Esports Sportsbook

“2020 has been a decent year so far” – that has to be pretty far up on the list of things you’re unlikely to hear from anyone ever… right?

Well, correct. But even if it’s not exactly shooting fireworks in celebration of this year, the betting industry certainly seems to be enjoying above-average results in recent times. Because despite the Great Lockdown affecting sports as much as any other industry requiring exposure to the outside world on any scale, esports is understandably doing a lot better.

Esports Entertainment Group is awaiting licensing decision from the Division of Gaming Enforcement New Jersey has a liberal approach to esports adoption, launching numerous markets in early-2020 New Jersey will soon welcome Esports Entertainment Group, which will run the Garden State’s first dedicated esports-focused sportsbook. Esports betting is a rapidly growing market, but as both big traditional sportsbooks and newer startups are competing for space it can be a little difficult to find what you are looking for. Home » ESPORTS » Esports. February 15, 2021 7:27 am. Luke Chadwick February 15, 2021. Whether you are a sports betting rookie, or are a pro looking. Two traditional sportsbooks that have embraced esports betting are Pinnacle and bet365. This is the form of esports betting that’s closest to traditional sports betting, which works in largely the same way as betting on football games, boxing matches or golf tournaments. We place real money wagers at agreed odds, and get paid out if our selections are correct.

Bookies were quick to confirm this new reality. Some betting API developers were ever quicker. Looking back at the first half of 2020, the initial hype phase already transitioned to comprehensive adoption, partnerships, stunts, and serious M&A activity. Of course, the actual effects of recent developments are yet to materialize on a truly massive level since the sportsbook sector is heavily dependent on regulators to make such moves – by design.

With humanity still trying to figure out how to move on from the biggest health crisis in modern history, iGaming, esports, and the vertical potential between the two are something that will simply have to wait for a bit longer in most parts of the world. But preparations are well underway, having hit overdrive by the time governments around the world started implementing social distancing measures in late February.

The rise of esports betting: from CS: GO to SCOTUS

COVID-19 aside (oxymoron of the year?), the actual process of figuring out how to connect a business making money on sports outcomes with a business producing a ton of sports outcomes wasn’t the hard part, of course. It’s not like the betting industry failed to realize video games existed until every other sporting event including the Olympics got canceled.

Not long after the first crude iteration of esports betting materialized in the form of gambling on CS: GO skins in the second half of 2013, first esports betting startups started raising millions of dollars in venture capital.

Outlooks on the esports situation became much more bullish after a top judicial authority paved the way for esports betting – and betting, in general – to return to the world’s biggest economy in style. On May 14, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court made a landmark rulling that invalidated a 1992 federal law taking away the states’ power to authorize betting. DraftKings, nation’s flagship sports betting company whose entire business model hinged on this happening, sounded chuffed with the decision. “This is going to be a huge industry”, CEO Jason Robins told CNBC at the time. Seeing how DraftKings doubled in value over the following month, reaching a valuation of about $15 billion based on its NASDAQ performance, it seems the secondary capital markets bought into the hype he was selling.

There was still some confusion on how the new regulations might apply to esports events featuring minors, which the majority of the most popular ones do. After all, Fortnite has single-handedly been turning 15-year-olds into millionaires in recent years. But at this point, those were just technical issues, things to iron out as the ball got rolling.

By 2019, esports were already on the verge of becoming a billion-dollar industry, with Goldman Sachs projecting that figure to triple over the following three years.

As of late last year, even top sports brands were feeling the pressure of esports, with Juventus CEO Andrea Agnelli famously claiming football is “falling into irrelevance” due to Fortnite, not because the Generation Z somehow grew up not caring about competitive sporting events.

The silver lining to a global pandemic

Though the COVID-19 pandemic certainly hit sportsbook businesses hard, that’s a result of multiple factors: regulatory considerations are an omnipresent concern, then there’s the overall betting culture which is still largely catered toward traditional athletes and their respective sports (not least of all due to the regulatory state of affairs), and sportsbook services are still working on drafting large-scale growth strategies with a major esports component.

