Betting on esports is very popular nowadays. Thousands of games and matches take place daily, while millions of bettors follow each aspect of them trying to predict outcomes. Sounds interesting enough to join? Learn where and how to bet on esports online.
Esports betting is a new yet popular form of entertainment. Various esports competitions attract millions of viewers to screens as they follow esports games in real-time. Also, esports is in high demand among bettors who are trying to predict the outcome of each game or the whole tournament. All this allowed esports to become a billion-dollar industry in the late 2010s and early 2020s.
If you have never heard of esports, this guide will help you to learn everything about this phenomenon.
What is esports?
Esports is a special kind of virtual competition in video games. It is usually held between individuals or teams competing against each other for the top rankings on a leaderboard. Most esports competitions are streamed at platforms like YouTube and Twitch, but there is also a possibility to follow them at live sportsbooks.
There are two basic types of esports:
- fantasy sports (simulations of major football/basketball/baseball leagues and tournaments)
- esports video games (e.g. Call Of Duty, Raid: Shadow Legends, CS:GO, League of Legends, DOTA 2)
With the growing popularity of esports, this form of entertainment has reached the bookies. As we have already mentioned, it is possible to follow most games and matches at online sportsbooks. If you are a registered user and want to bet on esports, you can combine the process of watching it live & placing bets on favorites.
About esports betting
Let’s now learn how to bet on esports. Esports betting is different from betting on traditional sports. First of all, it is much easier and potentially profitable to players. The biggest advantage of esports betting is the possibility to track all changes as soon as they happen. There are numerous live streaming, social media updates, live chats, and standings that are constantly updating. All this makes esports betting not only entertaining but also beneficial for bettors.
In addition to this, sportsbooks give many betting opportunities for fans of esports. Below you will find the most common types of esports bets one can place at betting sites.
Fantasy betting. Placing bets on fantasy sports is different from what you usually do at sportsbook sites. Here, you create a virtual team based on real managers and players. In the process, you earn points based on real-life stats and the values of these players. Here you can bet on yourself to win by creating the strongest team, bet on streamers, outcomes of selected games, and so on.
Outright betting. Like traditional sports betting, this type of betting means guessing the winner of the game or tournament. At some sportsbooks, outright betting is called real money betting.
First Blood betting. This betting option allows you to bet on the team you think will perform the first blood in the game or tournament. Also, you can bet on the First Blood to happen in an over/under format.
Handicap betting. It is betting despite the obvious outcome. In the case of one team having an advantage over the other, handicap betting allows a pretty fair betting line. Bettors should predict rounds before a team would win.
Over/Under betting. This is an advanced format of betting recommended for experienced bettors. Here they can guess the duration of the game or match or a total number of points to be over/under a certain margin.
Region Winner betting. As its name suggests, this betting type allows players to place bets on the future winner’s region. This is possible only if participants of the game or tournament come from different regions.
Special betting. Special or specific bets allow players to make bets on exclusive events that might happen in this or that game. For example, it can be the first team to find a map in League of Legends.
How to bet on esports at online sportsbooks
To bet on esports, bettors must sign up for a sportsbook. Then, you should make a deposit or use online betting bonuses available for new players. In this case, you will be able to make your first bet for free. Before creating an account, make sure that the sportsbook offers esports bets and, if possible, live streams for competitions.
Here are some reputable betting sites that have esports competitions to bet on: 1xBet Sportsbook, 22Bet Sportsbook, Betway Sportsbook, GGBet, Bovada, and many others.