Valorant is one of the youngest tactical first-person shooter (FPS) games to be introduced to the online video game world. But despite its young age, Riot Games’ creation didn’t need long to become one of the most played esports games in the world.
Not only had Valorant become one of the most-played online FPS games, but it also quickly found its place in the online esports betting world, as the majority of esports bookmakers started covering Riot Games’ esports title.
Nowadays, you can wager on Valorant on any esports bookmaker and even traditional bookies, but even though it’s very accessible, you still need to learn how Valorant betting works, how you can do it, and ultimately, how you can make a profit from it.
What Is Valorant – Gameplay Basics
Valorant is a round-based tactical first-person shooter (FPS) game developed and published by Riot Games. Initially known as Project A, the idea behind Valorant was to create a fast-paced and balanced esports title to rival Overwatch, Rainbow Six Siege, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
Even though Valorant has yet to reach the status of CS:GO, it has most definitely surpassed the popularity of Overwatch and Rainbow Six Siege, which is mainly thanks to great marketing, and the appealing playstyle it offers. Valorant shares some similarities with Overwatch and Rainbow Six Siege, but it’s quite different compared to CS:GO, even though both games feature two teams of five players.
The biggest difference between Valorant and CS:GO is that in Valorant matches, you get to pick one of many operators, each with their own unique abilities, which are not present in Valve’s game. Moreover, one game of Valorant is played to 13 rounds (CS:GO is played to 16). And yet, Valorant shares some similarities, mainly in the map design, the available weapons, the existence of pistol rounds, and bomb sites.
Players would argue that the movement, pace, and overall feel of Valorant can’t compare to CS:GO, which is true to some degree, but that’s hardly a negative. Valorant has found the right mix, taking the best of all other esports to form very exciting gameplay, which helped competitive Valorant reach new heights.
Valorant Roles
Like in CS:GO, Valorant has roles, which the players take over in any given match, but unlike in CS:GO, the class of the agent dictates the roles you decide to play. In Valorant, each agent belongs to one of four agent classes, including Duelists, Controllers, Initiators, and Sentinels.
Each agent class plays a different role in the team with the help of their unique abilities, which dictate the playstyle and their goals in any given map.
Duelists – duelists are an offensive agent class in Valorant, excelling in one vs. one duels and small skirmishes.
Controllers – controllers are Valorant agents, who use their abilities to control the map, mainly by using smokes, or other abilities to block off certain areas of the map, helping their team either defend or attack the site.
Initiators – Initiator-class agents serve a supportive role in Valorant, helping their team initiate fights and help teammates with various supportive abilities, which includes heals and tools to provide information on the map.
Sentinels – Sentinels are a defensive type of Valorant agent who excel in slowing down or stalling the game by blocking off the opponent’s pushes by either setting up walls or putting down defensive abilities.
Notably, even though the roles in Valorant are mainly dictated by the class of the agent you play, the in-game roles can be further divided into more specialized terms, common in CS:GO and other tactical FPS titles. Those include Entry Fragger, Support, Lurker, AWPer, In-game leader, and Anchor.
Entry Fragger – players who take on the role of entry fraggers are the first to enter an are of the map or objective, with their main role being that they need to take the first contact with the opponents or get as much information as possible.
Support – support players help entry fraggers by creating space through use of utility and skills. While support players don’t take the first contact with the enemy, they need to have a very strong knowledge of the maps and utility usage.
Lurker – a lurker player’s main role is to provide his team with information on the map state and the enemy rotations and try to get as many kills from the opposite side of the map. Lurkers often attack the enemy from unexpected angles in a bid to disrupt the flow of the game and surprise the enemy.
AWPer – a name that derives from CS:GO, AWPers are players who play with a sniper rifle (or Operator) and can provide coverage and information for their teammates. Moreover, AWPers’ role is to gain early advantages for their team with early pick on unsuspected enemies.
In-Game Leader – in-game leaders serve the role of the team captain, forging plans and strategies their team executes. IGLs can take on any other role in the game, yet their main goal is to call shots and articulate their ideas clearly.
Anchor – a defensive role of a player who typically plays passive angles which allow them to fall back off the site or help their team with retakes.
How To Bet On Valorant?
It is not difficult to start betting on Valorant, even if you have no previous experience with it, and there are many reasons for it. Most importantly, there’s a plethora of Valorant betting sites, so it’s very simple to find a bookmaker where you’ll be able to place your bets.
