Esports Betting Guide
In the world of online betting, football is the undisputed king. However, that’s not to say other sports aren’t favored to bet on. Tennis, basketball, American football, and racing are all popular. In the past few years, though, an emerging market can overtake them all – Esports.
Have you ever heard of it? Esports is a form of competition that involves different types of video games. While it was not even considered a sport not that long ago, it is one of the world’s top betting markets right now.
If you want to try it, you’ll be at the right place. BetZillion’s guide will point out the best Esports betting sites to do so and help you learn more about this budding betting market.
List of Esports Betting Sites
If you’re looking for the top sites for betting on Esports, you’ve come to the right place. We have all the sportsbooks with top-rating in the industry where you can stake on the largest competitions. They also come with great odds in tow, so you never lose value by wagering on them.
When choosing a site for Esports real money betting, you’ll need to take a look into many factors. The first one is the license – without it, a bookie can’t be considered legit. You will also need to pay attention to the security measures the site implements, the bonuses and promotions, and the number of markets it has. These factors can make or break a betting site with Esports, so make sure your pick has them all covered.
Esports Free Bets & Bonuses
If you read our Esports bookmakers reviews, you’ll notice that we do in-depth checks of the promotions section. We believe that bonuses are a vital part of the betting experience. They will give you plenty of extra cash to bet with and the opportunity to explore more markets.
One of the first things you’ll notice when joining a betting site are the free bets. They are usually handed out as a welcome bonus meant for new players. The top welcome offers are all free bets, which make a lot of sense for bettors.
Of course, they are not 100% free. You will still need to work out a few things before using a free bet and collecting your winnings. Reading the terms and conditions of every free wager bookmaker will tell you more about what to expect. The best sign up offers will allow you to claim a free bet regardless of the payment method. However, some bookies will prevent you from using PayPal or Bitcoin to claim the free stake.
We strongly advise all new players to get an Esports free bet where available. After all, who wouldn’t like to earn some extra cash right from the start?
Esports Bet of the Day
Join a betting site, and you’ll have plenty of options to bet on. Sometimes, it can be quite confusing to wager on if you’re looking for a casual punt. These days, Esports betting sites have hundreds of markets, so new players can rightfully feel confused about the correct pick. The good news is that the best bookies will have Esports bets of the day chosen by experts thanks to their great odds.
It is a perfect choice if you’re listing the odds and don’t know what to choose. Just go ahead with the bet of the day. It’s a pick made by experts that gives you great chances to win.
How does Esports Betting Work
To put it simply, Esports betting doesn’t differ from other types of online betting a lot. It works in the same way – you choose a bookmaker, place a bet on Esports odds, and wait for the matches to end. These are virtual matches, of course, but not that different from any other sport.
Esports betting is done on CS: GO, DOTA 2, WOW, FIFA, and many other games. The sport has hundreds of events annually, and bettors can wager on them all. You don’t need to head to Las Vegas to do it – choose a betting site with Esports, and you’ll have plenty of options. The top Esports betting competitions are highlighted at the best bookies in the business, such as Pinnacle.
You won’t have to dig deep to find the top picks – at most bookies, they will be laid out in the front of the website. Just place a bet on whatever suits you best. If you play video games often, you should have no trouble betting at Esports bookies on your favorite games.
Matched betting is popular among Esports fans, but not as much as in ice hockey or other traditional sports.
Esports Odds
Like other sports betting types, Esports competitions are either displayed with American, fractional, and decimal odds. Most modern bookies nowadays will allow you to choose what suits you best with a single click. You pick decimal or American if it works for you, and the best Esports events will be displayed with those odds.
Esports betting in the USA is pretty big, so American odds will be most suitable if you come from the United States. If you come from the UK or Europe, you should go for fractional or decimal odds. You don’t have to be an expert in reading the odds – it’s not rocket science. All sportsbooks will automatically calculate the return when you place your bet on the odds, so you won’t need to use a calculator to learn what you earn.
