eSports

Betting opportunities for e-sports

To bet on digital games, certain conditions must be met. You can only place bets on official tournaments for a title or championship. The official title is only eligible for odds if there are clear definitions for the victory. And, of course, the competitors must be known for who are competing. Certainly, the fan base is not unimportant either, because if no one is interested in a tournament, bets will stay away.

Different eSports betting options

As in traditional sports betting, there are a variety of different options in e-sports. Here the options are even more complex. Special bets in particular are used here and are being further expanded. You will also find unusual odds on exciting betting options. The classic 1×2 bets are also not to be missed. A few of the betting options are listed here:

• Tournament wins/ world championship titles (the choice of competitors is often still manageable)
• Handicap (for total points, kills or individual rounds)
• First kill/ Last kill (especially exciting when outsiders are also listed here)-
• Maps (betting is per map and is also interesting with outsiders)
• Round or stage wins
• Number of rounds (for example for a certain team)

And many other possibilities arise depending on the game. The providers themselves are very creative. Due to the growing interest, they often test completely new betting options, which promises a lot of excitement.

E-Sport Tournaments becoming more

In recent years, the growing popularity has also become noticeable in the number of tournaments. This is of course good for all fans. Big events now take place throughout the year and the first tournament series have developed. Due to the availability via online channels, you can access them anywhere in the world at any time. You can follow the different tournaments and bet on them. On the one hand, it is good that this allows the professional players and teams to earn a living. A higher level of professionalism is noticeable compared to the early days and the prize money keeps increasing. On the other hand, there are also experts who see a disadvantage in the frequency of tournaments. They suspect that teams can no longer prepare sufficiently because they are overloaded.

Quality of eSports tournaments

The main driver for most professional teams is fun. But with a high number of appearances, it can quickly be lost. Especially if they have committed themselves through contracts to always participate. The increasing prize money could counteract this in a natural way. The stars will then only concentrate on the big tournaments. The small tournaments allow newcomers and outsider teams to participate and have a chance to win. This could create its own dynamic and new betting opportunities as the underdogs play their way to the top.

Overview of the games in e-sports

In general, single, combination and special bets are possible in most categories. Probably the best-known and most popular games on whose titles money can also be bet are:

• League of Legends (LOL)
• Dota 2
• Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO)
• Starcraft 2
• Rocket League
• Overwatch
• Hearthstone
• Call of Duty (CoD)

The most popular games in detail

There is now a whole range of games, but the best known and most popular are explained and listed here in more detail. The world’s biggest tournaments are also to be found in the top three games. To get a feeling for this, we also list the three biggest tournaments for each game sorted by the amount of prize money.

Dota 2

This is a game from Valve. It has won several awards and can inspire millions of active players worldwide. In this fantasy game, you take on the role of the hero and control him from a bird’s eye view. The aim is to get the most last hits and denies. Only those who manage this can prevent the opponent from getting too much gold. Within about an hour, you have to fight your way through the towers to the base. The winner is the one who reaches the goal and destroys the base.

The tournament “The International” leads all other events by far in terms of prize money. And it seems to be continuing to climb. Team Liquid won The International 2017. Since then the record prize money is increasing year by year.

The International 10: $40.01m

The International 9: $34.33m

The International 8: $25.53m

League of Legends

The game by Riot Games was developed back in 2009. Only a few years later it experienced a hype due to the daily growing fan community. It is one of the most popular and currently most played games. The game is very similar to DOTA 2 and is structured in the same way. You are the hero and fight your way to the base. It deliberately has fewer functions and therefore plays in a more relaxed way. This avoids frustration over too many functions and a complex difficulty level.

The LoL World Championship takes place annually between September and November and has the highest winnings of the tournaments around the game. However, these don’t increase annually and can also fluctuate, as you can see here.

LoL World Championship 2018: $6.45 million

LoL World Championship 2016: $5.07 million

LoL World Championship 2017: $4.95 million

Counter Strike: Global Offensive

Many decades ago, the Counter Strike series got its start. Also from Vave is this version, which was first released in 2012. It is now one of the most popular games in eSports leagues. In the game, two teams can play against each other. One group is an anti-terrorist unit, while the others are their opponents. The part of the game that is relevant for betting is the part that involves planting and defusing bombs. There are now top teams all over the world who play the game with fun and ambition. They are determined to reach the goal. You should keep an eye on these teams in particular before placing a bet yourself. Also, always keep yourself informed about changes beforehand.

