Best Esports Casinos in 2024: Betting on Top Esports Games
Esports casinos are becoming more and more popular, allowing you to win money while following professional matches and supporting your favourite teams or players. Thanks to our in-depth guide, you won't have to settle for anything less with our list of the very best casinos offering esports in 2024!
- The Best Esports Casinos 2024
- What Are Esports?
- Get Started at Esports Casinos
- Types of Games at Esports Casinos
- Popular Games To Bet on at Esports Casinos
- Different Markets To Bet on at Esports Casinos
- Can I Bet Live at Esports Casinos?
- Best Esports Casinos on Mobile
- Esports Casinos on Mobile
- Biggest Events & Tournaments for Online Casino Esports Betting
- Prize Pools in Esports Casinos
- Most Popular Teams To Bet on at Esports Casinos
- Watch Esports Streamers
- Betting Tips for Esports Casinos
- History of Esports
- Esports Casinos FAQs
The Best Esports Casinos 2024
What Are Esports?
Esports are a phenomenon that have taken the world by storm since the turn of the 21st century. The video game-based sports involve organised competitions across many popular titles, including Counter-Strike, StarCraft and League of Legends.
To put into perspective how epic esports and casinos offering them have become, 60 million unique viewers tuned into the League of Legends 2018 Mid-Season Invitational tournament, which yielded a prize pool of $250,000. The biggest prize pool dished out in esports history, however, was at the Dota 2 flagship event, The International in 2019, where winning teams shared a whopping $34,330,069 in prize money.
Competitors around the world pit their skills against each other in professional league play, which you can follow all at all the best esports casinos. The market is constantly growing, so you can place wagers on many of your favourite games, whether you're into Fortnite betting or Call of Duty betting.
Get Started at Esports Casinos
Due to the popularity of esports, many operators have jumped on the opportunity to capitalise from this industry by incorporating a new casino feature in the form of esports betting. While sports betting had been around for many decades already, there wasn’t initially a market for this new esports craze.
All this changed as betting companies and online casinos started acknowledging esports as a legitimate sporting competition. The previous concerns of rigged games were quickly resolved by smarter security protocols and rigid esports ethics. Suddenly, there were an actual markets on which to place esports bets.
Sign Up at Esports Casinos
Finding a UK casino that has an esports market is easy, and signing up is quite straightforward. A Register or Sign-Up button is usually located at the top of every online casino website.
Once you click on this and input a few personal details, you’ll be properly registered within moments and just a couple of steps away from being ready to play. Do make sure to use your real name and address as the online casino will want you to verify your identity. After verification, you'll be ready to deposit.
How Do I Deposit at Esports Casinos?
Once you locate the Banking or Payment Methods page, you will see a list of payment options available, including ways you can deposit and withdraw. Also displayed will be deposit/withdrawal limits and transfer time.
But to make a deposit, select the payment method of choice, and simply follow the instructions. Nowadays, there is a huge variety of esports betting banking methods, which include debit/credit cards, e-wallet deposits, cryptocurrency (used in crypto casinos) and even real money online casinos that accept PayPal.
Find Your Favourite Esports Game and Place a Bet
In this day and age, there is a huge range of esports titles to choose from. Most have spawned from popular video games such as Call of Duty and Counter-Strike. But if it’s esports betting you’re looking for, rather than simply playing the games yourself or following the action as a spectator, there are a few common titles that feature regularly. League of Legends betting is extremely popular with many online bookies, for instance, offering even country-specific leagues to choose from.
If you are unfamiliar with how games like Defense of the Ancients (Dota) or Smite work, there are plenty of streams to be found with live action from the events. Your mind will be blown with the number of different types of First-Person Shooter (FPS) and Real Time Strategy (RTS) games available. Alternatively, if you’re a football fanatic, you simply can't go wrong with FIFA.
Whether you're on the hunt for Call of Duty betting sites, want to get into Hearthstone betting or are looking out for valuable Overwatch odds, you'll be able to choose from our list of online operators above. The choice of markets is endless!
Placing a bet on any of these events is simple. All you have to do is find the esports betting section on the bookmaker in question, after which you'll be shown a page with upcoming events, sometimes from all over the world. However, if you want to dive right into a live event, you'll want to find a bookie or casino that offers live esports betting, allowing you to see how an esports event unfolds in real time and place your bets accordingly. Like this, you'll also be able to witness how the odds can suddenly change, depending on the game play and who is on top.
