One of the most anticipated StarCraft 2 tournaments is just around the corner, with the world's best players getting ready to fight for their share of $500,000 in prize money.
A legendary esports event, the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Katowice is a CS:GO tournament held in Poland. In this guide, we'll go over all the participating teams, details about the schedule, as well as everything you need to know about IEM CS:GO betting!
The Dota Pro Circuit is in full flow. The next big tournament in this seasonal circuit is the PGL Arlington Major. Texas is the location, Esports Stadium Arlington is the venue of choice, and seventeen brilliant Dota 2 teams will be eyeing their chances here.
The LEC (League of Legends European Championship) is entering a new decade starting with the inaugural Winter split. From team rosters to an all-new tournament format, the league will be seeing much more competition.
When it comes to esports betting, Germany has seen a surge of popularity and is home to some of the top esports teams, such as SK Gaming, BIG, and Mouz. In this guide, we will take a closer look at the German esports market, including popular esports games, German esports sites, and the top teams.
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German esports punters have access to a wide range of betting sites (especially compared to some countries that don’t have as many supported bookies, such as the UK). Before settling for a specific bookmaker, be sure to check that it is licensed by a recognised gambling regulator, such as the UK Gambling Commission, Malta Gaming Authority, and Curaçao eGaming. To save you the hassle, we have compiled a list of the best esports betting sites in Germany.
As one of the dedicated esports betting sites, GG.BET offers a wide range of esports betting markets. German players are welcomed with impressive bonuses that come in handy to get you started. Free bets and cashbacks on real money bets are among other promotional offers for continuing players.
The site also has an incredible portfolio of esports betting options, and competitive odds on major esports tournaments. Some of the available German esports markets include Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, Rainbow Six, League of Legends, and Overwatch. Depending on your preferred payment option, the site accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards, as well as e-wallets such as Skrill and WebMoney.
bet365 is another exceptional betting operator that’s been in the business for decades. They’ve honed their craft to a high degree and are one of the leaders in the esports betting industry.
Punters can expect to bet on a wide range of games, tournaments, and betting markets, with some pretty competitive odds as well. bet365 also support numerous payment methods so there’s nothing to worry about for bettors from Germany.
Betway has been around for almost two decades now, having been founded in 2006. They have a licence from the Malta Gaming Authority licence, as well as the UK Gambling Commission, meaning they’re as legit as they come.
Plenty of features decorate Betway’s website, including live streaming and live betting options, the cash-out tool, a mobile app, and some excellent welcome bonuses. And, even if you choose not to use their app, you’ll still be able to enjoy a nice, easy, mobile-optimized betting experience through their website.
If you’re looking for experience and proven results over novelty, Pinnacle is the place to be. This betting operator was founded in 1998 and they have the Curaçao gambling licence. Pinnacle is also one of the rarer bookies that support cryptocurrencies when it comes to payment methods.
The esports betting side of Pinnacle is superb; you’ll be able to bet on your favourite esports teams across a great selection of esports titles and highly popular tournaments. Every once in a while, you’ll also be able to place some bets on smaller tournaments as well which enriches the overall betting experience.
Rivalry is completely esports-centric which makes them the best choice if esports is all you’re interested in. They offer highly competitive odds on the most prestigious events in more than 15 esports games.
And, although they aren’t as experienced as the other bookies we mentioned, they’re highly creative and often come up with some pretty interesting promotions and bonuses. They also support crypto deposits and withdrawals.
Esports as a whole has grown to an incredible size that encapsulates dozens of esports games, hundreds of esports organizations, and thousands of players (maybe even millions). And, in it all, are tournaments that organizers meticulously plan and execute on an annual basis.
As such, it is to be expected that major gaming regions in the world are massive parts of the current esports ecosystem. For such a large country, Germany should have a stronger presence in the esports scene and yet it seems to be slightly behind the Asian esports behemoths of South Korea and China, and other European countries.
Nonetheless, the esports industry is thriving in Germany, with many events hosted in key German cities such as Köln, Berlin, Düsseldorf, and others.
