Featured

The Fascinating History of Esports Betting and Its Appeal

Published

5 years ago

July 12, 2019

Calin

Esports (or electronic sports) is a form of a video game competition.

As Esports grew, tournaments became larger, prize money became bigger and more gamers started playing professionally. Gamblers saw this as a great betting opportunity. As a result, multiple betting platforms began to emerge.

There are multiple reasons Esports and betting go hand in hand. Esports is a multi-million dollar industry. In fact, it is expected to reach a revenue of an incredible 1 billion dollars in 2019. There is a lot of money in the industry, and where there is money – betters are sure to follow. Similarly, Esports attracts a lot of fans and players alike. A lot of them try to cash in their knowledge of various teams, tactics, and strategies.

The Birth & Rise of Esports

While it might seem like competitive gaming is a 21st-century phenomenon, the history of Esports dates way back to the 1970s, with arcade games being the basis of competition.

1970s & 1980s

The earliest Esport competition occurred on 19 October 1972. Students at Stanford University were invited to play Spacewar. The winner of the competition won a year’s subscription to Rolling Stones magazine.

Atari held a Space Invaders tournament in 1980. This was the first Esports tournament on a fairly larger scale – more than 10 thousand gamers participated.

During the 1980s. video game tournaments became featured in popular newspapers, such as Time. This era became known as the “golden age of arcade video games”, when arcade games became a part of pop culture.

The 1990s

In 1990, Nintendo organized the Nintendo World Championships, which toured across the United States. It was one of the largest Esport tournaments to date in the ‘90s.

One of the most notable games that paved the way for Esports we know today was Street Fighter 2 (released in 1991). Before then, video games determined the winner by who had the biggest score. Street Fighter popularized the concept of “direct” competition, with players facing one another in a versus battle to determine who is the best.

The 1990s were also important as the era when computers became cheaper and more powerful, and the internet became more widespread. As a result, tournaments for computer games were also organized, such as the Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL) in 1997. This moment was pivotal in changing the platform from arcades to PC gaming.

21^st century

In the 2010s, Esports as an industry grew tremendously larger. This resulted in an incredible increase in viewership and prize money. Although somewhat large tournaments had been organized before the 2000s, the number of tournaments grew drastically in the following decade. In fact, there were around 10 Esports tournaments organized in 2000. In 2010, that number rose to around 260.

The Esports and gaming industry has been growing exponentially ever since.

Betting on Esports

Esports is a multinational, ever-expanding industry which is currently valued at $900 million. But the number of participants and the money invested in it keeps growing year after year. Which makes it natural that people who are willing to bet on these events are drawn to it.

At first, Esport betting didn’t seem as if it would become a popular thing. But with the rise of competition and tournaments so has the interest in betting on games risen. Most people who are interested in Esports and gaming possess a lot of knowledge about the rules, teams, and individuals. So it is only natural that they want to earn some money by investing a few dollars in it.

In its early beginnings, Esport betting was not sanctioned and was not deemed as legal. There were no authorized sites since betting organizations were still developing with the Esports itself. Esports is still a fairly young industry so it took some time of organized and legal betting to be made.

Skin betting was one of the first problems since it was seen as a doggy way to make money. Fortunately, eAthletes took it upon themselves to disregard this type of betting on Esports as illegal.

Today there are a bunch of sites who are organized in terms of rules and legalities. Esports betting has even expanded and has become a usual and normal form of betting like other more regular forms of sports betting that we are used to.

Most Popular Video Games in Esports

Dota 2

Dota 2 is one of the most popular video games in the world. It is a MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) game. It was developed and published by Valve Corporation. The history of Dota 2 is fairly long and complicated. Its prequel, Defense of the Ancients, was created as a mod for Blizzard’s Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos in 2003. Valve acquired the rights to DotA in 2009 and released a modernized version of the original mod as Dota 2 in 2013.

The gameplay consists of two teams of five players who battle against each other. Each player takes control of their own heroes which come with individual abilities and powers. In order to win a match, the team has to destroy the other team’s center, called the Ancient. During play, each hearo gains experience points allowing him or her to level up and become stronger.

