Esports is something which has really taken off in the past 5 years and is an industry which has been going from strength to strength. As with normal sports, Esports is competitive and with competition comes the thrill of betting.
Esports have become very popular with gamblers and it offers an interesting contrast to betting on standard sports, such as football and tennis. Crowds at the major Esports events are huge and they can sell out big arenas plus attract huge audiences through live streaming and television coverage.
There has even been talk of Esports being included in the 2026 Olympic Games and it will be part of the 2020 Asian Games. This is a massive moment in the history of Esports but for some online gamblers, Esports are a new and undiscovered betting option.
- What are Esports?
- What Esports can you bet on?
- Where can you bet on Esports?
Esports are competitions played on video games and involve one person or teams of people trying to defeat another player or team. Online and offline video game tournaments are nothing new but from 2000 onwards, they have grown in popularity and have moved from amateur status to professional status.
You can bet on Esports at many of the major online bookmakers such as Bet365, Ladbrokes and Betway. However, there are also specialist Esports betting sites being developed, which only offer Esports betting markets.
There are many Esports on which you can bet at betting sites, so let’s look at them all below.
1. Call of Duty
Call of Duty is a multiplayer war game, which has had several different releases over the years, ranging from World War II to Modern Warfare. You can watch Call of Duty tournaments and bet on matches with Match Winner, Map Winner and Correct Map Score being some of the most popular betting markets.
2. Clash Royale
Clash Royale is a game which is specifically for mobile devices, yet this does not stop it from being a popular Esport on which to bet on at betting sites. Clash Royale is real-time multiplayer mobile game featuring tower defence and arena battle modes. At the time of writing, it is rare to find any other betting market other than Match Winner, but this may change in the future.
3. Counter Striker: Global Offensive
This is one of the biggest Esports currently in existence and has won many Esports gaming awards over the past few years. Counter Striker: Global Offensive is a first-person shooter game, where teams of terrorists and counter-terrorists do battle in set locations called maps. This is a very popular Esport for betting and markets are vast including Match Winner, Map Winner, Correct Score, Team to Get First Kill, Team with Most Kills and Player with Most Kills.
4. Dota 2
Dota 2 is the sequel game to Defenders of the Ancients and matches Counter Strike: Global Offensive in terms of its popularity around the world. This is a multiplayer online battle arena game where players are split into teams, each controlling a character with unique powers and different styles of play. There is a wealth of betting markets on offer including Match Winner, Map Winner, Team to Destroy First Tower and Team to Slay First Roshan.
5. FIFA
FIFA differs to many of the other games in this list as it mimics an actual sport. FIFA is the world’s leading football video game and has a massive following, including professional football players themselves. Professional football clubs are even employing FIFA players to represent them at events. Betting markets include Match Winner and Next Goal Scorer (when live betting is available).
6. Halo
Halo is a first-person shooter game which has achieved cult status among video game players and has a long history on consoles. The game is set in a military/science fiction world and players take control of super soldiers in various styles of match including Warzone, Warzone Assault and Warzone Firefight. Betting markets remain limited for Halo and mainly include Match Winner and Map Winner.
7. Hearthstone
Hearthstone is a turn based, collectible card game and is based on Warcraft, using the same characters, creatures and relics from the series. Prize pools for Hearthstone tournaments have reached $1,000,000 and so its little wonder betting sites and gamblers have started to take an interest in this Esport. The growing range of betting markets include Match Winner, First to Cause Damage, Highest Damage from a Single Card and Tournament Winner.
8. Heroes of the Storm
Heroes of the Storm is a multiplayer online battle arena game featuring a range of heroes from Blizzard Game titles including Warcraft, Diablo, StarCraft, The Lost Vikings, and Overwatch. The game is based on two teams of 5 players using a range of characters with special abilities to battle their opponent. Betting markets for Heroes of the Storm include Match Winner, Map Winner, Handicap, Correct Map Score and First Blood.