How Do I Withdraw My Winnings?
Withdrawing your winnings is just as straightforward as depositing, and can be done from that same Banking page from which you previously made your deposits.
It makes for a smoother transaction if you use the same method with which you deposited funds in the first place; however, with so many esports betting banking methods that are now available to players, the choice is ultimately yours. Most sportsbooks will also have a specific link to Withdraw, often found under your profile. Withdrawals are often instant, but otherwise, at most, they will only take a couple of days.
Types of Games at Esports Casinos
As we alluded to earlier, there are a multitude of esports games to choose from, offering a wide variety of esports betting markets and wagers. Below, we will walk you through the four main types of esports games to give you a better idea of what to expect.
MOBA Games
The acronym MOBA stands for ‘Multiplayer Online Battle Arena' – an arena where many people (usually two teams) fight each other online to see who comes out the victor. This type of scenario makes for fast-paced excitement, alongside significant intensity and emotion as you listen along to the communication between team members.
With most MOBA games, victory will be determined by the destruction of the opposing stronghold. In Dota 2, for example, this would be an Ancient Structure. Outright destruction of an opponent’s structure forms the basis of Dota 2 outright betting, since this is how you win the match.
In Heroes of the Storm, the objective is to destroy the enemy’s Core. The value offered by League of Legend betting odds also revolves around the need to destroy the enemy base.
FPS Games
FPS stands for ‘first-person shooter', which has the player looking straight down the scope of the rifle. With FPS games, you carry your destiny in your own hands. This genre includes titles like Call of Duty, Counter-Strike and Battlefield.
The objective is usually to be the last man standing. However, there can even be side objectives within a game. Take Call of Duty: Warzone, for example. When in the Gulag, you have the option of successfully capturing the flag to return to battle.
With FPS games, you feel completely immersed in the action. Watch as a player takes control of one character and plots their path around warzone arenas, with or without their squad.
Combat Games / PvP
Think back to the arcade halls you used to go to; particularly those martial arts games you used to roll your joystick while bashing the buttons fervently. Are titles like Tekken, Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter coming to mind? Some of the best online arcade casino games have now come to life in esports arenas.
Combat games can overlap with PvP games as you take on another player head-to-head. However, the basic premise of combat esports games remains the same: fight your opponent to the death.
RTS Games
For those more methodical players, Real Time Strategy (RTS) games might be more suitable. Moreover, the strategic aspect is something that makes all esports betting exciting, no matter the genre.
It doesn’t matter if you’re playing on a football pitch, a warzone or in a fantasy world – organisation and communication are key. RTS games tend to be slower than FPS games, but the element of competitiveness is just as fierce. If RTS games are what you're into, keep an eye out for StarCraft 2 betting tips and opportunites.
Sports / Racing
No list of esports game types would be complete without a mention of the long-running success that is FIFA. Ever since it became recognised as an esport, FIFA has introduced a new kind of professional football. This involves training players to take on players from other clubs in this 11v11 football video game. In fact, various football clubs are now investing money into forming esports departments, such FC Schalke 04.
Of course, when it comes to sports video games, esports betting doesn’t solely focus on FIFA. If you enjoy the adrenaline rush that comes with motor racing, for example, then Formula 1, Gran Turismo or Need for Speed games will be right down your street.
Popular Games To Bet on at Esports Casinos
Now that you are acquainted with the different types of esports games, let’s delve deeper into a few of the more popular titles. These are also the games you'll more than likely be able to place an esports bet on.
Dota 2
As we previously mentioned, Dota 2 falls into the MOBA category. The sequel to its predecessor Defense against the Ancients (DotA), this game currently enjoys incredible esports success. Throughout the game, two teams of five players go to battle, each armed with a unique character with their own special abilities in the quest to destroy the opposition Ancient Structure.
If you’re looking to do a bit of Dota 2 betting, there are leagues and tournaments all around the world to choose from. As a matter of fact, such is the success of the game, there are plenty of online bookies vying to be the best esports betting site for Dota 2.
An event to look out for is the premier competition, The International. Here, you can witness the best of the best duke it out at what’s set to become one of the biggest events in all of esports.
League of Legends
Another extremely popular MOBA game is League of Legends, frequently abbreviated to LoL. Developed and published by Riot Games, the objective here is to destroy the enemy team's base, known as the Nexus. LoL was initially inspired by DotA, before developing its own unique maps, which were released in 2014.