Given everyhing that’s been happening in the first half of 2020, the sportsbook industry certainly wasn’t short on motivation to embrace esports on a wider scale. While esports accounted for only about 3% of the global online betting market coming into this year, it also remained largely unaffected by the Great Lockdown. At the same time, the betting sector overall is now estimated to miss its $75 billion annual revenue target by at least 20%. That’s $15 billion left on the table, solely on account of the fact that bookies put 97% of their eggs in a single basket; even less (1.3%), if you add walk-in business for a complete industry outlook. Talk about poor hedging performance from an industry built on the exact opposite.

Therefore, 2020 is shaping out to be a do-or-die scenario for many bookies; one in which “do” means “accept esports as your Lord and Savior”. The thing is, while the sportsbook sector is losing the remainder of that $15 billion, esports betting is projected to grow by an annual rate of at least 35% in the second half of the year.

Betting aside, even some organizations such as NASCAR are now pushing to have competitive video games serve as the main alternative to traditional sports until such a time that massive gatherings can once take place.

This silver lining to what’s otherwise hardly been a year to remember so far isn’t a complete surprise, naturally. However, what many may not realize is that the uninterrupted momentum of esports was already massive enough to allow for some M&A experiments, and the Great Shutdown just improved its odds at completing those forays relative to… pretty much everyone else. Meaning that while betting companies’ acquisitions of esports players are still the norm for long-term tie-ups, we’re starting to see some activity in the opposite direction, as well.

The reality of a 3,000% growth rate

As the betting industry can attest, predicting the future isn’t as easy as it sounds. And severe regulatory pressure across the globe already took a toll on its core business model in recent times. The novel coronavirus pandemic was but a catalyst that walked into a room being sucked out of oxygen and lit a huge fire in the middle.

The end result won’t be that different in terms of overall market performance, according to early analyst insights. The industry, on the whole, is expected to either stagnate or see a minor decline in the ballpark of 5% year-over-year (we’re still talking $30 billion worth of “minor”). That would be the entire gambling industry, of which sportsbooks are only a small part (circa 16%). Still, they’re also heading toward becoming one of its poorest-performing parts once this year comes to a close, with esports being the only glimmer of optimism amid all that gloom.

The jury is still out on how redeemable are we talking about, exactly. Global forecasts are still few and far between, not to mention far from focused on esports. Thankfully, we do have some hard numbers from one of the largest betting markets in the world to refer to. As reported by the UK Gambling Commission, British esports betting grew by a whopping 2,922% year-over-year as of March, reaching a monthly yield of over £4.6 million, or 4% of the overall market.

Even after the first lockdown came to an end and sports events returned to a limited capacity, esports betting in the country maintained a 124% sequential growth rate, nearly double the yield of the next fastest-recovering sector – poker. Not bad for a year in which the world did its best to crash every modern economy in existence, right?

Between those insane rebounds and continued uncertainty surrounding physical sporting events, a number of esports betting startups have seen such an increase in traffic that they’re rethinking their entire growth structure. One of those is Luckbox, a betting platform backed by MLS legend Luis Robles, which emerged from this coronavirus chaos with an IPO announcement pending TSXV approval.

As more of these success stories continue to emerge, esports betting is now establishing itself as not just the latest sportsbook mainstay, but an event category so popular, diversified, and competitive that it can only be viewed as an extension of traditional sports. It may not be fair to say esports have single-handedly saved the sportsbook industry this year, but with $14 billion in forecast revenue – more than double compared to 2019 – what was shaping up to a be a full-fledged disaster of a year will now merely be viewed as an isolated period of underperformance.

Because, as many vindicated esports betting evangelists are now pointing out, the niche has outgrown the definition of a niche. And just like we’re not cramming football and basketball into “ball sports”, esports are now reaching a much higher, more nuanced level of public awareness.

Given that state affairs, the fact that esports betting softened the blow of a global pandemic by billions of dollars should soon wane in comparison to how explosive of a growth factor it will prove to be for the overall segment. Because it’s not a highly contagious lung disease that made sports and betting appeal to the infamously unreachable Generation Z. If anything, the 2020 pandemic just highlighted the fact that without esports, the betting industry has long reached the point of maturity. But with esports becoming a larger part of its overall offerings, the sportsbook segment is on the road to more than double its size over the next several years, all while insulating a large portion of its operations from global catastrophes to an unprecedented degree.