Dota 2’s biggest tournament is called The International. The first International was held in 2011 before Dota 2 was even officially released. The prize pool for the tournament was $1.6 million. In the past decade, The International has consistently surpassed its own prize pool from the previous year. In 2018, the prize reached an amazing $25 million.

Since The International has one of the biggest prize pools in the Esports industry, it is one of the most entertaining video games to bet on.

In June 2019, Valve released a strategy-based game called Dota Underlords. Even though it is still in early access mode, Dota Underlords has made its way into Esports, as tournaments are already being organized for the newly published game. While betting on Underlords is still not viable, it certainly will be soon.

Dota 2 and Dota Underlords are free to play on the Steam platform.

Counter-Strike

Counter-Strike (CS) is a multiplayer first-person shooter game. Even though it is not a MOBA, it shares some similarities with the aforementioned Dota 2. For example, CS was also released as a mod (for Half-Life). It bears a very simple premise; Two teams battle each other (terrorists vs the police) in order to win the match. The offensive side usually tries to bomb a certain position while the defensive side is there to protect the given sight. The game ends when all the participants are dead or when a site is successfully bombed. As you can see pretty easy and very fun. That is where Counter Strike draws its attraction towards players. The rights to the game were also acquired by Valve Corporation.

Counter-Strike is, in fact, a series of games that began in 1999. Some notable titles in the series include Condition Zero and Source. But the most notable game of the series is Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, commonly referred to as CS: GO. CS: GO was released in 2012. The game draws about 11 million players per month and has an active competitive scene. Although the prize pool for CS:GO tournaments is much smaller than that of Dota 2, it is still a very popular game and there is no doubt that the tournaments will continue to grow in the future.

Like most of popular Esports tournaments, so has Counter Strike: GO managed to attract a lot of people who are interested in betting their money on the outcome of the matches. The very popularity of the game is even more emphasized with the amount of CS:GO betting which is available now. Many people who play the game, follow the teams and are fans of the sport actually bet and earn money this way.

CS: GO is free to play on Steam since December 2018.

League of Legends

League of Legends (LoL) is another MOBA game that made its way into competitive gaming. LoL was inspired by Defense of the Ancients, which was a mod taken from the Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne game (the prequel to Dota 2). It was developed and published by Riot Games.

The gameplay is pretty simple. The player is the summoner who takes control of a champion who is placed on the battleground. Each character comes with his or her unique abilities and a skill set necessary for the battle. The goal of the game, if there are two teams battling against each other, is to destroy your enemy’s Nexus or the central structure. There are other fun modes to play as well, like free-for-all mode.

League of Legends is one of the most consistently played games on the world, with over 100 million active players every month. The biggest LoL tournament is called League of Legends World Championship. The 2018 World Championship had a prize pool of $6.5 million. While the prizes aren’t as large as other big Esports tournaments, LoL generally has the most players worldwide.

LoL is also very interesting for people who bet on Esports and is like many other games on this list attractive to place bets on. Spectators tune in not only to see how the game is played but also to see if they have won some money that they have placed on their favorite team.

Overwatch

Overwatch is a multiplayer first-person shooter game. The game was developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment. Compared to other Esports games, Overwatch is a fairly new game as it was released in 2016. Nonetheless, it has managed to garner a lot of popularity in a very short time within the Esports industry.

The concept of the game consists of two teams who battle it against each other. The teams consist of six players and whoever remains, in the end, wins the round for their team. There are 30 Heroes to choose from in the roster. Each Hero is a different character with unique abilities. There are three general categories of players so you need to choose a role that best fits the team. Participants make teams based on their abilities in order to win matches.

Blizzard Entertainment is the official organizer of the Overwatch League, the biggest tournament for the game. Although fairly new, in its first year (2018), the League featured a prize pool of $3.5 million. There is no doubt that the Overwatch League will continue to grow and attract more players. The interest for this game is also growing in betting circles as more people who follow Esports are willing to put their cash on the winner of the tournament. We can only wait and see how big Overwatch will actually get as the community is growing each second.

