(Newswire.net — April 9, 2017) — It’s an odd statement to make, but believe it or not, League of Legends is considered by many to be a bigger sport than rugby. Some would argue that it is not a sport. Many of you probably won’t even know what it is, but if you focus on the gambling aspect alone then this statement rings true, and it could have a big impact on the world of sports and eSports.
LoL Betting
These days there are more people betting on League of Legends (known as “LoL”) than on rugby. On European sportsbooks that offer both eSports and rugby, you’ll always find a reference for eSports. There are more bets and more money and as a result, there are more markets being offered.
This is not because LoL is more of a global game—like rugby, it has many fanatical superstars in some countries, and in others no one has heard of it. It’s simply because LoL is the biggest eSport out there right now, and eSports are currently taking over the world of online gambling.
League of Legends betting is not only attracting more gambling dollars from those who spend their days on sports books, but it is also attracting a wealth of new money into the industry. As a result, more and more money is making its way into the tournaments themselves, TV companies are paying more attention and the face of LoL and competitive gaming is set to change forever.
Where Will This Lead
Sky Sports are beginning to show more eSports competitions. Many of these are based around LoL, all of which you can bet on using the SkyBet website. These are not mutually exclusive, and when Sky senses an increased activity in one, they push their efforts into the other. So, an increase in bets means more coverage on TV. It also means more sports books follow suit, which in turn generates more TV coverage, as well as, live streams. This means events like Dream Hack generate more interest and more money, which ultimately means they can offer bigger prizes.
Gambling should never be seen as a necessity, but it often is. It’s what makes sports grow and what makes them so lucrative. This is an argument that many gamblers have had and one that is often shunned for voicing. But it’s one that we’re seeing in real-time with eSports and with LoL in particular.
So, whether you’r a gambler or not, it’s something that you have to respect because it’s something that benefits everyone in this industry, as well as, the fact that everyone is looking to get involved in it. eSports probably wouldn’t be what it is today without LoL, but LoL wouldn’t be what it is without gambling.