Original Author: Dominik Bošnjak

Top esports betting sites have kept on par as esports exploded in popularity over the last five years. Titles such as CS:GO, Dota 2, League of Legends, Overwatch and Fortnite becoming household names, with an almost never-ending list of action packed tournaments and leagues on offer. Many bookmakers now offer markets on which punters can place esports bets.

Here, at Esports.net, we have conducted a thorough review of many of the best esports betting sites out there. All in the pursuit of helping you to find the best esports betting site for your needs.

The Best Esports Betting Sites

We have one aim and one aim only – to help you choose the perfect bookmaker for your esports bets. We’ll show you how easy the site is to use, the variety of markets available for esports betting and the integrated security features – which ensure you’re safe and sound when it comes to depositing and withdrawing your funds. Finally, we’ll also cover licensing and whether or not you can use the bookmaker legally where you live.

If they match-up to our rigorous standards, they’ll get our seal of approval. Don’t forget that we’ll show you the best esports bonuses on offer elsewhere at Esports.net. But here are the key things that you should be looking for in the top esports betting sites!

Our methodology

We rank the esports betting sites based on several predefined criteria. Everything from easy of use to markets on offer and payment methods gets factored in as we assess what makes one bookmaker rank better then the rest. Eight main categories cover everything from Design to Costumer Care and everything in between. Below is a description of our main points of interest, and how define them. Each esports betting site will have in-depth review for each category in their individual reviews.

Top 15 Esports Bookies: find the one that best suits your needs

Arcanebet Review

An Esports focused betting site for CS:GO, Dota 2, League of Legends, and more, with plenty of Esports bet markets on offer. Arcanebet also offers a full sportsbook, a live in-play betting service, live streaming, full casino, and a live casino for the complete betting experience. Currently offering a big 100% match bonus up to EUR30.

Bet365 Review

The world’s favourite online betting site and the world’s biggest betting site, offering you everything you could want in Esports betting – including CS:GO, Dota2, League of Legends, Valorant, and so many more, all with a great choice of tournaments and betting markets. You want Esports? Bet365 has the Esports! Currently offers up to £100 in bet credits for new customers.

Betway Review

Established in 2006, Betway definitely backs Esports, with its dedicated Esports section offering bets on all major tournaments for Dota 2, League of Legends, CS:GO, Heroes of the Storm, Starcraft 2 and more at different times. Has great in-play Esports betting action with live streams, exclusive Betway Esports Boost offers, and a new customer offer of up to £10 in free sports and Esports bets.

Cyber.bet Review

Cyber.bet is a Curacao based betting site that started out in 2018 as an Esports-only specialist but has since expanded with a full sportsbook. Offers bettors a great range of Esports bets for League of Legends, Dota 2, StarCraft, CS:GO, Call of Duty, Overwatch, Rainbow 6, Hearthstone, PUBG, Fortnite, Apex Legends, Battle Royale games – everything you could want for Esports and Sports betting!

DraftKings Review

Since 2012, DraftKings has been the global leader in daily fantasy sports betting. No need for season long commitment, just play by the day or the week. Now offers a full range of US focused betting in the DK sportsbook. Smooth betting interface, mobile apps and even the chance for fantasy Esports – League of Legends, CS:GO, Rocket League, Call of Duty, and iRacing.

GG.bet Review

Dedicated to Esports means so much more choice at GG.bet, with all the top games covered in depth, for both major and minor events in CS:GO, League of Legends, and Dota 2, plus full coverage of StarCraft 2, Smite, PUBG, Call of Duty, Hearthstone, Halo, NBA2K, Overwatch, Heroes of the Storm, Vainglory, and World of Tanks. And it’s all live streamed through Twitch for a full selection of in-play Esports live betting.

