As chess prepares for its inaugural appearance at the Esports World Cup 2025, the sportsbook provider BETBY is transforming the way enthusiasts engage with this classic game through innovative betting options.
BETBY is setting a pioneering standard for chess wagering by launching an extensive range of betting markets that go far beyond the conventional choices.
«Chess has always held a special place in our hearts, and we are thrilled to introduce a comprehensive chess betting package,» stated Kirill Nekrasov, Head of Sportsbook Product at BETBY.
«By broadening our market offerings and presenting new tournaments that include both traditional formats and those driven by artificial intelligence, we are providing an entirely new way for our partners and players to engage with chess,» Nekrasov further explained.
Transforming the Chess Betting Landscape
BETBY’s updated portfolio significantly diverges from traditional betting markets such as predicting the outright winner or total moves. The enhanced offering delves into specific outcomes that highlight the strategic complexity of chess. Bettors can now place wagers on:
- The first move made
- The first piece captured
- Number of checks, castlings, and pawn promotions
- The occurrence of an en passant or a stalemate
- Whether a checkmate will happen before a specified move
These engaging markets aim to reflect the thrill of real-time decision-making during gameplay, creating a more immersive betting experience.
This cutting-edge platform emerges following six months of focused product development intended to reinvigorate chess as a mainstay within sportsbooks. BETBY’s approach demonstrates a long-term dedication to establishing chess as a core segment, aligning it with the company’s existing strengths in esports and traditional sports betting.
«Our ambition is grand: we aspire to make chess and betting synonymous, ensuring that no contemporary sportsbook feels complete without chess markets,» Nekrasov remarked. «We’ve achieved this with Betby.Games and esports, and now it’s time to replicate that success for chess.»
Chess Takes the Stage at the Esports World Cup
The unveiling of BETBY’s extensive chess markets coincides with chess’s official debut at the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, scheduled from July 29 to August 1.
Magnus Carlsen, a five-time world chess champion and BETBY’s global brand ambassador, will compete under Team Liquid, enhancing the tournament’s appeal and reaffirming the sport’s position in the global esports landscape. Carlsen’s involvement underscores the integration of competitive chess and digital platforms, a convergence that BETBY is actively enhancing through its technology-driven betting experiences.
The tournament will also feature an impressive roster of elite chess competitors, including:
- Hikaru Nakamura (Team Falcons)
- Alireza Firouzja (Team Falcons)
- Fabiano Caruana (Team Liquid)
- Ian Nepomniachtchi (Aurora Gaming)
- Arjun Erigaisi (Gen.G Esports)
- Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Natus Vincere)
- Vladislav Artemiev (Team Spirit)
- Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Twisted Minds)
- Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Team Vitality)
- Wei Yi (Weibo Gaming)
- Vladimir Fedoseev
Additionally, four more players will qualify through the Last Chance Qualifier.
The EWC Chess event, hosted on Chess.com, replaces the Champions Chess Tour (CCT) Finals as the concluding event of the circuit’s season. The tournament features a total prize pool of $1.5 million, with the winner earning $250,000 and contributing 1,000 points to their organization’s overall standings.
The Esports World Cup showcases some of the most popular competitive games globally, including League of Legends and Dota 2.
