eSports
Jarno Opmeer and Red Bull lead F1 Esports Pro Series at halfway mark after Zandvoort, Montreal & Spielberg rounds
The F1 Esports Series presented by Aramco continued with three dramatic rounds of racing in Event 2 at Zandvoort, Montreal and Spielberg, as some drivers begin to pull away in the fight for this year’s huge $750,000 prize pot.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic drivers are racing remotely for the first time this year, but the popular live shows continue to be broadcast from the Gfinity Esports Arena in London, as we ensure fans don’t miss a moment of the action.
On Wednesday evening, drivers took to the Circuit Zandvoort, which was due to make a long-awaited return to Formula 1 this season before the pandemic hit, but the action on the virtual version of the F1 2020 official video game developed by Codemasters, did not disappoint. Red Bull’s Frederik Rasmussen took victory in the Event 2 opener for his first win of the season, ahead of Alfa Romeo’s Jarno Opmeer and his teammate Marcel Kiefer who made up the top three.
Wednesday’s double-header continued with a visit to a fan and driver favourite, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. The heavy-braking chicanes made for a tense spectacle, which saw Opmeer take his third victory of the season despite a late collision with Ferrari’s David Tonizza (technical issues meant he was unable to see Tonizza’s car), with Rasmussen and Kiefer also joining him on the podium for the second time that day.
Event 2 ended on Thursday evening where the rescheduled 2020 F1 season began, at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. Despite it being one of the shortest circuits on the calendar, what it lacks in length, it makes up for in speed as we witnessed a high-paced battle to the end, that saw Kiefer take victory for his first win of the season after some fantastic teamwork alongside Rasmussen, who finished in P2 . Opmeer was on the podium again in P3 to finish the first half of the season with a solid result.
This week’s results mean Alfa Romeo’s Opmeer leads the way in the driver standings, whilst Red Bull top the team’s championship at the halfway stage.
Attention now turns to the penultimate event, on 18-19 November, as we get set for another three mouthwatering races at a trio of iconic circuits. Event 3 will see drivers go wheel-to-wheel at Silverstone, before we head to Spa and Monza, in what could be the fastest round of the season.
The live show was streamed online via F1’s official channels on Facebook, YouTube, Twitch and Huya, as well as broadcast by international television partners such as ESPN (US), Sky (UK) and Ziggo (Netherlands).
Following a huge year for F1 Esports, which saw over 30 million people tune in to the Virtual Grand Prix Series, more people than ever want to get involved. The second and final dedicated qualifying event for the 2021 F1 Esports Series is now open until the end of November on F1 2020, the newly-released official videogame developed by Codemasters. For more information visit www.f1esports.com.
Julian Tan, Head of Digital Business Initiatives & Esports at Formula 1 said:
“The F1 Esports Pro Series presented by Aramco continues to deliver as we were treated to three more thrilling races in Event 2 at some fantastic circuits, including a superb first outing at Zandvoort. Jarno Opmeer and Red Bull lead the standings at the halfway mark after some brilliant performances in the first two events, but there is plenty of racing to come this season and I’m looking forward to seeing them fight to keep hold of their leads.”
Frank Sagnier, CEO at Codemasters said:
“Despite lockdown, the F1 Esports Series presented by Aramco continues to lead the way in competitive gaming entertainment. The field is starting to take shape, and it looks like Jarno Opmeer, Marcel Kiefer andFrede Rasmussen are the ones to watch. From an F1 2020 video game perspective, it was terrific to see Circuit Zandvoort make its maiden appearance on the F1 calendar.”
John Clarke, CEO at Gfinity said:
“20 world class drivers, virtually connected from different parts of the world, pushing themselves and their cars to the limits. Event 2 delivered yet again, raising the bar for tension and excitement. Together Gfinity and Formula 1 are demonstrating the future of live sporting broadcasts when participants cannot be in the same location. This is truly a product for the times.”
For more information on the F1 Esports Series presented by Aramco visit www.f1esports.com.
eSports
Emmy-Winning Director R.J. Cutler’s Docuseries Esports World Cup: Level Up Premieres June 6 on Prime Video
Prime Video, one of the leading entertainment destinations, will premiere the five-part documentary Esports World Cup: Level Up on June 6, with new episodes released weekly. Directed by Emmy-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler (Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry, Elton John: Never Too Late and Martha), the series goes behind-the-scenes of the inaugural Esports World Cup (EWC) in 2024 — a defining moment in global esports, where over $60 million in prize money ignited a high-stakes, multinational battle to crown the world’s top esports Club.
The series is produced by This Machine (a part of Sony Pictures Television), with R.J. Cutler directing, John Dorsey serving as showrunner, and Jane Cha Cutler, Trevor Smith, Elise Pearlstein and Mark Blatty executive producing. Level Up will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
Esports World Cup: Level Up offers a rare look inside a global competition that’s redefining what it means to be a champion for a new generation of athletes and fans. R.J. Cutler and his team of expert storytellers embedded themselves within the eight-week tournament – watched by over 500 million fans globally – to uncover the personal sacrifices, rivalries and stakes driving the action.
