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Esports Betting

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The world of video gaming has evolved to a completely new level. Consequently, it has become such a huge industry, and according to Statista the esports market was worth $1.08 billion in 2021. Moreover, this value is about 50% more than the previous year’s value. The esports world is growing exponentially.

So, with the huge booming entertainment industry, people like to watch and even start betting on esports games. In this article, we discuss everything that you need to know about esports betting, and we will mention the best esports betting sites as well.

What is Esports?

Esports refers to the practice of playing video games in a competitive environment. The viewers watch while teams of gamers or individuals compete in a variety of video games either in person, at the venue, or via live streaming websites like Twitch.

As esports has gained tremendous popularity over the last decade, there are numerous massive tournaments around the world at local or international levels. Moreover, there are professional teams developed, which participate in the esports games, and they have huge brands as sponsors as well.

What is Esports betting?

Esports betting is similar to traditional sports betting, where you have to choose a game and a type of bet, check the odds and make a wager. There are a lot of Esports betting sites, that you can visit to make your bets. With a great demand in the market, many sportsbooks have decided to integrate Esports betting into their platforms. Certainly, this also offers a lot of opportunities for the fans to bet on numerous famous Esports games, leagues, and particular championships.

The fact that esports betting is more involved, with communities, social media, stats, live-streaming, and other features from the best Esports sportsbook, makes betting on online video games such a fun experience.

How to bet on Esports

If you want to join the Esports betting community you first have to find an Esports betting site and join it. You only have to follow these easy steps in order to start betting on Esports online:

  1. Find a betting site that has esports available – There are numerous legal online sportsbooks that offer Esports betting. When you browse the internet for esports betting sites, you will come across many of them. It is, however, important to only choose reputable sites for your betting. Some of the most reputable are shown on this page.
  2. Join and fill in your details – Once you get to the betting site, you should proceed to register. While at it, you should fill in your details correctly and accurately. You should make sure that you are eligible to participate in Esports betting before you register. In the United States, you have to be at least 21 years old to bet by federal law. If you are too young, wait until you attain the legal age.
  3. Take advantage of any bonuses on offer – It is during the registration process that you will find an opportunity to enjoy welcome bonuses. Certainly, it would be best if you always took advantage of these when you join. That is because bonuses may come with an expiry date. So, if you don’t take immediate advantage, you may not get the opportunity to benefit later. If you are required to enter a promo code to benefit, do so immediately after you register.
  4. Deposit money – To play on an Esports betting site, you will be required to deposit a minimum amount of money. This varies from one sportsbook to another. You should deposit the amount to enable you to play. In most cases, you will only benefit from available bonuses after you make this deposit. Regardless, you are on the site to play, and you require the deposit to do so. Therefore, you have no reason to hesitate in depositing the money to go to the next step.
  5. Start betting on Esports – You can then begin placing your wagers on Esports games. There are a number of these games on offer, so you can choose the ones that you prefer. You can be guided by the odds on offer to select which games to bet on.

Best Esports betting sites

The main concern of Esports lovers is which online gambling sites support Esports. As a matter of fact, not all operators let you wager on video games. When you are choosing an esports betting site, you should always aim to select a reputable operator that you can rely on. The best Esports betting sites are on the list below:

  • Bovada – Well-known sportsbook for Esports betting
  • BetUS –  Fast payments & great odds on Esports
  • BetNow – Sportsbook that offers Esports betting in the US
  • MyBookie – Best Esports betting site for welcome bonuses
  • BetOnline – Esports betting app with live streaming

Many video games are increasingly receiving the competitive treatment that Esport has. The number of skillful competitions is increasing, with various gamers vying for prizes, sponsors, gaining a fan following, and so on. Esports has gone a long way and have attracted the attention of numerous websites that now provide odds on Esports.

Below are a list of the most popular games in Esports that people love to bet on:

