Based on a Twitter conversation with @AgentMarco, I decided to look into what was happening with betting on video games. The result was this week’s Green Felt Journal:
Could betting on video games be the last chance for gambling? In 2009, Woody Levin debuted BringIt.com, a website that let gamers open accounts and bet against each other on a host of Xbox, PlayStation and Wii games. Accepting bets from $1 to $100,000 per matchup, the service appealed to hardcore gamers and soon attracted more than 100,000 users. But encountering some technical challenges, Levin chose to shift emphasis toward the social-gaming space, hosting mini-games where players competed for virtual currency. But he believes that wagering on video games has an enormous potential.
This was fun to write for a few reasons. First, it was a story idea that developed as part of a genuine conversation on Twitter, which to me shows how great a medium Twitter can be. When it’s done right, it’s people talking, and learning from each other.
Second, it’s something that I honestly haven’t seen much written about, so I’m glad to have the chance to blaze a trail. Not like it’s not fun talking about the latest month’s revenues, but there’s only so much to be said there. I’m really glad to have an editor, Greg Blake Miller, who lets me do stuff like this.
Finally, this week, as usual, I’ve been given great art for the column–I love the homage to Space Invaders.
I hope to write more about this in the future, and I really do think Atlantic City casinos should strongly consider doing something with video game tournaments.