Again, it is organised around a five versus five (5v5) structure, in which ‘Champions’ collect experience points and purchase items to help them push through to the enemy fortress.
The success of this online battle arena video game is reflected in the growing number of League of Legends betting markets. Later on in this article, we'll cover more info on the different League of Legends esports markets there are available.
Smite
Yet another MOBA that has made a successful arrival on the esports scene, Smite is also centred around 5v5 play. The objective is similar to games like Dota 2 and League of Legends, in that you aim to destroy the opponent’s base, known as the Titan.
The game is based on mythological Gods, such as Zeus and Athena, as well as Chinese, Egyptian and Hindu deities, creating a different theme to other MOBAs. But like those other multiplayer battle titles, the Smite betting markets at the right esports casino is just as extensive, allowing you to wager on many different aspects of the game.
Hearthstone
This online collectible card game is one of the youngest games to hit the esports scene. Released in 2014, esports fans are starting to see more and more of this title appear, with streaming platforms like Twitch helping to boost its popularity. The gameplay is turn-based and is a heads-up, one-versus-one (1v1) battle.
The aim of this free-to-play card game is to kill your enemy by playing different cards to reduce his/her health. Like any card game – poker, for example – Hearthstone requires employing layers of strategy.
In the case of Hearthstone, different cards affect gameplay in different ways. Due to the relative youth of this game, we are yet to see a fully established Hearthstone betting market; that being said, it is developing quickly.
StarCraft II
If you’re used to regular casino games, you’ve most likely heard of game providers such as NetEnt and SG Digital. With esports, though, comes a new raft of providers; in this case, Blizzard Entertainment.
Blast into space with this real-time strategy title as players attempt to destroy the buildings and armies of the other races. Players will choose from humans (Terrans), highly developed aliens (Protoss) and aliens with high adaptation capacity (Zergs).
The original StarCraft was released in 1998 and has since enjoyed immense success, leading up to the foundation of professional competition in 2010. In fact, some would argue that StarCraft 2 (also referred to here as StarCraft II) ushered in the era of competitive esports.
StarCraft II was developed with professional gaming in mind; however, Starcraft 2 betting has also taken off quite significantly. The fantasy game initially found popularity in Korea, but has since infiltrated esports communities around the globe.
Due to the rise of other esports games, the StarCraft brand has taken a bit of a back seat over the past few years. Nevertheless, it still remains popular with fans of strategy games looking to place an esports bet, so keep an eye out for the Pro Tour and Masters tournaments.
CS:GO
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a war-themed, multiplayer FPS game involving two teams: terrorists and counter-terrorists. Each team aims to wipe out the other while also completing individual objectives, making for thrilling gameplay.
To add another element of intrigue, there are different categories of weapons and nine game modes to keep those looking to place an esports bet interested.
Audiences tuning in to the CS:GO ‘Majors’ now number in the millions. Despite a match-fixing scandal in 2014, CS:GO betting sites have continued to grow alongside the game’s fanatical following.
Call of Duty
The renowned publisher Activision is responsible for this FPS epic. Dating all the way back to 2003 with its World War II-themed games, Call of Duty (CoD) has quickly risen to prominence, boasting 18 game titles within its collection.
However, the Call of Duty League (CDL) was only established late in 2019, benefitting from a boom in users after the 2020 pandemic confined millions around the world to their homes.
The inaugural CDL competition in 2020 was based on maps from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. The tournament consisted of multiplayer 5v5 team battles in three different game modes: “Search and Destroy”, “Domination” and “Hardpoint”.
To complete the series, the teams played the first two game modes again, with team role reversal to make up a best of five game scenario. If your Call of Duty betting tips led you to place an Esports bet on Dallas Empire, you would have been right in doing so. The franchise from Dallas took the inaugural 2020 season win, defeating Atlanta FaZe 5-1.
Fortnite
Last July, the Fortnite World Cup drew in 2.3 million viewers across YouTube and Twitch. It also handed out an incredible $30 million worth of prize money, with the winner, Bugha, taking home $3m of it to Pennsylvania.
Those figures alone tell you how successful this battle royale bonanza is. Fortnite betting also went mad, with multiple esports casino operators offering odds and Fortnite betting tips on the 100 players in the Solo event, along with 50 teams in the Duos tournament.
