From BetBuilder to behaviour shift: Why 24/7 engagement is forcing a rethink in igaming infrastructure

While the digital transformation of gambling has brought significant challenges as well as opportunities for the industry, the past 25 years of disruption have unquestionably been kind to the growing esports betting vertical.

Bettors are no longer satisfied with static pre-match bets. They expect live, mobile-first, and personalised experiences that mirror the always-on content they consume elsewhere. This demand is forcing operators – especially in esports – to rethink their infrastructure.

While the mega-gaming titles enjoyed by millions of consumers in their homes worldwide have continued to increase in popularity, innovations like eSimulators, which package up traditional sports in a digital format, have also emerged.

As a result, two distinct audiences have helped to fuel growth at the heart of the sector, according to Marek Suchar, co-founder and managing director of leading esports betting solutions supplier Oddin.gg.

“When we talk about core esports – titles like Counter-Strike or League of Legends – we’re dealing with competitive gaming that players often engage with for years,” Suchar says. “They play, they watch, and eventually, they might bet on it. This is largely a millennial or younger demographic, already immersed in the culture.

“eSimulators like eFootball, eBasketball or eCricket have a very different audience. These are regular sports fans who already understand football or basketball, and eSims give them a familiar experience in a digital format.

“Our clients understand these are two separate audiences – and one-size-fits-all infrastructure simply doesn’t work. That’s why our BetBuilder was built with flexibility at its core, capable of serving both core esports, such as Counter-Strike 2, and eFootball seamlessly, without needing two parallel systems.”

BetBuilder for different audiences

Oddin.gg launched BetBuilder last October, offering customised options across both eSimulators and esports.

Bettors have the ability to create countless combinations within a single match – up to 97 selections across 10 markets in Counter-Strike 2, or 26 selections across 12 markets in eFootball.

BetBuilder, which is backed by the supplier’s risk management service, builds on Oddin.gg’s commitment to live, in-play functionality, with flexibility at the heart of its infrastructure.

“We focus on live betting because that’s where the engagement and the betting volume happen,” Suchar adds. “In core esports, like Counter-Strike 2 or Dota 2, a map might last 30 to 40 minutes, and 80 to 90 per cent of the betting volume happens while the game is being played. That’s where the fun is.

“So when we built BetBuilder, the backbone was designed from day one to handle live markets. Once we had pre-match capabilities in place, we moved straight to live, because it lets players combine predictions on what will happen next, and that drives both engagement and value for bettors and bookmakers alike.”

Technological progression

The development of BetBuilder – and esports betting more broadly – is an inevitable consequence of technological progression that stretches back to the emergence of online multiplayer gaming in the early 2000s.

The growth of online video and streaming platforms such as YouTube and Twitch fuelled interest, but the pandemic accelerated esports betting like never before thanks to the enforced break in the international sporting calendar.

In the absence of traditional sports, not only did bettors explore esports in ever-greater numbers, but operators also recognised the importance of presenting a varied offering of digital sports to plug gaps in the traditional sporting calendar.

“Having 24/7 content is a big advantage for operators because there’s always something to offer, even when major sports are off-season,” Suchar says. 

“If football isn’t on, eFootball is. If the NBA is out of season, eBasketball is still running. This keeps bettors engaged year-round.

“During COVID, when live sports were suspended, esports and eSims became vital for operators. Even after live sports returned, many saw the value in keeping these products as reliable ‘gap fillers’ in their portfolio.”

Accelerating growth

This growth shows no signs of slowing down, according to the report Esports 2024: A Review of Betting Growth and Milestones.

The study, which is based on first-party data from the supplier’s client operators, found that betting volume had doubled year-on-year, with the average wager count increasing by 83 per cent. The average bet amount was €29 (£24/$34) – six times higher than for football.

Suchar says that there is no single reason for such a positive trajectory, which has resulted in Oddin.gg expanding globally through new client sign-ups, as well as adding more titles and formats to ramp up the variety of its offering.

“For eSims, we’ve increased the number of eFootball and eBasketball matches we offer, and we’re currently in the process of integrating American football due to demand from operators. Talking about core esports, we’re actively adding more mobile-friendly formats, but also improving our traditional core esports offering – from Counter-Strike 2 to VALORANT – with things like racing markets and player props,” he says.