Germany also has some pretty famous and successful teams like SK Gaming and Mouz, but also incredibly talented and skilled players like KuroKy.
Overall, Germany may not be at the top of the ladder in esports, but it's an integral part of every aspect of the esports industry.
Top German esports teams, like Mouz, SK Gaming, and BIG, actively participate in various esports games, including League of Legends, CS:GO, VALORANT, and Clash Royale. These games are also the preferred options for esports betting in Germany.
CS:GO is one of the most popular esports in Germany, for which, notably, German esports teams such as ALTERNATE aTTax and BIG have often competed for top positions. Some of the CS:GO tournaments that are usually recommended for esports betting in Germany are ESL Pro League, IEM events, and Dreamhack Masters. The best CS:GO German teams to bet on include MOUZ, BIG, and SK Gaming.
As one of the most entertaining games to watch and bet on, LoL is another title that enjoys tremendous popularity in Asia, North America, and Germany. The best events to wager on include the World Championship, MSI, LCK, LCS, LEC, and LPL, and common betting markets available at top German esports sites include first blood, first tower destroyed, first Dragon kill, and total number of kills. The best LoL German teams include G2 Esports and SK Gaming.
Dota 2 is another favourite MOBA game among German punters. The International, which is the biggest Dota 2 tournament, is one of the most exciting events to watch. Furthermore, there are several ongoing regional events that you can always bet on, often occurring every month.
These include Dota Pro Circuit regional leagues and ESL One. Some of the best Dota 2 German esports teams at the moment include Team Liquid, Gaimin Gladiators, and Tundra Esports.
The types of bets available depend on your preferred esports games, but regardless of your preference, you will surely find a wide range of betting markets on our top esports betting Germany sites. Let's take a look at the available betting options.
These are bets you place before the match begins. Pre-game wagers are often a preferred option especially among beginners, since you’ll have enough time to analyse the odds.
Additionally, the odds on pre-match lines are often considerable, giving you value for correct predictions. Some common pre-match bets to place include Correct Score, First Blood, First Kill, Total Number of Maps, and First Dragon.
Live betting is popular among German punters – and reasonably so since you get unlimited betting opportunities. You can easily jump on any emerging betting chance during a live match.
Moreover, as a veteran punter, it is easy to take advantage of the odds, which tend to be quite volatile. During the early phases, you can bet on the team to land the first kill or map in games such as CS:GO and LoL.
With more bookies offering outright odds, these bets are gaining popularity, especially among casual bettors. Such wagers allow you to bet on an upcoming tournament and are mostly based on choosing the tournament winner. Additionally, outright wagers tend to have higher odds than pre-match and live bets.
The legality of esports betting in Germany lies in the grey area due to the antiquated, restrictive laws. In 2008, the Interstate Treaty in Gambling (ISTG) was passed, which banned all forms of internet-based betting in the country. This was with the exception of state-operated entities.
Although the treaty was signed by all 17 states in Germany, in 2012, the state of Schleswig-Holstein opted out of it and decided to regulate its gambling on a local level. Operators in the state, as well as offshore, were offered licences. However, this decision was later reversed due to the state government’s involvement.
To date, the ISTG is still in effect in Germany, but these restrictions only apply to operators based in the country. Therefore, German esports bettors can still place wagers in licensed offshore sportsbooks.
Esports betting in Germany works the same as classic sports betting, such as betting on football. Esports bookies offer a wide range of betting markets on various esports games, including CS:GO, Dota 2, and LoL.
You can also find odds on less popular esports titles, such as Arena of Valor, Wild Rift, and Hearthstone. However, just like any other form of betting, it is essential to have a set-out strategy before placing your wagers.
Below are some tips and basic esports strategies that apply to both beginners and expert punters.
While it may sound obvious, having a clear outline of how much you wish to spend protects you from overspending or placing random wagers. Concerning this, it is crucial to wager only amounts you would be okay with losing.
