The new frontier: the evolution of esports betting
Betting is one of the most well-established pursuits in human history – the ancient Greeks and Romans, to name just two early civilizations, engaged in the practice, and its popularity has continued throughout the intervening centuries. As with any long-established activity, betting has changed and evolved over time: betting shops and casinos have evolved into online offerings that can be played by anyone with an internet connection, and the range of sports has grown almost exponentially. From standard fare such as horse racing to move novel options such as handball and chess, online betting has allowed an inclusive approach to what users can place bets on.
As online betting became simpler, more efficient, and easier to use, another activity was steadily growing in popularity too: esports. Once dismissed as an odd concept, esports have evolved to be a huge market force, and the source of endless hours of entertainment for viewers across the world. It’s easy to see why esports has flourished, too – after all, watching other people play video games is not dissimilar to watching others play football, and the immersive gaming options now available make for fascinating contests that are capable of enthralling fans worldwide.
Two worlds meet: esports meets online betting
It is perhaps no surprise, then, that the two evolving worlds of online betting and esports eventually combined, resulting in a burst of enthusiasm for esports betting. After a small start on just a few innovative esports betting websites, popularity and enthusiasm soon soared. Now, it is nigh-on impossible to find any betting site that cannot lay claim to also being an esports betting website thanks to its inclusion of a range of esports betting markets.
The growth of esports betting is undeniable. Now, users are able to place esportbets with relative ease thanks to the legion of choice available, rather than having to search to find one of the few early esport betting sites. Operators have also recognised esports bettors when it comes to their promotions and offers, with esports included as qualifying for sign-up bonuses and even the occasional one-off promotion with certain operators. It’s fair to say that from a small seed, great oaks have grown, and it’s clear that esports betting is here to stay, and more and more people are fully aware of the answer to the once-common question of “what is esports betting?” – simply put, it’s placing bets on a hugely popular range of events, similar to football, ice hockey, American football, and tennis betting.
For bettors, the rise and rise of esports betting has resulted in a need to choose the esports betting website they wish to use carefully. At esportsbetting.com, our goal is to simplify that choice, highlighting the pros and cons of the best esports betting sites, examining the service they offer, and ultimately providing a recommendation as to whether an operator is worth signing up to in order to place an esports bet or two. However, there is one question that we need to look into in greater detail: what can those who choose to engage in esport betting real money options at the best esports betting site actually place their bets on?
There’s numerous options available at any esports operator, but let’s look further into some of the most popular options.
CS:GO Esports Betting
If there is one title particularly associated with esports betting, it’s undoubtedly CS:GO – or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, as it is more formally known.
CS:GO has been one of the pioneers of esports; there are world rankings for competitive teams, and the game continues to dominate thoughts and focus across the esports betting world. The appetite for CS:GO seems never-abating also; the title was originally released in 2012, but remains hugely relevant today.
As the popularity of CS:GO contests grew and teams such as Astralis and G2 Esports grew in reputation, it should come as no surprise that CS:GO esports betting sites soon swiftly followed. You can now expect any operator who provides esport betting market choices will cover the latest and greatest CS:GO esports betting options. You can also expect most operators to be teeming with esport betting choices for CS:GO during the largest tournament related to the game, the CS:GO Major Championships, which take place in November.
League of Legends Esport Betting
League of Legends, or LoL as it is commonly abbreviated to, has been a dominant force on the esports scene since its initial release in 2009. Now one of the best known titles in the world, League of Legends match-ups continue to command huge audiences, with the League of Legends Championship Series a particular highlight in the calendar for fans of the game.
Sure as night follows day, esports betting for League of Legends has grown in stature over recent years. As fans look to place bets on teams such as 100 Thieves and Cloud9 and their chances of success, operators have ensured there are ample opportunities for users to place esportbets to match their research and predictions. You can therefore expect to find LoL esports betting at any of the operators we recommend for esports betting, as no operator would be complete without the inclusion of the decades-old, but seemingly eternally popular, game.
Call of Duty Esports Betting
The Call of Duty League is a relative newcomer to the world of esports, having launched in 2020 and welcoming a host of teams such as OpTic Gaming, eUnited, and FaZe Clan. However, despite the relative newness of the league, it’s important not to underestimate the popularity of the game played by the teams: Call of Duty (or “CoD”) is fiercely popular, and has been since the series began in 2003. More modern releases include Call of Duty: WWII in 2017 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare in 2019, ensuring that the series stays relevant and reflective of advances in gaming technology.