The phenomenon continues to go from strength to strength, meaning we can expect the success of future Fortnite World Cups to attract bigger audiences, and cause more players to consider making esports bets at the same time.
Overwatch
Another popular creation from Blizzard Entertainment, Overwatch is a variation of a team-based first-person shooter. Instead of five players in each team, however, there are six.
The Overwatch League (OWL) celebrated its inaugural season in 2018, just a couple of years after the game’s release, showing as well how quickly esports developed in this decade.
Players choose from characters, known as “Heroes”, and do battle in an animated world. The action is frantic and fast-paced, with competition involving teams from around the globe. There is no shortage of variety and teams to nail your colours to with Overwatch esports betting!
PUBG
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (often simply referred to as PUBG) is another in the line of battle royale games. It is a player versus player shooter, last-man-standing scenario played on a map that gradually decreases in size.
The biggest tournament to look out for is the PUBG Global Invitational S, with the S standing for: survival, series, supremacy, showmanship, showdown and/or safety. Pick one, two or all of these and follow the tourney action, starting with regional seeding.
Teams representing all the continents in the world converge in a different location each year for this event. Be sure to stick the dates of the 8-week long tournament in your schedule and read up on PUBG betting to predict the next winner.
Different Markets To Bet on at Esports Casinos
As with any form of sports betting, there is not just a single market to make a winning wager. How boring would that be?
With the best esports casinos, there is a huge range of markets available. The evolution of esports has extended to esports betting, enabling you to place even the most nuanced of wagers on an event of your choosing. We have compiled a list of the more popular markets for you below.
Match Winner
Most esports competitions follow a simple qualification format, so you’re guaranteed a lot of head-to-head action as players or teams attempt to progress to the final stages.
Here, you simply pick who you think will win an individual battle. This type of bet is also known as an “outright win”. Outright wins are probably the most common market you’ll find with esports betting, due to the number of matches that take place in each tournament.
Totals
“Totals” is used as an umbrella term to designate the overall number for many different markets. Totals could include the overall number of kills, points, objectives taken or maps won. Virtually any “total” of something that is significant to the match outcome could be a worthy market of online esports betting.
Betting Outright
This is pretty self-explanatory. Who will end up the overall victor at the end of the tournament? With the increasing number of esports formats, you might need to consider backing a Solo player, like on the best Fortnite esports betting sites.
Otherwise, you can opt for team play with CS:GO betting (for example) instead. If you’ve also been reading a few Call of Duty tips and are eager to start placing bets, then be sure to get your outright pick lodged in early for higher odds.
Maps Handicap
Most esports, especially the “best of x rounds” multiplayers, will have a certain number of rounds and maps to declare the winner. By betting on a handicap, you are essentially predicting the margin a team or individual will win by.
To forecast the final score, you add or subtract your handicap from what you think the predicted margin will be. For example, if you bet on a +1.5 handicap in a three-match series, the team you’ve picked only needs to win one match.
That one match they win will then be added to your selected handicap of +1.5 to make the overall score – 2.5. With no draws possible, it is safe to assume the other team has won the other two matches, making the overall aggregate score, with your handicap of +1.5 included, 2-5-2. You win.
Number of Maps
Similar to handicap betting, you can pick how many maps you think your team will win in the series. This very much depends on your confidence levels. If you’re on a League of Legends betting site, then you might back your team to win 3 maps in a five-match series, securing your win.
Map Winner
Instead of predicting the number of maps your team will win, focus entirely on the map being played at present. Which team will win on the current map? Have your team shown good previous form on this map? Do they know the best hiding places and best areas to attack?
Most Kills
Esports has grown to such an extent that professional esports players are now earning reputations akin to professional athletes. This produces regular protagonists for your esports bet, as well as “favourites” and “underdogs” like you’re used to seeing on sportsbooks.
There’s always that one member of the team who needs to push and get stuck in. Can he or she step up when called upon? Has he or she got the ability to dodge, duck, dip and dive while taking down the enemy? These are things to consider as you mull over which player will emerge with the most kills.
Correct Score
Can your team secure a win without conceding a match, or does complacency creep in when they take a two-match lead? With correct score betting, you’re looking to find the exact number of points each team will achieve.
Form, map scenario and confidence are all important aspects to consider, especially with Dota 2 betting, for example. Can your team work together to destroy the other team’s ancient structure in order for your wager to be successful?