Before any betting section, set your bet limits, including your win/loss limit. This will help you cultivate the discipline to walk – regardless of whether you are winning or losing.
If you are planning to bet on your favourite German esports team, be sure to research them thoroughly. Also, take note of their current form, how many matches they have recently won or lost, and any changes in the roster. You can also watch the team’s previous matches on live streaming platforms such as Twitch or YouTube.
Online betting sites offer varying odds on various markets. Hence, you should check the sportsbook with the most convenient odds. With sportsbooks such as Betway, GG.BET, and bet365, you are sure to find reasonable odds. These sites also cover many esports titles, and the markets during major and minor tournaments are unmatched.
Welcome bonuses are the most lucrative, and some bookies extend the generosity to subsequent deposits going to the third or fifth deposit. Other offers that you can look out for include cashbacks, free bets, and reload bonuses.
The availability of convenient and safe banking options is key to every punter. Due to the stringent gambling regulations, some payment options are often unavailable to German players; however, there are several reliable options that you can still use at esports betting Germany sites. The most popular payment methods in Germany are PayPal, debit cards, NETELLER, Trustly, Skrill, and paysafecard.
Here’s a breakdown of payment method categories:
Giropay and SOFORT are the main banking options of this type for punters in Germany, and they are also accepted in top sportsbooks such as GG.BET and Rivalry. These local bank transfer options are highly secure, and the transactions are free of charge.
NETELLER and Skrill are the most common e-wallet options in betting sites that accept German players. The transactions are fast and transaction costs are also considerably low, plus, you don’t have to share your banking details. However, if you are interested in the welcome bonus, be sure to check whether these banking options are restricted or not.
Visa and Mastercard are top credit card options and are known for their extra layer of protection when making transactions online. Some esports bookies accept both debit and credit cards, and betting sites that accept Visa/Mastercard transactions include bet365 and Rivalry.
Offering convenient and swift transactions at a low cost, Bitcoin and Ethereum are among the preferred cryptocurrencies in the country. Other crypto banking options include LiteCoin, Ripple, DogeCoin, and Bitcoin Cash.
If you’re looking to place your favourite bets on the go, then mobile esports betting apps are a perfect choice. These apps have virtually all the same functionality as the bookie’s website does but on a more compact scale.
On top of that, they’re often easier to use due to most people spending more time on their phones than their work or home computers. The best esports betting apps for German punters are bet365, Betway, and Pinnacle’s apps.
These are optimized for most Android and/or iOS devices and can provide easy access to your favourite bets even when you’re not at home.
The German esports scene is not the most developed compared to other countries such as China, South Korea, and Spain. Nonetheless, the region has slowly embraced esports over the years and is one of the first countries to offer a Visa for esports players. Based on Esports Earnings statistics, as of 12th April 2023, Germany ranks in the 9th position among the countries with the highest earnings. The country has overall esports earnings of $41,664,591.
Here is an outline of the best-earning German players and teams.
Germany is a respectable esports region where there are a couple of teams and players that have achieved success in various tournaments. Punters from Germany can rest easy knowing they will be able to bet on their favourite teams with ease, thanks to most bookies supporting betting from this country.
The best esports betting sites in Germany are licensed by recognised gambling regulators. Our recommended sportsbooks include bet365, GG.BET, 22Bet, and Betway.
Esports betting is restricted for operators within the country’s boundaries. Nonetheless, punters can still wager at licensed offshore sites that accept German punters.
SK Gaming is one of the most renowned German esports teams. It is highly competitive in CS:GO, Clash Royale, and Arena of Valor.
Dota 2, Counter Strike: Global Offensive, and League of Legends are the top three most popular esports games among German punters. Other games that German esports teams competitively participate in include Fortnite, FIFA, StarCraft II, and Hearthstone.
German punters have access to a wide selection of payment methods, from credit/debit cards to e-wallets such as Skrill and NETELLER. Furthermore, you can also use local bank transfer options such as GiroPay and SOFORT.
Through our in-depth guides and reviews, we are focused on providing the best insights into esports betting.