Shot in verité style, the series combines intimate home visits from around the world and on-the-ground coverage from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It follows a wide cast of characters – from Club CEOs orchestrating million-dollar strategies to rising stars chasing life-changing wins – while capturing the pulse of elite esports competition.
“What drew me to the Esports World Cup was the compelling human stories unfolding within this high-stakes arena. Level Up isn’t just about the incredible competition and prize money; it’s about the dedication, the passion, and the sheer will of these athletes and teams pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Under high pressure, we discover the true character of the competitors who vie for $60 million, but who also expose their humanity in the process,” said Cutler.
At the heart of Level Up is the “EWC Club Championship,” an unprecedented, multi-title tournament format where Clubs compete across more than 20 games, earning points toward a single leaderboard. Every match, every point, reshapes the race for global dominance. With the highest prize pool in esports history on the line, the EWC is not just a tournament – it’s a proving ground for the next generation of sports icons.
“A win might make the headlines — but the real story is the people behind it. Level Up dives into the human side of esports: the pressure, the ambition, the sacrifices. It’s about what it really takes to compete at the highest level — and why it matters. R.J. is the best at bringing those stories to life, and this one captures the heart of what we’re building,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation.
The post Emmy-Winning Director R.J. Cutler’s Docuseries Esports World Cup: Level Up Premieres June 6 on Prime Video appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Esports betting pioneer adds daily fantasy esports offering to its growing range of products, with its sights set on the US market
PandaScore, the award-winning provider of esports odds, data and betting products, has continued to push boundaries with the launch of Daily Fantasy eSports, a truly groundbreaking product for operators and players.
Daily Fantasy eSports has been developed for the US market but will have global appeal with players drawn in by the chance to create virtual teams of real-life players and earn points based on their actual game performances.
Contests range from daily matchups to season-long leagues, with plenty of prizes up for grabs.
PandaScore’s Daily Fantasy eSports is backed by an expert-led esports trading team to deliver fast, accurate settlement data across unique, player-focused markets driven by the provider’s established and proven betting models.
An Interactive Player Widget serves up rich player stats and profiles, with PandaScore’s powerful BetBuilder enabling same-game parlays.
But that’s not all. PandaScore has more than 17,000 players in its esports player age and info database, the largest in the market.
It also offers dedicated helper codes and documentation to ensure smooth and seamless operator integration. It really is as easy as 1-2-3.
1 – There is a kick-off call to align on goals, timelines and fantasy formats.
2 – The operator accesses PandaScore’s dedicated fantasy-focused API to accelerate the build
3 – The dedicated integration manager ensures effortless onboarding and a successful launch
By leveraging PandaScore’s odds and data, alongside its team of experts and specialists, online sportsbook and daily fantasy sports operators can launch faster, ensure accuracy and scale their Daily Fantasy eSports offering with confidence.
Oliver Niner, Head of B2B at PandaScore, said: “Daily Fantasy eSports is a pioneering product from PandaScore that will really hit the mark with operators across North America, as well as other global markets.
“It allows operators to engage esports fans and bettors with a compelling product and proposition, but without the degree of risk that comes with standard betting as the payouts are controlled.
“Daily Fantasy eSports is already live with Dabble and is performing incredibly well, so we look forward to going live with more operators in the coming months.
“This really is a game-changing product, and we can’t wait to see it become available at some of the biggest betting brands in North America and beyond.”
The launch of Daily Fantasy eSports complements PandaScore’s growing esports betting offering, which includes odds and data for a huge number of disciplines, plus betting products like its BetBuilder, MicroMarkets and StoryBuilder.
The post PandaScore launches game-changing Daily Fantasy eSports product appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Esports Charts, a Ukraine-born analytics company that aggregates real-time viewership insights about esports, has won the Esports Innovation Award at the EsportsNext Industry Awards, hosted by the Esports Trade Association (ESTA) in Dallas, US.
The Esports Innovation Award recognizes an organization or individual that has introduced groundbreaking technology, services, or strategies significantly advancing the esports industry.
Esports Charts was honored for its scalable analytics platform, which provides comprehensive tournament and viewership statistics across more than 25 livestreaming services — helping stakeholders from publishers and teams to fans make smarter, data-driven decisions.
“Winning the Innovation Award from ESTA is an important milestone for us as a leading esports analytics service in the world. Also, we’re especially proud to represent Ukraine-born innovation on an international stage.
“From day one, our mission has been to bring clarity and transparency to the world of esports data. And this recognition from the industry is both an honor and a motivation to keep raising the bar.
“Thank you to our incredible team and partners, who believed in us from the start. This award is a shared success — and we’re just getting started,” Artyom Odintsov, co-founder and CEO of Esports Charts.
The post Esports Charts Wins “Esports Innovation Award” at the EsportsNext Industry Awards appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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