Esports has become one of the major sports breakthroughs of the 21st century. Millions of young men and women around the world already consider computer games not just a hobby, but a full-fledged sport that can become their life’s work.
In practice, Esports is strikingly different from what a traditional sport looks like, how to get into it, and how to achieve really serious results. On the other hand, and from a financial point of view, it became just a sensation, because only football and poker surpass it in the number of prize money in tournaments. Canada is considered one of the best countries to grow as a professional esports player. Let’s take a look at why that is.
Esports in Canada: an Emerging Market
It took more time for esports to become a dominant trend in the Canadian market than in Europe or Asia. According to the GlobalWebIndex estimates for the end of 2018, 28 percent of Canadian young people between 16 and 24 years of age said they had seen an esports event in the month before their survey participation and according to this data, among the 41 countries surveyed, Canada was 26th based on the number of people in that age segment watching esports competitions. There is also considerable growth opportunity between young men and the entire population, given the mechanisms are established.
The elite of sports are well known in Canada. Quebecers Stéphanie Harvey is a 5-time worldwide champion for Counter-Strike video shooter games. The Toronto Defiant and the Vancouver Titans represent two of the 20 teams in a prosperous Overwatch League, whose champions have earned 1.1 million dollars in September. The teams compete with other games from around the world including Chinese, South Korean, French, British, and United States participants.
How to Earn in eSports
Esports, like any sport, is a media market. Here are some more numbers for comparison. The International 2017 – the world Dota 2 championship – was watched by 5 million viewers at the same time, and the League of Legends championship – 14.7 million.
The tremendous growth in the popularity of esports has also created a whole new level of online sports gaming, with high-stakes competitions still open to wager worldwide. Things like betting and game-themed slots are also part of the industry. Some fans are looking specifically for 1$ deposit casino to win a jackpot from small installments. With esports, a true fan gets a double win: joy for the victory of your favorite team and real money from your bet.
Most Popular eSports Games
There are many esports games out there, but some of them hold a special place and play a significant role in the development of this industry.
Dota 2
A fantasy-style game in which players find themselves on a map with two opposing sides, each of which is played by 5 people. Everyone chooses a hero for himself and develops him within the framework of one game in order to achieve the main goal – the destruction of the enemy’s main building.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
The confrontation of terrorists against special forces, 5 players in each team. The task of the terrorists is to blow up the object, and the special forces must in every possible way prevent this. Tournaments are held here, on average, $1 million, but at the same time, salaries for esports players are usually higher than in other disciplines.
League of legends
A game made following the example of Dota 2 and having the same principle – 2 teams with five players in each, and the key goal is to destroy the main building of the enemy. The largest League of Legends tournament has a prize pool of $ 2.2 million.
Overwatch
Overwatch is a team-based shooter in which players are given different tasks depending on the type of map. Esports is not very developed here, and the only tournament that most players aspire to is the Overwatch League, in which $ 275,000 is played.
Fortnite
Fortnite is a shooter in which 100 players find themselves on an island, from which only one will get out (or two if you start a team game). Epic Games is actively involved in the development of esports and held a tournament in 2019 with a total prize of almost $ 10 million.
