Inter Miami goalkeeper Luis Robles invests in eSports betting site. This is why
Among the lessons Luis Robles has learned while being quarantined during the COVID-19 pandemic is just how fanatical his Inter Miami teammates — and a whole lot of other people — are about eSports. So, he decided to invest in the pro gaming industry.
Robles, Inter Miami’s goalkeeper and captain, is among the newest investors in Luckbox, a fully-licensed betting company that allows eSports fans in more than 100 countries to make wagers on their favorite professional games.
Other athletes who have backed similar projects include Michael Jordan, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and Odell Beckham Jr.
Luckbox reported record figures in the first half of 2020 and is now preparing to go public on the TSX Venture Exchange. Robles, 36, has a degree in finance from the University of Portland and enjoys the art of investing. Teammates often go to him for financial advice.
“On the road, I’ll be watching Netflix, while my room-mate is watching Twitch.
“My teammates, they’re watching in the same way they watch an opponent for a football match. They like to see tactics and strategies, what people are using and what works so that they can use those things in their own game.
“That to me was mind-blowing. And yet, it’s what people are doing and it shows the importance of eSports in our culture right now.”
While Major League Soccer has been on hold for the past nine weeks because of the coronavirus, players have been competing in online FIFA matches as a way of staying engaged with fans and feeding their competitive spirit.
“With what’s going on in the world right now, a lot of the way we’ve been able to maintain a connection with our fanbase, is through FIFA — using FIFA as an avenue through which players can still compete, while entertaining and engaging fans.
“I think everyone wants us to be back on the field and playing, because that’s how they know us but it’s still a creative way of staying engaged with fans. From what I’ve seen, not only is a great way to continue to engage our fanbase but it’s great for the players - to keep the camaraderie and the banter going, the spirit in the locker room.
Pizarro is a serious e-gamer
Inter Miami forward Rodolfo Pizarro, an avid gamer, is playing a well-publicized e-friendly against his fellow Mexican national team star Raul Jimenez on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Asked who is the best FIFA video gamer on the Inter Miami roster, Robles said: “It depends on who you ask. If you ask Rodolfo Pizarro, he’s going to say it’s him. Same if you ask Julian Carranza or Lee Nguyen.
“These are all guys who are heavily into it. They have their stations in their house. They’re very competitive, they put a lot of pride into their game.
“You have Lewis Morgan, from Scotland, who also seems to be really good. I think if you ask those four different players, you’d get four different answers but I can confidently say that I am not the best FIFA player and I would probably be competing for the worst FIFA player.
“But I love investing, I love diversifying my portfolio and looking at different decks and wishing I could get involved and Luckbox has given me a great opportunity to do that.”
Luckbox’s CEO Quentin Martin said: “It’s well documented that eSports is super-hot right now and many famous names from the world of sports and entertainment have recognized this by backing a host of projects. To have the support of someone as highly respected as Luis is clearly a massive boost for our company.”
MLS to re-open in Orlando?
MLS started allowing teams to host individual workouts two weeks ago, and the league is working on a plan to re-open. One of the ideas being explored is having all 26 teams sequestered at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex on Disney property in Orlando. There would be a training camp period and then games without fans.
The Disney venue is no stranger to soccer. It has hosted MLS All-Star Weekend events, MLS preseason training, Orlando City regular season games, and countless youth tournaments involving hundreds of teams. The complex includes 17 fields which are equipped for cameras from the on-site ESPN Broadcast Center. The 2,500-square foot broadcast facility features 56 high-def cameras, eight edit bays and uplinks to ESPN studies in Bristol, Conn., New York and Los Angeles.
Several Disney resorts are within a mile of the complex, including Pop Century, All-Star Sports, Art of Animation, the Swan, and All-Star Music.
Florida governor Ron DeSantis welcomes the idea. He said at a news conference last week that several sports leagues have floated the idea of bringing teams to a centralized facility for games without fans.
“There’s been reports that Major League Soccer may have their season in Orlando,” DeSantis said. “Do it.”
This story was originally published May 22, 2020 at 12:53 PM.