eSports
Saudi Arabia Aiming to Drive eSports to Even Greater Heights
The 2024 eSports World Cup in Saudi Arabia has been billed as an event which will fire professional gaming into another stratosphere.
The tournament has captivated the gaming community with its $60 million prize pool and roster of popular games such as League of Legends and Counter-Strike.
However, while the ambition is clear, the eSports World Cup has failed to match some of the figures tallied by other major eSports events.
Read on as we evaluate the tournament from multiple angles, from viewership figures to long-term marketing potential.
Early Performance & Viewership
The eSports World Cup has already garnered more attention than previous similar events.
According to official data from eSports Charts, average viewership grew by nearly eight percent compared to last year’s Gamers8 held in Saudi Arabia.
This growth is promising but might not be enough to position the World Cup as a dominant force in the eSports calendar.
Some observers have already pointed out that viewership numbers still lag behind those of established events such as Games Done Quick and the League of Legends World Championship.
However, early statistics from the event indicate a rich engagement level. The World Cup peaked at 2.4 million viewers in the opening week, accumulating 36 million hours of watch time.
This is a healthy figure that shows substantial interest in the competition. The numbers are not mind-blowing, but it is a decent start.
Betting
Professional gaming has rapidly grown into a worldwide phenomenon over the last few years, leading to a surge in betting interest.
With millions of fans tuning in to watch their favourite teams and players compete, it is no surprise that betting on eSports has become a lucrative industry.
The excitement and competition eSports generates are perfect for sports betting sites for Arab players.
Numerous betting platforms offer odds on various aspects of the games, from match winners to player performance, which can make the viewing experience more enjoyable for fans.
The combination of eSports and betting could be groundbreaking for both industries. Organisers can tap into a new revenue stream while fans enjoy more engagement.
Sponsor Perspective
For many sponsors, including massive brands such as PepsiCo and Mastercard, the eSports World Cup is more than just viewership statistics.
Their involvement is an investment in long-term brand engagement and market positioning rather than immediate returns.
“Our partnership with the eSports World Cup has brought us closer to millions of fans,” said EVP of Global Sponsorships and Partnership Models at Mastercard Pernilla Winberg Babtist.
She highlighted the positive early metrics and expressed confidence in the event’s marketing value beyond mere numbers.
PepsiCo’s SVP and CMO Karim El Fiqi also felt the same way, focusing on the broader value of the sponsorship. “The on-ground engagement with consumers and the equity we build with gamers is crucial,” he explained.
El Fiqi also noted the importance of the event within the context of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the economy and promote cultural and economic growth.
Strategic Benefits & Regional Impact
According to the managing director of Strive Sponsorship, Malph Minns, the connection between the event and other government-backed projects allows sponsors to build their regional presence without shelling out obscene sums on promotion.
“Companies operating in that region are very cognizant of maintaining favourable relations with government entities,” Minns said.
This view has been supported by the event’s ability to attract high-profile sponsors and partners such as Unilever, Amazon and adidas.
These brands see the World Cup as a way of engaging with the burgeoning eSports community and building brand equity.
Event Experience & Prospects
The World Cup was designed with a unique cross-game format, with top teams and players competing across 22 competitions in 21 leading games. This makes the competition more exciting for viewers.
The 8,000-capacity Saudi esports Federation Arena at Boulevard Riyadh City has received widespread praise as the host infrastructure.
The 220-acre development at the Prince Turki al-Awwal Road is a world-class entertainment centre that rivals any structure of its kind anywhere in the world. The town also features jaw-dropping architecture, cafes, shopping centres and theatres.
Liverpool and Portugal international forward Diogo Jota attended the opening ceremony and was effusive in his admiration for the scale and execution. The 27-year-old former Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker is an avid gamer and investor in the eSports scene.
“The level of investment and infrastructure is exactly what eSports needs to grow and reach a wider audience,” Jota said.
His positive feedback is a sign that the World Cup can make a significant impact in the eSports universe over a long-term period.
eSports
PandaScore’s premade esports BetBuilder breaks onto the scene
After a highly successful launch of its dedicated esports BetBuilder, PandaScore’s premade BetBuilder – or Prebuilt markets– is live across its full client base.
PandaScore’s Prebuilt markets give operators the ability to tap into the rich storytelling behaviours that are key to esports engagement, through ready-made BetBuilder wagers in a simpler, sweeter fashion.
Prebuilt markets are available across all three major titles: Counter-Strike, Dota 2 and League of Legends. Additionally, Prebuilt markets will launch with the inclusion of Valorant, and PandaScore’s trailblazing Valorant player props – a hotly sought-after feature as bet volumes on the game continue to grow.
