Find the Best Esports Betting Sites
Showcasing the best esports bookmakers at esports.net
The helping hand you need to get started
Esports has exploded in popularity over the last five years, with titles such as CS:GO, Dota 2, League of Legends, Overwatch, World of Tanks, PUBG, Fortnite, Hearthstone & Heroes of the Storm 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.
We have one aim and one aim only – to help you choose the perfect bookmaker for your esports bets. We’ll take a look at bonuses on offer, 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 the Esports.net seal of approval. It’s that simple!
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The Best Esports Betting Sites
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 competitive odds and a safe and secure way to enjoy esports betting in the UK.
We will highlight the bookies who cover 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. Whilst there are some specialist esports betting sites out there, it’s always best to keep it safe by focusing your wagering on recognised brands.
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.
Non Regulated vs Regulated Bookmakers
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.
How to bet on Esports?
Whilst we will do our best to discuss the preferred ways to bet with various bookies, it’s worth going over the basics that can be applied to the majority of sites that facilitate betting on esports. First you’ll need to pick the esports event that you want to place your bets on. 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.
The next step for taking an esports bet is 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. Then you need 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. So if you bet £10 on Evil Geniuses to win the next Dota 2 competition at odds of 1.9, it means that you would win £19 including your original stake. For more insight about esports betting odds we recommend to read this simple guide.
Best Sites for 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 offer odds on this legendary game. So here’s a quick look at the best bookies for your LoL betting.
Betway have proven to be one of the market leaders in offering great odds on League of Legends tournaments. The brand routinely cover top LoL tournaments like the KeSPA Cup with plenty of different betting markets that give you plenty of interesting wagering opportunities. Whilst Pinnacle don’t cover some of the more obscure LoL markets, this well-respected betting company have pledged to give customers the very best odds possible. And so this could be a good bookmaker and betting site to try the next time that the League of Legends World Championships come around.
We should also state that NetBet have gone from strength to strength in helping you take a bet on League of Legends, CS:GO, Hearthstone, Heroes of The Storm. The brand have recently introduced some great in-play betting options and features for LoL Superliga, Esports All-Star and World of Tanks events that shows that your betting can be just as exciting as the on-screen action. The new kid on the block, Esportsbetting.com is the first betting platform entirely dedicated to esports betting to be regulated in Europe, with some plans for United States. It provides esports bettors with all major esports titles plus a wide variety of markets. Considering, their wide coverage, generous welcome bonus offers, free bets and trustworthy regulatory body, rest assured that you won’t be disappointed.
Payment Methods
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 newer digital payment systems. These can range from well-known companies like PayPal, to some interesting new E-wallet options like Neteller and Skrill.
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 a longer to clear than others – definitely something to think about when you are looking to take advantage of a generous free bet bonus. 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.
The Future of Esports Betting
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 can take 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 and live streaming via 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. Last year we saw Overwatch become one of the hottest titles to bet on in the esports realm, but already it looks like the hugely popular PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is also going 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 esports helping to make esports betting even more popular in the future.
Is Esports Betting Legal?
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 William Hill 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.
A focus on Real Money Bets
Many of us will be aware that there are plenty of ways to bet on esports 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.
The Best 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. 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 NetBet to provide some great in-play betting opportunities on top events like the ProDotA Cup and the ROG Masters.
Similarly, Betway offer a specialised Dota 2 betting service that takes in lesser-known tournaments like the Rocket League ELEAGUE tournament, The Summit, and Captain’s Draft. Betway also 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.
Do all Betting Sites offer the same Matches?
Whilst all betting sites work in the same way in helping you place bets on esports and claiming a deposit bonus or free bets, it’s evident that there is a huge variation in what matches they cover. Whilst Betway give us a massive selection of esports betting markets on titles like Dota 2, CS:GO, Overwatch, and League of Legends, not all bookmakers will feature such a large range. This is because certain bookies like William Hill 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.
As a result, it’s always a good idea to check into esports.net to see which bookies are offering odds and deposit bonus on your favourite esport. Thankfully brands like Betway 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. So whilst esports betting may be a fairly recent phenomenon, it looks like it is something that it going to become much more widespread.
