*Updated for 2025*
eSports, or competitive video gaming, has grown from a niche hobby into a multi-billion-dollar global industry. With its explosive growth, affiliates have a unique opportunity to tap into this market and build lucrative businesses. This guide breaks down the essentials for affiliates looking to enter the eSports space and succeed.
For many affiliates, this is an area they are aware of, but aren’t entirely sure on how to get involved to make money yet. Per joined us to demystify this elusive area and detailed what affiliates could look at as early adopters to this exciting space.
What is eSports?
eSports refers to organized, competitive gaming where players or teams face off in video games such as League of Legends, DOTA 2, and Overwatch. These competitions often culminate in major tournaments that draw massive audiences both online and offline.
Key highlights of eSports include:
- Diverse Games: Spanning genres like real-time strategy, first-person shooters, and sports simulators.
- Global Audiences: Millions of fans worldwide watch live streams on platforms like Twitch and YouTube.
- Professional Players: Top players sign contracts, compete in leagues, and often have celebrity status within the gaming community.
What Are the Most Popular eSports?
The most popular eSports games attract millions of viewers and players. Some of the leading titles include:
- League of Legends (LoL): Known for its team strategy and massive World Championship events.
- DOTA 2: Renowned for its enormous prize pools.
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO): A leading first-person shooter with a dedicated fanbase.
- Overwatch: A team-based shooter with a colorful, dynamic style.
- Fortnite: Blending battle royale with eSports events for younger audiences.
Esports aren’t they all the same?
Per started off with the basics in this talk, with an introduction of what Esports games actually are and why the audiences that play them require a differentiated marketing strategy within each. This is a sector that a lot of people are talking about, but not a lot of people know the specifics of. Popular titles like League of Legends, DOTA2 and Overwatch are ones that sports betting affiliates may be familiar with on a professional or personal level but aren’t yet promoting for revenue because they simply don’t have a connection to the type of audience that play these games.
Customers that are engaged in these games aren’t necessarily typical punters and won’t be attracted to generic sports betting offers. These games are becoming popular with mass audiences, as there are now televised competitions and heavily sponsored championships forming around the tournament plays.
How Much Do eSports Players Make?
The earning potential in eSports varies widely:
- Tournament Winnings: The prize pools for games like DOTA 2 can reach tens of millions of dollars. For example, The International 2023 boasted a prize pool exceeding $40 million.
- Salaries: Professional players signed to teams can earn base salaries ranging from $50,000 to over $300,000 annually.
- Sponsorships: Additional income comes from brand endorsements, merchandise sales, and live streaming on platforms like Twitch.
While the top earners dominate headlines, many players make modest incomes and rely on sponsorships and streaming for supplemental revenue.
How to Bet on eSports
Betting on eSports has become increasingly popular, offering affiliates an excellent revenue opportunity. Here’s how it works:
- Choose a Platform: Many sportsbooks now offer eSports betting. Ensure the platform you promote is reputable and licensed.
- Understand the Markets: Common betting markets include match winners, tournament outcomes, and in-game events (e.g., first kill).
- Targeted Marketing: Tailor your campaigns to appeal to younger, tech-savvy bettors who value authenticity and expertise.
Affiliates can profit from referral commissions by driving traffic to eSports betting platforms. However, success requires understanding the games and the unique behavior of eSports bettors.
So how can sports betting affiliates get involved?
On the surface , eSports can seem like a daunting sector to get involved with, especially if you don’t know much about it. Per advised that affiliates should recognise their target audience, understand the games and how they are played BEFORE trying to market the properties and tournaments on their sites. This secret of success here is to niche right down and focus on customers by game groups. The fact is the consumer probably knows more about this game than you, and won’t be fooled by half hearted attempts to engage.
The Asian market is a particularly strong one for eSports, but the UK market is coming along nicely. Approximately 66% of those involved in eSports gaming are over the age of 18, which means they have the potential to gamble with your partner operators. Within this sector, there are smaller microcosms of support for different teams and games. You’ll have to be aware of this ecosystem if you want to appear knowledgeable to your audience.
