With sports gone, what are people betting on?

A new wave of competition has taken over the sports world and it’s in the virtual sphere. With Chicago’s teams on a break due to COVID-19, fans have moved virtually to find the thrill.

The adrenaline rush of betting, tournaments and highlights has graced online portals the past few years. But Dan Lobring, Vice President of Marketing Communications at rEvolution, a global sports marketing agency located in Chicago, said with the absence of live sports, a bigger audience is taking notice.

“As you see more traditional media like Turner, Fox, ESPN host virtual sports, that’s a big deal,” Lobring said. “That’s always a good sign, anytime there’s more non-traditional brands getting involved, it’s a good indicator that you’re trending upward.”

REV/XP, an Esports marketing agency, is a subsidiary of rEvolution and has helped brands get involved with virtual events like the Chipotle Challenger Series. The virtual platforms allow for the connection between the fan and star to be somewhat closer.

“It’s more unique in the accessibility to athletes and influencers, and how savvy they are in social media,” Lobring said. “NBA players do a really good job with crossing over to fans and with an Esports athlete, they’re more than likely to interact with you too.”

Virtual betting is a way to keep adrenaline and interests high for some fans with the lack of live sports. Deepak Kumar, a Yahoo Fantasy Sports software engineer, said having an extra interest in a game, like a bet, can add excitement. Much like fantasy football.

“The big thing is there’s no injuries or inconsistencies,” Kumar said about virtual simulations. “So it’s realistic in the sense that which team has better players has a better chance, but there’s no real home court advantage, other things like that. It’s maybe more predictable.

“It invites in some thrill, makes it worth watching.”

Matt Dicesare, a Chicagoan, has been spending more time with Esports during the shelter-in-place order.

“It’s a muted feeling relatively to the feeling of watching a game live, or on TV, or at a bar,” he said. “It can be difficult to get excited for, to be honest, but because there’s no sports going on right now, it’s what we got.”

Dicesare’s favorite Chicago team is the Bulls. He’s been playing more video games as well.

“Esports is a way of creating some of that little atmosphere even if it’s for a 20-minute game against someone online, it creates a little bit of that competitive atmosphere,” Dicesare said. “There’s a lot of losing right now, and Esports gives you a chance to escape it all and win.”