Esports Betting Apps
You don’t need to sit in front of your PC to place a bet on Esports online. These days, Bettors can wager on the go, thanks to the massive number of apps released by the top betting sites. Mobile apps are elementary to use nowadays. They’ve been created to make things easy for new bettors and satisfy the expectations of seasoned vets. Besides having every market the desktop website has, apps might also come with special bonuses and offers to put more money in your pockets.
The recommended bookies on our list have the safest apps out there. All the top-rated USA Esports betting sites will have a dedicated app available for Android and iOS devices. They are free and easy to install and will allow you to place bets on the top Esports events anytime and anywhere.
How to Bet on Esports
Betting on Esports in 2021 online is very easy. Here’s a short guide that will walk you through the important steps:
- Choose a legit Esports bookmaker;
- Register and check the promotions section – there might be a free bet or sign up offer to claim;
- As soon as your account is funded, head to the markets and choose Esports;
- Pick an event and go through the options;
- Place a bet by clicking on the odds;
- Watch the match or wait for it to end to see if you’re getting paid.
The best Esports betting picks will come at great odds. While popular, this isn’t a market that’s as big as a football. Thanks to that, you can count on pretty good Esports betting odds, especially in some markets. Make your bet, and all that remains are to let the match (or matches) end to see if you win.
If you’ve placed a live bet, you might also be able to watch the match live depending on the in-play betting platform.
Esports Live Betting
Seasoned bettors know the thrill of live betting. In-play wagering is 100 times more exciting than pre-match markets, allowing you to stake on live events as they unfold. Of course, this requires you to think fast as the odds change every second depending on what’s happening in a match.
Esports live betting is available at all the bookies we have on our pages. Even better, many of these betting sites offer live streaming of nearly all major Esports events. It means that you can watch the matches live, which should hopefully lead to much better predictions.
Unfortunately, this isn’t a feature all bookies have, so make sure to weigh your options before joining.
Most Popular Esports Games
Bettors can place their wagers on a pretty wide range of games in Esports. These span FPS’ such as Call of Duty, Overwatch, Fortnite, and CS: GO, competitive MOBAs such as DOTA 2, StarCraft, and WoW, and sports simulations such as FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer.
You can bet on the LoL game with ease these days. Just head to your preferred bookmaker, choose your favorite game and check out the odds. You can do everything with a single click or a flick of your finger if you’re betting from your mobile phone. The list of competitive Esports games is constantly growing, so make sure to check it thoroughly.
Esports Betting Tips & Predictions
Just like betting on football or any other sport, it’s a good idea to regularly read tips and predictions if you want to be successful. Many of the best Esports betting sites here at BetZillion have their blogs run by experts that share valuable knowledge ahead of games and tournaments.
You won’t lose anything by reading experts’ opinions on upcoming matches. You stand to gain a lot, especially if the predictions turn correct, and they do most of the time. Don’t hesitate to read the top Esports betting tips for today or tomorrow – it’s a must to win. Of course, you should also consider using a strategy. If you place your bets without one, you’ll be in trouble sooner than you think.
Live Esports Streaming Sites
As mentioned previously, live betting on Esports is a pretty popular market. Since most of these tournaments are played online, it’s straightforward for bookmakers to add live streams to their sites.
Thanks to that, you can watch the action from all matches, hopefully helping you make winning predictions. Keep your finger on the trigger and react fast – by watching a game, you’ll easily notice what happens next in it.
Is It Legal to Bet on Esports Online?
Yes, it is 100% legal to bet on Esports online. That is if you choose a legal bookie. If you’ve registered with an unlicensed bookmaker, the chances of losing your money, or worse, your data, are pretty high.
Legal Esports betting online is only possible if you choose the right sportsbook. Luckily for you, all sportsbooks on our site are 100% legit, so you don’t have to worry about the legal side of things.
Skins Betting Sites vs. Esports Betting Sites
When betting on Esports online, you have to be aware that there are 2 different betting types. The first one is available at any best Esports betting site on our list – match wagering and other markets. However, bettors can also try their luck on skins betting, which is a completely different thing.
