If you’ve heard of esports but aren’t sure how to approach betting on it, or you’re a seasoned punter looking to start betting on something new. Perhaps you’re neither of the two and a complete rookie in esports and betting.
But no matter your level of expertise, you should get ready to start your esports betting journey by reading this guide. And just like any successful betting endeavour, it all starts with picking the right betting site, and this article will help you with that, answering the burning question of which esports bookmakers are the best for beginners.
What Is Esports Betting?
Esports betting is simply a concept of betting on professional video game competitions. It all started years ago as a niche area of online betting, but it has quickly risen in popularity and is nowadays a massive and extremely popular industry.
Even some gambling regulatory bodies, such as the Gambling Commission (UKGC) has included it in its regulations, making esports betting equal to sports betting. Its recognition also helped esports betting rise from the underground and is now included and readily available to even traditional bookmakers such as William Hill and Bet365, who pose the main competition to esports betting sites.
Esports encapsulates many video games, yet the most popular titles among esports bettors include Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, League of Legends, and Dota 2. Meanwhile, games such as Rainbow Six Siege, Valorant, and Rocket League are quickly catching up but are not quite at the same level as the Big Three.
But in addition to the more prominent esports titles, you can also bet on FIFA, Apex Legends, Halo, and Fortnite, which many esports betting enthusiasts might consider niche games.
Esports Betting vs Sports Betting
Esports and sports are not quite alike, but they’re not that different. Sports betting has been around for significantly longer than esports betting, which is still viewed as a niche thing by many. Yet since the esports betting industry could learn a lot from sports betting and implement many things that worked for sports wagering, the two are not that different.
The esports betting markets are, for the most part, the same as that you would find on sports bookmakers, especially if we talk about moneyline, handicap, over/under, outright and other popular bet types. The only real difference is with proposition bets, which, admittedly, vary a lot even when comparing different sports.
Another major difference is that there are far more sports online betting sites than there are esports betting sites. However, due to the explosive growth of esports betting popularity, most traditional betting sites have started offering esports betting, so you don’t have to exclusively use esports betting sites if you wish to bet on esports.
If we draw a line, esports betting uses the same bet types as sports betting and is available on the same online betting sites. So if you have a basic understanding of how betting on sports works and have access to prominent online sportsbooks, then you’re set to start betting on esports. Granted, you still have to learn about the esports game you wish to bet on before you place your first esports bet.
Where Can I Bet On Esports?
Esports betting is still restricted in some countries and not as accessible as sports wagering yet. However, since esports betting has become far more progressive over the last decade, the restrictions apply to only a handful of countries.
For most of the world’s population, finding a bookmaker where you can bet on esports is as easy as visiting any online sportsbook, such as Bet365, William Hill, or an esports betting site, such as Midnite.
Esports Betting On Sportsbooks
There’s no hiding the fact that the online esports betting world has grown immensely over the last decade, and there are nowadays more esports fans than there ever were before. That is largely thanks to the growing popularity of major esports titles in League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, Rocket League, Valorant and others.
And just like the esports titles are becoming more popular, so is the demand for esports betting. This eventually forced even the traditional online sportsbooks to incorporate esports betting into their platform, offering you a chance to bet on a number of esports and major tournaments.
Nowadays, you’ll be able to find esports markets on any prominent bookmaker, such as Bet365, Pinnacle, William Hill, and many more. So if you’re new to esports betting, then you might want to consider using any of those big-brand online gambling sites. But why?
Because they’re all known and established names in the online betting world, holding reputable betting licences, making them a safe choice for all new bettors. Even though there are many online esports betting sites, none have as long a history as Bet365, William Hill and other major operators, who have been in the business for decades.
Although you can find safe esports betting sites, a beginner esports bettor should prioritize big betting brands, ensuring that you’re safe and secure.
Esports Betting Sites
As said, you can look for online esports betting sites if you wish to wager on esports, as it’s available on traditional bookmakers. However, there are some advantages to placing esports bets on dedicated esports betting sites.