Starcraft II

Starcraft II, also referred to as Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty, is a real-time strategy video game. It was also developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment, like most of the popular Esports game available today. But compared to the other ones, Starcraft is one of their earliest releases which is still popular today. The game is a sequel to the original 1998 Starcraft.

What makes this game unique are its improved features, great storytelling elements, and stellar gameplay. Starcraft II greatly improved the flaws of the first game and build up upon them earning this game a 93% score from Metacritic. On its initial release, the game sold over three million copies and was labeled as one of the fastest selling video games of its era.

Starcraft II is played professionally all around the world. The best players are generally from South Korea as the game is very popular there. Professional players in South Korea even have their own official game licenses, excusing them from school for big events, as the majority of players are still teenagers or younger.

The most popular competition is the StarCraft II World Championship Series, which is the primary Starcraft tournament organized by Blizzard Entertainments that they started in 2012. But in 2013, other leagues were introduced like the Korean Global StarCraft II League and the Intel Extreme Masters.

Since 2017, Starcraft II was rebranded as a free-to-play game, making it available for everyone. This was a move to popularize the game since the popularity has been subsiding in recent times.

Call of Duty

Call of Duty is another first-person shooter franchise. This one is published by Activision in 2003. The original game focused on the story situated in Word War II, with four games released in that arc, while the newer games focus more on modern and futuristic locations. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is officially the continuation of the Call of Duty franchise, with the Modern Warfare games consisting of five new titles. Additional and popular spin-offs include Call of Duty: Black Ops and Call of Duty: World at War.

The Call of Duty franchise is one of the most popular ones in the world with a total of 250 million copies sold by 2016. At the same time, they have earned over 15 billion USD from their products.

CoD games made their way into Esports in 2006 with Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Over the years and with the release of new titles from the franchise these too were added to Esport tournaments. There are a lot of CoD games which are now included and are a part of Major League Gaming. Probably the biggest tournament known today is the Call of Duty: Experience 2011, which was conceived as part of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 release.

Competitive play is most popular in Europe and North America. Most participants compete in tournaments or latter matches.

Rainbow Six

Rainbow Six is a tactical first-person shooter game originally created by Red Storm Entertainment. The video games were actually created based on the novels written by Tom Clancy, more precisely based on his original novel, which bears the same name, released in 1998 which revolves around terrorist counterstrike units called Rainbow.

The Rainbow Six franchise consists of over 20 games available on different kinds of platforms. Ubisoft is the current developer and they release their games for Windows, Xbox, and PS, while Gameloft publishes the mobile versions of Rainbow Six games.

What is unique to this game and what appeals to many players is the fact that you have to combine tactics and teamwork in order to complete the mission of the game. Relying on stealth is favored more than just relying on mere firepower.

Rainbow Six is also one of the most popular titles when it comes to Esports. Currently, you can see teams compete against each other in tactical shooting on ESL Pro League. Although, the popularity of these games is not as it once was, there are still many teams who still play. Also, there are a lot of bets being made on Rainbow Six Esports events.

Casual

Creative Ideas for Best Technology Instagram Post 2024

Published

3 months ago

August 8, 2024

Olivia

Creative Ideas for Best Technology Instagram Post 2024

Are you facing difficulty in engaging your audience with tech posts on Instagram? As social media platforms have transformed into virtual marketplaces, brands recognize the need to showcase expertise through engaging content.

Platforms like Instagram empower connecting with worldwide audiences through captivating visual stories. But, it is quite a daunting task to work and many move ahead to buy Instagram followers as well.

Contemporary consumers scarcely have time for promotion lacking substance. Hence, creatives demand integrating education with entertainment for intrinsically motivating connections. This is why in this post, we discuss top ideas for your tech-posts on Instagram. Read on.

