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Esports, a short form of electronic sports, is a gaming industry sector that has experienced tremendous growth. This type of sport involves competitive video gaming events where teams or individual players battle with the aim of winning a grand prize. The exact prize the team or individual gets depends on the game.
Like traditional sports, electronic sports have become so popular that gaming sites cover their events. So, punters who want to place bets on something other than regular sports can do so on eSports. In fact, some online bookmakers stream these competitions so punters can also watch them while wagering on live events.
The intergalactic Spacewar Olympics, held in 1972, was the first recognized eSports tournament. Back then, the team winners, Slim Tovar and Robert E. Maas, received a year’s subscription to The Rolling Stones. Today, many electronic sports tourneys have sprung up, some of them offering millions of dollars as a grand prize. In this article, we shall explore the best eSports tournaments you can bet on.
Are all e-sports tournaments the same?
Tournaments vary based on the eSports game. The differences between these contests lie in their formats, fan bases, prize pools, and so much more. For instance, the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Majors is competed by 24 teams, and the tournament prize pool currently reaches $2 million. On the other hand, only 20 teams compete in the International, which has a prize pool that can reach $40 million.
These differences sometimes determine how much attention a gaming site puts on an eSports tournament. For example, some platforms, like 1xBet, sponsor some eSports competitions. So, you’re sure to find more gaming markets for these games on these platforms than on some competitor sites. Furthermore, the more popular a tournament is, the better its coverage on gaming platforms; some sites even offer promotions tailored to that contest. Tournaments for eSports like Dota 2 and CS:GO are some of the most well-known ones. Below, we have explained the tournaments for these two games as well as other popular eSports contests.
The International
The first on our list of the best eSports tournaments to bet on is the International. It’s an annual tournament held for the well-known video game Dota 2. Produced by the game’s creator, Valve, it features 20 teams and is the last competition on the Dota Pro Circuit (DPC). The single-tournament prize pool for the International, which can reach $40 million, is the highest of any eSports competition, and over 1.75 million people tune in to watch the contest live. During its course, gaming sites offer odds for all of its events. Some of these gaming sites also have a game section where you can enjoy other games like slots and baccarat. If you’re looking for such sites, then find the top 50 online games verified by Best5.com, as these platforms have the best offerings.
CSGO Majors
The CS:GO Major is the highest level of competition for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. It’s an open-circuit tournament, so even low-ranked teams can participate in the qualifiers, but only those who have made it through these qualifiers can compete for the Major and win the prize pool. The tournament was first held in Sweden in 2013, where 16 teams shared a $250,000 prize pool. Today, 24 teams participate in the contest, and some of these teams, like Astralis and Fnatic, have won several times. With a prize pool currently reaching $2 million, the CS: GO Major Championships record over 2 million viewers.
The Six Invitational
The Six Invitational is Ubisoft’s competitive event that marks the end of every Rainbow Six Siege season. Its first two editions were hosted in Montreal, the home of the game’s producer, but it began to go international in 2021. In the first edition, only six teams participated and played only on PC and Xbox One. The second edition featured 16 teams. However, in the third edition, 20 teams took part, 16 of which were chosen from the top teams in the season’s global standings and four from each regional qualifier in Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America. In 2022, the competition’s viewership peaked at 272,714.
Apex Legends Global Series Championship
The Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS) is an international eSports tournament series that Electronic Arts and Respawn Entertainment organised for the video game Apex Legends. This championship is the culmination of the series’ promotion and relegation system that runs throughout each season. The ALGS was officially announced in 2019, and its first edition was held in 2020. For the inaugural ALGS Championship, the prize pool was $2.58 million. EA contributed $1 million, while the remaining funds came from selling limited-edition in-game skins. The total prize pool for the second and third seasons of ALGS was increased to $5 million. On May 1, 2022, the Split Two Playoffs had a record-breaking average minute audience of 539,000 and an unlimited viewing of 10.3 million hours.
League of Legends Worlds
Every year, Riot Games hosts the League of Legends World Championship, culminating each competitive season. Teams battle for a multi-million dollar grand prize and the 70-pound Summoner’s Cup. Different teams have won the tournament, but T1, a team from South Korea, has won three consecutive global championships, making them the most successful team in the tournament’s history. With the popularity of the League of Legends game, its tournaments are among the most prestigious and most-watched contests in the world. In 2018, 99.6 million people watched the final, smashing the previous record of 5.15 million set in 2017.
Is Streaming on E-sports worth it
With the number of eSports tournaments held yearly, online bookies offer more than enough gaming markets for punters. These markets include those for pre-match and live gaming. Some operators make gaming on these contests more entertaining by offering streaming platforms for live events. With this, you can track the tournament’s progress and place bets accordingly.
However, the eSports gaming industry is still not as large as sports gaming. This is understandable, considering that eSports is a more recent addition to the gaming space compared to traditional sports like football and basketball. Plus, not every punter is interested in these events. Nevertheless, electronic sports tournaments are becoming more popular, and there’s a good chance that more punters will be interested in gaming on their markets in the future.
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