Whether you are new to esports betting or a well-seasoned veteran, you will always want to place your wagers with the sportsbooks that promise you the best value for your money. To get the most bang for your buck, you will need to look up those reputable operators that can be trusted, and this is where we come in offering you reliable esports betting tips and recommendations.
Whether you are wagering on League of Legends, Call of Duty or Fortnite, we have you covered. Our team has reviewed all the top-performing esports betting websites to produce a complete and trustworthy reference for your ultimate comfort. Find out which the best places to wager on competitive video gaming are today.
We have examined each individual site following multiple criteria and listening to what esports betting fans on Reddit had to say about the activity. Better yet, our experts combined popular opinion with over 10 years of experience in the industry. We have due diligence analysts who are capable of spotting the worthy websites and esports fans who play test each option first before we issue our recommendation.
OGE’s ranking system is accurate and objective and it allows you to make an informed choice about your next esports bet. Are you a fan of CS:GO or League of Legends betting? We believe that we have shortlisted all great operators out there that have consistently come up with the most tempting odds. Have a go and see for yourself.
Esports are a freshly-minted industry that has been gaining significant traction over the last eight years. From multi-million-dollar tournaments to establishing city-based leagues with global reach, video games are changing how we think of professional athletes. Bookmakers have been quick to notice the trend and today, there are dozens of established companies that offer esports betting. There are distinct advantages to choosing and committing money on the outcome of esports, too.
- Bookmakers with diverse odds;
- Excellent bonuses and promotions;
- High competition and reduced house edge;
- Fantastic opportunities to multiply your wagers
One question remains, though. How do you know which betting agencies are actually reliable? And if you are new to esports, how do you make sense of this world where profit clearly awaits? At Online Gambling Expert, we take it upon ourselves to provide you with a useful insight into the esports betting market. Regardless how much time you have to play, we help you understand markets & odds and pick the best and most trustworthy agencies. We offer practical tips on how to bet responsibly and turn your modest wagers into solid winners.
How to Choose Esports Betting Bookmaker
Choosing a bookmaker is an important step in ensuring the safety of your bankroll. Many operators these days will feature diverse competitions, and a significant part will add esports events. However, not all agencies take pains in establishing fair odds and complementing them with a sustainable offer focusing exclusively on the outcome of electronic sports.
You will notice that some of the bookmakers have regular mainstream sporting events (non-endemic) featured while others will come as purely esports-oriented (endemic). Both have their merits, though a select number of criteria will ultimately decide whether the bookmaker at hand is worth giving a chance:
- Diversity of the available betting markets;
- Availability of esports-oriented promotions;
- Clarity and accessibility of the operators’ facilities;
- Untarnished reputation and responsive customer support.
With these criteria established, it’s worth mentioning that only a handful of multi-purpose betting companies have managed to create model betting facilities. In preparing to choose, you can follow off one of our recommendations, or you can simply do your own research, trying to gauge the credibility of the operator.
Design, while something that may seem unimportant, can quickly reveal how reliable a place is. One of the important aspects, as already outlined here, is the simplicity of navigation. Depositing funds, being able to check the playthrough requirements and other essential information, such as licensing, are all crucial. Operators such as Pinnacle and Betway, for example, have the best developed esports facilities while entertaining a large and varied audience at the same time.
Endemic Agencies – The Bookmakers Focused on Esports
While the aforementioned bookmakers remain one of the best in the industry, you will be remiss not to visit other websites that have decided to dedicate themselves to both providing some of the best odds but also educating you. Platforms such as Rivalry, for example, have done an exemplary job.
- If you need to wager on the outcome of a game, the agency will introduce you to a variety of gaming options.
- New to betting as a whole? Rivalry have dedicated an entire Academy that is intended at novices, breaking down some of the fundamental terms.
Without a shade of doubt, those esports-committed bookmakers that focus exclusively on the segment are also more inclined to offer a greater selection of titles, although some companies have been calibrating their offers to only cover the major events.
Esports Betting Bonuses and How & Where to Get Them
When looking to kickstart your career as an esports bettor, or aficionado even, you may want to consider adding a bonus to your war chest. This is easy enough in theory and execution both. Generally speaking, bookmakers have elaborated on several types of offers:
- Deposit Bonus (most commonly a Welcome Offer);
- Free Play;
- No Deposit;
- Event Promotion (targeting a specific event);
Here and there, there will be some other promotions doodling around the edges. The best way to always be in touch with the latest esports betting promotions is by keeping track of the dedicated page found at the agency you play or frequently checking the in-game messaging system where the agency usually drops you a missive with the latest promotions. You may need to subscribe for this upon registration, but in our experience, receiving newsletters with special promos is usually ticked off by default.
Naturally, when playing around, you will be quick to consider a bonus, as it’s the easiest way to break into betting. However, you should keep in mind that these promotional goodies often come with a list of criteria known as playthrough.