PandaScore’s Prebuilt markets are live with two primary premade options for bettors to choose, both a combination of Match Winner 2-way and player props. On these markets, Antoine Vallespir, PandaScore Product Manager stated “we’re starting with two MVP-focused storylines: a team’s star player popping off and carrying his team to victory, and a star player being shut down, with his team unable to win.”
This combination serves as a key starting point based on extensive user research over the last six months of PandaScore’s BetBuilder product. Esports bettors were combining these two markets to the point where it was almost a compulsory combination.
Along with tailoring Prebuilt markets bets to specific teams and players within teams, operators will be able to create wagers that develop and tell the story of a competition during its lifecycle. Additionally, part of the product’s strength is also that it’s incredibly flexible: PandaScore will be updating and rolling out new combinations based on BetBuilder feedback.
Prebuilt markets are also one of the simplest integrations available to operators. It functions like any other single market: if you know how to integrate a Winner 2-way market, you can integrate our Prebuilt markets.
PandaScore CEO Flavien Guillocheau commented that “tailored, personalised experiences are not the exception, but the expectation in modern entertainment – the same goes for betting. We confirmed the popularity of our BetBuilder, and with it comes freedom of choice but complexity of product. Prebuilt markets allow you to switch from the complex to the simple, to offer operators easy access to a market-leading product and to give all types of esports bettors the most exciting betting opportunities in esports.”
eSports
DATA.BET Launches Esports Bet Builder
The company advances the betting experience for esports fans
DATA.BET, a leading esports betting provider, releases Bet Builder, designed to create highly customized compound bets within a single match, offering a thrilling experience for professional bettors and avid esports enthusiasts.
Unlike traditional express bets, which span across multiple events, Bet Builder operates within a single event. It allows players to tailor their bets with flexibility, making it ideal for skillful users who deeply understand the game and seek a more personalized and strategic betting experience. With Bet Builder, users can bet on a wide range of markets within a single event, freely combining their selections without any restrictions.
In addition to its powerful functionality, this product is versatile in its integration. It can be seamlessly connected to any platform via API, allowing operators to offer this premium feature without technical limitations.
The novelty is already available for Counter-Strike 2 and will soon expand to cover other popular esports titles such as Valorant, League of Legends, and other disciplines.
“Our Bet Builder is a game-changer in the esports betting landscape,” said Rostyslav Likhtin, Head of Product at DATA.BET. “We’ve developed a sophisticated mathematical model that allows us to offer this feature on compound events without compromising on profitability. Beyond providing a unique experience that boosts engagement rates, loyalty, and expands the user base, it also significantly increases the operator’s turnover from the existing audience. Additionally, Bet Builder helps attract new players who are eager to explore combined bets on popular sports, allowing them to become more familiar with these disciplines.”
eSports
BETBY EXPANDS ESPORTS PORTFOLIO WITH LAUNCH OF eSTREETBALL
BETBY, a leading provider of premium sportsbook solutions, has announced the addition of eStreetball to its BETBY Games esports content portfolio, further enhancing its impressive lineup of e-simulator sports. BETBY Games now features nine different sports, hosting over 50 tournaments across various disciplines.
The newly introduced eStreetball title brings players the excitement of three unique tournaments: NBA All-Star, NBA All-Classic, and CBA All-Star. Combining state-of-the-art graphics with extensive betting options, the game delivers an exhilarating and immersive experience for esports enthusiasts.
Each eStreetball match offers rapid gameplay, with games concluding in just seven minutes. For an enhanced betting experience, the game provides more than 10 betting markets, including options like winner, total points, home total, away total, handicap, odd/even, and race to points. This latest addition follows a series of recent updates to BETBY Games’ esports portfolio, showcasing the company’s commitment to delivering innovative and engaging content for its partners.
Kirill Nekrasov, Head of BETBY Games, commented: “We were thrilled with the success of our recent Classic eBasketball release, which motivated us to accelerate the launch of new content for this game. We’ve now introduced another basketball-based sport, and I’m confident it will resonate with both casual players who enjoy quick bets and instant outcomes, as well as esports enthusiasts who are always eager for new disciplines.
He added that: “We are continually striving to innovate and enhance our offerings, aiming to provide the best possible esports experience for our partners and their players. The introduction of Streetball to BETBY Games’ e-simulator portfolio reflects our dedication to the esports sector. By delivering top-tier content, we empower our partners to differentiate themselves in the market while keeping players engaged, particularly during periods when live sports events may be limited.”
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