Rohini Sardana, our head of product propositions, highlights how operators can optimise the way esports events are presented to bettors to enhance customer engagement.
Esports was one of the verticals operators turned to earlier this year as they looked to fill the void in live sport, created by the impact of Covid-19.
It proved to be a huge hit with bettors due to the engaging, multiple betting opportunities on offer and the vertical’s ever-growing popularity demonstrates that this is a product which is here to stay.
It’s clear however, that there’s still some way to go in terms of creating a profitable and truly sustainable esports betting experience that matches the in-play thrill of live sport.
The challenge now for operators is to hone the presentation of events to their customers to increase turnover levels and maximise the full potential of the esports betting vertical.
Making your offering relevant
In order to appeal to existing sports bettors, an esports betting solution should be familiar and interesting. Visual content, along with data, has proven to positively drive sports betting revenue and delivering high production quality live streams that are easy to access, works for esports too.
For example, the Watch and Bet model has proved successful in allowing people to familiarise themselves with sports content before making a bet and can also be utilised for esports. Live action Watch and Bet streams increases the likelihood of customers placing bets on future events once they understand the markets on offer.
One important aspect is to create a familiar look and feel to your esports betting product, that will appeal to your customers in the same way as live sports betting. Allowing bettors to watch live events that are complemented with betting prompts will ultimately allow them to bet on the product and help develop a better understanding of betting on esports.
Head-to-head sports-themed matches between skilled gamers with fast-paced action such as NBA2K or FIFA, has proven to be popular with existing bettors, due to the similarity with mainstream sports formats.
Providing multiple betting opportunities is another key factor. It is important to offer odds and markets that are easy to understand, such as pre-event and in-play options similar to the traditional sports betting experience.
Education and trust
While esports continue to enjoy success, operators would benefit from optimising the esports betting user experience by making the vertical more prominent and accessible on their websites.
For example, factors such as product placement should be considered, in order to grab attention, as well as educating bettors on how the product works, in order to break down barriers and encourage further engagement.
Given the concerns and evidence around match-fixing and integrity issues that have dogged esports in the past, it is critical that operators ensure their solutions and events being offered are underpinned by a set of integrity measures so that their customers can trust the markets they’re betting on. All stakeholders need to work together to ensure the events and prices offered are transparent and fair, offering a responsible and safe experience for all involved.
Making esports betting as familiar, appealing and engaging for bettors as the traditional sports betting experience will prove valuable for operators and ensure it maximises its full potential.
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