Betway unveils new eSports microsite

Betway is backing the rise of eSports to continue as it prepares to launch one of the industry’s first dedicated eSports betting microsites.

The operator recently unveiled a new eSports tab on Betway.com, allowing customers to bet on in-play and pre-event markets on a variety of competitions including Dota 2, League of Legends and Starcraft 2.

Speaking with eGaming Review, Betway’s sporting events and media manager Alan Alger said the operator was confident eSports will become a fast-growing sub-sector of the online betting market.

“At Betway, we don’t see the difference between eSports and any other sport, and through our dedicated microsite we’re able to give eSports bettors the same Betway experience that our traditional sports betting customers already enjoy,” he said.

“Although we are just at the beginning of our journey into the world of eSports, the early signs are that it’s going to become an important part of our identity,” Alger added.

Betway has tripled its eSports-focused team since the start of the year, hiring a number of dedicated eSports traders, developers and marketers ahead of the launch.

“While many other operators have slowly starting to adapt to the eSports phenomena, our established eSports team has been in place for some time which has allowed us to stay well ahead of the pack,” Alger said.

“With a vast knowledge of the eSports industry, and a unique product offering, we feel we have made the first successful move in the eSports betting scene,” he continued.

eGR recently conducted a poll on the long-term potential of eSports for online sportsbooks, and according to a majority of respondents its rise can no longer be ignored by the wider sports betting community.

Viewing figures for eSports are estimated to reach around 134 million this year and 57% of poll voters urged the industry to capitalise on its growth and start offering customers betting opportunities.