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.
Identifying the best real money betting site is the first step towards boosting your esports experience. Here is a list of the best sites for real money esports.
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This is one of the most resourceful esports sites you’ll find. Pinnacle boasts a comprehensive selection of betting markets, handy esports betting guides, and an informative FAQ section. It's also ideal if you’re looking to try your hand at all major and minor esports tournaments across a variety of niche esports titles.
Although Pinnacle do not offer any welcome bonus, they have made up for this by providing the best value odds and dedicated betting markets on every tournament, especially real money CS: GO betting, Dota 2, Overwatch, and Rocket League. Read more about this bookie by heading over to our Pinnacle esports review.
1xBet has an impressive range of esports markets on major upcoming tournaments, including Overwatch, Dota 2, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. If you prefer betting on League of Legends, you'll be glad to know that there are several major LoL leagues available, including LCS, LEC, LCK, and LPL. New players are welcomed with a 100% bonus on the first deposit up to $100, while existing customers can claim the Super Accas bonus that can yield up to 200% cashback. Read our 1xBet esports review here.
Electronic sports betting is placing bets on competitive video gaming for different teams. Esports are mostly multiplayer-focused, and can be played on a game console or a PC. Bettors use the viewer’s mode to follow the action and place bets.
For such games, you also have a chance to compete against other players and teams, whether online or offline via LAN connection. A match-making system is put in place to pit gamers with certain abilities against equally skilled opponents. Game balance and map layout, among other competitive elements, are featured to spice things up.
To help you narrow down what makes the best real money esports betting site, we have highlighted some of the factors you should consider when looking for esports bookmakers.
Even with a huge presence of scam online review sites, it's best to pay attention to a few that point in the right direction. Legitimate reviews (such as the ones on our site) can help you assess the reputation of a bookmaker and make the right decision.
When esports betting for real money, you don't want to sign up to a site only to find yourself limited to a few wagering options. Having a huge selection of esports markets is key for any operator wanting to be successful in this particular sector. In addition to popular choices like LoL, Dota 2, and CS: GO, other, more niche options like Rocket League, Call of Duty, and Overwatch can give a sportsbook an edge over its competitors and increase its customer base.
The importance of welcome bonuses and specific esports promotions should never be overlooked, especially now that big names in the gaming industry are venturing into the market. Check out our detailed guide to the best esports welcome bonuses and promotions to learn more!
The payment options accepted by a particular bookmaker can determine your overall experience when betting on esports. Instant deposits help you get started immediately, while esports payment methods that offer swift withdrawals allow you to receive your winnings without having to wait around for too long. Common payment methods for real money esports betting include Bitcoin, credit cards, NETELLER, Entropay, PayPal and Skrill, among others.
Any well-founded real money betting site prioritises its customer service as one of its most important features. Among other readily available resources, players want a stable customer support team that they can rely upon to effectively handle issues as they emerge. A platform with a live chat or phone service, as well as multiple languages supported, already stands out from those that lack these options.
Due to the fast-paced nature of most esports, live betting takes centre-stage. As such, many esports betting sites are offering a wide selection of in-play wagering options accompanied by live streaming. The latter enables you to keep a close eye on the action as it unfolds and make informed live esports betting decisions. Bookmakers such as Pinnacle and Betway offer an impressive range of live esports games and markets.
Real money esports betting is similar to traditional sports gambling. Many top sportsbooks now include odds and specials on esports events for players to choose from. Here is a guide on how to get started:
Needless to say, with real money betting, actual cash is required, which can be quite challenging if you are just starting out with a limited bankroll. However, there is a type of esports betting that does not require real money – fantasy esports.
Although esports fantasy games are relatively new, they are slowly gaining popularity among players. Gameplay is easy, since you just have to pick your preferred squad of players and stick with them throughout the esports event, with the hope that they outperform the other players’ squad. LoL fantasy is one of the most popular fantasy esports titles, giving you the chance to earn bytes and turn them into gift cards.
If you're looking to get a grasp of what real sports betting involves, we recommend you try out virtual sports.
There is a risk involved with esports betting for real money, and it is crucial to have an understanding of how to make money betting on esports by exploring the available markets and the types of bets available. While real money esports betting does not require you to be an expert in competitive video gaming, knowing the basics comes in handy.
Just like any other form of betting, esports betting for real money involves significant risk to your funds. This is why you need to stick to a budget of the amount you are willing to wager, regardless of the wins or losses you rack up. This will prevent you from chasing your losses, which could cause you to end up losing even more. It is also advisable to only wager amounts you are comfortable losing.
