How to Bet on eSports

If there is one development in the sports betting world that we find absolutely exciting, it is the development of the betting market on video game competitions! Indeed, who would have thought, just a few years ago, that professional players from all over the world would be fighting to win huge sums of money that would, for example, make most tennis players green with envy. Even more so since the Covid-19 pandemic made it almost impossible to place sports bets on football and other popular sports for many months, eSports is destined to be among the top events on which the most sports bets will be placed. 

Unfortunately, at the time of writing, eSport is not yet authorised by the regulatory authority , the ANJ. A rather incomprehensible decision which, according to our information, should change very quickly in the months to come. 

What are the most popular eSports bets?

Unlike betting on tennis or any other sport offered by licensed bookmakers , betting on eSports varies greatly from one video game to another. For example, the bets you place on Dota 2, Counter Strike or Rocket League are bound to be different. But there are similarities between all of these disciplines that are easy to identify, and you will find them below. 

Note that we have based the following points on the situation of eSports in French-speaking Belgium. Indeed, except for a few details, what happens in our northern neighbours in terms of sports betting is strictly identical to what you will find . 

How to bet on single bets in eSports?

It’s no surprise, but it’s the single bets on the winners of eSport matches that will interest most players. If you log on to Unibet (which is probably going to be one of the best choices ), you will find almost only single bets on the winners of this or that match of CS:GO, League of Legends and/or Dota 2, which are the 3 most highlighted games. Most of the time, you will have to click on the matches you are interested in to see the list of available side bets. 

Important note: with rare exceptions, and contrary to football betting, there are no draws in eSports single bets. The odds are therefore often lower. 

How to bet on eSport combination bets?

Even though we are not always big fans of combination sports betting, you can link certain eSports betting coupons to try and maximise your potential winnings. For example, there’s nothing to stop you placing 3 combined bets on the 3 favourites of the day in ESEA Relegation EU, a European secondary league of CS:GO. 

But be careful, as you will see on our free sports betting predictions page, we recommend that you do not place a combination bet containing more than 3 or 4 coupons. Furthermore, combination bets should only be placed if you have excellent knowledge of one or other eSports discipline. If you don’t, then stick to simpler bets. 

How to bet on the winners of eSport competitions?

The other form of betting that you will find very often on sports betting sites offering eSports are the competition bets! And unlike competition betting on the Ligue 1 or any other classic sports competition, the majority of eSport leagues are played over a relatively short period of time, which is interesting if you don’t want to wait several months before knowing the result and possibly pocketing your winnings. 

As a concrete example, one of the biggest Dota 2 online tournaments in 2020, the EPIC League Division 1, took place over a period of only 5 days, with a final victory (3-2) of the mythical Russians of Virtus.pro against OG, the team of the famous Frenchman Sebastien “Ceb” Debs.