Over/Under Rounds
This is similar to betting on how many maps you think your team will win. Here, though, you are given the flexibility to choose how many rounds it will take for a team to win a map.
A classic market will be simply choosing whether it takes your team over half the number of maximum rounds possible to win, or less than half.
First Blood
If you’re used to football betting, you’ll be familiar with the first-score market. If your player or team scores first, you win. For this market, just take the ball out of the equation and replace it with a pistol from CS:GO instead.
With CS:GO betting and other FPS games, you can even choose the player you think will draw blood first. Is there a particular player on a heater getting the kills in?
Can I Bet Live at Esports Casinos?
At most online casinos, live esports betting is very much possible. In fact, the live betting market is growing exponentially as esports continue skyrocketing in popularity.
Whether it’s betting on Overwatch league picks or using those Fortnite betting tips you've been brushing up on, you will certainly find a live market to convert your research and knowledge into winnings.
Best Esports Casinos on Mobile
Betting on the move is also becoming increasingly popular, pushing the best esports casinos to produce high-quality mobile casinos.
Whether you’re placing an esports bet before an event or want to do some live esports betting, mobile gambling apps, developed for Android and iOS, are quickly becoming commonplace. The following online casinos have dedicated apps for you to use whenever and wherever you please.
Esports Casinos on Mobile
- Outstanding bonuses and promotions
- Smooth and easy navigation
- One of a kind rewarding programme for selected players
- Separate category for Outright Esports betting
- Website in multiple languages
- Quick link to live events
Biggest Events & Tournaments for Online Casino Esports Betting
Since the introduction of real-money betting on the genre in 2015, the number of esports betting sites has exploded. This is primarily a result of the increase in the number of competitions across all esports games.
Betting websites were initially reluctant to open esports betting markets, due mainly to the lack of regulation in the sport. However, as organisers started taking events seriously, so did bookies.
The exchanging of skins (livery for weapons) has now been replaced by real money. Furthermore, due to the introduction of real-money winnings, viewers and followers have started producing more literature and commentary on esports competitions. Nowadays, you can find all kinds of Fortnite or Overwatch betting odds for you to choose from.
Esports betting has now become a worldwide phenomenon due to the success of the sport itself, with teams across the globe battling it out to be crowned the best in their respective fields.
Depending on the game, this could first involve regional tournaments to determine the best in a certain continent. This is then followed by a main event, featuring the best teams from around the world, who battle it out to be the ultimate team. This is typical in Dota 2.
However, if Call of Duty betting is more your thing, then you only need to focus on 12 franchises, who participate in round robins to determine the rankings for the final major tournament involving these same 12 teams. We have listed a couple of the biggest tournaments in the world of esports below.
League of Legends World Championship 2020
The conclusion of the 2020 LOL esports season took place in Shanghai. In all, 22 teams were present (2 from Vietnam were not able to travel due to pandemic-related restrictions), first taking part in a play-in group stage.
This was made up of the lowest seeds from each country and consisted of best of five matches in a round-robin format. Due to the Vietnamese teams not participating, the groups (and subsequently the prize money) had to be adjusted accordingly. Two teams were eliminated from the play-in stage.
Moving on to the main event group stage, four teams from the play-in joined the 12 teams that had automatically qualified for the main event. Following fascinating group and knockout stages, Suning from China and DWG KIA (formerly known as Damwon Gaming) cruised through to face off in the final.
The Korean team came out on top, taking the top prize of $556,250. The tournament was deemed a huge success, particularly in light of the fact that the pandemic had caused travel havoc for millions around the world.
Call of Duty League 2020
The CDL means all year-round action. Played in the 5v5 format as described earlier, there are 12 franchises that compete for the grand prize.
Each takes its turn to host 7 other franchises in a “Home Series” weekend after the Launch Weekend, in which all professional CoD teams participate. The aim of the launch and Home Series is to determine the final table for the main event at the end of the season.
After a lot of (non-physical and virtual!) bloodshed and a somewhat intricate playoff system, the teams were whittled down to Atlanta Faze and Dallas Empire for the grand finale.
Following launch weekend, the Call of Duty betting odds might have been quite long for Dallas Empire, as they managed to lose both of their matches. However, the best esports betting sites for CoD – correctly, as it turned out – didn’t write them off, and they went on to crush top seed Atlanta 5-1 in the final, taking home $1,500,000.
