T1 defeats GAM Esports 2-0 at Esports World Cup as crypto sponsors make historic debut
The South Korean powerhouse advances to playoffs at a tournament where Coinbase and Bitget are breaking new ground as the event's first-ever crypto sponsors
T1, South Korea’s most decorated League of Legends organization, dispatched Vietnam’s GAM Esports in a clean 2-0 sweep on July 15 to punch their ticket to the Esports World Cup playoffs.
The 2026 Esports World Cup, running from July 6 to August 23 in Paris, is operating with a record-breaking $75 million total prize pool. And for the first time in the event’s history, crypto companies are sitting at the sponsor table.
Crypto’s front-row seat in competitive gaming
Coinbase and Bitget have signed on as the EWC’s inaugural cryptocurrency sponsors. The deals were made possible by updated French regulations around digital asset advertising.
Coinbase has taken the integration a step further with its prediction market platform. Ahead of the T1 vs. GAM matchup, significant trading volume appeared on Coinbase Predictions, with large positions placed in favor of the Korean squad.
Inside the $75 million tournament
Of the $75 million total, $30 million is earmarked for the Club Championship, a cross-game competition that rewards organizations for performance across multiple titles.
Then there’s the Club Partner Program, a $20 million fund distributed among 40 elite participating organizations. Both T1 and GAM Esports are beneficiaries, receiving financial support that helps sustain their operations regardless of individual tournament results.
T1’s path through the group stage now positions them for the elimination rounds. The organization, home to legendary League of Legends player Faker, remains one of the most recognized brands in competitive gaming globally.
Why prediction markets care about esports
Coinbase Predictions saw notable volume on the T1 vs. GAM line, with the bulk of large wagers favoring T1. Sophisticated traders are treating esports matches the way they’d approach any other liquid market.
Polymarket proved the prediction market concept during the 2024 US election cycle, generating billions in volume. Now the infrastructure is expanding into sports, entertainment, and increasingly, competitive gaming.
Coinbase’s willingness to sponsor a $75 million tournament targets a demographic that skews young, digitally native, and comfortable with speculative risk. Bitget’s presence alongside Coinbase suggests multiple crypto companies are competing for this positioning.