9. King of Glory
This game was first released on Android and iOS platforms in 2015 and features player vs environment multiplayer battles. King of Glory has become a hugely popular game, especially in Asia and has become the world’s most profitable game and most downloaded free app. The game is also known as Strike of Kings, Honor of Kings and Realm of Valor in different regions of the world and Match Winner, Map Winner, Team to Score First Blood and Team to Destroy First Tower are among the best betting markets.
10. League of Legends
If there is one Esports game you will have heard of before, it is League of Legends, which lives it to the name by enjoying legendary status among online gamers in the Esports world. Players compete in matches using various characters and play to achieve a victory condition, such as destroying a building or tower. Betting on League of Legends is very popular and top betting markets include Match Winner, Map Winner, Total Kills, Team to Get Most Kills, Team to Slay First Dragon, Team to Score a Penta Kill and many more.
11. Overwatch
Overwatch is a team-based, competitive, online first-person shooter which has been developed by Blizzard Entertainment, the team responsible for several popular Esports games. Teams compete in teams of 6 using heroes chosen from a roster and these have special abilities including Offense, Defense, Tank, and Support. The main object of the game is to take control and defend areas of a map. Betting markets on for Overwatch include Match Winner, Map Winner, Handicap, Correct Map Score and Number of Maps Won.
12. Quake Champions
Quake Champions is a new first-person shooter video game and is part of the Quake series of multiplayer shooting games. This is the first Quake game to be released for over 10 years and is billed as a “fast paced arena based shooter”. Due to being a new entry in Esports gaming, betting markets are very limited at the time of writing.
13. Rocket League
Rocket League is the second football game to enter this list but is vastly different to FIFA, which mimics the sport as it is played in real life. Rocket League is a football game using futuristic, rocket powered cars and two teams compete to hit a ball into their opponent’s goal and score points over the course of a match. Betting markets for this growing Esports game include Match Winner, Over/Under Goals and Goal Handicap.
14. Smite
Smite is an online multiplayer battle arena which is played in a third person view, as opposed to the birds eye view offered by many other Esports games. Players control a god, goddess, or other mythological being and take part in team based combat, using abilities and tactics against other players. The most popular game mode, which is used in the big Esports tournaments is Conquest. Match Winner, Map Winner, Handicap, Correct Map Score and First Blood are the most popular betting markets.
15. Starcraft 2
Starcraft 2 is a real time, science fiction strategy game and it has enjoyed great success since being first released in 1998. Teams control different races and try to eliminate their opponent and become the dominant race in the game. The teams compete in various missions and Starcraft 2 has become very popular in the Esports betting world. Betting markets available include Match Winner, Map Winner, Map Handicap, First Destruction and Match Length.
16. Street Fighter
At the time of writing, Street Fighter V is the latest instalment of the Street Fighter video game series and the one being played by gamers all over the planet. The game features a choice of different characters which come complete with various fighting styles. The game was first released in 1987 and who thought it would become a top Esports game for betting 30 years later? Street Fighter betting markets include Match Winner and Tournament Winner but due to the lack of tournaments on offer in comparison to other Esports games, betting markets can be rare.
17. Vainglory
Another one of the top mobile Esports games available is Vainglory. This game is an online multiplayer battle arena game and plays in a similar way to Dota 2 and League of Legends, two of the games we have covered above. Two teams of 3 play against each other and the game is won by destroying the other teams structure. Betting markets for Vainglory include Match Winner, Map Winner and Winner of the Series.
18. World of Tanks
World of Tanks is a fast growing Esport game and is a huge online multiplayer game. The focus of World of Tanks is one on one gameplay, with each individual controlling a tank. The tanks have different features including weight, size and weapons and was first contested as Esport game at the World Cyber Games in 2012. When betting on World of Tanks matches you can bet on Match Winner, Map Handicap, Map Winner, First Blood and Over/Under Map Time.
So, there we have it, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to the number of Esports to bet on at betting sites. The Esports industry continues to grow and more games are sure to enter the market over the next few years.
Live betting has been introduced to some of the popular Esports games such as Dota 2 and League of Legends and this will continue to be developed, offering a new way to bet on Esports online.
