Other Hobbies You Can Find On Twitch
When most people think of Twitch, the first thing that usually comes to mind is gaming. But that’s not all that Twitch has to offer. Back in December 2019, “Just Chatting” became Twitch’s most popular category for the first time ever with viewers watching for over 80 million hours. To put things in perspective, that was seven million hours more than the top game listed, League of Legends, and 23 million hours more than the second game, Fortnite. Then in November 2020, Twitch streamers spent 228 million hours watching the “Just Chatting” category, which is nearly a 300% increase in the audience in eleven months.
The “Just Chatting” category features conversations about pretty much anything you might be interested in learning about ranging from day trading to collecting sports cards, fishing to playing an instrument, and cooking to gambling. So, if you want to find a new hobby, or are eager to get back into an old one, Twitch is the place for you.
Day Trading
With many people working from home, and spending more time at home in general due to the coronavirus pandemic, there has been a rise in people dabbling in day trading for entertainment and profits.
“The GameStop bubble has come and gone but the rookie investors who speak emoji and Reddit may be here to stay,” according to a CNBC article.
If you’re interested in learning more about day trading, there are a number of channels on Twitch that offer market insights and strategies. Of course, it has to be mentioned that there is risk involved with day trading. So, it’s wise to do your research and become knowledgeable before you make any trades.
Collecting Sports Cards
“Sports cards made a not-so-quiet comeback in 2020, with collecting soaring to mainstream heights,” according to Forbes. “Interest came from all pop culture corners, causing these little pieces of cardboard to have a social cachet they haven’t seen since the early 1990s.”
With the hobby on track to achieve greater heights in 2021, Twitch has become a place where collectors can go to watch live box breaks, and card sellers can make money. A lot of collectors will bid on individual sports teams that they hope to buy in a seller’s break. Then on a given night, the seller will host a livestream on Twitch, opening the boxes of cards that they sold for the break. The collectors who secured specific players and teams for the break will watch the stream in hopes that the host will reveal players on the teams that they bid on and won, which they’ll then receive after the break.
Before bidding on individual teams or players in a box break, you can also watch people do personal rips on Twitch to get a feel for what the product looks like. If you like the design of the cards, and there’s a good checklist for your favorite team and players, you may want to place a bid for your favorite team in an upcoming box break. Then after you secure your team for the break, you can either watch the livestream or the replay on Twitch to see if you had any big hits.
Cooking
“With less people going out during the Covid era, there is probably at least more interest in home cooking… at least that could be one conclusion based on the increased viewership of cooking streams on Twitch,” according to StreamElements. “Year-over-year the category has grown 132% based on hours watched and 96% if you look at quarter-over-quarter in 2020.”
While cooking shows have been around for a long time, new formats online have revitalized the genre in recent years. So, whether you’re interested in learning how to cook, are a pro in the kitchen who’s excited to find and try new recipes, or simply enjoy watching other people cook, Twitch has channels you can watch for all of your food and drink needs.
Playing An Instrument
Many people decided to learn an instrument during the coronavirus pandemic, and lots of others chose to become reacquainted with an old passion. If you’re just getting started playing music, Twitch has different types of channels for musicians to check out. These include ones where people offer free lessons or talk about music and songs in general.
Other music channels feature musicians playing live performances on the violin, piano, or guitar. Some of the musicians will even take requests from viewers on their channel and then play the requests live on the spot. So, if you’re a virtuoso yourself, now is the time to create a channel on Twitch and start sharing your talents with the world.
Fishing
Recreational fishing is another activity that has seen a significant rise in participation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Industry estimates are that more than eight million people picked up a fishing rod for the first time in 2020.
Now that the weather is getting colder, and it’s more difficult to fish in some parts of North America, it’s a good opportunity to brush up on fishing tips and tricks. Twitch has channels in which you can watch anglers in warmer areas fish live out on the water. Often times they’re willing to share their secrets with you.
For those of you who prefer fly-fishing, a popular activity when you’re not on the water is fly-tying. If you want to see how to do it, check out fly-fishing videos on Twitch. You can also learn how to make your own flies at home this winter by watching Twitch. And if you really missing fishing, you can play fishing videogames yourself, or watch others play.
Gambling
Gambling streams have seen big growth during the pandemic with a growing number of online poker streamers. Some people who go to Twitch to watch gambling streams are there to learn and get better at their game of choice, while others get a thrill out of watching people gamble large amounts of money and then seeing how they react when they either win or lose.
Experts say that online gaming and gambling addictions have been on the rise during COVID-19 lockdowns. So, it’s important to be aware of your moods and how you feel when you’re not gaming or gambling.
“If you’ve recently experienced serious withdrawal when not playing video games or gambling online, you could be living in lockdown with a serious addiction,” according to Healthline.
If that’s the case, one of the most important steps in overcoming a gambling addiction is being self-aware and realizing that you have a problem in the first place. Then you can seek help and treatment.
