The phrase “esports betting” relates to betting on competitive video games. Since its inception as a rather obscure type of betting a few years ago, it has evolved quickly and is now accepted legally by many jurisdictions. The outcome is that a good number of the top wagering companies in the world currently offer it in their online bookmakers. Many eSports-specific betting platforms are also available.
eSports Betting Sites | Bonus Details | Sign Up Links |
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Get a $1,000 bonus bet |
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$250 Bonus Bet for New Customers |
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$1000 No Sweat First Bet |
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Bet $1 and Get $200 in Bonus Bets at bet365 Deposit required. Bonus Bets winnings are added to Bonus Bets balance. Bonus Bet wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. The bonus code USBET can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way. |
League of Legends (LoL), CS:GO, DOTA 2, Fortnite, PUBG, Call of Duty, Rocket League, Valorant, WoW and Overwatch are some of the most popular games to bet on. You can also bet on sports-based esports, including NBA2K, FIFA, and Madden.
To many, the first eSports betting title is CS: GO, which is recognized for launching skin gambling. Skin gambling is quite popular among eSports fans and players and entails using real money or virtual currency to trade items like enhancement between players.
In regard to game genres, the eSports industry has plenty of them. Most eSports titles are First-Person Shooters (FPS), Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA), Real-Time Strategy (RTS), and fighting games. MOBA genre is the most popular when it comes to participation and viewership.
As previously stated, today, there are many eSports betting sites out there. However, with so many available options, things can be challenging when looking for the best for you.
Instead of leaving you to do the heavy lifting, we have saved you time by pre-selecting the top video game betting sites and compiling some quick tips you can implement to enhance your betting experience.
Common eSports betting markets (bet types)
If you’re new to betting on video games or eSports, it would be wise to keep things simple and start betting on the standard types of bets. Below are a few common eSports bets that players should familiarize themselves with before plunging into the betting world.
Match winner
A match-winner wager is exactly what it sounds like: you guess which of the two teams will win a certain match.
Tournament winner
This is self-explanatory — you wager on the tournament’s overall winner. Despite being a relatively basic bet type, outright tournament bets are some of the most popular bets, especially among punters who can recognize value weeks before the event/tournament begins.
Odd/Even
This is a well-known type of wager where you predict if a particular game element will result in odd or even numbers. The most common odd/even bets include:
- The number of kills
- The number of rounds,
- The number of drakes killed in LoL
- The number of turrets destroyed in LoL.
Over/under
Akin to odd/even bets, Over/Under bets require you to bet on whether a specific outcome will occur more or less than a given number of times.
First Kill/First Blood
The majority of esports betting sites allow bettors to wager on the first blood or first kill of the market. As the name implies, this wager allows you to predict which individual player or team will be the first to initiate a kill in any given game.
The first kill/first blood bet, like map winner bets, requires a little more experience than other bet types because a lot goes into projecting which side has a higher chance of taking an early lead.
Handicap Betting
Handicap betting is a very familiar and attractive concept for anybody involved in any form of betting. Handicap betting in eSports can include markets such as kills, rounds, matches, and maps, depending on the game you wish to bet on.
Some of the most popular are kills and maps in MOBA games such as League of Legends and DOTA 2 and rounds handicap in CS: GO.
Popular eSports tournaments and leagues
Esports leagues and tournaments have exploded in popularity over the previous decade.
Whether it’s DOTA 2, League of Legends, Overwatch, or Fortnite, prepare to be immersed in a stimulating environment packed with gasps and surprises.
- League of Legends World Championship
- Electronic Sports League.
- DOTA Major Championships.
- Major League Gaming Pro Circuit.
- The International.
- Overwatch League.
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League.
- E-League.
Best eSports gambling sites
The number of esports betting sites continues to rise. Not all esports betting platforms, however, are worth the trouble. It’s critical to choose a bookmaker you know you can trust. The market is over-saturated with mediocre esports gambling services scaring away potential esports bettors.
If you want the best betting experience, stick to the established bookies.
