League of Legends is one of the world’s most popular online multiplayer games and also a big name in the competitive esports world. And just like any other big esport titles – such as Dota 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive – League of Legends has a strong presence in the online esports betting scene.
League of Legends is one of the world’s most popular online multiplayer games and also a big name in the competitive esports world. And just like any other big esport titles – such as Dota 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive – League of Legends has a strong presence in the online esports betting scene.
Given its popularity, most bookmakers – including esports bookies and traditional sportsbooks – will have League of Legends betting markets available, more than any other esports title. However, while finding League of Legends betting odds will be easy, that is just the first step to your esports betting journey.
Besides knowing where to find LoL betting markets and bookmaker’s betting odds, you have to know a thing or two about how League of Legends betting odds work and, most importantly, what they mean. Luckily, the explanation of what betting odds mean is very simple.
Betting odds show the probability of a certain outcome happening. In League of Legends, that is most commonly the probability of a team winning the next match. You can also look at LoL odds as percentages.
(1/decimal odds) * 100 = implied probability
For example, if Team A is priced as 1.50 favorite to defeat Team B, its chances of winning are 66.7%, indicating that Team A should win the match 66.7% of the time.
Understanding what League of Legends betting odds mean and that they don’t only show how much money you can expect to earn per wager is essential to your long-term success as a bettor. But that is only the first step towards truly understanding how League of Legends odds work.
League of Legends odds can be displayed in one of the three betting odds formats – America, Fractional, and Decimal – and even though all three show the same thing, they’re not quite alike. Understanding all three odds formats isn’t necessary, but it certainly helps when you are searching for the best League of Legends odds.
American odds format (also known as U.S. odds or Moneyline odds) is the most popular odds format in the United States and is widely used by all U.S. sportsbooks. Unlike the other two odds formats, it does not use decimal or fractions but whole numbers, which are differentiated by a positive (+) or a negative (-) sign.
With the American odds format, the favorites will always be priced with negative odds (-150), while the underdog team will always have a positive sign (+) next to its odds. Besides being written differently, the explanations of the favorites/underdog odds also differ.
The negative odds show how much money you must risk to earn $100. Meanwhile, the positive odds show how much profit you can expect to earn per $100 staked.
Example: Team A is priced at -150 to win the next game, so you have to risk $150 to win $100.
Example: Team B is priced at +110, meaning you can expect to earn $110 for every $100 staked
Fractional odds (also known as U.K. odds or British odds) are used mostly by UK customers of sportsbooks and are generally available on all British bookies. Unlike the American odds, the Fractional format displays the odds in fractions and is typically written with a slash (1/2) or a hyphen (1-2).
The fraction shows the ratio between the potential profit to the stake.
Example: If Team A is priced at 4/6 you need to risk $6 to win 4$. Meanwhile, Team B is priced at 11/10, so you have to risk $10 to earn $11.
Although the fractional odds format is used mostly by UK customers, this odds format is readily available on all sportsbooks around the world.
Decimal odds (also known as European odds or decimal odds) is the most common odds format used across Europe, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. It is also widely known as the simplest odds format, mainly because you only need to focus on the size of the number to know what it shows.
When placing esports or traditional sports bets with decimal odds, you can spot which team is favored to win by simply looking at the numbers – the favorites will always be priced with a lower decimal number (1.66) than the underdogs (2.10).
Moreover, it’s very simple to calculate how much payout you can expect to earn per each bet, as you only need to multiply your wager with the decimal number.
Total Payout = Stake * Decimal Odds Number
Example: A $100 bet on Team B at 2.10 would earn you ($100 * 2.10) $2.10 in total payout.
Although it’s recommended that you understand all three LoL odds formats, you don’t have to know them all because most bookmakers allow you to change the odds format on the site.
Most bookmakers will offer LoL odds, including both traditional sportsbooks and esports betting sites, so it won’t be challenging to find a bookie where you can bet on League of Legends. However, while finding a site to place your esports bets is easy, finding the best betting sites for LoL takes time since not all gambling sites will offer the same quality experience.
So before you start betting on LoL, make sure that you register with an esports bookie that is: safe, licensed, and regulated, offers competitive odds and in-play betting, and has enough betting markets so you can bet on whatever you like. Admittedly, generous betting bonuses (such as free bets) and the availability of a betting app are important, but not nearly as important as safety, quality LoL odds, and enough betting markets.
Some of the LoL betting sites that check these marks and offer better odds than most other bookies include:
Note that many more great esports betting sites can offer you an enjoyable betting experience. However, you should also know that most bookmakers won’t, so make sure you take your time when picking esports betting sites and keep in mind that League of Legends odds differ from bookie to bookie.