How to Understand Playthrough
The provisos known as playthrough or wagering requirements are there to put some restrictions on how much you can benefit from the betting agency’s largesse. Put simply, while you can benefit from some extra money, you will also have to meet certain obligations that come along with the additional cash. Most commonly, you will be told at what odds to play.
Attempting to withdraw your money before every condition has been met will automatically result in forfeiting the bonus. Not all bonuses come with deadlines, but some do, and you will need to keep an eye for this too.
Esports Betting with Bonuses Codes
Bonus codes are a clever way that agencies use to make you interact with them a wee bit more. While it can be argued that such bonus codes are largely unnecessary, some agencies still prefer to keep them and add a bit of exclusivity to their offer. You will notice that some bookmakers use a variety of codes, triggering a different promotion each. It’s important to always enter the correct bonus code when you are depositing to have the desired results.
What Are the Most Popular Esports Games Worth Betting On?
Bookmakers have become excessively accommodating insofar as esports are concerned. You will notice that the available titles are numerous enough to overwhelm you. If you are a rookie, it’s important to have some understanding of the market. Ask yourself the following questions:
- What are the best-priced esports titles?
- What games offers the most available bets?
- What esports team should you support?
There is a quick way to find your feet in the seemingly complicated nature of the competitive video gaming industry. Sorting titles by volume will immediately reveal the timeless classics that have made it throughout the years and still remain the flagship games to put down a wager on:
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO)
- Dota 2
- League of Legends (LoL)
However, there have been many new titles that are promising to dominate the esports scene. While they may not yet be featured, they are slated to cause quite a bit of stir and if you are not interested in learning the ins and outs of the aforementioned games, you can get a fresh title on your hands and start learning the ropes.
Meanwhile, the Overwatch League (OWL) is returning for a second season and that’s good news. Speaking of Overwatch, let’s do a quick summary of the games that we expect to offer the largest esports betting market, on top of LoL, Dota 2, and CS:GO which we expect to continue and dominate the landscape.
Potential Games That Will Become Part of the Esports Betting Landscape by 2020
- Rocket League – Rocket League is one of the most exciting esports to behold as it allows spectators to quickly understand the rules. It’s been successful so far and drawing huge crowds.
- Call of Duty – The release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 commanded nearly five times more interest than any other title. Treyarch and Activision haven’t announced any esports plans yet, but the franchise has a well-established competitive history.
- Clash Royale – If you haven’t been interested in the mobile esports scene, you should. The game has a steady following and it has been played throughout many competitions with substantial prize pools.
- PUBG – Another Battle Royale shooter which has been investing heavily in the competitive gameplay. PUBG just partnered with South Korean broadcast company ONG to develop a competitive landscape in North America. In addition, a European PUBG league has been introduced.
We strongly believe that the above highlights are in fact the games that you will want to be the on lookout for as all of them have solid following and generate hundred of thousands of viewers. Since all four games are shooters, it would be easy for you to pick them up and follow the professional scene.
How to Bet on Esports and Be Successful?
Esports betting depends on all of the outlined factors so far. However, you may want to learn something about the actual wagers you can make. With this in mind, you can pick from a variety of possible bets. Most commonly, you can pick from:
- Match Winner
- Tournament Winner
The names here are self-explanatory. You will choose which team is primed, in your opinion, to come out victorious in a particular skirmish or out of the entire competition. While you can bet safely and take your time to consider, you may also opt for another type of wagering, which is admittedly more exciting – Live Betting or as you may hear it called, In-Play.
By choosing to stick with these wagers, you will give yourself a significant advantage. For example, 647 people managed to get the exact outcomes in the 2018 Worlds Pick’em Challenge. If you have developed the visceral feeling about the outcome of certain games, you may want to start shopping around for the best odds. This means that you will need to examine a multitude of bookmakers and compare the odds that they offer.
What Esports Betting Events Are There?
It’s easy to pinpoint all pertinent events that you will want to follow and we can help you find the ones that stir the largest excitement and realistically come with the most significant prize pools. Check this page regularly if you are ever at a loss what esports betting opportunity is coming up, because we intend to keep you in the know.
- The International 2019
- League of Legends World Championships 2019
- Overwatch League Season 2
Other events that will cause excitement in the near future are varied. The Fortnite Global Championship will take off in earnest in February 2019, and we can also expect PUBG to truly scale their esports offer in future. The world is exciting and full of interesting events, and we will keep an eye on them!
Esports Betting Will Only Grow
Forecasts are quite buoyant and you can expect the segment to grow. If you are only arriving, you are just in time. We have been following the rise of esports betting and we must say that the industry is growing while complying with the accepted standards. The early establishment of an integrity watchdog, ESIC, has also contributed for ensuring the integrity of the activity.
Thankfully, everyone on our team has a soft spot for gaming and we have been playing these games for well over a decade in some cases. If you are eager to find out more about and get extra advice on how to tackle the bookmakers when wagering on pixels, stay tuned and we will see you through!