Canadians sure do love sports! Moving with the modern world, esports is quickly catching up to traditional sports in popularity, and esports betting Canada isn’t far behind. Adding to this recent craze, earlier this year, the Ontario government started funding esports scholarships with over one million CAD! In this article, we’ll discuss the purpose of this scholarship and share more information about the booming esports industry.

What is Esports? 

But what is esports, anyway? “Esports” is short for “electronic sports,” which can include any sort of competitive video gaming (with a few notable exceptions like “speedrunning”). The history of esports goes back to the early 70s, but recently, things have gotten much, much bigger. 

We’re talking about televised tournaments, huge trophies, big cash prizes, and drink sponsorships, all for competitive video games. Now, you can even game your way into certain universities! If this sounds like it might be for you (or your potential college student), keep reading to see what games might get you a ticket to school. 

What Video Games Qualify as Esports? 

There are a few major games that qualify as esports. One of the first on the market (2009) was Defense of the Ancients (more commonly DotA), which was based on a modified Warcraft map, then developed into its own game. League of Legends (“League” or LoL) followed on its heels. Blizzard Entertainment, the company that makes Warcraft and StarCraft, made StarCraft II around the same time; it has since become a worldwide hit, particularly in South Korea and Finland.

There are a few other games that also qualify as esports. For an obvious example, the FIFA games for PlayStation and Xbox have robust esports scenes. Valorant, a “spy VS spy” game by Riot Games (the company behind League), Overwatch, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive are also growing in popularity as esports. If you have a favorite game that qualifies as esports and are planning to go to college, it can’t hurt to see if your college of choice has, say, a DotA 2 team.  

How Is Esports Similar to Regular Sports?

One of the first things to know about betting on esports is that you won’t be betting on single players. Just like in regular sports, you are usually betting on teams. For example, Arteezy is one of Canada’s foremost DotA 2 players. But to bet on him in esports, you would have to bet on his team, Evil Geniuses (as of this writing). 

Most esports, just like most televised, traditional sports, are played in teams. These teams have to coordinate who is playing what role before the game starts. Some people are better in certain roles than others. Arteezy, for example, is best at playing a “carry”—a type of character that starts weak but becomes a strong finisher. As in physical sports, success in esports takes strategy, planning, and teamwork, which are valuable in other areas as well! 

Why Does This Scholarship Matter? 

The times are changing. Gaming is no longer a hobby for introverts. Everyone has a phone or computer, meaning it’s easier than ever for anyone to get into video games. If anything, the barrier to entry for esports is less than in normal sports. No wonder esports have college teams! 

And the United States beat Canada to the punch on scholarships. According to Scholarships.com, Robert Morris University was the first college in the United States to offer an esports scholarship. That was back in 2014—almost ten years ago! Many more schools have done it since. Ontario is the first province to support Canadian esports scholarships; hopefully, it won’t be the last! 

There used to be a chasm between professional athletes and people who liked playing other kinds of games (“nerds”). Scholarships like this, as well as sponsorships and tournaments, are making that gap smaller and smaller. If your kid idolizes Arteezy instead of your favorite hockey player, by all means, let them chase their dreams. 

Conclusion 

With the announcement of these scholarships, esports is starting to look more and more like traditional sports and may even become a lifestyle for many Ontarians! They have televised matches, sponsorships, and now scholarships for worthy players. Who knew that playing video games all day could save you money? There has never been a better time to be a gamer!