist and content creator, is sponsored by Rivalry – a company we mentioned earlier. Having its logo present and a dedicated mention on every piece of content that Lewis posts – which is predominantly CS:GO-focused – has proven to be fruitful considering the sponsorship was renewed for another year.

Betway is a leader in using content to bring in esports punters, regularly using social media to share videos. Not only that, but it has even brought together the worlds of sports and esports on its YouTube channel – collaborating with two teams it sponsors: West Ham United and Ninjas in Pyjamas; the latter of which is a long-time partner of the bookmaker.

In cooperation with Freebets.com