The International 2019
The Dota 2 flagship tournament didn’t take place in 2020 due to the pandemic, so we'll be going back to 2019 for that year’s main event. As with the two tournaments above, the whole event was available to watch live on the streaming platform Twitch. More on that later.
Also taking place in Shanghai, 16 teams made the main event after many, many rounds of regional and open qualifiers. These 16 teams were split into an upper and lower bracket, depending on where they finished in the group stage after all the qualifiers.
Those who were involved in Dota 2 betting throughout this tournament would have got a good look at all the teams throughout this process. The eventual winners, OG, hadn’t exactly set the world alight with their tournament performances in 2019. Even the best esports betting sites covering Dota 2 might not have given the European outfit a chance.
But despite their spotty 2019 run, which had yielded just one win, at the StarLadder ImbaTV Dota 2 Minor Europe Qualifier, they went into The International 2019 as reigning champions! They also showed tremendous tournament prowess, scooping up the $15,620,181 prize.
Prize Pools in Esports Casinos
By now, you have probably noticed that there is a lot of money in esports, giving good reason as to why there are so many esports betting markets and live esports betting options. Ever since the first esports bet was placed, the industry has grown in leaps and bounds. Sponsors are starting to pump more and more investment into these teams of professional video game players, and online bookies are taking note too.
In this article, we have described a few major tournaments and highlighted their prizes for 1st place, which also showed which games are more lucrative than others. Our table below displays some of the highest esports prize pools, with Dota 2 clearly leading the way.
Ranking | Tournament | Year | Game | Prize Pool | 1st Place Prize |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | The International | 2019 | Dota 2 | $34,330,069.00 | $15,620,181.00 |
2 | The International | 2018 | Dota 2 | $25,532,177.00 | $11,234,158.00 |
3 | The International | 2017 | Dota 2 | $24,687,919.00 | $10,862,683.00 |
4 | The International | 2016 | Dota 2 | $20,770,460.00 | $9,139,002.00 |
5 | The International | 2015 | Dota 2 | $18,429,613.05 | $6,634,660.68 |
And just to put that all into perspective, the largest prize pool for an Overwatch tournament was $3,500,000 at the Overwatch League – Season 2 Playoffs in 2019.
Most Popular Teams To Bet on at Esports Casinos
Key to the success of virtual sports, it's the teams themselves that create the excitement and tension for millions of viewers.
These teams, hailing from every corner of the planet, attempt to form the best squad of players for whichever game they are participating in. Often they will just focus on one game, but some squads dip into more than one title.
Team Liquid: $36,078,710.19
The most successful team in esports history, Team Liquid has earned the most prize money since the dawn of competitive play. Therefore, it is safe to assume that they have been winning tournaments for fun along the way too. They class The International 2017 and Supermajor 2018 as two of their best successes.
For esports betting purposes, Team Liquid will always be considered contenders, due to the experience they have collected since their formation in 2010.
They have also dabbled in over 1900 tournaments in many different game disciplines, including CS:GO, Rainbow 6, Streetfighter and PUBG. They're also worth looking out for on different esports betting games.
OG: $34,337,223.59
We touched on OG storming to The International 2019 glory, retaining their title in the process. The $15,620,181 they won at this tournament amounts to just under half of the $34,337,223.59 they have won in just 104 tournaments.
OG currently stick to Dota 2 and CS:GO since they’re such a young team. However, you can expect them to potentially open up PUBG betting markets as well as other esports games for players in the future.
They do hold the reputation for being the only team to have been crowned Dota 2 World Champions twice, which is an accolade that will surely lead many to take their Dota 2 odds seriously for future World Championships.
Evil Geniuses: $24,289,698.79
A team older than Team Liquid, but who have also significantly helped mould the esports industry. The Evil Geniuses have pocketed a cool $24,289,698.79 from 856 tournaments, making them the third most successful and experienced squad of their kind.
Due partly to their experience in the esports arena, EG have also explored many different gaming floors, including Dota 2, League of Legends and CS:GO. Unfortunately, for those looking for Evil Geniuses Fortnite betting odds, they'll be left disappointed as EG won’t be competing, having resigned from Fortnite in June 2020.
However, LoL, CS:GO and Dota 2 betting fans – do not despair! Evil Geniuses has firmly established themselves as one of the cornerstones of esports gaming. We expect them to stick around for a while and continue to facilitate the growth of esports through other games.
