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A Look at Indian Online Sports Betting Trends

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A Look at Indian Online Sports Betting Trends
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Gambling has been a huge part of Indian culture for an extremely long time. There are many festivals that happen throughout the year, such as Diwali, where card games are enjoyed. In more recent years, sports betting has become a popular hobby that has led to plenty of match-fixing scandals as criminals try their best to beat the system. Overall, though, the majority play for fun on their mobile phone. In the following article, we are going to have a look at online sports betting trends in India.

Is Sports Betting Legal in India?

Like with many industries in India, the legality of the gambling industry is not clear cut, and it is expected that things will drastically change over the coming years. The government has history with making wrong decisions, so the people of India will be hoping that they will get this one correct. Whether they legalise gambling or not, they cannot stop it from happening, so regulating the gambling industry instead of prohibiting it would be the better option.

It really is about time that the government updated the public gambling act as it has been in use since 1867 when the British were in control of India. This act banned the construction of land-based casinos and gambling sites, but since the Internet was still over one hundred years away from being created, there is obviously no mention of online betting sites. So, while land-based bookmakers and casinos can only currently be found in states such as Sikkim and Goa, gambling at online casinos and sports betting sites is something that can be done across the country.

Online Sports Betting is on the Rise Across India

Despite the grey area, the online sports betting industry in India rakes in big bucks every single year. One of the main reasons for this is the fact that nowadays Indians are spending one-third of their time awake on the mobile phones. Most sports betting sites now have websites and apps that are very easy to use on smartphones, and many are happy to accept Indian sports betting fans because they can see how much potential for profit there is.

Indians can now simply sign up with a bookmaker that is based outside the country, download their app on to their mobile device and then gamble on their favourite sports wherever they happen to be, so long as they can connect to the Internet. There used to be a time where Indian sports betting fans would need to visit dodgy backstreet bookies if they wanted to bet on sports.

Cricket is the Country’s Favourite Sport

The main sport in India is cricket and Indians love to watch it, play it, and bet on it. Many often say that cricket is like a religion in India, and this really is not an exaggeration. Any cricketer that gets selected to play for India and goes on to have a stellar career will be treated like a God. One only has to look at the likes of Sachin Tendulkar to see this – he cannot go anywhere without having people screaming out to him and trying to touch him.

One of the world’s most popular cricket events is the Indian Premier League (IPL), and it is estimated that Indian cricket fans bet $50-60 million per match. The IPL features all of the best limited-overs players from around the world and they spend around 6 to 7 weeks entertaining hundreds of millions across India and the rest of the world.

When an IPL game is on, most of India stops what they are doing to watch the action. The 2021 IPL is scheduled to start on the 9th of April and finish on the 30th of May, and while there are no fans allowed inside the stadiums, it is still going to be a highly entertaining event and cricket fans cannot wait for it to start.

When it comes to cricket online betting in India the IPL draws the most money, but Indians love to bet on a variety of cricket, especially when the Indian national team is involved. If the Indian national team is not playing or the IPL has come and been, Indian cricket fans will have no issues betting on great cricket events that do not include their beloved team, such as The Ashes between England and Australia.

Due to the Covid-19 situation, a lot of cricket was postponed in 2020, meaning that there is a lot of catching up to be done. While this might be tiresome for the players involved, it is great for cricket fans across India and the rest of the world as there will be plenty of entertaining cricket to enjoy and bet on. We cannot forget that the Twenty20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in India in October and November of this year.

With all this cricket scheduled to be played, it is also going to be a great year for online sportsbooks as it stands to reason that the more cricket there is on, the more money will be bet on it. In fact, due to the overloaded schedule, there are many who believe that cricket betting is going to have its most lucrative year ever.

Horse Racing is Not Far Behind

Horse racing has been popular in India for centuries and is second only to cricket when it comes to betting. It is estimated that 35,000 crores are bet on horse racing each year and with one crore equaling around $140,000, we will let you work out the total amount. The fact that horse racing fans do not even have to leave their home now to bet on horse racing is something that has definitely helped increase the amount of money bet on this sport.

Football Betting is on the rise

Football is the most popular sport in the world, and it is gaining more popularity in India, although it still has some way to go to catch up with cricket and horse racing. When there are no cricket matches being played to watch and bet on, Indians will have no issue with turning their attention to the Indian Super League and some of the world’s best leagues such as the English Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga and the Serie A. They are also more willing to try their luck on South American and Chinese Leagues, which means that bookmakers that cater to Indians now have to embrace lesser leagues from around the world to keep their Indian contingent happy.

Asia

MelBet Appoints Bollywood Actress Sherlyn Chopra as its New Brand Ambassador

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International iGaming company MelBet has appointed Sherlyn Chopra, one of India’s famous and glamorous actresses, as its new brand ambassador.

As a brand ambassador, Sherlyn would be involved in creating exclusive content and promoting MelBet in international markets.

Sherlyn Chopra is known for her significant success in the film and television industry. Her work, including her role in the psychological thriller, Red Swastik, made her popular in India. Sherlyn is actively involved in showbiz and continues to expand her horizons by doing popular web-series, music albums, short films, launching glamour and style apps and other creative projects.

“I am incredibly excited to become a part of the MelBet family. Sports are more than just games or competitions as they unequivocally bring people together. I am proud to contribute to its popularisation with such a reliable partner. MelBet is not just about gaming, casinos, or sports. It is about team spirit towards involvement in the games, followed by highs and lows which are inevitable in the pursuit of success and victory. MelBet is an experience that brings us closer as a community and in setting our goals and achieving them. I am looking forward to starting our collaborative journey and the opportunities that we can create and explore for our growing game lovers,” Sherlyn Chopra said.

