The coronavirus has brought the world of sports to a standstill. The crisis now claims an average of 3,000 lives each day and has one million people infected world over. The sporting fortresses we know are now health facilities. But how do sports punters survive the lockdowns around the globe? For us who run to sports betting for solace, where do we turn to in a world without games?
Available Betting Options during the COVID-19 Crisis
Early in the year, the March, as it always is, was promising to be crazy busy for bookmakers. The madness in this month is often unrivaled. For cricket lovers, it’s the international series featuring Australia, England, Cricket-mad India, New Zealand, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. There would be the College Basketball, American Football, NBA and PGA, as well as tennis. And for racing enthusiasts, the formula one.
All those headlining events provided a steady stream of bets for bookies. But now all that has grounded to a halt. And while Bookmakers have taken an enormous hit, and reporting a decline in profits, they are not bowing out just yet. So, how do sports punters survive during this era of no sport?
eSports, like the FIFA2020, often classified as “secondary sports,” now occupy a large chunk of the available games as bookies battle to fill the void. Some bookmakers, like 888 and Betway, are pushing sports punters into playing virtual sports games. They have also integrated online casinos, so gamblers also have a chance at online slots and other casino games.
Betting on eSports
Betting on esports is the real deal now. While this type of betting was already available before the crisis, it got off to a languid start. The pandemic has given it a massive boost.
eSports has been gradually gaining traction over the last few years. Earlier estimates showed the sector could be worth nearly $30 billion this year. We expect it to surpass this figure now that it dominates sports betting.
But, then, what is esports, and how does esports betting work?
Well, eSports is competitive video gaming or merely electronic sports. It involves people playing video games against each other, competing for a grand prize.
While there are dozens of contests, spread across different games, bookmakers mostly feature professional contests of a few popular titles. Some of the commonly featured eSport games include:
Battlefield
Call of Duty
Counter-Strike Global Offensive
Dota 2
FIFA Football/Soccer
Halo
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
Heroes of the Storm
League of Legends
Overwatch
PUBG
Rocket League
Smite
Starcraft II
Street Fighter
Super Smash Bros
World of Tanks
Like other sports, you need to understand the teams you back in esports. Remember, eSport players, are ranked according to their prowess. You need to research and have adequate data about a unit before putting in your money. Sites such as oddsportal.com, esportsbets.com, and many others will come in handy in this situation.
Online Casino Games
Another option that bookmakers are now encouraging punters to try is playing online casino games. While these games are riskier than sports betting, they are equally fun and rewarding to play.
Casino games such as online slots pay up six figures in grand prices. But there are also small frequents wins. Most of the casino games are simple and don’t need research as they are games of chance. If you are looking for a way to kill time, then you should surely consider playing some, like the Wheel of Fortune and Thunderstruck. You as well take your chance with the roulette wheel.
Ongoing Sports Events
The world of sports may be in the ICU, but it is not dead. Some a few leagues are still going on in some parts of the world. And so, sportsbooks are left to scramble for crumbs.
We scanned through various sportsbooks and betting marketplaces, and we found some less glamorous fixtures like:
Belarussian ice hockey
Belarussian football league
Nicaraguan under-20s football
Russian table tennis
Tajikistani basketball, and, to name only a few.
The big question, though, how good are the odds of the games from these leagues?
Final Word
With most sports events postponed, eSports and classic content have stepped in the void, helping bookies, sports punters, and even broadcasters. We believe that combining them with a few casino games, betting, and sports fans can be engaged during the ongoing lockdowns.
