Attracting the next generation of bettors via esports

They say the early bird gets the worm – but in esports, the worm’s already been claimed, and the game is halfway through the next round. Esports hasn’t just arrived, it’s already making serious moves. And for operators looking to connect with millennial and Gen Z audiences, it’s quickly becoming one of the most strategic growth levers in betting.

The market leader in esports betting solutions, Oddin.gg, has been closely watching this shift for the past seven years, not just through market trends but through hands-on experience with its partners. In a recent year-on-year (YoY) analysis, betting volume grew 70% across the same pool of 161,706 users. That’s not just growth; it’s a concrete sign of deeper engagement from existing bettors.

“Sportsbooks that actively embrace esports are seeing more than just traffic spikes,” says Marek Suchar, co-founder and managing director at Oddin.gg. “They’re laying the foundation for long-term bettor engagement with millennials and beyond. That’s where the real opportunity lies.”

Meet the new generation of bettors

Millennials and Gen Z aren’t just younger versions of yesterday’s bettors. They consume content differently, expect more from their digital experiences and interact with entertainment on their own terms. So much so, that traditional sports betting – with its fixed schedules and slower pace – often struggles to match the way this audience engages with content.

This new generation prefers fast, personalised, on-demand content. They’re mobile-first, community-driven and used to multi-tasking across platforms like Twitch, YouTube and Discord. The betting experience that works for them needs to feel more like gaming, and less like ‘legacy’ wagering.

“Operators often underestimate just how different this audience is,” says Suchar. “It’s not just about being younger, it’s about expecting a betting experience that mirrors the speed and interactivity they already get from online gaming and streaming.”

Why esports speaks their language

Esports naturally fits into this behaviour pattern. It’s always on, moves fast and rewards deep knowledge. For the new generation of bettors, esports isn’t just a sport – it’s part of their identity and daily routine.

Titles like Counter-Strike 2 (CS2), Dota 2 and League of Legends (LoL) offer near-constant action, with multiple events running across regions and time zones. In short, there’s no waiting for matchday. And the structure of esports itself – short rounds, real-time plays and constant momentum – mirrors the kind of experience these bettors already expect.

What the numbers say (it’s not just a theory)

The growth of esports betting isn’t happening in isolation, it mirrors the rise of esports as a global entertainment powerhouse. In one study, The Business Research Company projects that the global esports betting market will grow from £8.43bn in 2024 to £9.51bn in 2025 – a YoY increase of nearly 13%.

This market momentum is driven in part by record-breaking engagement from esports fans. The 2024 League of Legends World Championship grand final reached 6.9 million peak viewers, while the Valorant Champions final topped that with an audience of 9.1 million – both numbers surpassing many traditional sports broadcasts.

For sportsbooks, these kind of signals matter. As esports carves out a larger share of digital attention, betting activity is rising alongside it.

Oddin.gg’s internal betting data backs this up. According to its Esports Betting 2024 Review, betting volume across top-tier titles – CS2, Dota 2, LoL and Valorant – grew by 106% YoY, with bet count up 83%. Average stakes hit €70 for LoL’s Legends Pro League (LPL) 2024 Spring and €46 for CS2’s Professional Gamers League (PGL) Major Copenhagen 2024.

“We’re well past the point of asking whether esports is growing,” says Suchar. “These numbers show it’s not just gaining traction – it’s scaling fast.”

The right tools make all the difference

Oddin.gg’s esports offering is built specifically for a new generation of bettors. Products like the company’s 24/7 Fast Betting Content ensures sportsbooks are always on and always relevant. Others, like its BetBuilder – an industry-first for eSims like eFootball and esports like CS2 – offer bettors more control and personalisation through virtually limitless betting options, letting them shape bets around their own knowledge and style of play.

Oddin.gg partners are already capitalising on esports’ upward trajectory. As mentioned earlier, sportsbooks across the company’s operator network recorded a 70% YoY increase in esports betting volume, driven by more activity from the same pool of users. And with 91% margin efficiency in 2023 and a +10% gross gaming revenue (GGR) uplift seen by operators using Oddin.gg’s odds feed and trading solutions, it’s clear that smart tools can turn attention into actual results.

“Younger bettors don’t want the same experience their parents had,” says Suchar. “They want interaction, speed and something that feels like it’s built for them. That’s exactly where innovative products like our BetBuilder – built entirely from the ground up, based directly on our partners’ feedback – come in.”

Takeaways: esports isn’t the future. It’s now

Millennial and Gen Z bettors aren’t waiting for sportsbooks to catch up. They’re already choosing experiences that feel faster, more energetic and more relevant to their interests. Esports betting offers exactly that – but only if it’s delivered with the right tools.

Oddin.gg is helping operators meet that demand today, with proven solutions, flexible formats and a track record of measurable results. As the company’s latest data shows, esports isn’t just a trend to follow – it’s a strategic opportunity to act upon.

“The sportsbooks that win in the next five years won’t be the ones playing catch-up,” says Suchar. “They’ll be the ones who made esports a core part of their strategy while there was still time to lead.”

Oddin.gg is the number one B2B choice for esports betting, delivering an engaging experience through its end-to-end ecosystem. Clients benefit from its award-winning odds feed, risk management, iFrame, widgets, 24/7 content, BetBuilder, live data and marketing services, all designed to maximise partner profitability through automated infrastructure and advanced data science.