Learn the basics of eSports betting. Understand different types of eSports bets and start betting today.

How To Bet On eSports

eSports betting is one of the fastest growing markets in the world. More and more people are starting to bet on eSports matches, and for good reason - it can be a very profitable venture!

In this beginner's guide, we will teach you everything that you need to know about eSports betting. We will explain what eSports betting is, how it works, and which eSports events are the best to bet on. We will also share some top tips for making profit from eSports betting!

What is eSports betting and how does it work?

eSports betting is simply the act of placing a bet on the outcome of an eSports match. You can bet on who you think will win the match, or on other aspects such as how many kills will be made, which team will get the first blood, and so on.

To start betting on eSports, you'll need to follow these steps:

  1. Find a betting site that offers markets that interest you.
  2. Create an account.
  3. Make a deposit.
  4. Start betting.

A good idea is to look for a betting site that offers a signup bonus. This will give you some extra funds to play with and will give you a chance to test the site before committing to it.

Take a look at the10bet betting site (read 10bet Review) bonus signup example below:

10bet bonus signup example

With a signup bonus, you can easily test out a selection of eSports betting markets and see if they're the right fit for you.

The best eSports events to bet on to make a profit

eSports offer a unique opportunity for bettors to make a profit, as there is a lot of money to be made in betting on eSports.

It is important to choose the right eSports events to bet on to make a profit. Some of the most popular eSports events to bet on include:

  • The League of Legends World Championship (Worlds)
  • League of Legends European Masters (EU Masters) 
  • The League of Legends Pro League (LPL) 
  • League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational (MSI)
  • The International (TI)
  • The Overwatch World Cup (OWL)
  • Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Major Championships
  • Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Elisa Invitational
  • Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) ESL AUS and NZ
  • The Global StarCraft II League (GSL)
  • Rainbow Six European League
  • Valorant Champions Tour

These events attract huge audiences and offer a lot of potential money to be made for successful bettors. So, if you're interested in making a profit from eSports betting, these are some of the best events to bet on.

Here is an example of available eSports markets at 888sport:

888sport esports markets

Different types of eSports bets and how they work

There are a variety of different types of eSports bets that you can place. The most common types of bets are:

  • Outright bets;
  • Match bets;
  • Over/under bets;
  • Handicap bets;
  • Maps bets; and
  • In-game events bets.

Outright bets

Odds for an outright bet are usually released before the start of a tournament. So, for example, at the time of writing this article, you could bet on which team will win LOL EU Masters Spring.

esports outright bet example

Match winner bets

This is the most popular eSports bet. You are simply betting on who you think will win a match.

For example, take a look at the Starcraft 2 GSL betting match between Dark vs herO offered by MansionBet:

esports match bet example

You can see that Dark is the favourite to win, with odds of 1.41 (multiplier). This means that if you bet £100 on Dark to win, you would win £141 (£41 profit).

If you think herO with odds of 2.85 (multiplier) will win, you would bet £100 on them to win and if they did, you would win £285 (£185 profit).

Handicap bets

This is a type of bet (also known as spreads) where the favourite team starts the match at a disadvantage. This is to even out the odds and make betting more interesting.

For example, in the eSports match between Victory Five and Top Esports offered by 888sport, you can see that the handicap for Top Esports is 1.5.

888sports match handicap bet example

This means that if you bet on Top Esports, they must win the match by one map for you to win your bet. Betting £100 on Top Esports with odds of 1.53 (multiplier) results in a £153 payout (£53 profit). If they win by fewer maps or lose the match, you’ll lose the bet.

esports handicap bet example

This is a great way to make betting more interesting and increase your chances of winning.

Totals (over/under) bets

In this type of eSports bet, you’re betting on how many maps will be played in a match.

For example, in the eSports match between No Sorry v Lilgun offered by 10bet, the over/under is set at 2.5.

over under esports bet example

This means that if you bet on the over, you’re betting that there will be more than 3 maps played. If you bet on the under, you’re betting that there will be 2 or fewer maps played.

over esports bet example

If you bet £100 on the over and there are three or more maps played, you will win £222 (£122 profit). If there are two maps or fewer played, you will lose the bet.

In-Game events bets

This is a type of bet where you’re betting on events that happen during the game.

For example, in the eSports match between Chicken Fighters and CHILLAX offered by bet365, you can bet on which team will get the First Blood of the match.

esports in event betting example

You can see that Chicken Fighters is the favourite to get First Blood, with odds of 1.80. This means that if you bet £100 on Chicken Fighters to get First Blood, you would win £180 (£80 profit).

