In 2024, The International 12 peaked at 2.7 million concurrent viewers, with over 50 million hours watched throughout the event. For betting providers, this translated into a surge in traffic and volume. Esportsbook operators reported an average increase of 30–45% in betting activity during the event window, depending on regional reach and promotional activity.

But what happens to your bettors once the trophy is lifted and the stage lights go out?

Post-TI Reality: The Offseason Cliff
 

While S-tier events like The International bring explosive spikes in traffic and betting volume, they also expose a familiar and costly challenge: retention. For many operators, the influx of new users during the tournament is followed by a steep drop-off once the event ends.

Internal industry reports and aggregated operator data show that up to 45% of new Esports bettors become inactive within just two weeks if there's no follow-up engagement strategy in place. Session lengths shrink by as much as 50%, and deposit frequency can fall by nearly 40% within a month of the tournament’s conclusion.

It’s a pattern that plays out year after year. Casual users, pulled in by the high stakes and hype, often disappear just as quickly if the sportsbook feels empty or static once the headlines fade. The real challenge isn’t attracting bettors during the action and it’s holding their attention, and their spend, after the spotlight moves on.

Beyond the Spotlight: Retention Strategies That Work

At Uplatform, we help our partners take a long-term view. You don’t need to rely on a few big-name tournaments to drive engagement. Instead, the goal is to create a consistent, evergreen betting environment - especially during Esports downtimes.

Here’s how:

1. Tier 2 and Tier 3 Esports: The Quiet Backbone

While top-tier events come and go, the real opportunity lies in tier 2 and 3 coverage, where matches happen almost daily, even in offseasons.

We provide odds and data feeds for:

• Regional qualifiers, academy leagues, and semi-pro circuits (e.g., Dota 2 DPC Div II, Valorant Challengers, CS2 tier 2 EU/CIS cups)
• Emerging mobile Esports like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Free Fire, which maintain massive popularity in SEA and LATAM markets
• Smaller titles with loyal fan bases such as StarCraft II, Arena of Valor, and even niche fighters or sports games

This coverage ensures you never run out of pre-match and live matches to offer and players never run out of things to bet on.

2. Keep It Moving with Traditional Sports

With Uplatform, partners benefit from extensive coverage of lower leagues and alternative sports, including:

• Football leagues from second-tier European divisions, Asian national leagues, and Latin American championships
• Basketball tournaments across seasonal leagues, youth championships, and regional cups
• Table tennis, volleyball, MMA, and cricket — all of which stay active year-round, even when top-tier sports and Esports take a break

This allows you to cross-sell to Esports-first players by introducing dynamic promos around real-world sports.

The key is to understand player behavior and guide them naturally toward active sports markets when Esports content slows down. Focus on fast-paced sports with similar energy and betting rhythms.

Smart promo placement, intuitive UI, and timely offers help make the transition feel seamless. This keeps users engaged, extends their session time, and builds broader betting habits. All of which are essential for long-term retention.

3. Slot Integration and Retention Campaigns

When Esports content thins out, slots and casino games become more than just filler, they’re a strategic tool for maintaining engagement and spend. For many Esports and sportsbook players, casino offers a quick, entertaining way to stay active between matches or during slower betting periods.

The key is in making that transition feel natural. With the right UI placement and well-timed prompts, players can shift seamlessly from the intensity of live events to the instant gratification of slots or table games. Smooth onboarding, relevant themes, and tailored messaging help bridge the gap and turn downtime into playtime.

By guiding users into the casino vertical at the right moment, operators can reduce churn, maintain wallet share, and introduce a new rhythm of engagement that keeps players returning, even when the Esports calendar goes quiet.

4. Support = Trust = Retention

When the excitement of big events fades, what keeps players coming back isn’t flashy features and it’s how supported they feel. In moments of confusion, delay, or downtime, reliable support becomes the difference between a one-time visitor and a loyal customer.

According to Zendesk’s 2023 report, 70% of users will leave after just one poor support experience and that number climbs to 87% in gaming verticals where real money is involved. In other words, trust is fragile and support is where it’s earned or lost.

At Uplatform, we treat support as a core part of the player journey, not an afterthought. We provide:

• Multilingual, fast-response support that feels local, no matter where your players are
• Seamless integration with your internal teams or third-party providers, ensuring smooth communication
• Practical tools to help you resolve issues quickly and build trust at every touchpoint, especially when post-event drop-offs begin

Your players notice when support works. And when it does, they stay.

The Uplatform Difference: Steady Growth Over Spikes

We don’t believe in chasing hype for short-term gains. Instead, we help our partners build platforms that last and perform.

Here’s how we support sustained engagement:

• Niche Tournaments: Operators using Uplatform have seen up to 30% increase in retention when hosting niche events like CS:GO Tier 2 leagues or regional mobile competitions.
• Smart Promos: Our flexible bonus program enables targeted campaigns that boost activity by 15–25% during low-traffic periods.
• Stable Tech & Support: With 99.99% uptime and multilingual support, your operations stay smooth even when traffic spikes fade.
• Localization Tools: Partners who localize content and odds with our tools report a 40% higher conversion rate in emerging markets.

We make sure you have the tools to keep your bettors engaged long after the spotlight fades.

With Uplatform, the offseason isn’t downtime. It's an opportunity.