Can I bet on esports?
Esports have really come into their own in recent years. Previously, many mocked the idea of watching another person play games (despite regular sports being pretty much the same thing.) However, nowadays, there are hundreds of millions of people tuning into see big esports events, such as the League of Legends World Championships.
With esports being a pretty popular deal and many gamblers also being ardent video game fans, the question many are asking is: can I bet on esports?
Well, the answer to this question is pretty simple. Yes, you can bet on esports. Many online sportsbooks offer a wide variety of lines on the biggest tournaments. However, they may seem a little intimidating to newcomers as is the whole idea of betting on esports. So, below we clarify a few of the other questions you may be asking around this area.
What is esports betting?
Esports betting is the act of placing a real money wager on a professional esports leagues, such as ESL games, or tournaments, such as the Rocket League Championship Series. There are several types of betting lines available on esports games. The most popular include the following:
- Match Winner – here players bet on which team will win a particular match. As many esports matches are played as a series, these bets involve betting on a singular match in the series.
- Tournament Winner – these bets are just regular futures. You bet on which player or team you think will win the tournament long before the final is played.
- Spreads – as with all sports, the bookie sets a favorite and an underdog and a line each will have to overcome for bets to be successful.
- Over/Unders – with these bets you can predict whether the score of a game will go over or under the average set by the sportsbook.
- Props – it is these bets that confuse most inexperienced esports bettors. Just as with regular sports, these wagers focus on an event taking place in a game rather than the outcome. For example, you can bet on which player will score first in the match. But this may be rebranded to “first kill” based on the nature of the game (which is why it is important to know the game you are betting on.)
It is important not to confuse real money betting with skin betting that is available for some popular esports titles. Skin betting is often frowned upon within both the video game and gambling community as it attempts to hide the principles of gambling behind staking virtual goods.
When gamblers engage in a skin bet, they stake a “skin” (design for a character or weapon) on the outcome of a game.
What esports leagues can I bet on?
Well, there are many leagues you can bet on; however, we recommend checking out these:
- Fortnite World Cup – Epic Games launched the Fortnite World Cup with a bang when they announced the $100 million prize pool. You too can get your payday by betting on the tournament.
- League of Legends World Championship – the biggest event on the esports calendar provides bettors around the world with ample opportunities to make winning bets.
- Dota 2 The International – Valve ensures that each edition of the tournament sees players handsomely rewarded, which only increases competition. And competition means great betting opportunities.
- Call of Duty World League – with Call of Duty being the most popular video game series ever created, the World League has been a premier event for some years.
- The Overwatch League – since launching in 2016, the Overwatch League has set new standards for esports leagues around the world.
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