  • CS:GO betting – Without a question, CS:GO is the most popular Esports game to bet on in the world. Players can compete for numerous virtual things in this multiplayer online battle arena. The game CS: GO has been entertaining players since the early 2000s. CS:GO is updated via patches and boasts the largest Esport market for weapon skins. Major tournaments such as ESL One , IEM Katowice, ESL One Cologne, and DreamHack Anaheim, as well as lesser leagues like the Blast Premier, have been hosted on an annual basis. Because these events attract up to a million viewers, the prize pools are massive. The popularity of CS:GO betting comes as no surprise. According to Albert Sheng, a betting writer, the biggest advantage of this game is its volume. There is no offseason, for example.
  • Dota 2 betting – Dota, developed by Valve, is the most similar to CS:GO in terms of tournament prize pools, wager interest, and viewership. Dota is one of the most popular games in the world, with top earners from 16 different countries. Most Esports betting sites rate Dota 2 as the second most popular eSports choice. Dota 2’s overall prize pool is what distinguishes it from others, albeit the payouts vary depending on your level. The contest features a sizable prize pool, which is supported by fans who purchase the in-game compendium. This collection includes a variety of stuff such as new game modes, challenges, and skins. The prize money, which has topped $34 million in recent years, receives 25% of the total.
  • Valorant betting – The latest esports sensation is Riot Games’ first-person shooter Valorant. The game’s original blend of tactical shooting and distinct characters is reminiscent of CS:GO, Overwatch, and League of Legends. Valorant has been warmly embraced by fans from both games. The game’s Twitch viewership peaked at over 1.7 million, and weekly player logins are still in the millions. That large fanbase has now shifted its focus to the emerging VALORANT esports industry, as well as Valorant betting. When it comes to esports, Riot Games has taken the lead. They established the Valorant Champions Tour, which successfully launched VALORANT’s competitive ecosystem through a series of sponsored tournaments.
  • League of Legends betting – Riot Games’ enormously famous multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game is not just the most popular esports title in terms of viewership, but also in terms of betting. LoL is highly popular since it has influenced the expansion of the gambling sector. It is a well-known PC game with over 8 million players worldwide. A total prize pool of $80 million has been won in the official LoL eSports league. If you like to wager on eSports, you should try LoL.
  • FIFA betting – One of the most popular games all around the world is FIFA. It has many devoted supporters who wager on any FIFA-related event, including the FIFA World Cup and other national series. FIFA is an AI-assisted eSport because there are eleven players and a player may only control one at a time. The $500,000 prize is pretty significant. As a result, wagers on this video game are highly common. You can choose one of the sportsbooks listed here to bet on FIFA.
  • PUBG betting – PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (or PUBG) would undoubtedly be in an esports hall of fame. This PUBG Corporation videogame, developed and released in December 2017, was the first to introduce gamers to the exhilarating battle royale formula. That recipe proved to be a massive blockbuster, with PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds selling 50 million copies globally by the middle of 2018. Thereby, cementing itself as one of the most successful multiplayer games of all time.
  • Fortnite betting – Fortnite has become the most popular Battle Royale game in the world. Professional gamers, superstars, and celebrities have all expressed an interest in the title. The theme has collected over 250 million registered users since its release on September 26, 2017, until recently, making it one of the highest-grossing titles in history. This fast-paced third-person shooter has already earned a name for itself in the esports world. The most recent Fortnite World Cup has a prize pool that exceeded $30 million USD.

Pros and cons of betting on esports

However, like with any sport, a betting culture immediately emerges. Bets on match winners are popular among League of Legends and CS:GO, enthusiasts. Of course, they can also place other types of bets, such as accumulation bets and live betting. However, betting on esports has both positive and negative sides, which we will discuss further below.

Pros

  • Many Esports to bet on — There are a lot of games available on esports to bet on. There is a huge number of different genres, and each genre has numerous games that have a huge fan base.
  • The oddsmakers are a bit behind — As Esports game betting is quite a new trend in the online betting world, the bookmakers have not mastered the oddsmaking yet. This can be used to your advantage at times.

Cons

  • Not legal in every state — Unfortunately, esports is not yet legal in all the states where online sports betting is legal. However, this may change soon, as the esports betting trend is gaining momentum.
  • Collusion — There are often rumors that a lot of esports matches are already fixed and decided. This can be a huge issue for the bettors, and it can take away all the fun for the fans, as spectators and as bettors.

FAQ

Are there any Esports betting sites that accept Bitcoin?

Yes, there are a few Esports betting sites that accept Bitcoin. A few of these include Bovada, BetOnline, and BetUS. There are also many offshore Esports betting sites that accept BTC, but it is not recommended to use these operators as they can be fraudulent.

Should I bet on an offshore Esports betting site?

No, you shouldn’t bet on an offshore Esports betting site. These types of sites are unregulated and not licensed in the USA. There have been cases where the sites have gone offline, and the bettor's cash has been stolen.

What does skin betting mean?

Skin betting is a form of online gambling where you bet using virtual skins from games such as CS:GO or Valorant. Skin betting has gained a lot of popularity among gamers, but skin betting sites are typically operated by offshore actors and are not regulated by US authorities, hence they should not be considered safe to use.

Are Esports betting sites secure?

Yes, Esports betting sites that are officially licensed can be considered secure for betting. There are many offshore and unlicensed Esports betting sites, so make sure to check if you are betting on a legal sportsbook and if it has a license in your state.