Main differences between e-sports and traditional sports

Electronic sports, popularly known as esports, have now become one of the main forms of entertainment for a large part of society, both as players and spectators. Although they were born in the 1970s, it was not until five years ago that they reached the top in terms of interest, and are already on a par with traditional sports with a greater impact such as football or basketball. In fact, it is estimated that, by next year, they will surpass all records, surpassing 700 million users.

In this article, we will take a look at the main differences between the two worlds, focusing on the type of offerings, sports forecasts and broadcasts of major events.

The physical demands

Esports are being considered as sports by many authorities for a number of reasons. It is a physical activity in which people compete against each other, it is subject to regulations and requires a certain amount of training or preparation. Even so, the big difference lies in the physical demands, where more traditional sports, such as athletics or tennis, are several notches above. E-sports, on the other hand, demand more mental skills such as speed, strategy and endurance.

Football and basketball are the two most popular disciplines in the world related to traditional sports, where physical contact and fitness are paramount to success. In the world of video games, tiredness is a common companion, especially when the duration is hours, but the body's well-being is less important. League of Legends, Dota 2, Counter-Strike, ES Sports FC or Fortnite are among the most common titles in the most popular tournaments.

A multitude of bets

Predicting an outcome has been around for centuries, from Ancient Greek races to the present day. For example, now all the traditional sports are always grouped together on the betting sites that can be found compared and reviewed on the best sports betting comparator in Spain. But not all of these operators consider the option of esports, the newcomers. The types of odds available for traditional and e-sports also change significantly.

Physically demanding disciplines have a wide variety of outcomes to determine, always adapting to the particularities of each sport; generally, the final score, the role of the outstanding players, the handicap or live forecasts stand out. With regard to esports, new markets are gradually being incorporated that respond specifically to the games, such as rounds won or the number of losses. The latter are constantly evolving and are becoming more and more common on the internet.

Streaming content

The way in which both sports reach their audiences changes from one case to another. The vast majority of traditional disciplines enter homes via dedicated TV channels and streaming platforms, the vast majority of which are pay-per-view, to follow events in real time. E-sports, in turn, have made some appearances on TV channels, but are generally closely linked to free-to-enter live streaming portals, such as Twitch and YouTube, among others.

There are also differences in the way the show is presented. Based on practical cases such as football, basketball or tennis, the focus is on expert analysis and a very careful choice of shots, always bearing in mind where the interest of the action lies. In esports, the interaction of the audience with what is happening is very important, and a less formal style of communication is often used. This is due, in part, to the fact that the profile most interested in video game competitions is young.