“We’re currently in the process of integrating American football due to demand from operators”

“We’re constantly introducing new markets, like player duels or over/under on the number of kills. 

“The variety of these side markets is crucial because BetBuilder’s value depends heavily on them. If you can only combine ‘match winner’ and ‘first half winner’ in CS2 or eFootball, that’s very limited. Expanding the range of markets means players can build more personalised and engaging bets, which is what drives sustained growth.”

Engaging and fast

Of course, the successful momentum is being partly driven by a growing following for esports content itself which, by its nature, tallies with Oddin.gg’s live-first functionality and punters’ growing appetite for on-demand, frictionless bet construction around the clock.

“From our perspective, and based on partner feedback, players want content that’s engaging and fast – place a bet, see the result and, if they want, place another bet straight away,” Suchar says, before highlighting how Oddin.gg’s eFootball matches last for about eight minutes. 

Understandably, there are technological challenges with such a rapid betting experience.

Not only do odds need to update instantly, but the quality of the simulated action itself is paramount. For this reason, Oddin.gg runs up to 100,000 simulations for each BetBuilder session before anyone places a wager.

“The system has to instantly reflect new odds as a player selects markets, without any lag,” Suchar adds.

“If a bettor has to wait 10 or 20 seconds for odds to update, they probably won’t place the bet. So, it’s really about combining simulation quality, speed and consistency; and that’s only possible with the right technology in place.”

He goes on to explain that the bettor’s perspective is integral, with the aim of personalising the user experience. On this point, there is no technical limit on the number of selections that can be combined through Oddin.gg’s BetBuilder, unlike many other products elsewhere.

“With BetBuilder, the goal is that if a bettor wants to combine multiple selections, they can quickly choose, see the odds and place the bet without delays,” he says. “They are in full control, getting the kind of on-demand experience they’re used to from services like Netflix, Spotify or YouTube.”

Flexible foundations

The flexibility at the heart of BetBuilder has been enabled, he adds, by Oddin.gg focusing on providing solid foundations for future expansion.

“Though it was the very first for eSims, our BetBuilder wasn’t the first to market for esports, but I believe it was the first fully working esports bet builder. That’s because we didn’t take shortcuts,” Suchar says.

“We built proper models from the start, scalable to live betting. Each sport – Counter-Strike 2, VALORANT, eFootball, eBasketball – has its own main model, plus additional models for different markets. For example, match winner and game duration each require separate modelling.

“When we launch a new market, we first release it to our risk-managed clients. We monitor real betting activity over days and weeks, then adjust as needed. Once the market is proven, we then roll it out to our other odds feed clients. This constant feedback loop lets us keep adding and refining markets for the BetBuilder.”

Responsible gambling

For live betting, the challenge is to maintain both speed and accuracy so the bettor’s experience stays smooth, facilitating true 24/7 wagering opportunities. For some, though, such betting availability is a concern in a responsible gambling context.

“As a B2B provider, we work with licensed, regulated bookmakers like Betano, ESPN Bet, and Betway. They handle responsible gaming measures – setting betting limits and ensuring players don’t overspend – while we provide the technology and content,” Suchar says.

“The same level of risk applies whether a player bets €10,000 on one game or €1 across many games. It’s about having proper limits in place based on each player’s profile.

“Licensed operators set those limits according to local regulations. Our role is to supply the 24/7 content and technology; they ensure safeguards are in place for responsible play.”

Shaping the future

With a drive to help shape the direction of the esports betting space, there is plenty on the agenda for Oddin.gg. 

In core esports, new markets, titles, products and features are in the pipeline. In eSimulators, more side markets for eBasketball and eFootball are being added, stream coverage is being increased, and work is taking place to develop American football modelling.

Meanwhile, for BetBuilder, there is an opportunity to press ahead with further expansion.

“The plan is to keep adding titles and side markets, supporting more combinations, and exploring new ways to improve visualisation for our partners,” Suchar concludes. 

“The technology is proven and delivering strong results, so every new market or title makes the proposition more engaging for both bettors and operators.