SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Nick Scott, Sales Director at Bayes Esports, writes for SBC News to elaborate on a hectic summer of esports, and just what strategies need to be put in place to maximise the impact of such a frantic schedule.
It is going to be a jam-packed summer watching the top esports teams battle it out for victory at some of the biggest esports events the world has ever seen. We have hit the halfway mark of 2024 and so many tier 1 tournaments still lie ahead. Events like IEM Cologne, BLAST Premier World Final, and The International 2024 are all anticipated to attract massive viewership numbers.
The major audiences for these events, however, don’t necessarily guarantee high esports betting engagement and turnover. It’s a competitive market, and an esports portfolio must stand out. One notable example is a customer of Bayes Esports who invested heavily in boosting their customer engagement and in return saw a 300% increase in their revenue.
While sportsbooks may think it’s too late to make any impactful enhancements in time for these major events, this simply isn’t the case. There are plenty of changes that can be done to optimise their esports product, and ensure it’s in tip top shape ahead of these major global esports events.
Tip #1 – Upgrade your visual tools
Alongside an official data solution, sportsbooks can make their product more visually engaging by pairing it with a video stream and widget. The integration can be done in a matter of days, boosting customer retention and maximizing betting turnover.
With access to the official video direct from the source, sportsbooks can ensure their stream has a low delay that is ahead of public broadcast. Bettors will no longer have to leave to another website when a match starts and return at the end to see their bets settled.
In esports, more than 70% of esports betting handle is on live betting during matches.. This shows just how important it is to have a video and/or widget that can keep up with the rate of betting. Either of these tools powered through official channels will encourage live match betting and provide continuous betting turnover.
Tip #2 – Optimise the page layout
Oftentimes, esports can be hidden at the bottom of a sportsbooks page. Bettors have to scroll through countless traditional sports to even find what they are looking for. Instead, take advantage of the huge potential the major esports tournaments offer and make the esports betting portfolio more prominent in the lead up.
This could be in the form of adding esports imagery to the homepage, or adding a ticker to the top of the website. A ticker would display key information of the event, such as upcoming fixtures or live scores. This ensures that the website visitors stay informed about the latest updates without them having to go to another website or scroll through lengthy lists.
Tip #3 – Increase your advertising
In the lead up to tournaments, upping the advertising and marketing efforts, even on a small scale, can have long-term payoffs. Targeted advertising can attract esports bettors to a site, converting them into regular sports bettors. This cross selling tactic is key for customer acquisition, as it shows 91% of esports bettors also bet on traditional sports.
While it is less common, there is also the potential to convert traditional sports bettors into esports bettors, especially when big tournaments arise. Events with a cross-game competition format will also include games based on traditional sports, like FIFA and R1. This offers an excellent opportunity to attract sports fans since these games have formats that are easier to understand.
Tip #4 – Consider free to play and gamification options
In order to increase fan engagement, provide an enticing feature to get them involved. While the end goal is to get them to bet within the sportsbook, draw a customer in with free-to-play gamification features. This could include fantasy games, Pick ‘ems, Predictors, or Tournament Brackets. Featuring this on your homepage or within its own dedicated landing page, will give potential bettors a taste of the esports experience.
Consider what incentives you attach to these games that will be hard to resist. While free-to-play is a great start, go one step further and provide free bets for the winners. It’s a small price to pay for larger returns once you acquire them as a customer.
Get prepared for top tier tournaments
Mark your calendars with the dates for the upcoming major esports tournaments. Get prepared for these monumental esports events by putting these strategies into practice. It will ensure your sportsbook can take advantage of the massive audience these tournaments attract, and funnel that audience into high engagement and maximum revenue. The esports industry is growing and in turn, becoming more mainstream. Those that adapt their traditional sportsbook practices will be more likely to reap the rewards.
Get in touch with Bayes Esports to learn more about potential opportunities and how to make the most of these exciting upcoming esports events.