LeoVegas Review

Multiple award-winning betting operator – LeoVegas has operated its top-class casino and live casino gaming since 2011 and added their feature packed sportsbook in certain regions from 2016. LeoVegas is a leader in mobile betting with excellent casino gaming from the LeoVegas Casino app and all the best sports and Esports coverage in the LeoVegas Sports app.

Loot.bet Review

Amazing selection of Esports gaming, including fan-favourites CS:GO, Dota 2, League of Legends, StarCraft 2, plus FIFA, Valorant, Call of Duty, NBA2K, Rocket League, Hearthstone, and many more – all with multiple betting markets on major and minor tournaments. Loot.bet now offers sports and virtual sports for gamers. EUR 100 first deposit bonus + free spins.

LuckBox Review

Esportsbook specialist for betting on CS:GO, Dota 2, League of Legends, Overwatch and all major games, with pre-match and in-play betting with live streams, stats and schedules. Licensed by the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision for complete confidence, Luckbox now offers Esports bettors cryptocurrency payment options through CryptoPay and introduced a sportsbook in 2021.

Pinnacle Review

Pinnacle gives you the complete betting experience with the full range of casino, live casino, sports, and Esports betting for you. Offering 13 different Esports with great low margin odds, Pinnacle’s a leader in Esports betting. Offers a massive range of payments including crypto-payments.

Stake.com Review

Part of the new generation of cryptocurrency only bookmakers, Stake.com offers bettors a full casino and a massive sportsbook with a full range of major and lesser-known sports. Esports are covered in depth with Dota 2, League of Legends, FIFA, and Counter-Strike, all with live betting and streaming.

TonyBet Review

Founded in 2009 by world famous poker pro Tony G, and now part of the respected and trusted Betsson group, Tonybet gives you a full service casino, sports & Esports site. Licensed and regulated through both the UK Gambling Commission and by the Estonian gaming authorities – a safe secure site.

Unikrn Review

An Esports specialist, Unikrn offers you top Esports coverage of every major title — including League of Legends, Overwatch, Counter Strike Global Offensive, Dota 2 and Fortnite, plus full tips, predictions and stats Esports service, and highly competitive odds. You also get Unikrn UMode, giving you the chance to bet on your own gaming skills and results.

Vie.bet Review

Esports, sports, live betting, virtuals, casino, and live casino offered from Vie.bet, the new site from the Vie.gg Esports platform. Some of the biggest Esports coverage with competitive odds – concentrates on Dota 2, League of Legends, and CS:GO but goes deep into the niche games.

Winners.bet Review

Part of the trusted WIN Esports group which includes the populate Esports media platform WIN.gg, licensed by the respected Malta Gaming Authority. Winners.bet offers almost every Esport available with a wide range of markets through the big games and niche games, for pre-match and live betting, plus full Twitch streaming and a welcome bonus of 100% up to EUR/$ 50.

Odds for esports betting

Who gives the best odds?

We’ll show you those bettings that routinely give you the best odds for your favourite esport. Everybody knows that esports is the most exciting thing to hit the betting world in years. But despite this popular trend, there are still many people who are unsure about how to go about betting on esports. So we’ve handpicked the best bookmakers around who are offering the best esports betting odds and a safe and secure way to enjoy esports betting in the UK.

We will highlight the bookies who give you the best odds for all of the major games like CS:GO and LoL, and we will pay special attention to which tournaments feature prominently in the big esports betting markets. This is important as all bookmakers tend to cover different esports games and competitions, so it’s good to get an idea of what’s out there before you go about planning your esports bets.

Non Regulated vs Regulated Bookmakers

Why licensing, encryption and reputation is essential for safe esports betting

As each betting platform will require you to make a financial deposit in order to place your bets, it’s essential to do some research into the brand before you give them money. Whilst the majority of esports betting websites will be legitimate, you can never be too careful. This is why you should always check that each bookmaker is regulated by an authorised gambling body before you make your first deposit.

Looking for a recognised gambling regulator like the UK Gambling Commission on a bookmaker’s website is the first way to check that they will enable you to enjoy betting options on esports in a safe and secure manner. And whilst this regulator covers all esports betting in the UK, there are other regulatory organisations like the Malta Gaming Authority that can give legitimacy to an esports betting website.