Fnatic: $15,896,999.67
Fourth on the list for making the highest earnings through esports is Fnatic. With headquarters in London, they have been consistently successful since debuting in the League of Legends arena in 2011.
To this day, they continue to field teams in League of Legends, as well as CS:GO, Dota 2, Rainbow 6, Fortnite, FIFA and PUBG. If they can repeat their success in 2018, where they won five tournaments, those LOL betting odds might start to look shorter.
Virtus.pro: $15,222,174.39
This Russian esports team could be the outfit to watch in 2021, having finished 2020 in superb fashion by winning two competitions in December: Flashpoint Season 2 and DreamHack Open December 2020, landing $550,000 along the way. Both victories came about from playing Counter Strike: Global Offensive, and the former win came against OG.
Be sure to keep your eyes peeled, as the best esports betting sites for CS:GO might already be firing up their markets ready to monitor the progress of Virtus.pro.
Watch Esports Streamers
Online streaming of events has been essential to the success of esports over the past decade. The invention of the internet made this possible, with the development of technology having quickly accelerated this innovation.
Nowadays, complex graphics and rapid gameplay can be followed from the comfort of your home through platforms like Twitch and YouTube, as well as directly on bookie sites. Keep an eye out for top streamers like former professional players, Ninja and Shroud, both of whom are dominating Twitch with 12.08m and 4.75m followers respectively.
Ninja, better known as Richard Blevins, found fame on Fortnite, while Michael “Shroud” Grzesiek made his name on CS:GO. Over on the other side, YouTuber Travis Gafford is a League of Legends interviewer with 209K subscribers.
Watch Esports Live on Twitch
Twitch is the place to be if you really enjoy following other bloggers and sharing similar interests. It's also great if you want to watch kick-ass gamers dominate on CoD or Fortnite.
As the biggest live streaming platform in the world, Twitch allows users to directly stream what they are doing or playing. Interaction with viewers is possible, and you can even make money from broadcasting. Signing up is just as easy as at online casinos, and you can get started in a matter of minutes.
For esports, Twitch has been a massive springboard to the worldwide audience, providing the genre with a medium that draws fans together from every corner of the world. And, for users, this is important for live esports betting.
If you’ve read your Call of Duty betting tips and want to explore the live betting market, then you can track the progress of the teams or players you're backing in real time. Witness how each individual player or team is performing to see if he or she will get that first kill, or feel the tension when you have a 3-2 scoreline in the bet slip and the match is tied at 2-2 going into the last.
Watch Esports on YouTube
YouTube is also an excellent way to follow esports, with the main difference between it and the aforementioned Twitch is that YouTube opts for more long-form content. Twitch also focuses on live streaming, and is meant for “in-the-moment-viewing”.
Although YouTube does offer live streaming, it has nowhere near the following that Twitch does for this particular feature. However, what YouTube does have to its advantage is the incredibly large archive of past videos.
If you’re following a certain game and wish to place an esports bet, it's a good idea to watch past footage of an individual’s gameplay on YouTube. By doing this, you can even source Fortnite or Overwatch betting tips, or whichever game you're wagering on.
Watch Esports Live on Esports Casinos
Twitch and YouTube are not the only means of watching live esports. As content begins to spread itself over multiple platforms, some online casinos even offer live streaming of these events, with top casino streamers setting out to grab themselves a bit of the action.
In some cases, you are required to have an account before watching something on offer. However, this isn’t the worst thing in the world, since you can consolidate your viewing and live betting onto one platform.
Betting Tips for Esports Casinos
Betting can be a tricky business; there are always many variables involved with any event or market. Therefore, to have the best esports betting experience possible, it is vital to do your homework.
That way, when you wager on an event, you feel much more confident about the desired outcome coming through. Some events are easier to call than others, but there are a few things you can do to give you an advantage.
Use Strategies at Esports Casinos
There are a few tips we can offer when it comes to placing an Esports bet. The point above about watching esports events can be crucial when it comes to decision making, especially when split-second decisions need to be made for live esports betting. Immersing yourself in how gameplay develops is half the battle when placing esports bets.
Prior knowledge of what you’re betting on is also highly useful. Any guides on recent successes can act as a decent reasoning for your bet choices.
Knowing how a game works is also a great place to start. Once you have the basics in place, you can develop your knowledge and learn about any more complex intricacies involved. Every event should be treated as unique – taking popular casino games as examples, learning poker hands is nothing like learning blackjack strategy, but both are important to play the games well.
