eSports has shown huge growth in recent years. Popular games are available on PC, consoles and mobile apps. MOBAs and FPS games have an army of loyal followers. In this article look at our top pick of eSports games to bet on right now from shooters to sports titles. All games selected have been chosen because they are easy to bet on and get the nod from our resident tipsters.
Behind our selection of eSport games are professional organisations who have created global networks complete with leagues. Fuelling the eSports fire are new consoles from Sony, who’s PlayStation shapes took over London Tube stations for the UK PS5 launch, and Microsoft (Xbox Series X). Not to mention increased global lockdown periods, resulting in record streaming times on Twitch and Youtube worldwide.
League of Legends betting
Some games lend themselves to betting more than others and League of Legends, or LOL, is one of them. LOL betting is the epitome of fun. The hit title from Riot Games burst on to the scene in 2009, and since then it has emerged as one of the most popular games amongst gamers and streamers. Unsurprisingly, LOL quickly became a game associated with betting sites. If you visit sites like Unikrn and GGbet you will notice that LOL odds and promotions feature prominently all year round.
How to bet on LOL
LOL is a game which reaches across both the eSports and betting communities. LOL odds are easy to decipher and not too dissimilar to other sports. How are LOL odds decided? LOL odds are set by sites based on the current form of the teams and players competing.
LOL Tips
Always conduct thorough research on the teams before you set out on your LOL betting journey. Simply go online, read blogs, follow the team’s home page, and watch as many live streams as possible, to improve your chances of winning.
It is important to note that the most commonly placed bet in LOL is the ‘money line’. Money line betting is when bets are placed on a team to win. So, just as in regular basketball betting, back teams most likely to win.
Normally, a LOL games outcome is decided based on a best-of-three basis. Very often a team can lose the first round, only to go on to eventually win the game overall by winning the remaining two rounds consistently. This is where research, intuition and a steady head comes into play.
When placing bets on LOL bet with your head, not your heart. You may have your favourite LOL team or teams - but you should not bet on any of them without extensive research and understanding the individual games eccentricities.
What are the best LOL teams to bet on?
Here are some of the teams that you can check out – G2 eSports, Fnatic, Excel eSports and Cloud9. Also worth a punt are FunPlus Phoenix, SKT Telecom, Invictus Gaming.
DOTA 2 Betting
Defence of the Ancients 2 or DOTA 2 was released on 9 July 2013. With industry titans Blizzard pulling out all the stops developing DOTA 2 the game was destined for greatness. Fast forward to 2020 and DOTA 2 is now one of the most recognised eSports games. Numerous major DOTA 2 events are organised globally, and punters with an eagle eye look forward betting on the game which can deliver lofty returns.
How to bet on DOTA 2
DOTA 2 is an out and out real-time, team-based, strategy game. A total of 10 players, 5 per team, participate in a DOTA 2 fixture.
DOTA 2 gameplay consists of 2 teams taking control of two different bases. Each base releases ‘creeps’ during the game. What is a creep? Every unit which is not a hero, building, ward or courier is considered a creep. These creeps are responsible for attacking players and can heavily influence the outcome of the game.
DOTA 2 Tips
The first thing you need to do is understand the rules of DOTA 2. The best way to do this is to either play or stream DOTA 2 like it is going out of fashion. Get to know the main DOTA 2 players and what their strategies are before placing a bet - especially if you are new to eSports betting.
DOTA 2 isn’t an easy game to bet on. This isn’t the Super bowl or the Kentucky Derby so stand back and stand firm. But with patience, practice and prolonged exposure to DOTA 2 - you can pick winners!
Watching DOTA 2 live stream events works wonders. Also, be sure to follow the top DOTA 2 eSports teams on their official social media channels to understand their line ups and recent player transfers - which are often frequent in DOTA 2.
What are the best DOTA 2 Teams to bet on?
Several global DOTA 2 teams compete regularly and tend to dominate championships. Team Secret is perhaps the most backed DOTA 2 team. Why Team Secret? Team Secret is the most popular as it remained on the coveted the top spot for the longest span. The other gaming teams you must follow are Vici Gaming, LDG, Evil Geniuses, Virtus Pro, and OG.
CSGO Betting
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, also known as CS:GO or CSGO, is one of the most popular multiplayer, first-person shooter games. Game developer Valve dropped CSGO on 12 August 2012 making it one of the oldest and most played eSports games on the planet.
CSGO, like LOL, offers diverse betting opportunities with thrills at every turn. CSGO continues to be a favourite with experienced video game enthusiasts and betting experts alike.
