Report: Esports betting rises across CS2, LoL, VALORANT, MLBB, and Dota

Naerlyn Published March 5, 2026

Esports betting experienced strong growth across the major titles of the industry in 2025, per a report by Oddin.gg. Not only did esports betting volumes go up, but the market also matured alongside. Here’s a deeper dive into the year-over-year growth in 2025.

The double-digit increase in esports betting volumes in 2025

According to the report, in 2025, esports betting volumes increased by 18% to 62% across Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, League of Legends, VALORANT, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) compared to 2024.

MLBB recorded the strongest growth and earned its position among the top five major gambling titles for the first time in 2025.

The bet count went up by 10% to 41% for each of these games. Below is a table of the detailed numbers for each title:

As esports betting volumes rise, the LoL World Championship recorded the highest average bet in 2025. Image Source: Colin Young-Wolff / Riot Games

Esports betting becomes more mature across the titles

The five aforementioned games developed across the following indicators of market maturity.

• The average stakes at the main event of the year increased.
• Bettors invest more in player-focused markets.
• The engagement of bettors follows specific teams more than the prestige of a tournament.
• Live betting becomes more and more prevalent compared to pre-match activity.
• Betting activity becomes more consistent across the year, remaining healthy during regional competition.

Of these five games, Counter-Strike shows the most maturity. Doing well by each metric, this market approaches the stability of a traditional sport.

The major markets for esports betting on Counter-Strike 2. Screenshot credit: Oddin.gg

The specifics of each game

As the betting market grows, each player base shapes it in its unique way.

• In Counter-Strike betting, users care about the teams and players involved more than they do about the level of the tournament. Fan favorite teams generate more attention at smaller tournaments than lesser teams at major events.
• Flagship events are much more important than the rest of the year in Dota 2.
• LoL betting has the most balanced growth thanks to a thriving esports ecosystem. Live betting is strongly rising.
• Valorant bettors focus most on the level of play, above the prize pool.
• In Mobile Legends, bettors have their eyes set mostly on regional competition rather than international events.

Featured Image Source: Colin Young-Wolff / Riot Games