However, it never hurts to ask around to see how other users have fared at a particular betting site. Take notice of any bad reviews or any delays in customers getting a payout as this will signify that the bookmaker might not be all that they say they are. But above all, if an offer from an esports betting website looks too good to be true, it usually is. So be sure to read the small print and check into Esports.net for an expert opinion. Here’s what we check for when we evaluate the safety of esports bookmakers:

• Licensing: UK Gambling Commission, Malta Gaming Authority, Government of Curacao
• Encryption: Minimum 128-bit SSL encryption
• Fairplay credentials: IBAS, ESIC, eCOGRA

Is the esports betting site easy to use?

How to bet on Esports: making a simple wager

Nobody likes a badly designed esports betting site. So we’ll make sure that you get to play at the best esports betting site in terms of site design. This means that you should only need to know the basics of betting that can be applied to the majority of sites that facilitate betting on esports. So you should find it easy to pick the esports event that you want to place your bets on.

You should also find it easy to register with a bookmaker. Obviously, you’ll need to check that the bookie is officially regulated, but it’s also a good idea to see who is offering a decent welcome bonus that can take the form of a free bet or even a matched deposit offer. From here it should be easy to mark your selection on the website’s betting slip for the esports event. This means that you are placing money on who you expect to win that particular esports match.

Odds are commonly presented in a decimal format, but most sites allow you to switch to fractional or American format if you prefer. So if you bet £10 on Evil Geniuses to win the next Dota 2 competition at odds of 1.9, with decimal odds, it means that you would win £19 including your original stake. This is an example for UK betting, but it’s easy to see how it could apply to esports betting in Canada, Australia, the US and beyond. Here’s what we look for in the site design of all good esports bookmakers:

• Intuitively designed and good looking website and apps
• Fast loading times and glitch-free performance
• Simple to navigate on a laptop, smartphone and tablet

Payment methods for funding your esports bets

Which esports betting site has the fastest payouts?

Most decent esports bookmakers will provide you with plenty of options when it comes to making deposits and picking up your winnings. As well as recognised credit and debit card companies like MasterCard and Visa, you should be able to use a variety of E-wallet options like Neteller and Skrill. We should note that there are also a growing number of esports betting sites that accept PayPal.

Choosing which payment method to use for your esports betting is usually a matter of personal preference. But you should keep in mind the fact that each payment method is usually accompanied by different conditions regarding the limits on how much you can deposit and withdraw.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that certain payment methods can take longer to clear than others – definitely one reason why so many people are starting to try esports betting with Bitcoin. Many newcomers to esports betting have chosen to use payment methods like Paysafecard as a way of keeping a sensible limit on their wagering. But regardless of what method you use, esports betting should only be carried out in a responsible and safe manner. Here are the most common ways that you can fund your bets at esports betting sites:

• Cards – Visa, MasterCard, Maestro
• Ewallets – PayPal, Neteller, Skrill, EcoPayz
• Prepaid cards – Paysafecard, Neosurf
• Cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple
• Other payment options: Bank transfer, Interac, POLi

Esports coverage

Best Sites for League of Legends, Counter Strike, Dota 2 and more

We’ll make sure that you get to play at a bookmaker that gives you the chance to bet on all major and minor esports and pro gaming tournaments. Whilst certain events like DreamHack will crop up on most esports betting sites, some smaller events like the IEM Oakland Cup will require you to do a little more research to find an appropriate bookmaker and the same is true for what games you are betting on.

Betting on League of Legends

There is little doubt that League of Legends is one of the most popular titles to try out some betting on esports. And this fact is reflected in the huge number of bookmakers who allow you to try some LoL betting. Betway has proven to be one of the market leaders in offering great odds on League of Legends tournaments. The brand routinely covers top LoL tournaments like the KeSPA Cup with plenty of different betting markets that give you plenty of interesting wagering opportunities.

Whilst Bet365 doesn’t cover some of the more obscure LoL markets, this well-respected betting company has pledged to give customers the very best odds possible. And so this could be a good bookmaker to try the next time that the League of Legends World Championships come around.

