Two niches within gaming that have really taken off in recent times are eSports and online casino play. eSports has exploded in popularity and this saw it generate $950.3m in revenue during 2019. This looks set to continue moving forward, with revenue of over $1bn forecast by 2023.

The online casino sector is another that generates huge sums in revenue per year and attracts millions of fans from all over the globe. This is due to a number of factors – from the convenience of online casino gaming to the large selection of games online operators carry. The bonuses offered by online casinos are also very popular. Funzpoints casino’s no deposit bonus is one of the best around and gives you free money to start playing. For more details about this and other top online casino bonuses, visit Bonusseeker.com today. This site is an independent source for reputable bonuses and also brings together the best internet casinos to play at.

The popularity of both gaming niches has also seen many people take them up professionally. When it comes to casino gaming, this has seen pro poker play increase. The continued evolution of the eSports industry has seen top players join pro teams. What might surprise you though is that pro poker players and the best eSports players actually have lots in common.

But what might that be exactly?

Both play in major real-world events

Although it is perfectly possible to play both eSports and poker online, many of the top players from each area will play in major real-world events as well. When it comes to eSports, the 2019 League of Legends World Championship which was held across Berlin, Paris and Madrid is a good example. Of course, the World Series of Poker is perhaps the premier real-world event for followers of this game, where the top pros turn up to compete in Vegas. Very often, these are also televised across the world for fans to watch. This is, therefore, a similarity which both top eSports and poker players share.

Calmness under pressure

Confidence in their own play is one trait decent poker and eSports players have – but it is not the only one they share. Both will also be great when the stakes are high and there is a lot to lose. Whether it is online events or offline tournaments, playing at the upper levels of eSports and poker will see the pressure piled onto players. This means that they must be able to remain calm and stay cool when the going heats up. By doing this, they can think logically to perform to their best.

Practice and dedication

You can bet that top eSports players and poker pros have spent many hours practicing. You simply do not reach the top in either by not putting in the hours. Good eSports players, for example, will dedicate multiple hours per day to one game in order to become the best. This allows them to practice and hone their skills, ready for when the next event arrives.

Decent poker pros will also dedicate their lives to the game, in order to improve and become one of the best players. They spend hours each day playing hands, trying out new strategies and looking at what tips they can pick up from other players. Without this sort of commitment and practice, neither would be at the top of their game.

Analysis of their own play

It is not just general practice that decent eSports and poker players go in for. You will usually find that both also spend a lot of time looking at their own play and then tweaking it. This could be in the form of taking what they do well and making it even better or spotting weaknesses to fix. In poker, for example, top players will look for weaknesses like playing too many bad hands or not managing their bankroll properly. Top eSports players, on the other hand, will study what specific areas of their gameplay need work or at what part of a game they are failing to achieve.

eSports and poker pros have lots in common

On the face of it, you may think that the best poker and eSports players do not share many similarities. As the above shows, that is untrue when you dig a bit deeper.