Betway esports, the esports arm of regulated bookmaker Betway, is running a contest for players and talent which will see an impressive €5000 (£4380) being donated to charity.
Calling all pro players & esports talent, we’re challenging you to get the fastest map time! Winner’s decide which charities €5000 goes to. pic.twitter.com/HasB816CLV
— betway esports (@betwayesports) June 28, 2017
The challenge will see professionals and talent separately take to the “Aim Time Trial” map; available for the community today, with €2,500 being offered to a charity chosen by the leading person in the respective categories, totalling €5000.
Betway is one of the only “traditional” bookmakers that runs an esports portfolio in a separate portal from that of its normal sportsbook offering. From a UK bettor perspective, the likes of Skybet, Bet365 and William Hill are but a few examples of operators who simply integrate esports as another tab in their long list of sports.
Betway has of course made a considerable commitment to its esports offering with various ventures. It made a brief foray into Dota 2 with the Betway “King of the Hill”, featuring a weekly best of five series between two teams but the predominant focus has been on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. With a sponsorship of Ninjas in Pyjamas, one of the world’s most renowned CS:GO squads, we’ve seen a plethora of content being pushed through the bookmaker’s social media over recent months.
After initially launching with a capital S and being dubbed Betway eSports, pressure from esteemed host and vehement defender of the correct spelling “esports” Paul “ReDeYe” Chaloner seemingly tipped the operator over the edge and it has since undergone much needed change.
The sponsorship of Ninjas in Pyjamas has arguably been a somewhat rocky road. The Counter-Strike: Global Offensive team has been in a slump of late, but with the replacement of longstanding member Adam Friberg recently the team will be hoping for a return to the glory days. Whilst they failed to even qualify for the Minor (to then try and qualify for the Major), the team will play at ESL One Cologne later this week as they are given the first opportunity to show the new roster. Fans will certainly be hoping for an upturn in performance from what has recently been on display.
Esports Insider says: Great initiative from Betway. The map looks great and it will definitely be fun to see which player and talent emerge victorious. If Friberg now counts as talent following his announced appearance as an analyst at ESL One Cologne, then we wouldn’t look past him to take the crown.