Moreover, it doesn’t take long to understand how Valorant is played, how Valorant teams work, and its competitive scene. It’s a simple game that you can learn within weeks, but it definitely helps if you also play Valorant and watch professional players play it, as it will help you better understand it.
And the biggest reason why anyone can learn how to bet on Valorant is that the betting types you’ll be using don’t differ much from other games or compared to sports. So as long as you have the desire to learn it, nothing is stopping you from going from a rookie bettor to a Valorant betting expert.
The Best Valorant Betting Sites
If you want to succeed in betting on Valorant online, you first need to find a good Valorant betting site, as any successful betting endeavor starts with registering with a solid bookmaker. Since there are so many Valorant gambling sites, finding one that will suit your needs and provide you with all the features you’ll require for a successful betting journey takes some time. But if you know where and what to look for, it’s a simple process.
The first thing you need to ensure before you register with a bookmaker is that it’s safe, legit, and licensed. There are many shady bookmakers, and you should avoid them at all costs since using any unlicensed betting site will risk your money and personal information.
All top Valorant betting sites will also offer competitive esports odds and enough betting markets, so you can bet on any Valorant tournament or game you desire. Know that there is no one bookmaker with the best esports odds but rather many betting websites with solid odds.
Moreover, you should check if the bookmaker has the deposit methods that suit you and whether it has other features such as in-play betting, live streaming options, and the availability of a mobile betting app. Although not as important as the odds quality, in-play betting options are a very welcome addition to any betting site.
And lastly, all good bookmakers will offer some bonuses and promotions, such as an occasional free bet, bonuses on the first wager, welcome deposit bonuses, and promotions during important Valorant tournaments.
Many sites check those marks, and we have found five of the best Valorant betting sites you should consider checking out. We tested all five bookmakers and can guarantee that they’re safe, legit and can offer you competitive betting odds.
How Can You Bet On Valorant?
Betting on Valorant is very straightforward and very accessible, mainly because there are many Valorant betting sites where you can place your Valorant bets. That mostly has to do with the game’s popularity, leading to a situation where top betting sites cover the Valorant Champions Tour and the competitive Valorant scene.
And that includes both Valorant esports betting sites, as well as skin betting sites.
The most popular way to wager on Valorant is with real money, on any Valorant esports betting site or traditional bookies that offer Valorant esports markets. The process is the same as with betting on any other esport or sports – you simply register for a bookmaker, deposit money, and start placing your Valorant bets.
Alternatively, you can also bet on Valorant with skins, on any Valorant gambling skin sites. Notably, you are not able to bet with Valorant skins but instead have to use CS:GO or Dota 2 skins, which hold monetary value and are accepted by online skin gambling sites.
Like esports bookies and traditional sportsbooks, skin betting sites have Valorant betting options and will accept your Valorant wagers. So while your options won’t differ, the way you deposit money will.
Valorant Betting Bonuses
Any betting site will offer some bonuses and promotions to its users, and while the offer will vary from bookmaker to bookmaker, you can count on being offered some goodies no matter which esports betting site you use.
The most common bonuses and promotions include a welcome bonus, which is awarded to all new users to the website with their first deposit. And then, there are bonus offers for already existing users, such as free bets, reload bonuses, acca boosts, odds boosts, and special promotions for big events.
Bonus offers are the best and easiest way for you to get extra value for your money, so it pays to pick bookmakers that can offer you the best promotions. But you should never value bonuses more than quality odds and betting markets, which are a huge part of any good betting site.
Valorant Betting Odds
If you want to wager on Valorant or any other esports games, you need to know how to read the betting odds. Luckily, that’s pretty straightforward if you have previous basic knowledge of how betting works or experience in betting on any other esports title, such as CS:GO, Apex Legends, or Overwatch.
While reading betting odds is simple, you should know that the odds will differ from bookmaker to bookmaker, and it’s not too uncommon for two betting sites to offer different odds on the same games. For example, Bet365 can have Team Liquid priced at 2.10 to defeat Fnatic, while William Hill will have Team Liquid priced at 2.00.
This example shows why it’s important to always bet with the best odds, as they guarantee you a higher payout. Moreover, it shows why it’s beneficial to have accounts with multiple bookmakers, so you can price shop i.e. look around bookmakers and find the best available odds offer.
While reading betting odds, it also helps that you know the difference between American, Fractional, and Decimal odds format. Although you should be fine knowing just the American odds format, or any of the two, it never hurts to know a bit more. Still, the main thing to know about is that sportsbooks will rarely offer the same Valorant betting odds, so make sure you fish for the best offer before you place your wager.