Unique Ways To Boost Engagement

With competition so fierce, it becomes difficult to keep your audience engaged with your post. Below we discuss some essential tips that can make things easy for you. Take a look:

● Researching Optimized Hashtags

Analyzing hashtag clusters witnessing frequent usages around niche conversations aids discovering appropriate tags aligning with targeted audiences. Careful hashtagging aids discoverability and spreads messages to receptive crowds naturally.

● Optimizing Images For Social Formats

Adjusting photos to square dimensions suitable for Instagram feeds and story formats preserves visual quality and context. Proper sizing and cropping focuses viewer attention on essential elements.

● Scheduling Around Peak Engagement Timings

Identifying timing patterns of highest follower activities through analytics aids posting when most eyeballs will likely notice new updates. Repurposing top performing content as story highlights retains visibility.

● Reviewing Engagement And Follower Insights

Regularly evaluating metrics like likes, comments, saves and follower growth rates aids comprehending reception and refining strategies. Tracking identified hashtag or location based communities’ interests guides customized content.

● Partnering With Key Influencers

Reaching wider audiences through cross-promotional shoutouts with popular domain figures expands networks. Collaborations establishing brand authority through third party endorsements bolster credibility.

Final Thoughts

In summary, effectively leveraging visual creativity fueled by data-driven decisions establishes technology companies, alongside support from a dedicated social media growth agency like Thunderclap.it, as thought leaders amid competition on platforms like Instagram.

Consistency, authenticity, and nurturing communities through meaningful interactions are crucial for driving organic visibility and achieving superior returns on social media. While maintaining technical excellence is essential, emotionally connecting with audiences through social missions and humor helps build a loyal following and fosters trust in this experience-driven world.

Business

Exploring the Steps in the Proposal Automation Process

Published

5 months ago

July 3, 2024

Olivia

Exploring the Steps in the Proposal Automation Process

In a fast-paced business environment, efficiency is key to staying ahead of the competition. Proposal automation offers a strategic advantage by streamlining the creation of documents that are vital to winning new business. By automating routine tasks, companies can focus more on the substance and strategy of their proposals. Understanding how it works and the significant improvements it can bring to your business operations is essential. Below, we delve into this process and discuss everything you need to know about optimizing your proposal automation process.

Understanding the Foundation of Proposal Automation

At its core, proposal automation is about enhancing productivity and consistency within the process of creating proposals. By leveraging technology, it replaces the traditional, manual method of drafting documents with a more streamlined, error-proof approach. This transition includes the use of templates, content libraries, and customized data inputs to ensure each proposal is tailored, yet produced with greater speed and accuracy.

For newcomers, understanding the foundation is crucial before implementation. This involves grasping the basics of how automated systems manage data, apply business logic, and produce finalized documents. It’s essential to ensure that your team is well-versed with the system and that all relevant content is digitized and made accessible to the automation software.

Key Benefits of Implementing Proposal Automation

Proposal automation systems offer a multitude of benefits, the most prominent being the drastic reduction in time spent drafting proposals. Employees are freed from repetitive formatting tasks, allowing them to devote more time to strategic functions such as market analysis and personalized client engagement which can significantly influence the success of a proposal.

Error reduction is another major advantage of automating the proposal process. With standardized templates and centralized content management, inconsistencies are minimized, and the risk of outdated information being included is significantly reduced. This elevates the professionalism and credibility of each proposal generated.

Essential Features to Look for in Proposal Automation Tools

Choosing the right proposal automation tools is essential for achieving the desired efficiency and effectiveness. The most valuable feature to look for in such a tool is a robust content library. This allows for quick access to the most current and relevant pieces of content and data necessary for crafting a compelling proposal.

Integration capability is another crucial feature. The tool should be able to integrate seamlessly into the existing technology ecosystem of your organization, including CRM platforms, to facilitate smooth workflows and information exchange. This ensures that sales and proposal teams work with the latest client information and reduce duplication of efforts.

Step-by-Step Guide to the Proposal Automation Workflow

The journey of automating your proposal process starts with the initial setup of the proposal automation tool. This involves configuring the system with your company’s templates, content, and workflows. A key aspect here is to ensure that the templates accommodate various proposal scenarios and that the content library is organized and tagged for easy retrieval.

