Many people find the distinction between a gamer and a professional eSports player fuzzy. One reason for this confusion is that eSports and gaming have become fixtures in the cultural landscape.
Put succinctly, a professional Esports player is within the broader gaming community, and such a pro seldom identifies as a non-gamer. In other words, a professional player on esports betting sites only focuses on competitive video gaming in which one party wins and the other player loses. However, gamer is a broader term used for a person engaging in an encompassing video gaming activity irrespective of means or platform.
What is the difference between a gamer and a professional eSports player in 2022? Let’s learn more!
A Gamer Plays Casually
For a gamer, keeping it casual is the mantra. Gaming is a term for playing video games generally, so a gamer is someone that plays any kind of video games. Such a title could be a simple game like Temple Run or a more complex one like Call of Duty.
Mostly, people play these kinds of games just for fun. They only get as competitive as you want them to be. Sometimes, gaming becomes more competitive, especially if you aim to defeat opponents.
But both of you can walk away without risking much money or time irrespective of the game’s outcome.
Video games are a booming business. According to Newzoo’s predictions, there are roughly 2.7 billion gamers worldwide, who spent $159 billion on different titles two years ago. “Gaming” is also used in some context to mean gambling (not to be confused with esports betting).
This usage can be confusing, especially for players gambling in a video game tournament.
A Professional esports Player Plays Competitively
As you might have guessed, “esports” is a term formed by combining “electronic” with “sports”. Esports simply means competitive gaming. Thus, professional esports players play video games at high risk and high reward.
Since the 1970s, video games have been innately competitive. Despite that, the notion of high prize pools and huge crowds didn’t become popular until the 2000s. This development was possible due to the advent of the Internet, allowing tons of esports betting sites to enter the industry.
Succinctly put, three words define esports: competition, risk, and reward. The reward might be as simple as bragging rights or as high as getting your share from the Dota 2 The International $40 million prize pool. The difference between a gamer and a professional esports player lies here.
Esports is a Sport that Requires Training
Multiple players play Esports matches competitively, with spectators cheering their favorite players. The main objective of a professional esports player in a tournament is to perform well in a specific video game.
These pros practice for days, perfecting team coordination,and learning new strategies to become the very best in famous sports leagues, including the NBA 2K League, and esports tournaments.
These athletes are trained systematically like ace athletes who compete in major leagues. One of such leagues is the NFL. Teams provide players with coaches, training facilities, personal chefs, and nutritionists to make sure their athletes are in perfect shape for the tournament.
You might be wondering why people put so much money, effort, and time into becoming the best player of just a video game. The answer is simple: money and status. It’s the same reason why many people commit their lives to becoming a seasoned athlete.
In one of the best esports competitions, the 2018 Dota 2 International, the total prize pool was $25 million, and Team Liquid, the winning team, was awarded the first-place prize of $10.8 million.
Looking at the $25 million prize pool, it’s clear why esports tournaments are called high-stake events, which tons of fans troop out to watch in person, just like other sports. In spite of that, the majority of viewership happens online on live streaming sites like Steam, Twitch.
These games are not free to watch on these platforms and you need to make a deposit for payment.
Gaming is All about Entertainment
Gaming actually includes titles played competitively by esports teams, but gaming mainly takes place outside officially regulated competitions. Gamers play titles for pure entertainment and enjoyment.
For instance, a majority of Twitch streamers belong to the gaming group. These people spend hours (the average day at work) with their PC playing their favorite video games and keeping their fanbase entertained.
They’re entertainers that develop content for an audience that loves watching. If they’re good at what they do, they can rack up tens of thousands of concurrent viewership at once. However, that doesn’t mean they’re professional esports players or esports betting players.
When most top streamers on Twitch such as Dr. Lupo. Ninja, and others with high rankings failed to qualify for one of the 300 places in the Fortnite World Cup (one of the first ever esports tournaments), it was featured on many esports news outfits. This development shows the gulf in skill levels between a gamer and a professional esports player.
Esports: Tournaments, Industry, and Betting
Esports games are fun to watch! According to Harvard International Review, “esports are video games that are played in a highly organized competitive environment.” There are many esports competitions and tournaments, such as the League of Legends Worlds Championships 2022, The International 2022, DreamHack 2022: Atlanta, and lots of others.
Additionally, the esports industry includes popular titles like Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, League of Legends, and Dota and traditional sports-related games, such as FIFA and NBA 2K. You can get info on how to place esports bets on bookmaker esports. These sites also teach you how to play and win.
Our Final Say
A professional esports player only focuses on competitive video gaming in which one person wins and the other party loses. But gamer is a broader term used for a person engaging in an encompassing video gaming activity irrespective of means or platform and mostly for fun.