The same can be said for esports, which makes betting strategies for Dota 2 very different from those you’d use for FIFA. You can also derive invaluable knowledge playing the games themselves, perhaps allowing you to even create your own Call of Duty betting tips.
Follow Streamers on Twitch and YouTube
With the speed and accessibility of the internet, content is being churned out quicker than ever. Therefore, everyone can find something enjoyable to watch at all hours of the day, especially on platforms like Twitch and YouTube.
Whether it’s footage of previous tournaments or a vlogger talking about StarCraft 2 betting tips, any expert opinions of this kind can aid your betting decisions. You can also rest assured that these streamers watch as much content as they can, and are usually updated right up to the latest kill or tower defense.
Bet on Esports with Boosted Odds
The best esports casinos have stepped up their game, with offering the opportunity to boost your odds. This could be for an accumulator or a single bet.
It is worth your while to explore the promotions page at various online casinos to check out what esports casino bonuses and offers are available. As esports become increasingly popular, with more events and more content emerging, the esports betting industry itself only stands to benefit.
So no matter what game(s) you follow, there’s always a chance for real-money winnings with esports betting. Sign up at one of our recommended Esports casino sites and place your wagers today!
History of Esports
Although esports has only become popular this century, the concept of video game competition dates all the way back to 1972. The first event was held between students at Stanford University for a game called Spacewar, in what was known as the “Intergalactic Spacewar Olympics”. Eight years later, the incredibly popular game Space Invaders took centre stage, attracting 10,000 participants.
Throughout the decades, more and more companies emerged and started developing new games as the video game evolution really started to take shape. It would still be a while until anything like League of Legends betting or any online esports betting in general came on board, but gamers were now connected. With the birth of the internet in the 1990s, video gaming went from strength to strength, leading to the birth of the esports industry. A few years later, and esports casinos began making their mark on the online betting market.
Nowadays, thanks to the popularity of esports, millions of people tune in to watch professional players battle it out in their favourite Smite or Overwatch arenas, placing bets on their favourite esports casinos at the same time.
Esports Casinos FAQs
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Quite simply, this comes down to personal preference. Different bookmakers offer different odds, betting markets and bonuses. You might also find some easier to use than others. Try out a few esports casinos we've listed on this page, and see which ones you like best!
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Esports is competitive video gaming on popular titles such as Call of Duty, Fortnite, League of Legend and FIFA, to name a few. Events are held worldwide and online as well, culminating in major tournaments with some of the best players taking part.
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Not necessarily every betting site offers the option to bet on esports. However, you’ll find esports betting and live esports betting markets at many of the best online casinos nowadays, as the industry is becoming very popular.
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In most countries, yes. However, in some countries, such as India, betting on esports contravenes certain gambling laws.
To be sure if it’s a legal casino site, check the licensing information of the bookie in question, as well as any institutions it is affiliated with. This info can usually be found at the bottom of the home page or in the Terms and Conditions.
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Again, like the choice of casino, it is a personal preference. Shooters are different to strategy games, with some first-person shooters even incorporating a strategic aspect.
The trial-and-error method is generally the best approach to finding your favourite game. This method could also influence your esports betting as you go along.
Esports continue gaining a strong footing on streaming and online gaming platforms. Therefore, you’re bound to find opportunities to bet on the most popular esports games, like Dota 2, Call of Duty, League of Legends and CS:GO.
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Promotions at the best esports casinos usually come in the form of bonuses, which are special offers for a limited time for you to exploit. However, if an esports casino offers live streaming of a sport or esports event, then this can certainly be classified as a promo.
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Unfortunately, it isn’t that common to find live esports streams on online casinos. In this case, platforms like Twitch and YouTube the best way to go, as they offer plenty of content on live and past events.
If you find an esports casino that also offers live streaming, you can view the live stream and make real-time bets in the same window. Otherwise, just place the stream and betting window side by side so you can view both at the same time.
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Statistically speaking, Team Liquid is the most successful team in Esports history, due to the amount of earnings they have made. This amounts to a whopping $36,083,710 across 1906 different tournaments.
This is a typical measure of success, since higher earnings naturally correlate to higher placings in tournaments.
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The process is very easy. Once you locate the Payment Method or Banking page, follow the instructions for your chosen payment method. Within a few minutes, you will be ready to get started. There are many esports betting banking methods, such as the online bank Revolut and paysafecard.