The best betting sites for Dota 2

We all know that a large part of esport’s success lies with the Dota 2 game. This multiplayer battle arena game was one of the most popular titles in the early years of esports, and it’s great to see how it is still being featured heavily amongst the top esports bookmakers like Stake.com. Much of this is thanks to the enduring popularity of The International tournament that regularly tempts the UK’s top bookmakers to lay down some very competitive odds. But even when the International isn’t taking place, you can still expect sites like Vie.bet to provide some great in-play betting opportunities on top events like the ProDotA Cup and the ROG Masters.

Similarly, Cyber.bet sometimes offers a specialised Dota 2 betting service that takes in lesser-known tournaments like the Rocket League ELEAGUE tournament, The Summit, and Captain’s Draft. Sites like this provide you with a great way to bet on this iconic esports title, as they have lots of interesting betting markets for tournaments like the MDL Macau so that you can enjoy betting on the first team to get 10 kills, and which team will slay the first Roshan.

Finding the best CSGO betting site

It’s pretty easy to find a bookmaker who gives you odds for CSGO, but we should state that Luckbox has gone from strength to strength in helping you take a bet on all top CS:GO matches. The brand have recently introduced some great in-play betting options and features for all major and minor Counter Strike events that shows that your betting can be just as exciting as the on-screen action. But here are some more popular esports to bet on:

• Overwatch
• Valorant
• Fortnite
• StarCraft
• Hearthstone

Do all Betting Sites offer the same Matches?

Different games, different markets

Whilst all betting sites work in the same way in helping you place bets on esports, it’s evident that there is a huge variation in what matches they cover. Whilst Unikrn give us a massive selection of esports betting markets on some lesser-seen titles, not all bookmakers will feature such a large range. This is because certain bookies like Bet365 prefer to only feature the most popular games like CS:GO and League of Legends so that they can focus on providing you with the most competitive odds on these classic titles.

Furthermore, brands like GG.bet are starting to branch out in covering lesser-known games like King of Glory and World of Tanks and so we can hopefully look forward to a far greater choice of betting markets in the future.

Draftkings Sportsbook Esports

Whilst esports betting may be a fairly recent phenomenon, it looks like it is something that is going to become much more widespread. As a result, it’s always a good idea to check into esports.net to see which bookies are offering odds on your favorite esport.

Picking an esports betting site versus a regular bookmaker

Choosing a site for your esports bets

For some time, if you wanted to enjoy esports betting in the UK, you’d have to go to some fairly niche betting sites. Thankfully, it looks like some of the biggest names in the sports betting world have jumped on the esports bandwagon. And this means that you can take advantage of their very competitive odds on esports betting in the UK, and also rest easy in knowing that your deposits are being dealt with in a safe and secure manner. However, it can still be worth checking into some of the specialist betting sites as these will cover some of the more niche games and often give you more interesting betting markets too.

A focus on Real Money Bets

What about skin gambling?

Many of us will be aware that there are plenty of ways to bet on esports in a way that uses methods other than real money. And whilst this may be popular for some people, we find that betting with real money is the safest way to enjoy taking a bet on esports.

As a result we will only be focusing on the esports bookmakers who allow you to place deposits and collect winnings in real money. Not only does this make everything much simpler to explain, but it means that you have an extra degree of confidence in placing your bets in a safe and secure manner with an officially regulated betting site.

Whilst there are some betting websites that allow the use of cryptocurrencies and credits for making esports bets, this is still something of a niche area. So although you can carry out some skin gambling for virtual goods on some CS:GO games, that’s not something that you’re going to find at Esports.net. So rather than featuring those lesser known websites, we will only be featuring the biggest names in the CSGO betting and esports betting world so that you can quickly understand exactly how much you stand to win when you next take an esports bet.

Esports betting sites with the best bonuses

Getting more from your esports bets

We should also note that many esports betting sites will give you some great bonuses to play with. These are often focused at encouraging new customers to sign up to their sites, but you should be able to find a good promotion as an existing customer too. Such deals will often match your qualifying deposits or bets with extra betting funds, or you might even get a cool losing bet refund. Many of these special offers will get unveiled whenever a major esports tournament like ESL One comes around.

