Is Betting On Streamers The Next Big Move In Esports?

Most of us are happy to bet on the world’s best esports teams: Los Angeles Gladiators, or Fnatic, or Team Secret. But a growing number of gaming fans are starting to realize that betting on streamers offers them way more flexibility as well as the chance of bigger profits.

Thanks to esports betting sites like the Seattle-based Unikrn, customers can now bet on a huge variety of streamers. This has the potential to significantly boost the options available for esports betting. Plus, with virtual esports betting picking up steam, wagering on competitive gaming is going through some fascinating changes.

What does betting on streamers involve?

A streamer betting platform allows users to bet on any streamer’s gameplay in correspondence to the odds presented by the betting service. The odds on offer will be automatically updated in real time.

Thanks to innovations in artificial intelligence, special trading bots can analyze in-game mechanics, interfaces, and streamers’ past form to generate betting odds that will be presented to the user.

We have already seen Unikrn develop its popular Unikrn UMode model. This allows gamers to wager on their own play for titles like League of Legends, Dota 2 and Fortnite. But a growing number of betting sites are starting to implement their own streamer betting options.

Why should you try betting on streamers?

When giant tournaments like ESL and The International Dota 2 are in their off-season, betting on streamers presents constant action. While this gameplay may be more unpredictable than a standard esports clash, it could offer users the chance to make larger profits by backing an unknown player who is competing against a well-known Twitch streamer.

As a result, betting on streamers is being marketed as relatively casual. For one, bettors avoid the pressure and toxicity surrounding giant esports events online.

Streamer betting also opens up new markets. If you want to bet on battle royale games, then you should be able to find markets for, say, who will rank first after a particular number of sessions.

Above all, betting on streamers should act as good practice before wagering on a major esports tournament. Grow accustomed to gameplay, and, most importantly, learn to manage a betting budget.

Which esports betting sites allow you to bet on streamers?

Unikrn hit the headlines earlier this year in this respect. The site will now allow customers to combine bets for a pro esports match and their favorite streamers into one parlay bet. Unikrn has noted its streamer betting platform will include an advanced AI system that can track the performances of top streamers and generate constantly updated odds to hundreds of millions of customers across four continents.

Unikrn Esports review

Not to be outdone, GG.Bet has also started allowing customers to bet on streamers. The Cyprus-based esports betting site regularly features odds for famous streamers like Ninja. You might also be able to wager on CS:GO stars like Jordan “n0thing” Gilbert or Hearthstone players such as Thijs Molendijk.

GG.bet platform is one of the latest esports betting sites to join the streamer betting trend. The site covers a wide range of games like Dota 2, CS:GO, Hearthstone, Call of Duty, Magic: The Gathering Arena, Overwatch, PUBG, and Rocket League.

Gimbl.gg also seems to be heading in this direction. This site even allows viewers to challenge top streamers on a range of the biggest esports.

Could virtual esports be the future of esports betting?

Things move fast in the world of esports. While most of us are just getting used to the concept of betting on streamers, virtual esports betting is on the horizon. Unikrn has already implemented the concept. It’s a similar, but more advanced version of the virtual sports betting options that cover football and horse racing.

The Unikrn Virtual platform will allow customers to bet on simulations of previous legendary esports teams. At the moment, this service is only available for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Of course, Unikrn plans to roll it out to other esports.

Virtual esports betting uses an algorithm that amalgamates archived techniques from CS:GO teams and presents customers with a new esports betting challenge. A random number generator ensures results are fair and transparent.

Rather than bettors waiting for an esports team or streamer to start playing, the arrival of virtual esports betting means there could always be a brand new gaming contest to wager on.

Gianfranco Capozzi
Gianfranco Capozzi

Since: October 31, 2018

Director of Esports at Catena Media. Specializing in Growth Hacking & Digital Marketing. An Old School Gamer and iGaming Professional, passionate about League of Legends, Fortnite and fighting games.

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