In the early 21st century, traditionalists would argue that professional betting markets were primarily for sports and competitions with an international audience. However, before the internet, this definition fell into a much narrower bracket. We're talking about the most popular sports on the planet, such as footbal, the NFL, and cricket, those heavy hitters.
It wasn't until global markets started to adjust to the rise of a global landscape that betting niches started to showcase their appeal. In the years preceding the rise of online betting, legacy media and established sports comprised the bulk of the betting market.
In countries like the UK, which have a longstanding reputation as one of the world's market leaders in the world of betting, bookmakers up and down the country would offer copious amounts of betting options, most notably covering football, horse racing, cricket, darts, and snooker.
The Rise of eSports Betting
If we're talking about contemporary niches, then the obvious candidate here is the rise of eSports betting. It wasn't until the beginning of the early 2010s that we first got a glimpse of just how popular professional video gaming would become. With this success came the inevitable subsequent rise of betting markets that underpin these successful tournaments.
In 2025, the biggest eSports tournaments are well established global events, with prizes upwards of seven figures. Since the start of the decade, Dota 2 has had several different prize pools exceeding $10 million. These prize pools don't just appear from thin air; their immense appeal stems from crowd-funded prize pools and the emergence of enormous investments, primarily driven by countries in the middle east, such as Saudi Arabia.
Although Dota 2 may not have the same level of popularity or prize pools it had at the beginning of this decade, eSports Dota 2 betting still sees a surge in activity during peak periods. So, unless the audience and interest in these games completely evaporates, it'll be an established betting market for years to come.
New Markets Dictated by Betting Trends
Now that the top pro video gamers in the world can amass millions of dollars in prizes, turning their hobby and skillset into a rich endeavor, there's no disputing that these markets have an immense level of value to those who can capture the niche and build their ideas on top of this popularity.
In the mid 2000s, few people, even the most ardent gamers, would've envisioned that there would be a global market so competitive that it would spawn subdivisions that themselves are considered globally successful, standalone industries.
Unlike casino gaming companies, which often aim to establish a niche that is a variant of an existing conventional game, eSports betting markets, have only established themselves over the last decade and a half. The market may still have a long way to go before it peaks. As long as consumers continue to drive the latest trends, there's enormous potential for betting companies that can attract this emerging market and capitalize on the demand.
Undiscovered Markets & Their Value
Nobody knows just how significant the potential upside is for any niche. Although the size of some prize pools has cooled off over the last couple of years, the number of betting markets that have emerged and are looking to capture even the smallest eSports speaks to just how much of an opportunity betting companies are seeing within the real of professional video gaming.
We've seen it with cryptocurrency, which is another new, innovative design in its own right, and how eSports betting companies are looking to merge these two industries. So long as Bitcoin continues to keep hitting new all-time highs, and eSports continues to sell out arenas and attract millions to watch online, then there's going to be a potential goldmine for those betting companies that can identify the next niche and establish themselves as market leaders.
Keeping It Safe
Just because the composition of these markets has a different feel and design from conventional betting platforms, it doesn't mean that responsible gambling is any less important.
While there might be more markets to access and more convenient ways to play, you must ensure that you use time and deposit tools to curb your betting, ensuring you only play with money you can afford to lose. If you find yourself chasing losses or gambling with money that you cannot afford to lose, you must reach out to a problem gambling charity that will be able to provide assistance.
Future Markets - How High Can eSports Go?
As long as gaming companies design games of high quality that can command a global audience and generate fierce, elite competition, the betting markets that underpin them will have no issues adapting to the new formation of the industry.
While this is only one element of it, and betting platforms must ensure that they can keep up to date with the latest technology trends, the rise of mobile betting and smartphones, as well as the rise of cryptocurrency, VR and AI, all means that there will be opportunities for betting companies that lay outside of simply offering the deepest and most varied number of eSports betting markets.
