Thunderpick Secures Year-Round Role at the 2026 Esports Awards

Background: A Decade-Plus Award Programme Extends Beyond One Night

The Esports Awards have run for more than 10 years and recognise contributors across the esports industry, including players, teams, companies and brands. The programme’s remit covers competitive achievements and behind-the-scenes work, so the ceremony is structured around more than player and team honours alone.

That broader industry scope also shapes the 2026 edition. Instead of a single sponsorship moment, the awards are organised as a year-long set of activities: fan voting, original content, separate presenting partners, and a main ceremony.

Development: Thunderpick Joins as Presenting and Official iGaming Partner

Thunderpick will be the presenting and official iGaming partner of the 2026 Esports Awards. The 12-month deal will brand the event as Esports Awards Presented by Thunderpick.

The partnership covers the ceremony, three awards and programming throughout the year. Thunderpick will present Esports Play of the Month, Esports Play of the Year and Streamer of the Year. It will also support content and original storytelling, including the Esports Play of the Month series and Origins Podcast.

Financial terms were not disclosed. The role gives Thunderpick a presence across both the awards night and the year-round content cycle, rather than only the ceremony.

Other presenting partners were also named. Hotspawn is the presenting partner for the Esports Awards Invitational, Lifetime Achievement Mixer and PWR UP B2B Conference. These partnerships divide the wider programme among distinct presenting partners for the ceremony, content and additional events.

Timeline: Fan Voting Opens a November 3 Window Before the November 17 Ceremony

Nine categories are currently open to fan voting, including Esports Game of the Year, Esports Mobile Game of the Year, Streamer of the Year and Esports Personality of the Year. Individual honours remain part of the awards structure, including the best esports player category.

Fan voting runs through November 10. Votes cast from November 3 to November 10 count double. The voting window closes one week before the main ceremony, scheduled for November 17 in Miami.

The 12-month agreement places Thunderpick as presenting and official iGaming partner of the 2026 Esports Awards. Its presenting duties cover Esports Play of the Month, Esports Play of the Year and Streamer of the Year, and its content support continues across the partnership term.

Current Stage: The Partnership Moves From Double-Weighted Voting to the Miami Ceremony

At the stage described in the announcement, the Esports Awards Presented by Thunderpick programme sits between fan voting and the main ceremony. The key dates are November 3, when the double-count window begins; November 10, when fan voting closes; and November 17, when the ceremony takes place in Miami.

For readers following the awards, the structure shows a partnership that reaches across the calendar: three named awards, year-round storytelling, a public voting window, and a separate set of presenting partners for related events. The announcement did not provide projected audience, viewership or sponsorship-performance figures.