When you wager on matches, you’re predicting who wins a game of CS: GO, DOTA 2, or LoL. Skins betting is a bit different. In this case, you won’t be putting your money on match favorites. You’ll instead be betting skins.
Bettors who are heavily invested in video games know what skins are. They represent cosmetic additions for weapons or characters in games. You can get many of them for free, but there are paid versions too. Skins have recently become very valuable betting content, with skins wagering sites emerging on the market.
You can trade away your skins for others on these sites or place your wagers on different bets using your skins. A few years ago, this could only be done within the Steam client. However, as the community grew, it became impractical, leading to special safe skins betting sites. Unlike soccer bookmakers, however, these sites allow bettors to put their skins in a safe pot and use them to wager on anything the site offers. There are no traditional Esports betting picks in skins betting, but it’s still a smart way to gamble online.
Biggest Esports Bet Win
So far, bookmakers have been reluctant to release information on the largest Esports betting wins. They might have done so at the behest of their clients, or their terms don’t allow revealing their clients’ identity.
Either way, we’re sure that profitable bettors have placed massive bets on Esports and won. It’s not uncommon to win millions at the top betting sites, and some of those wins might have occurred on Esports matches or tournaments.
Esports Overview
There’s no question that Esports is the hottest betting market in the industry right now. If you’re new to it and you don’t know where to start, we suggest reading any Esports sportsbook review on this page. Our guide should be more than enough for new bettors to learn how Esports betting works. It’s an extremely lucrative market with plenty of potential, so if you want to win big, you shouldn’t avoid it.
Before we conclude the article, let’s take a look at some interesting facts about the sport.
- The most popular games in Esports to bet on are Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO), DOTA 2, WoW, League of Legends (LoL), FIFA, and PES;
- In 2021, the most popular Esports players are Faker (LoL), Xyp9x (CS: GO), Dupreeh (CS: GO), MATUMBAMAN (DOTA 2), Puppey (DOTA 2), Gesture (Overwatch), and JJonah (Overwatch);
- Esports betting in Australia is a huge hit, but the market is pretty popular in the USA, Canada, and the UK too;
- The sports that are most similar to Esports are football, basketball, and any team sport that can be replicated in a virtual setting;
- When it comes to the biggest Esports betting sites, Bovada, MyBookie, Bet365, Unikrn, and BetNow are among the faves;
- While it’s still not an Olympic sport, hopes are high that Esports will soon join the list. The Olympic committee has admitted interest in Esports inclusion, but only sports games will be allowed if it happens.
Bottom Line
Esports betting is a hugely attractive market right now. It’s one of the most lucrative, too, since the matches are not as big as a football, resulting in usually higher odds. Esports betting in the UK is already in full swing, and the famous betting market is currently conquering other markets.
We hope that our guide to the best Esports betting sites has helped you learn more about it. Whether you’re looking for the best lines or futures, or you want to learn how to bet on Esports from your phone, we have everything you need right here. You will also learn more about the best Esports betting app that will allow you to place bets on the go anytime and anywhere.
Take a deep dive into this fantastic market for real money, and if you’ve done your homework, you can expect a pretty nice return.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is Esports betting?
Esports betting is a market that allows you to place bets on Esports competitions and matches. It’s one of the latest and most fun betting markets in the industry right now.
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Can you bet on Esports online?
Yes, you can. The nature of the tournaments and competitions (online matches, etc.) makes it more suitable for online betting.
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What is the best site for Esports betting?
We can’t point out one great Esports betting site, but we can give you a few: Bovada, MyBookie, Unikrn, and Bet365.
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Can you bet on Esports in America?
As long as you’ve chosen a legal sportsbook, there are no obstacles to bet on Esports anywhere in the world, including America.
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States where Esports betting is legal?
Esports online betting is legal in around a dozen states where online betting is legal. These include Nevada, Mississippi, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.
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Can you bet on Esports in Vegas?
Yes, many Vegas bookies offer a wide assortment of Esports tournaments and matches you can place your bet on.