Maps bets

This is a type of bet where you’re betting on which team will win a specific map.

For example, in the eSports match between Top Esports Armor and Victory Five offered on 888sport, you can bet on which team will win the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth map.

esports match maps bet example

You can see that Victory Five is the favorite to win the first map, with odds of 1.66. If you bet £100 on Victory Five to win the first map, you would win £166 (£66 profit).

eSports betting tips to help you to make a profit

Now that you know the basics of eSports betting, here are couple of tips to help you to make a profit:

  • Do your research - doing your research is important in any type of gambling. This means researching the teams, the players, and the game. The more you know, the better your chances are of making a profit.
  • Find value bets - finding value bets is also important. This means finding bets where you think the odds are in your favor.

Essential eSports betting statistics

Knowing eSports betting statistics is also helpful. This includes understanding the following stats:

  • Head to head;
  • Kills ratio;
  • Death ratio;
  • Assists ratio; and
  • Win rates.

Head to head stats (H2H)

When two teams play each other, it's important to look at their head to head stats. This is a record of how the teams have performed against each other in the past.

Head to head stats can be useful when betting on eSports, as they can give you an indication of how likely one team is to beat the other.

Here is an example presented by MansionBet of head to head (H2H) stats. The report also includes stats of kills, deaths, assists, and headshot percentages for each player:

esports head to head stats

As you can see, the Forleks player has a headshot percentage of 57.78%, which is quite high. This means that they're good at getting headshots and are likely to get more kills than the average player.

They also have a K/D ratio of 1.50, which means they're killing more than they're dying.

Kill per Death ratios (KDR)

The kill/death ratio or KD is a measure of how well a player is performing in an eSports game. It's calculated by taking the number of kills a player gets and dividing it by the number of deaths. The higher the KD, the better the player is doing.

While KDR is often used as a measure of success in eSports, it's not always accurate when it comes to determining who the best players are. For example, a player with a KD of 0.75 could be considered better than a player with a KD of 0.50, even though the latter player has more kills. This is because the player with the KD of 0.75 is likely to have died less, indicating that they're playing more cautiously and making better decisions.

Assists per Deaths ratios (ADR)

The assists/deaths ratio is also a measure of how well a player is performing in an eSports game. It's calculated by taking the number of assists a player gets and dividing it by the number of deaths. The higher the ADR, the better the player is.

Win rates

Win rates are a measure of how often a team or player wins. They're usually expressed as a percentage and can be calculated by taking the number of wins and dividing it by the number of matches played.

For example, if a team has won ten out of their last fifteen matches, their win rate would be 66.67%.

Win rates can be useful when betting on eSports, as they can give you an indication of how likely a team is to win.

Here is an example presented by 10bet of individual player stats including kills, deaths, and assists:

esports player stats

eSports betting FAQs

Is eSports easy to bet on?

eSports betting is becoming increasingly popular and there are now plenty of sites where you can bet on different matches.

That being said, it's always important to do your research before placing any bets, as there can be a lot of money at stake. Make sure that you understand the rules of the game being played and the odds for each team and then place your bets accordingly.

Can you be profitable with eSports betting?

You can be profitable with eSports betting if you put in the time to learn about the games, teams, and players.

There are a few things to keep in mind when placing bets on eSports matches. First, remember that the best way to make money from gambling is to be smart about it and not to bet more than you can afford to lose. Second, do your research on the teams and players before placing any bets. Finally, manage your bankroll wisely, and don't let emotions influence your betting decisions.

If you can do all of this, then there's no reason why you can't be profitable with eSports betting.

Does eSports offer live (in-play) betting?

Yes, eSports live betting is available for many of the popular games. There are a variety of websites that offer in-play betting on eSports matches, and most of them have a wide range of bet types to choose from. 

How many eSports tournaments take place each year?

According to Esports Earnings, there were 4397 tournaments in 2021 with prize money of over $212 million.

eSports betting is a big business and is only going to continue to grow. Fans love the excitement of betting on their favourite teams and watching them play live.

Can I bet on eSports tournaments on my mobile?

A growing number of people are betting on eSports matches, and yes, you can do so using your mobile device. There are now a number of reputable betting sites that allow you to bet on eSports tournaments using your phone or tablet.

Conclusion

eSports betting is growing in popularity, and it’s important to understand how it works before you start placing any bets. We hope that this beginners guide has been helpful and that you now feel confident enough to bet on your favourite eSports events.