Esports events are among the most popular contests in the world and you can bet on esports games, matches, and tournaments. Here are our top recommended games for esports betting.
This 5v5 military shooter game has been ruling the combat genre since 2012. There are several esports real money betting sites where you can bet on CS:GO tournaments such as Dreamhack Open and cs_summit. Read our guide to CS:GO betting here to learn more about this esports title.
Although Dota 2 has quite a steep learning curve for beginngers, this mobile battle arena sensation by Valve continues to keep online punters coming back for more. Dota 2 real money betting offers numerous markets, especially for international tournaments.
While FIFA esports betting is not as popular as Dota 2 and CS: GO, there are several FIFA betting events that are available to bet on, including the ePremier League and the FIFAe World Cup™ .
League of Legends (referred to as ‘LoL' for short) is one of the biggest esports on the planet, and you can bet for real money on some of the game's major events. This includes LCK betting, LCS betting, LEC betting or LPL betting.
This is an industry behemoth that you’ve probably heard of – or even played yourself – if you’re a first-person shooter enthusiast. Call of Duty betting still maintains a place in the heavy-hitters esports betting arena, with CoD tournaments held in North America and Europe. Although Call of Duty doesn't have the same worldwide esports pull as LOL, some of its biggest tournaments (such as the Call of Duty World League) are still great fun to bet on and watch.
Fortnite by Epic Games boasts the greatest watch time on Twitch, with continuous updates keeping fans and real money esports bettors hungry for more. You can bet on Fortnite for real money on various events, including Fortnite World Cup and Fortnite Champion Series.
Wagering options for esports are pretty similar to those of sports betting, with a few markets created for different actions or events not found in regular sports matches. Below are some of the common esports bets that you can place at real money betting sites:
Also known as Straight Up, the Moneyline bet is a wager placed on the winning team. This type of bet is ideal for new players since you don’t need prior knowledge of the team in question, and nor do you have to go through lots of statistics to make an informed decision. Just look at the odds of each team to see who the favourites and underdogs are.
Some real money betting sites offer players a chance to bet on the outcome of a certain team member (for example, the player with the most assists). These types of bets are suitable for punters who are more accustomed to the esports scene and who are familiar with the current form of individual players in the team.
This is another esport wager that requires you to know the game’s mechanics. It is mostly linked to MOBA titles such as Dota 2 and League of Legends, seeing that a team that wins may not necessarily be the one with the most number of kills.
This requires you to bet on either ‘map spread’ (i.e. the number of kills a team has on a specific map) or ‘match bet’ (the number of maps a team wins).
This is where you bet on whether the total number of specific events of a match (i.e. player kills per match or goals scored in FIFA) is over or under a total specified by the real money betting site.
These is a wager on the overall outcome of a match (i.e. team B to win the Dota 2 International). It can also be on which team qualifies for a competition or progresses to a certain stage.
Ready to get into esports betting for real money? Ensure you’re signed up with a genuine real money esports betting site, learn your way around the various sports, and put together a sound betting plan. While betting on esports does not require you to be an expert in competitive video gaming, having basic information will help you make an informed decision on which bets to place. Read more about esports betting tricks and tips to learn more, and once you feel ready, go ahead – and good luck!
Esports betting is similar to regular sports betting. To get started, identify your an esports betting site that suits your needs and preferences, learn the types of markets available, then place your bets. For real money esports betting, you need to create an account and make an initial deposit using actual cash.
Esports betting regulations vary across jurisdictions; however, on the whole, you’re not likely to get in any trouble for betting on esports or gambling online. Having said that, check for any local gambling restrictions if you’re playing in a country where online gambling is highly regulated.
The best online websites for esports betting for real money are licensed by the necessary authorities, accept numerous payment methods, offer a wide range of markets, and have reasonable odds. We would recommend Pinnacle and 1xBet as being two of the very best.
In-play or live betting is a feature provided by betting sites allowing you to bet on the available markets as the game progresses. Odds in this arrangement are updated in real time as the match happens.
Pay close attention to the player lineups of your team and of their opponents. Take into account any recent changes in the team’s roster, as well as the chances of winning in comparison with the sportsbook’s odds.
It can be profitable but, like any other form of gambling, you shouldn’t rely on real money esports betting as the only source of income. To increase your chances of winning, you need to have a good understanding of your preferred games your favourite esports are based on, team formation, and individual players. A sound bankroll strategy also comes in handy.