BETBY Reveals eWorld Cup Drove 16 Percent of Total Bets

BETBY has revealed that its esports feed, Betby Games, accounted for 16 percent of all bets placed during the World Cup. The supplier's eWorld Cup product, an engine-led competition replicating the real tournament, provided operators with continuous, fast-paced football content that significantly boosted player engagement, particularly during off-hours between live fixtures.

Key Takeaways

• Betby Games captured 16 percent of total World Cup bets, reaching 14 percent of players and generating 11 percent of overall gross gaming revenue.
• Off-hour engagement surged when no live matches were taking place, with eWorld Cup gross gaming revenue increasing by 35 percent and turnover rising by 25 percent.
• Real-world fixtures directly influenced esports betting activity, with eWorld Cup betting on specific national teams increasing by up to 18 percent on their match days.

Maximizing Off-Hour Engagement

The eWorld Cup was specifically designed to fill the long gaps between real World Cup fixtures, offering matches that lasted only a few minutes. Data indicates that when no real World Cup match was live, eWorld Cup users averaged nine bets per player, compared to seven during live matches. Additionally, the average stake increased to €12.13 from €9.22 during these quieter periods, representing a 32 percent higher average stake.

"For me, that really shows the opportunity between fixtures. Players are still following the tournament and thinking about football even when there is no live match, so if operators have the right content available, those quieter hours can still generate a lot of activity," stated Kirill Nekrasov, Head of Innovation and R&D at BETBY.

Real-World Influence on Esports Betting

The data also highlighted a strong correlation between real-world match schedules and esports betting preferences. eWorld Cup activity around specific national teams spiked on the days those teams played in the real tournament. Norway-related activity saw an 18 percent increase, while Portugal, Egypt, and Colombia experienced boosts of 16 percent, 11 percent, and 10 percent, respectively.

Players who engaged with both the traditional World Cup and the eWorld Cup averaged 22 bets during the tournament, compared to nine for those exclusively betting on the real event. Furthermore, 41 percent of players who crossed over into the eWorld Cup returned to place another bet on a different day, demonstrating strong repeat engagement.

Sustaining Operator Momentum

Betby Games experienced a 29 percent increase in players compared to the equivalent pre-tournament period, with both turnover and gross gaming revenue rising by 21 percent. Overall, the eWorld Cup reached 10 percent of Betby Games players during the event.

"The matches will always create the biggest peaks, of course, but there are many hours around those peaks where players are still highly engaged with the sport," Nekrasov added.

Sources: BETBY: one in six World Cup bets came through Betby Games