Esports Betting Guide for Beginners

Esports betting has been around for several years now and we’ve seen several developments in the industry such as more betting markets and dedicated Esports betting sites. Although Esports betting isn’t anything new, it’s still a rapidly growing market which is estimated to reach $2.5b in 2024.

If you’re interested in Esports and would like to find out a bit more on how to bet on it, we’ve put together this beginners guide to hopefully answer some of your questions and point you in the right direction of where to place your bets.

The Basics of Betting on Esports

Betting on Esports is very similar to betting on real life sporting events. You simply place your bet on the outcome of esports matches or tournaments at the odds that the bookmakers offer.

Some of the available betting markets may be new to you if you haven’t placed a bet on esports before but they’re easy enough to understand, especially if you’re a fan of esports already.

Esports Betting Markets

Esports betting markets often go beyond match winners. There are various markets such as Draw, Group Winner, Handicap bets, Outright Winner, Over/Under, and more.

Game-Specific Bets

Different esports games offer betting options. From First Blood and Knife Round in CS:GO to First Baron or Dragon in League of Legends, there are plenty of markets to get involved with depending on which games you follow and want to bet on.

Popular Esports for Betting

The number of esports games that are available to bet on has grown rapidly in recent years. Here are some of the most popular esports for betting:

1. Dota 2

Dota 2, a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, developed by Valve Corporation, features a competitive scene with major tournaments offering millions in prize money. Several of the top online bookies take bets on Dota 2.

2. League of Legends

Developed by Riot Games, League of Legends (LoL) boasts an active competitive scene with leagues and tournaments globally. The annual League of Legends World Championship is a huge esports event.

3. Overwatch

Blizzard Entertainment’s team-based first-person shooter, Overwatch, has a premier professional esports league known as the Overwatch League (OWL). There are various Overwatch betting markets at the majority of betting sites that cater for esports bettors.

4. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), a first-person shooter developed by Valve Corporation, and is one of the oldest esports dating back to the early 2000s.

5. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang

Punters have a range of betting options available to them with Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB). The game has emerged as a favourite to bet on with esports fans and as such, there is a large choice of bookmakers who you can bet on MLBB with.

Tips for Betting on Esports

As with all bets, your bets on esports aren’t guaranteed to win. Here are some tips to boost your chances and minimise risk:

1. Budget

Always set a budget for betting on esports and other sports to prevent overspending. Always only gamble with what you can afford to lose.

2. Value

If you want to stand the best chance of making a profit when betting on esports, you need to be placing bets that have value. This often requires knowledge of the game and teams that you’re betting on so that you can determine whether your selections are over or under-priced.

3. Diversify

Sometimes it’s a good idea to diversify your bets across different games and teams to manage risk accordingly. If you place all your bank on one bet, you could end up with nothing if it doesn’t win.

4. Consider Betting In-Play

Many online betting sites allow you to bet in-play on esports events. If you do bet on live games, ensure that you are watching them live so that you can make sensible bets based on how the game is going. The odds can fluctuate rapidly in-play, so placing bets at the right moment is crucial.

5. Do Your Research

Understanding how top-tier esports games like CS:GO, League of Legends, and StarCraft II work is essential. Never place bets on any event without sufficient knowledge.