Pocket-Lint.com brought up that Paddy Power, an online betting service, is going to take wagers on an upcoming Super Street Fighter 4 match between UK players Ryan Hart and Femi Adeboye.If everything goes well, betting on other videogame battles may be considered : "Videogames are as much a legitimate sport as any other," says Paddy Power, the company's eponymously titled communications director. "We wanted to offer sports fans and games players the ultimate thrill by offering the chance to win big on the outcome of a Super Street Fighter IV competition. If it proves popular, we'll open further books on other videogame competitions."
It's a move welcomed by Capcom's Leo Tan, "Recognizing the game as a legitimate spectator event, as fiercely contested as any sanctioned boxing match, is a huge step for videogames as a whole."
Thanks to Yasir for sending this in.
@#2 Yeah I was sort of shocked that Capcom would back this, BUT times are changing and I guess they see the potential in making this a gambling sport ( although ppl do it anyways) on a bigger scale.
With that said.. $100 on Ryan Hart for the First hit LOL!
wow, nobody did it yet. Most be slow today, so ill handle it.
MYYYY FFFFIIIGGHHTTT MOOONNEEYYYY.
now doesnt that feel better?
Horrible idea. This is not a Football club or Tennis tournament where millions of dollars at stack for the players. The potential profit of gambling from fixing a match will be much greater than winning the video game match ifself. Sure recipe for corruption and disaster.
Massive online gambling in a game that the players themselves can't earn a living (lets be honest, can't even earn much more than minimum wage most tournaments they win) is a bad thing. Look at the Koreans and Starcraft. Ryan Hart could throw this match and make more money than he could win at any tournament if people buy into it.
hmm,Femi wonder how good he is, is there anyone in naija that plays sf on pc?
uhm....I would like to bet on Justin Wong +500 for 200 dollars please!
As some people have kind of pointed out: This will only work in big matches where the prize money for winning is much much bigger then what you could make on bets, Otherwise you would get people fixing matches because they make more $ that way.
Go Femi! Naija represent.