There is a dedicated section for Esports Betting Bonuses that covers each individual provider and ways to claim your bonus, and any and all ongoing promotions and special offers. We’ll be on hand to guide you to those esports betting sites who routinely put on the best bonuses.

Getting help with your esports bets

The esports betting sites with the best customer support

Nobody wants to be left hanging if they have a problem at an esports betting site. So we’ll show you those bookmakers who have always managed to show that they care about their customers. Ideally these sites should have friendly and professional customer support that’s available 24/7. This is because esports tournaments take place all over the world during some antisocial hours and so you’ll want to make sure that you get help.

Most of our recommended esports betting sites allow you to easily get in touch with their customer service teams via live chat or email. However, it’s worth noting that other sites will allow you to reach out through anything from a standard phone call to social media channels like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Discord.

The best sites for live betting on esports

Which betting sites have free live streaming?

Live betting and esports are clearly meant for each other. There’s nothing like betting live on a fast-paced game like Overwatch or CSGO. This is because it’s hugely exciting and also you can unlock some great value with your bets when you wager on the live odds. As a result, nearly all esports betting sites will let you bet live on anything from a massive League of Legends match to a minor StarCraft contest.

What’s best is that you should be able to watch a live Twitch stream as you put down your in-play bets. This isn’t just hugely entertaining, as it also means that you get to make an informed decision about which betting markets you choose to put down a live bet on. Just remember that timing is everything when it comes to live betting on esports, so make sure that you’ve got a fast internet connection.

Is Esports Betting Legal?

Best Esports Sportsbook

Staying safe with your esports bets

Although the rapid rise in popularity of esports may have caught some people unawares, it has thankfully made an easy transition to the traditional betting world so that we can all enjoy legal betting. In the UK, you can bet on everything from horse racing and football, to politics and TV shows, and so it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise to find that you can bet on people playing video games too. Whilst there were plenty of sceptics when esports first came on the scene, it has quickly grown to be a hugely popular activity that is now covered by major sports networks such as ESPN in the United States.

With such networks giving esports an extra level of legitimacy, it was little surprise to find that some of the UK’s most widely respected bookmakers like Bet365 would start offering customers a safe and legal way to bet on titles like CS:GO. This means that all standard legal betting practices in the UK can now be applied to taking a bet on esports. So that you should be able to place a bet on Dota 2 with the same guarantees of security as you would a horse racing event like The Grand National.

The great news is that esports betting is now gaining legitimacy all over the world from Canada to Australia and beyond. There’s even a growing number of people enjoying legal esports betting in USA as a result of the ongoing deregulation of online betting in forward-thinking states such as New Jersey. All of which means that we could soon have an entire world’s worth of esports betting options.

The Future of Esports Betting at Bookies

Bookmakers taking esports betting to the next level

Esports has evolved at a rapid rate in less than two decades of existence. And it’s clear that esports betting is also changing in ways that have taken many people by surprise. In just a handful of years we have seen many traditional sportsbooks introducing esports as a core part of their betting markets. And with the introduction of in-play betting, live streaming and even fantasy esports at these websites, it’s helped all of us get closer to the action to boost our betting profits.

It’s also been fascinating to see how the range of esports games that we can bet on has also grown dramatically. Whilst there will always be a core audience who will want to bet on esports classics like StarCraft II, Dota 2 and CS:GO, it seems that each year gives us a new esports sensation. Recently we’ve seen how Overwatch became one of the hottest titles to bet on in the esports realm, plus everything from the hugely popular PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds to Fortnite and Apex Legends have started to take the esports betting world by storm. And with the prize pools for players and teams reaching astonishing figures, we can expect to see a better coverage of competitive gaming helping to make esports betting even more popular in the future.

Best Esports Sportsbook

But there’s been no shortage of innovation in the esports betting world. Some bookmakers simply won’t stop giving you more ways to bet on esports. Top esports betting sites like Unikrn now allow you to bet on yourself playing video games through the UMode service, and we are starting to see more sites giving you a chance to enjoy betting on streamers 24/7. All of which shows that the future of esports betting is only getting started.