With this appointment, Sheryln joins other leading names, who represent MelBet in India and globally. MelBet believes that with her fearless approach to pushing boundaries, she embodies the innovative spirit that MelBet values – which led to her appointment. This partnership is expected to strengthen MelBet’s connection with sports enthusiasts, gamers and those passionate about the game, opening up new opportunities for clients and helping to further expand the brand’s reach across South Asia.

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Asia

Savvy Games Delegation Joins More Than 30,000 Fans for Tencent and Hero Esports’ Honor of Kings Grand Finals in Beijing

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The inaugural King Pro League Grand Finals 2024, the biggest esports event in China, drew more than 30,000 fans to a sold-out Beijing Workers’ Stadium on Nov 16. A delegation from Savvy Games and the Esports World Cup Foundation also joined the iconic event hosted by Chinese tech giant Tencent and the largest esports company in Asia, Hero Esports (formerly known as VSPO).

HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, Vice Chairman of Savvy Games Group (Savvy); Brian Ward, CEO of Savvy; and Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, attended the tournament where two top Chinese esports teams competed for the inaugural Holy Dragon Cup and a record prize pool.

A total of 70 million rmb ($9.8 million) was awarded to the top 12 teams who advanced through the rounds of the six-week-long tournament. The final showdown was between Chengdu All Gamers and Chongqing Wolves, where Chengdu All Gamers emerged victorious in a best-of-seven series and took home 22 million rmb ($3.1 million) in prize money.

King Pro League, the premier esports league for Tencent’s hit game Honor of Kings, is the biggest esports league in Asia. Honor of Kings is the world’s most popular mobile game with more than 100 million daily players. Hero Esports has been the organizer of KPL tournaments since the league was first launched in 2016.

This year marks the inaugural KPL Grand Finals, which replaces the Honor of Kings International Championship for Chinese Honor of Kings competitors and features the top teams from across China, one of the biggest esports markets in the world with the most players. Events were held at arenas in Chengdu, Hangzhou and Changsha, with the Grand Finals event being held in Beijing.

The popularity of esports is growing rapidly around the world, encouraged by government support in a number of countries and new products and technology. According to a Frost & Sullivan Report, the market size of the esports gaming industry has experienced a significant increase at a CAGR of 15.2% from US$29.8 billion in 2017 to US$52.6 billion in 2021, and is expected to increase further at a CAGR of 12.1% from US$57.9 billion in 2022 to US$102.4 billion in 2027.

The report also shows that the number of gamers globally has experienced a significant increase at a CAGR of 7.1% from 2.3 billion in 2017 to 3.1 billion in 2021, and is expected to further increase at a CAGR of 5.5% from 3.3 billion in 2022 to 4.3 billion in 2027.

Danny Tang, CEO and Co-Founder of Hero Esports, commented: “Hero Esports is proud to have been a part of the first King Pro League Grand Finals, which is an example of the high calibre esports tournaments that fans and players everywhere deserve. The strong enthusiasm we’ve seen for this event in its first year is a testament to the significant growth of interest in this sport and the support of our high-profile sponsors. The atmosphere in the arena was electric and we congratulate the Chengdu All Gamers in winning the inaugural Holy Dragon Cup.”

Hero Esports, formerly known as VSPO, is a leading player in the global esports industry, collaborating with major game developers and global brands and organizing tournaments for players and fans across the world. It is the biggest esports tournament operator in Asia, having hosted 86 tournaments in the region in 2023, of which 62 were in China, compared with a total of 77 tournaments in 2020, of which three were overseas. The company recently announced the Esports Asian Champions League (ACL), Asia’s new premier international esports tournament featuring multiple titles.

Sponsors of the King Pro League Grand Finals 2024 include Meituan, Snapdragon and SAIC Volkswagen and iQOO.

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Asia

Natural8 India gives poker enthusiasts across the country a chance to become Asian Poker Tour (APT) champions from the comfort of their homes!

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Ever dreamt of testing your skills at poker competitively, against some of the best poker players in Asia? If you have, then let it be a dream no more! Natural8 India is giving poker players across the country, both amateur and professional, a chance to win up to 20 Asian Poker Tour (APT) trophies with the biggest-ever online APT series with millions in prize pools: the APT Online 2024!

Having kicked off on November 10, the APT Online 2024 offers players a chance to win up to 20 APT trophies, including three exclusive and bespoke APT Online Lion Trophies, and millions in prize pools across the Main Event, High Roller, and Super High Roller tables. Natural8 India will also automatically enter all players participating in any APT Trophy events into the Lucky Draw Flipout at no extra charge, giving five top players a chance to win the APT Main Event Live Packages.

Speaking about the event, Kunal Patni, Executive Director and Country Head, Natural8 India, said, “The APT Online 2024 is an unparalleled opportunity for poker enthusiasts in India to experience the thrill of competitive poker on a grand stage. We are thrilled to bring this prestigious series to players across the country, giving them the chance to not only test their skills against the best and compete for APT trophies and massive prize pools. Our goal is to make top-tier poker accessible to everyone, and we hope to inspire a new wave of talent to rise through India’s growing poker community. We are excited with the response so far and are looking forward to even more players, whether seasoned pros or just starting on their poker journeys, to participate in the exciting, thrilling experience that the APT Online 2024 is shaping up to be!”

With all this available with buy-ins as low as INR 1,100 and from the comfort of your home, what are you waiting for? Visit Natural8 India today and sign up for the table right here, and get a chance to compete against other poker enthusiasts and earn glory by becoming an APT Trophy winner!

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