Coverage of CoD esports betting is excellent across most operators, most of whom understand the need to provide markets and odds for fans of one of the most popular gaming series of all time. It’s also worth noting that the Call of Duty esports betting options have been available for some time; though the formal world league is youthful, there have been other CoD tournaments held for many years, so the CoD esports betting experience is well-established amongst esports betting providers.
Starcraft and Starcraft 2 Esports Betting
The origins of the Starcraft series are found many years before esports, or esports betting, were established: in that sense, Starcraft has proven to be a true trailblazer. With its origins literally found in a different millennium (the first title was released in 1998), Starcraft – and Starcraft II, which was released in 2010 – have proven their staying power, and remain hugely popular both with everyday players as well as fans of esports.
Compared to the titles we have discussed thus far, Starcraft and Starcraft 2 may not have the same immediate name recognition, but that is not to say that esports betting Starcraft fans can enjoy is difficult to find. Many operators have ensured to include the title in their esports provision, so by reading through the esportsbetting.com reviews and deciding which operator is right for you, you can look forward to placing bets on this hugely popular game in the future.
Dota and Dota 2 Esports Betting
The standing that Dota and Dota 2 by Valve enjoy in the world of gaming cannot be underestimated, with both versions enjoying incredible popularity and adulation from fans. Dota 2, in particular, has benefit from especial acclaim, and is – at the time of writing – the most streamed game on Steam; a lofty claim that cements the title as one of the greatest, most well-regarded of all time.
Naturally, esports betting Dota 2 fans can access is therefore straightforward to find: operators recognise the need to capitalise on the interest that continues to swirl around the game. The online betting options are wide, with numerous operators ensuring any esport betting Dota 2 fan will be able to access the ability to bet on the OMEGA League or The International (Dota 2) without any complications
10 Criteria For Finding The Best Esports Betting Site
Now you have an idea of the games esports betting tends to focus on, let’s turn our focus to the websites that will accept esports bets – and particularly, the criteria any excellent, reputable site should be able to meet with ease.
1 – A strong reputation
Esports betting may be, in terms of most types of betting, something of a newcomer, but that’s not to say an operator can’t have developed a reputation for their esports provision over recent years. At esportsbetting.com, you can read objective reviews for esports betting specialists in order to obtain an idea of how good – or, if necessary, how poor – an operator is considered to be when it comes to esports betting.
2 – Excellent Security
Regardless of what you are betting on, there is one essential that all betting websites should offer: outstanding security measures. We live in an age where online security is of paramount importance, so we at esportsbetting.com always focus on how secure and safe an operator’s website appears to be when compiling our reviews.
3 – Good customer service
The vast majority of bettors will be able to enjoy time spent on esports betting and managing their online betting account without a glitch – but every so often, the need for assistance from the operator may arise. In such eventualities, the ability to be able to contact – and receive a quick response from – an operator is critical, so any operator we rank well will have a well-performing customer service team.
4 – A variety of payment methods
Gone are the days when betting providers could only accept one or two different payment methods; now, there are countless options available, and we expect the best esports betting sites to cater to those with more esoteric payment preferences. We always take the time to evaluate the payment options available and determine if the selection is suitable for the average bettor’s requirements before making a judgement on the operator as a whole.
5 – Bonuses
Bonuses are a great way to enhance your betting experience, frequently providing the chance to win bonus bets, enhanced odds, and much more besides. To be competitive, we at esportsbetting.com believe an esports betting site needs to offer a good range of bonuses for esports bettors, either by ensuring esports are included along with their standard bonus offers for other sports or – and preferably – by running dedicated promotions that focus on esports.
6 – A well-designed, functional site
When engaging in esports betting, it’s reasonable to assume that you will want to do just that: bet on esports. You won’t want to spend time trying to figure out a complex site design, or struggling to find the market that you are looking for in a crowded, cluttered menu. A good design that is intuitive and straightforward to use is therefore a key consideration for any esports betting site we rank highly.
7 – A good mobile website and/or an app
Betting on esports does not need to be a static activity conducted from a desktop only; thanks to the age of internet devices small enough to be carried in one’s pocket, placing a bet and managing your account can take place from anywhere in the world. However, to use an operator on a smartphone means that said operator must provide a functional mobile experience, either via an excellent mobile-friendly version of their site or an esports betting app you can download. Any operator ranked well by esportsbetting.com will offer one or both of these options, so users can bet as and when they please.
