Since online betting continues to evolve, new solutions, trends, markets, and disciplines still emerge. eSports are among them. It’s difficult to call them precisely new since placing bets on video games has existed in one form or another for a few decades. But with the recent rise of competitive online games, wagering on eSports became ever so more popular.
Such a trend is present in the majority of countries across the globe. Nigeria isn’t an exception. Betting, in general, is quite popular in the country, and wagering on eSports is also quite widespread and now on the rise.
Our article won’t go into detail about the wagering process itself since there is a lot of information about this offered elsewhere over the Internet. For example, you can read how to bet on 1xBet. Instead, our text aims to cover the essentials of eSports wagering, particularly in the Nigerian market.
eSports Betting Features
Many things make it stand out from the regular wagering processes. First, some games feature much more complex rules than traditional sports do. It allows the betting options to be significantly more flexible. Another thing to consider is that the events can happen anytime, anywhere: the games can theoretically be hosted during lockdowns and at any season. It ensures that the events can happen all the time.
Unfortunately, only a few bookmakers take advantage of versatile betting options or use new markets offered by the games. For example, most of them often just add the “first hit” option that works like the “first goal” in football. However, you can design more exciting solutions, such as the first destroyed tower or betting on anything related to the individual player’s performance, even in team sports.
Why Offering eSports is Beneficial for Bookmakers
The reasons are relatively simple: eSports can help bookies reach an audience they otherwise wouldn’t. Many of these bettors are not interested in regular games or gambling at casinos. It, in turn, provides more marketing options since now the platform can collaborate with other professional players, many of whom are open to advertising.
The games are now quite popular, so there’s an audience. If we’re talking about major ones, League of Legends usually shatters records with millions of viewers on the live streams of championships. Dota 2 isn’t far behind. VALORANT is another example of a game that is widely played and watched and a preferred discipline for many bettors; it’s present at most bookmakers offering eSports wagering services. And our list wouldn’t be complete without Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. The game has been a common choice of many online gamers for over a decade and remains one of the most essential and widely played competitive games today.
What eSports Bring to the Punters
Along with new wagering options provided by some platforms for these games, eSports can offer a lot for the players. One notable thing is the number of live features: streaming eSports is straightforward, and licensing is still less expensive than large football or tennis championships. More interactivity provides more ways to calculate the possible wins, even during in-game betting. The eSports experts are avid online users, so finding discussions and prediction tips is even easier than for prevalent sports events.
How eSports Betting Works in Nigeria
Nigerians love wagering on sports. Many bookmakers have their origins in the country or are commonly used there. As is the case in most places, football remains the most popular game for betting and playing. But eSports are steadily growing in popularity, becoming a particularly hot trend recently. They are especially popular among the younger generation, even though they still like football, basketball, and other games.
We would still say that Nigeria is a little late on this trend; betting on eSports is already incredibly widespread in some other countries. But it catches up swiftly.
Tips to Get Better at eSports Wagering
You can always improve your skills, even in betting: the activity known for being mostly luck-based. There are always things that can help you improve, so we compiled some rules that you might find helpful. Most of them are applied to regular sports, but some are mainly targeted at video games:
- Learn how betting works. Understanding the popular markets, how the odds are calculated, the basic terms and feature names, and different types of wagers is essential for each punter. However, many ignore this point after learning only a few things.
- Get familiar with the rules. eSports can be relatively simple in their nature, but their rules and design are usually much more complex compared to regular games. Placing random bets won’t help you for long, so it’s better to deeply understand the process.
- Know how to play. This rule isn’t mandatory in general sports, but with cyber activities, it’s a must. It’s not difficult to do so since you can do it from the comfort of your computer, and most popular competitive games can be played even on a relatively budget setup. You don’t have to get to a professional level of anything, but being familiar with the game is very important.
- Watch streams. This moment is also applied mainly to eSports. The more often you watch how to play a game properly, the better understanding of the process you will get in the result.
- Keep up with the events. This rule is especially crucial for video game betting: things tend to change even quicker in the digital world than in real life. Knowing what team or player is currently at the top of the game and being aware of some others going downhill will be very important.
- Set up a budget. You’ll be surprised how quickly this activity can grow expensive. Big money is flowing into the world of eSports, and the events happen on a regular basis, so you might even miss the moment when you start overspending. Planning your budget will help you avoid this problem.
- Be aware of gambling addiction. Gambling addiction is a real issue that is present in betting as well. Video games can also play a role in developing unhealthy patterns, although many myths overestimate their effects. But combine these two activities, and things go in the wrong direction. Start to be aware of your behavior and stop betting if you find your style and habits unhealthy. Many bookmakers can redirect you to support services and freeze your account by request.
- Analyze your activity. Keeping track of your betting history is extremely important and can help you locate your drawbacks and strong points. You will find the moments needing improvement and start working on them. It also helps to track your spending.
One thing is clear: the prediction tips are relatively easy to follow, although, for eSports, it’s crucial to have some skill at the game.
Conclusion
Our article described everything one has to know about the current trend of eSports betting that’s going on in Nigeria. We’ve analyzed the growing popularity of the games, as well as what they can bring to players and bookmakers. We also provided tips that can be helpful for those willing to improve their skill.