Next, the tool is integrated with other enterprise systems such as CRM software, ensuring that data flows continuously and accurately between platforms. This step is crucial for maintaining up-to-date content in the proposals and for personalizing them with client-specific data.

Measuring Success and ROI in Proposal Automation Initiatives

To truly understand the impact of proposal automation, it’s important to measure its success and return on investment (ROI). One of the most straightforward metrics to monitor is the reduction in the time required to generate proposals. Noticing a considerable decrease here is often the first sign that the automation is effective.

Another valuable indicator is the quality and consistency of proposals. With fewer errors and greater adherence to company branding, the professionalism conveyed in each proposal can lead to better client perceptions and a higher win rate. Monitoring feedback and win rates can give concrete evidence of the system’s effectiveness.

Featured

Accumulator Bet – Guide to Australian Online Sports Betting

Published

6 months ago

May 28, 2024

Olivia

Accumulator Bet - Guide to Australian Online Sports Betting

Accumulator bet is very much popular with bettors. It allows you to combine the odds of multiple selections to achieve a greater payout if your predictions are successful.

While accumulator bets may seem complicated at first glance, they are actually fairly simple. After reading this guide, you’ll be able to use it for your Australian online sports betting: https://nomini.com/au/sport.

You’ll soon find out what an accumulator bet is, how it works, and what different types of this bet exist.

What Is an Accumulator Bet?

An accumulator bet is also known as parlay. It is a type of wager that is made up by combining multiple bets into one selection.

Let’s say that you wanted to make an accumulator on multiplier football games. In this case, you could pick five teams to win their respective games in one accumulator.

As you are combining different odds, and effectively multiplying them with each other, an accumulator bet will pay out a much higher return than if you were to bet on your choices as separate selections.

This is because all of your choices must be successful for your bet to win.

As all the betting options are combined to achieve a greater value in total stake, if just one of your picks loses, the whole accumulator bet will lose too, so there is an increased risk when placing this sort of bet.

However, it can also enhance your Australian online sports betting experience and make wagering extra fun.

Some of the most popular sports you can make accumulator bets on are football, basketball, hockey, and horse racing.

However, you should keep in mind that some sportsbooks might prevent you from combining multiple other bets into one accumulator.

Also, please note that a second bet on multiple selections from, for example, the same game of soccer, is not an accumulator bet – this would be a same game multi or multiplier, which is a totally different type of bet.

Accumulator Bet Explained in Detail

As you can see, an accumulator bet isn’t too complicated. Now we’ll use horse racing as an example to demonstrate how to use it best for your Australian online sports betting.

Let’s say you are presented with a race card for a meeting that contains six races. You can choose to pick a selection from all six races, or from just four, (you can also pick one selection of just two horses, known as a ‘Double’, or three horses, known as a ‘Treble’).

Depending on the race, you can choose the horse that you believe will win.

You will then combine all of these selections into one bet to build a total profit for your accumulator.

Because you are combining the odds for each of these horses to win, you are increasing the amount of money you could win, but also increasing the risk of at least one bet losing which will mean your accumulator loses too.

What Are the Different Types of Accumulator Bets?

As a rule, this type of bet consists of 4 or more selections, with many bookmakers allowing up to 20 selections.

Combining two bets into one bet is known as a ‘Double’, whilst combining three bets is called a ‘Treble’.

When you have four selections in one parlay bet, this is known as a ‘Four-fold”. Five bets in one parlay are called a ‘Five-fold’, and so on.

Each-Way Accumulator Bet

While an accumulator bet is very attractive for bettors, there is a high risk that the first bet won’t win, as there can be so many elements that need to be successful for the bet to win big.

However, some of that risk can be eased by placing bets on an each-way accumulator.

This Australian online sports betting option is particularly popular when betting on horse racing, as there are usually more options to choose from when trying to pick a winner.

Here, the idea is to give the bettor a better chance of winning if one of the horses fails to win, but still manages to place 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on.