8 – A (relatively) good range of markets
Even amongst the best esports betting sites, the market options are rather limited compared to the countless options found for other sports. This lack of choice is a consistent problem, so it’s tough to judge any one operator for it, but we do still expect to see a few options besides the simple “Match Winner” market. For example, handicaps and Map 1 markets will definitely see an operator be considered highly across our reviews.
9 – Good odds
With more and more providers now offering esports betting options, users now have more choice than ever before when it comes to odds selection. As a result, any esports betting website that receives plaudits from esportsbetting.com will have good, competitive odds that are amongst the very best available from any provider.
10 – VIP and Loyalty Programs
If you find an esports betting operator that you enjoy using, then you will likely return time and again in order to place your esport bets. The best operators understand that this kind of loyalty should be recognised and rewarded, so many provide VIP Clubs and/or loyalty programs for their regular customers – the rewards from which can provide a nice boost to your overall betting. We therefore always take a look at the options available for frequent users when we assess a site, factoring our findings into our overall thoughts on that particular site.
5 Tips For Choosing The Right Esports Betting Site
1 – Research as much as possible
When it comes to selecting an esports betting site, knowledge is definitely power. The more you know about a site and its esport options before you sign up, the better – so research will be your best friend. We naturally recommend that you spend time reading through the reviews right here on esportsbetting.com, so you can reap the insights pieced together by our expert writers – which should help you to decide whether a particular operator is worth your time.
2 – Consider your preferences
No two esports bettors are the same: everyone has different preferences that are entirely unique to them – from which games they wish to bet on to the payment method they want to use, subjectivity is definitely the name of the game. Due to this, it’s helpful to think about what you specifically want from an operator, so you can then keep these necessities in mind when considering your options. Doing this helps to personalise your research and ensure that you sign up with a great esports betting site for your specific requirements, rather than a site that performs well, but might not be the best choice for you personally.
3 – Focus primarily on the standard esports betting provision
We’ve mentioned that bonuses can really help to boost your betting experience – and we absolutely stand by that – but it’s also important to clarify: bonuses are an enhancement. Choosing a site based solely off its esport bonuses might not lead you to the best operator, as offering a great promo is relatively easy compared to offering an excellent, reliable esports betting service day after day, week after week, year after year. We’d therefore advise that you focus first and foremost on finding a provider who offers a reliable, robust service for everyday uses, and let bonuses be just that – a little something extra to boost your time spent playing at a great site, rather than the only reason you use a particular operator.
4 – Try before you commit
While almost every betting site on the internet requires users to register an account before they can place a bet, that doesn’t mean you can’t spend some time exploring the site to see if it meets your standards. Skim through the menus, navigate to the esports section, check out the odds and see how they compare, view the design on different devices to check compatibility – essentially, spend some time with the site and get to know it. Doing so will help to ensure that any site you do choose to sign up with is a site you already know the site meets your ideals, and which you should already know quite well.
5 – Remember there’s no restrictions on site sign ups
Finally, we thought it worth noting that there is absolutely no reason to find a single esports betting site and stick with it to the exclusion of all others. You can mix and match as you please, alternating between sites that have different markets, benefits, odds, or bonuses. Provided you research each site thoroughly by reading through the reviews and looking at the rankings on esportsbetting.com, there’s no need to find a sole site to register with, so spread your net wide in order to optimise your own experience.
Ultimate Tips For Esports Gambling
When it comes to using one of the best esports betting sites on the internet, you may find it helpful to consider the following tips on esports gambling before placing your bets…
1 – Consider every bet in-depth before placing
Before placing an esports bet, taking the time to ensure your bet is as informed as it can possibly be is always a valuable use of your time. Read the latest reports, study the stats, and look at recent form before deciding how you want to bet: gut instinct is a decent guide, but you’ll want to bolster that instinct with thorough research that is backed by hard, undeniable facts and evidence.
2 – Check the terms and conditions
Every esports betting operator has terms and conditions that you must agree to when registering an account and, usually, pertaining to any specific bonuses that are offered. Reading through the T&Cs should be an important part of your betting, as this helps to ensure you are fully compliant and that your overall time betting with a company will be smooth and simple. In particular, it’s worth reading and then re-reading terms and conditions relating to any bonus you intend to use, taking note of changeable factors such as wagering requirements, minimum odds, and time restrictions on bonus usage.
3 – Compare odds
Even if you have a “favourite” provider, comparing the odds on a particular bet that are offered by other providers is still absolutely worth a deal. Good odds means the best possible return should any bet you might place win, so a quick check just to make sure you can’t get a better price elsewhere should be a standard part of your routine.