Bet365
Bet365 eSports is one of the leading esports betting platforms in the world. In addition to a beautiful selection of eSports odds on most games, this reputed bookmaker also provides players with a generous welcome bonus of up to $200 in bonus bets. You can use these bonus bets on a range of eSports markets and any other ongoing tournament/league.
Disclaimer: “New Customers only. Bet $1 and get $200 in Bonus Bets. Sign up, deposit (minimum $10) to your account and place a qualifying bet of $1 to get $200 in Bonus Bets once your bet is settled with bet365. Bonus Bets winnings are added to Bonus Bets balance. Bonus Bet wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits & exclusions apply.“
bet on esports with BET365 >>Betway
Founded in 2006, Betway clearly backs eSports, with its exclusive eSports section providing bets on all famous tournaments for LoL, CS: GO, DOTA 2, Starcraft, Heroes of the Storm, and more. What’s more, it has excellent in-play betting action with live streams, bet boost offers, and a new player bonus of up to $10 in free eSports bets.
bet on esports with Betway >FanDuel
FanDuel eSports has built a reputation in the fantasy esports betting market. Currently, it offers fantasy sports games for NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, College basketball, and College football competitions.
To attract new players, FanDuel provides a competitive welcome bonus. They will match 20% of your initial deposit up to a max bonus of $500. Also, every $25 wagered earns an extra $1.
bet on esports with FANDUEL >DraftKings
DraftKings is a Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) platform that allows players to compete in daily and season-long fantasy sports contests. Players assemble virtual, sport-specific teams and compete against other fantasy fans to earn real cash prizes.
DraftKings offers contests on NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB, Golf, MMA, NASCAR, Soccer (EPL, Champions League, and MLS), etc. You can also bet on trendy eSports games such as LoL, Call of Duty,
You can bet on LoL, Call of Duty, Rocket League, and CS: GO, just to mention a few.
Bet on esports with DraftkingsEsports betting tips, strategies, and advice
Betting on video games is quite similar to other traditional sports. However, it is wise to go over some basics of eSports.
Below are some eSports betting tips that will definitely offer you an advantage:
Get to know each game
When it comes to eSports betting tips, this one can never miss. As you might be aware, every game is unique in its own right. You will find that different titles have different types of bets, odds, or even gameplay mechanics. The better you understand each game, the more informed your eSports wagers will be.
Know the players too
Make an effort to assess players in each tournament, paying special attention to any recent results. When two teams face off, knowing about their previous matchups and general team history will offer you the information you need to make an informed bet.
Try the underdog strategy
One standard approach to betting on esports is to try out underdog opportunities. This is usually a high-risk, high reward strategy. The aim is to identify underdogs with excellent value who you believe have a higher chance of winning. You may get more losses than wins but come on top because your stakes are of high value.
Follow the gaming updates
One thing that is certain about eSports games is that they will continue to evolve throughout their lifespan. They get updates and fixes on a regular basis, and this can change the gameplay slightly. Keep track of these updates and patches to see how they can work to your advantage.
Get acquainted with the eSports event calendar
You can’t just start betting on esports matches blindly. That’s one of the easiest ways to blow your betting budget. You need to acquaint yourself with top eSports tournaments and events so you can schedule your bets appropriately.
And we’re not only talking about the prominent esports tournaments like The International, League of Legends World Championship, or Overwatch League but also lesser-known tournaments. This way, you will always be in the loop when hot matchups are taking place and when to start putting money down for the next round of esports bets.
FAQs
Esports odds are now available on many betting platforms. However, not every eSports bookie can provide you with the same number of betting markets for each individual match. When you sign in to popular bookies like Bet365 and Betway, you should be able to get highly competitive odds for the biggest esports events, such as LoL, CS: GO, and Overwatch.
The ideal eSport title to wager on is the one that you are most familiar with, as well as the teams and players who participate in it.
Some eSports betting platforms allow you to gamble live on a tournament, game, match, or even individual map after the action has gotten underway. Usually, live betting can be a fantastic way of knowing how the teams and players perform before committing to a bet.
Bookies will offer bets on eSports depending on events occurring around the world.