If you’re wondering which is the best League of Legends betting site, there is no clear answer to that because the League of Legends odds differ from bookie to bookie; hence no sportsbook can offer you the best odds on all esports games.
League of Legends odds – like betting odds on any other sports or esports title – will move and change over time. Very rarely will you see the closing odds match the opening odds, which is mainly because the opening odds are often incorrect and don’t show the actual probability of a certain outcome happening.
The opening odds, which are the odds the betting sites release way ahead of the game, will change and either increase or lower depending on the activity on the betting markets. For example, if an esports bookmaker prices Team A at 1.50 to defeat Team B (2.10) and people start betting on Team B, the odds on Team A will increase and decrease on Team B.
These odds movements, led by the activity of esports bettors, are fuelled by the information that enters the market. That includes mainly the team’s form, their recent showings, and any news that could affect the team’s performances, such as news about a key player missing the next game.
Notably, the odds will move even faster with in-play betting, albeit for different reasons. When live betting, the in-play odds don’t change because of the market activity but rather according to what is happening in the game – which you can follow via live streams.
League of Legends has a nicely developed competitive scene featuring numerous leagues and tournaments worldwide. Although it does not host as many events as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, there are still plenty of esports games to bet on and more than enough betting options to keep any bettor satisfied.
The League of Legends competitive ecosystem is quite large, but it mostly revolves around regional leagues, which are divided into four major regions, minor regions, second-division regional leagues, and academy leagues.
Some of the most popular League of Legends leagues include:
Besides the major four leagues, you can also bet on other regional leagues of Brazil (CBLOL), Turkey (TCL), CIS (LCL), Oceania (LCO), Japan (LJL), Latin America (LLA), Pacific (PCS), and Vietnam (VCS), alongside various academy leagues.
Mid-Season Invitational is one of two international League of Legends tournaments hosted after the Spring Split. It is held at various locations across the world, and it welcomes 12 LoL teams, consisting of Spring Split champions from all 12 LoL leagues.
Although not as prestigious as LoL Worlds, it’s one of the biggest tournaments and one of the most exciting LoL events to watch and bet on; therefore, it’s no surprise to know that most bookmakers will offer LoL odds and markets on the MSI.
The pinnacle of LoL competitive season and one of the most prestigious tournaments in the esports world, the LoL Worlds is the season-culminating tournament, which pins together the best 24 LoL teams who compete for the eternal glory that is winning League of Legends Worlds.
Widely known as one of the most watched esports events in the world, LoL Worlds is also extremely well covered by all betting sites, so if you want to bet on it, you won’t struggle to find betting markets for the tournament.
Now that you know how odds work, where to find the best prices, and what you can bet on, it’s time to learn a few betting strategies that will help you avoid losing bets, which can quickly lead to a negative atmosphere. And the topic of negativity that comes with losing bets leads perfectly into our no.1 tip for esports bettors.
Betting based on your emotions and personal feelings will not get you far. Whether it is always betting on your favorite team, increasing your stake after your bet loses, feeling too confident after you win big, or simply betting on what you feel is the best without doing any research is as bad as it sounds.
Patience is an essential trait of any bettor, so don’t let emotions get the better of you when things aren’t going the way you want. Stick to the plan and be persistent.
If you want to be successful in betting on esports or sports, you have to bet with the right bookmaker, which can provide you with great odds and enough betting markets. Betting on bookmakers with low margins is essential for your long-term success as it gets you the best possible odds and the highest potential payout.
It is a basic requirement, but many novice bettors underestimate the importance of doing your research. You should always bet on what you know; the more you know about something, the more likely you will make intelligent decisions.
Find a solid source of valuable information and data, and use the gathered knowledge to your benefit. Of course, you should bet on what you think is the best, but you must spend some time researching valuable data to find value bets.
Many people forget about it, but measuring your success is essential for anyone who wants to be considered a serious bettor. You have to keep track of the best you’ve placed, how much money you’ve risked, and how much you have earned/lost.
Betting is an investment, so you should treat it as such by measuring your success and failures. Only this way will you be able to improve and become a successful esports bettor.
The best way to measure how good you’re doing betting on LoL is by using the bookmaker’s closing odds. Even if you’re losing your esports bets, but you consistently bet at higher odds than the market closes, you’re doing something right, so if you keep at it, it’s only a matter of time before you turn to profit.
By following the five tips and tricks, you should be set for success on your LoL betting journey, but remember to bet responsibly. Esports betting can be fun, exciting, and even lucrative, but first, you must prioritize responsible gambling.
