How is Esports Betting Different from Sports Betting?

The recent growth seen in esports betting and sports betting has been propelled by the digital revolution.

Faster internet connection and the rise in making money online has fast tracked the professionalization of esports generally and online betting.

While sports betting has been around for longer, ease of convenience was not as smooth as it is right now.

And because of that, sports betting companies have opened markets for gambling in either industry, with more people dabbling in their favourite niche.

Whether you’re into Esports or sports gambling, signing up with the right online betting sites takes the thrill to a whole new level. But what is the difference between the two?

Difference in Esports and Sports Betting

Now let’s take a closer look at the key differences between gambling in traditional sports and esports.

Audience Demographics

The demographics of sports bettors vary per category. For the typically testosterone charged sports like football and the likes, you’d find age groups representing both young and old.

And for the more sophisticated and individual sports, barring boxing and mixed martial arts, the demographics represent a more mature audience.

Take horse racing for instance, not a lot of young and female persons delve in that market. It’s more suited for the older gentlemanly demographic.

Within esports gambling a contrast is seen, because esports as a stand-alone, is more inclined to draw in younger people who are into tech and gaming generally.

Sports betting draws in a vaster and broader demographic in that regard, while esports betting is more welcoming to a younger demographic.

Types of Games and Events

The difference between the two categories lends itself to the physical and non-physical nature of either, or how long each has been around for.

Without sounding controversial, we can safely suggest that sports betting has been around for as long as sports has existed as compared to esports betting.

The traditional football leagues, tournaments, horse racing events and sundry, have all been a market for sports betting for centuries, compared to esports and its betting market, which are still in the infancy stages.

Only as recently as the 70s and 80s can we say the emergence of esports was witnessed, with tournaments played in games like Pacman and Space Invaders.

Today, the rise has fast-tracked, with games like PUBG and Dota 2 being set up for tournaments and eventually finding their way into sports betting sites.

Betting Markets and Options

With esports betting, as compared to traditional sports betting, the quick succession of games gives bettors more options with faster turnaround times.

Take for instance a FIFA match, typically 90 minutes in its traditional form, can be wrapped up in 15 minutes depending on the time decided on per half by the gamers, with most of the markets included.

That is not to say there aren’t interval markets in traditional sports betting, but esports betting is much more dynamic and quicker.

And with the variance in esports games, it’s befitting that the markets are slightly different and cater for something totally different, although the fundamentals remain the same.

It’s all about jotting down and familiarizing yourself with what is available and its application.

Regulatory Environment

Esports, like cryptocurrencies, are still somewhat of a regulatory challenge because of their infancy and overtly sophisticated nature for the elder generation who make the laws.

Whilst sports betting is more regulated with boards and other organizational structures found in the different jurisdictions, nations, states or provinces.

It is therefore advised that esports bettors be circumspect in the choices of platforms they use and endeavor to make sure that they are properly licensed to avoid falling prey to malevolent practices.

Live Betting and Streaming Integration

Live betting is integrated into either of the two, but streaming is where one would find noticeable differences.

Most sports bookies have streaming options available, but they are not so prevalent owing to licensing rights, unlike esports betting which is inherently integrated to live streaming platforms.

Esports Betting and Sports Betting in Summation

Without having to labour much on the differences of either, it’s worth noting the dynamism esports brings forth. It is therefore all up to the bettor to pick what works best.