What Is the Biggest eSports Event?
The eSports calendar is packed with major events, but some stand out:
- The International (DOTA 2): Famous for its record-breaking prize pools.
- League of Legends World Championship: A global phenomenon with elaborate stage productions.
- CS:GO Major Championships: Featuring intense competition among the world’s top teams.
- Fortnite World Cup: Catering to a younger audience with massive cash prizes.
These events draw millions of viewers and provide opportunities for affiliates to promote related content, betting platforms, and merchandise.
Opportunity knocks for early adopters
This is a growing market, with a larger public knowledge of the games comes a larger pool of potential bettors. At the moment, this is something of a niche, with plenty of opportunity for intrepid explorers and early adopters to stake a claim and build their brand before the esports boom. While you might not be able to sponsor the Champion’s League, for example, you could sponsor an innovative young eSports team and really get your name out there.
Your average eSports bettor is different from one that would bet on football or tennis, so you’ve got to understand the psychology of marketing to them, what they enjoy and how they engage with already established brand. It’s going to take research before you jump into the deep to formulate a strategy that can accommodate the transition. This type of bettor won’t be swayed by the same promotions or terminology, so you will need to adopt a different approach. They’re also savvy to corporations that want to seem like they know what they’re talking about, but actually only have a limited understanding of the market.
New ways to make money
How Affiliates Can Use eSports to Make Money
Affiliates have several pathways to monetize the growing eSports industry:
- Betting Partnerships: Promote eSports betting platforms and earn commissions through CPA (cost per acquisition) or revenue share models.
- Merchandise Sales: Partner with brands to sell team jerseys, gaming peripherals, and other gear.
- Content Creation: Build blogs, YouTube channels, or Twitch streams focused on eSports news, guides, or match analyses.
- Community Building: Create forums or membership sites offering exclusive content or benefits to eSports enthusiasts.
- Sponsorships: Collaborate with teams or individual players to feature your brand in streams or events.
There are a lot of ways to make money in eSports and not a lot of companies are taking advantage of this as of yet. You can monetise your audience with merchandise, upselling games creating new content , building membership communities with benefits and more. This gives a unique opportunity for iGaming affiliates that really want to get the most from their existing business investments to diversify over to a new niche.
On average, these bettors may not spend as much initially, but using these ways to monetise you can get more from them. They can also be cheaper to acquire and there’s less competition, giving you an opportunity to make your mark.
Getting Started: Steps for Affiliates
- Learn the Landscape: Familiarize yourself with popular games, players, and tournaments. Play the games or watch streams to understand the culture.
- Choose a Niche: Focus on specific games or demographics to tailor your marketing efforts effectively.
- Build an Authentic Brand: Gamers value authenticity. Create content that resonates with the community and showcases your expertise.
- Find Partners: Collaborate with eSports betting sites, teams, or merchandise providers to monetize your traffic.
- Monitor Trends: Stay updated on new games, emerging markets, and industry developments to maintain relevance.
The first step is to think of how you can add value to this audience and whether it’s really a good fit for you. Understand and play the games – then look into the different Esports that are out there and begin to think of the ones you would want to specialise in.
Finally, you may also want to seek the help of an expert to guide you. This may be for an initial period of time, or on a more regular basis. When it comes to creating your esports brand, content and presence, this person will come in handy to help you get started not the right footing.
Affiliate marketing comes in many forms, don’t miss out on getting in early to try and monetise your business models again across a new sector. All it takes is a bit of time to do the research to get started.
Why Now Is the Time to Enter eSports
eSports is still a growing industry, and early adopters can establish themselves as market leaders. By understanding your audience and offering value through specialized content and partnerships, you can build a thriving affiliate business in this exciting space. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to diversify your portfolio and capitalize on the eSports boom.