Any esports betting site will be dedicated solely to esports betting. Sometimes, some esports betting sites will be focused exclusively on one esports title. It is recommended for any beginner to avoid those sites as they often offer niche esports betting odds and markets, which you won’t need at the start. But if you decide to begin your gambling journey on esports bookmakers, you should make sure that you pick between safe esports betting sites.
One of the biggest advantages of using the best esports betting sites is that they provide much better coverage of esports, offer more esports betting markets and do a much better job covering bigger events such as the League of Legends World Championship.
Moreover, esports betting sites tend to offer generous betting bonuses and promotions exclusively for esports bettors. So if you’re after a platform covering all popular esports games and offering inviting bonuses and offers, you should consider registering on an esports betting site.
How To Bet On Esports Betting Site?
The process of betting on esports betting sites doesn’t differ too much from how you would bet on traditional bookmakers, in the same way how betting on esports and betting on sports isn’t that much different. And no matter which esports betting website we take as an example, betting on it works the same way as on all online sportsbooks.
When betting on esports, you have the same pre-match and in-play betting, with similar markets and the betting odds displayed in either decimal, fractional, or American odds format.
When it comes to picking what you want to bet on, the top esports betting sites will cover many different esports titles, but even the most basic esports bookmaker will offer odds on the popular games in LoL, CS:GO, and Dota 2. The only real difference comes in the bets you’ll be able to place.
Esports Betting Types
There are many esports bets you can choose from, but by their nature, they’re the same bet types you’ll find when betting on sports. Moneyline, handicaps, totals, and outrights follow the same logic, but they’re displayed differently, using different terminology, which you’ll have to learn before exploring esports markets.
For example, in League of Legends, you’ll be able to bet on the number of kills; in CS:GO, you’ll bet on which player will get the first blood; while in Dota 2, you can, for example, bet on which team will destroy the first tower. While those might sound like complete nonsense for those unfamiliar with esports betting, all those bet types work the same way as a number of goals or which player will score the first goal in a football match.
Then there are esports games, where the betting market is extremely similar to its sports’ counterpart. One such example is Rocket League, which is essentially a video game in which players operate cars and play a game of football.
So if you wish to translate your knowledge of sports betting to esports betting, then games like Rocket League, NBA2K, NFL Madden, or FIFA are the perfect choice for you as the best are similar to those you’ll find in the real-world game.
Notably, Rocket League, NBA2K, NFL Madden, and FIFA are not considered to be the biggest esports games. However, most esports bookies – and even traditional sportsbooks will offer markets for it and accept your esports bets.
Final Words
If you’re new to betting on esports, have never placed an esports bet, and are unsure which esports bookmakers to start with, you really can’t go wrong. Even though we would recommend any beginner to start with established bookmakers such as Bet365 or William Hill, picking esports betting sites – such as Midnite – as your starting point isn’t a terrible choice either.
At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is that you pick the best esports betting site for you and that the esports bookmaker you set up an account with is legit, safe, and licenced. Only this way can you ensure that your money and personal information will be safe and secure.
FAQ
Is sports betting similar to esports betting?
Esports and sports betting have some differences, mainly depending on which sport/esport you’re betting on. Some forms of betting on esports are very similar to sports betting, while others are completely different.
The most obvious example is betting on FIFA and football, which are almost identical. On the other side, if you compare betting on CS:GO and ice hockey, you’ll find that the two are nothing alike.
What are best esports betting sites?
It is tough to say which are the best esports betting sites, as there are so many great choices. However, if you aren’t sure which esports bookmaker to choose, you can always check out reviews, where we’ve included and ranked all of the best esports betting sites in the world.
Can you bet on esports with online sportsbooks?
Many big-name online sportsbooks offer esports betting, so if you desire to bet on esports from a traditional betting site, that is an option. Similarly, some esports betting sites offer sports betting, granted it’s the reverse situation is far more common. Some of the best esports betting sites are in fact, traditional sportsbooks.