Valorant Bet Types
When betting on Valorant, you get to choose from many bet types, allowing you to bet on the games in any way you like. However, even though there are many betting markets for you to choose from, they’re all fairly simple to learn and understand. And it all starts with the most common bet type – the moneyline.
Moneyline
Moneyline is the simplest and most straightforward bet you can place when wagering on Valorant or any other game. With it, you’re simply predicting which team will win the next game, and it doesn’t matter how they do it or by how many rounds the team wins – the only thing that matters is the final result.
Handicap Betting
Handicaps give you a bit more options when deciding which bets to place. With handicaps, the betting sites level the playing field by giving the weaker team an imaginary advantage and the favored team an imaginary handicap (most commonly in maps) they must overcome.
For example, a bookmaker can offer a +4.5 round handicap on the weaker team and a -4.5 round handicap on the stronger team, allowing you to either bet on the favorites to win with at least five rounds to spare or on the underdogs to win, or not lose by more than four rounds.
Totals (Over/Under)
Totals (or over/under) is a wager on a specific stat in a game, most commonly, a bet on the total rounds played in a Valorant game. With totals, the bookmaker will set a number of a certain statistic in a game they believe will happen, and then you can decide to bet on whether the actual figure will be higher or lower.
So if a betting site sets a total rounds line at 20.5, you can choose to bet on whether the game will see more or less than 20.5 rounds.
Outrights
Outrights are very simple bets you can use to wager on Valorant tournaments, allowing you to predict which team will win the event. Unlike moneyline or handicaps, outrights don’t care about individual matches but only focus on the outright tournament winner.
Valorant Live Betting
In-play betting might not be for everyone, but it’s an alternative, highly exciting, and potentially very profitable way to bet on Valorant or any other games. Admittedly, it takes a lot of knowledge of the game before you can consider live betting, but once you’re comfortable with pre-match betting, in-play wagering is definitely something to try out.
If you want to bet on Valorant in-play, you first need to have access to a betting site that offers in-play markets and has live streaming options available. Luckily, most esports bookmakers check those marks, so you won’t have to look far to find a betting site where you can live bet.
But it can’t be overstated how important it is to have a good knowledge of Valorant before engaging in in-play betting. While it can be exciting, being successful at live betting requires you to have a good read on the game and properly evaluate the current game state. Anyone can achieve that status, but it takes time and dedication.
Valorant Betting Strategies
Anyone can bet on Valorant, but it takes more than knowing how to place bets if you want to profit from it. So here are some of our main tips, tricks, and strategies you can apply to your online betting journey.
Use only the best esports bookmakers. It is essential that you bet only with the best bookmakers available to you, meaning that it is legal, safe, and licensed and can provide you competitive Valorant odds and enough betting markets.
Learn about the game. Before you place your first Valorant bet, you should learn a thing or two about the game, how Valorant is played, and how the pro scene operates. The best way to do so is to watch professional matches but also to play the game yourself.
Research before you place bets. Before you place your Valorant bets, you have to know what you’re betting on and why you’re placing a wager. So you should do thorough research on the match you intend to bet as only this way will you be able to make smart choices.
Never chase your losses. No matter how your betting journey goes, you should never chase your losses and, instead, come to terms with the fact that you will endure losing streaks.
No matter how hopeless the situation seems, you should never try to earn back the lost money by betting more and start getting emotions involved – this way, you will only dig your hole deeper. Instead, stick with the plan, and you’ll eventually come out on top.
Valorant Betting FAQ
Can I bet on Valorant?
Yes, you can bet on Valorant on most esports betting websites and even some traditional bookmakers. Even though Valorant is a fairly new game, it’s well-covered by most online bookmakers, making it very accessible for betting.
Where can I place real money bets on Valorant?
You can place real money bets on Valorant on any esports bookie or traditional sportsbook that offers markets for it. While not all bookmakers will, most online operators will offer Valorant betting, as it’s one of the most popular esports games among bettors.
What are the best Valorant betting sites?
There is no one best Valorant bookmaker but rather several great betting sites that can offer you a great betting experience. Some of the most popular Valorant bookies are Midnite, Bet365, EGB, Rivalry, and Parimatch.
Is real money Valorant betting legal and safe?
Real money Valorant betting is completely legal and safe as long as you’re using a licensed and safe esports betting site. Moreover, betting on Valorant, like betting on esports, is legal in most countries, with some exceptions, where esports betting has yet to be legalized.