How to bet on CSGO
CSGO revolves around two teams who battle against each other. The 2 teams are the Terrorists and the Counter-Terrorists. The Terrorists, game mode depending, must either plant the bomb or defend the hostages, while the Counter-Terrorists prevent the bomb from being planted, defuse the bomb, or rescue the hostages.
The aim of the game is to overrun the opposing team, become victorious and win outright. It might sound super simple but CSGO offers different betting options to punters. Why? Because of the many levels and obstacles that players must overcome to win. Each CSGO map within the game requires a unique skillset. Some players have it, some players struggle.
CSGO Tips
CSGO is the ultimate team game so do not count on individual performances coming up trumps. Team knowledge will prevail in CSGO more than any other game. So make sure you know the various different CSGO teams competing in an event before placing any big bets!
What are the best CSGO teams to bet on?
CSGO was introduced twenty years ago during the Summer 2000. Since then teams have fluctuated. Players come and go and form dips making naming top teams problematic for even the most talented eSports tipster. Having said that, our top CSGO team is FaZe Clan, followed by Danish North and Astralis.
FIFA Betting
Soccer or football is the most popular game in the world. Chances are you will have heard of the FIFA football game too. FIFA is a series of association football video games. The FIFA series began in late 1993 and over the years has been available for multiple gaming systems over the years including the PS1 and Sega Saturn.
The franchise’s latest release, FIFA 21, has been released worldwide on 9 October 2020 and is available on Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Stadia by Google at some point in the future.
The popularity of FIFA in multiplayer mode online is unrivalled in the sports genre with hundreds of millions of copies of FIFA sold. Given the popularity of FIFA across the globe it should come as no surprise that FIFA attracts betting. Online betting sites list FIFA odds because they attract a great deal of betting activity. FIFA’s audience reaches far and wide. Streamers like to bet on FIFA, so to do well oiled sports betting enthusiasts.
How to bet on FIFA
Very often FIFA qualifiers hold the key to betting. During FIFA qualifiers teams very often have to play against each other to qualify for the main tournament. By streaming FIFA qualifying stages you can get an idea of what the teams are all about, what is performing well and against who.
Established punters are often ready to bet who will lift the trophy from the first round of qualifiers. In line with team performances, FIFA odds oscillate during tournaments more than other eSports games. So, if odds do take your fancy it is wise to secure them quickly.
FIFA Tips
Following the history of the competitive FIFA online goes without saying. Deep knowledge of a certain region, team, player or clan helps. All the information needed to bet is available online and is a helpful tool.
FIFA eSports Leagues to bet on include eMLS (American Major League Soccer), ePL (English Premier League), eBundesliga (German) and La Liga eSports (Spanish).
The FIFA eWorld Cup is the one major eSports tournament held by FIFA and EA Sports. Following each game of the tournament is vital to choosing the right bet!
FIFA betting options are vast. Betting options usually include money line bets - where you bet on the outright winner, in-play bets, accumulator bets. At good FIFA betting sites you will find options to bet on eTournament leading scorers. Remember, FIFA eSports betting very often mirror real-life football events.
What are the best FIFA Teams to bet on?
The top FIFA teams you should follow are Fnatic, Rogue, Vitality, compLexity Gaming, PSA eSports, Manchester City eSports, The Imperial, North, Ninjas in Pyjamas, Digital Athletics and FaZe Clan. A top tip when weighing up FIFA teams is to resist the urge to bet on teams impulsively and place bets only after getting information from legit sources online.
Tips on how to bet on games
eSports betting is like regular sports betting – you bet on the likely outcome of a game, score or team / player performances. The only difference is that with eSports you are betting on sports played online via online gaming and betting platforms. Therefore master streaming platforms like Twitch before you bet on eSports online. Knowing your way around streaming sites like Twitch is half the battle.
Once you are happy with streaming eSports you need to select a suitable betting site. You need to create an account on a betting site with eSports odds to place bets on games like LOL, CSGO and FIFA etc.
For payments into your eSports betting account. The account can be linked to your bank account or you can make payments with a debit or credit card. Some sites offer cryptocurrency banking alongside regular payment options. If you win your bet then any wins are credited directly to your registered account and from there you can withdraw.
There are multiple online betting operators optimised for betting on eSports. Opt for a bookie that offers security for your details, and an easy-to-use interface. Unikrn is one of the leading betting companies globally, offering you the opportunity to take advantage of the best odds for eSports.
Remember, only gamble on eSports with what you can afford to loose. The bottom line is to always try to keep a cool head and have fun. When betting stops being fun you should always stop. Then, reflect on why your bet didn’t work out, and have a go again another time.