Compared to DOTA 2, the prize money in CO:GO is a little low. Nevertheless, they can still be worthwhile for professional players and enable them to prepare for the tournaments in the best possible way. At the World Electronics Sports Games (WESG), the highest prize money was awarded for the game.

ESL Rio Major: $2.00m

WESG 2017: $1.50m

WESG 2016: $1.50m

Is e-sports betting legal?

From a legal perspective, betting on eSports is like normal sports betting. It depends on the local jurisdiction. So if sports betting is allowed and there are no restrictions, then it is also legal to bet on eSports. The providers on the internet are licensed. In order not to risk their licence, they only accept customers whose registration does not violate any law. You must also fulfil the other requirements. If you are of age, have a valid passport and can verify your identity, there is nothing to stop you.

Find a provider for e-sports betting

There are more and more providers who include eSports in their programme and offer them at a wide range of odds. Compared to many other sports, the choice varies considerably depending on where you register. We have compiled some important information for you. This will help you avoid some mistakes at the beginning. It will especially avoid getting involved with a dubious bookmaker. It is important that you find a reputable sports betting provider. Only they can offer you a safe environment and fair offers.

Security of the provider

A reputable provider attaches great importance to security. This includes the encryption of your data during transmission. The same applies to the environment that is made available to you in the logged-in area after registration. Some inform you in advance about the security standards. If they don’t, it helps to find out about the licence.

Licensing is an important point when it comes to seriousness. Because with a valid licence, the company is regulated. This means you can always assume that everything is above board. If you want to be on the safe side, you can also find out how long the site has been in existence. Sites that have been around for a few years also signal that they are reputable.

Choice of bets

If you are specifically interested in eSports betting, then inform yourself about the offer in advance. The selection of games and betting options is crucial. After all, you don’t want to limit yourself after registering or notice that your favourites are not represented at all.

Especially in digital sports, the betting odds still vary greatly. Therefore, always compare the differences between the various platforms, especially at the beginning. After a short time, you will notice where you get the best odds. They should give you the feeling that you like to bet there and have fun.

Payment processing of bets

This is where particularly sensitive personal data is transmitted, so security and encryption are paramount. A selection of different payment methods is also desirable for fast payouts. With the big providers, you are usually not only offered bank transfer and credit card as common means of payment. In recent years, electronic wallets such as Skrill and Neteller have become increasingly important and are now almost standard. The same are the wallets for Cryptocurrency. They are particularly suitable for withdrawals, as waiting times can be shortened. This means you can access your winnings faster than with other money transfer options.

Customer support with eSport betting providers

The service on the part of the company is very important. Again and again questions arise or problems occur. You don’t want to spend your time looking for a solution, but rely on the support of the customer service team. First check when the team is available and how they can be reached. Ideally, you can reach someone via live chat, email and also by phone. Especially with the hotline, you should make sure that there is not only a foreign number, but a regional number. Most of the time you will receive help in English, but a good support service also offers different languages.

Important while betting

You only have good chances of winning with your bet with a bookmaker who is reputable. Look carefully at the bookmaker you want to bet with. Otherwise, you may lose before you start. Since eSports is experiencing a real boom, there are many who want to lure new customers with bonus offers. Inform yourself in advance about the offer and the conditions. If it sounds fair, don’t be afraid to accept it. This way you can enjoy a free bonus and minimise the risk of your own money.

Preparation is important

Before you put your money down and don’t know exactly who to bet on, information is very important. Look carefully at which teams are competing against each other. And also what successes they have already achieved or what is required within the tournament. Preparation is the most important thing, how not to risk your money recklessly. Knowledge is half the battle in placing a successful bet.

Cautious betting at the beginning

You should also think about a good strategy in the beginning. It is advisable to take the first steps very cautiously. Bet on the favourites, as they will often prevail in the tournaments and win. In addition, you should only use small amounts at first to familiarise yourself with the bets and the odds. You can then gradually develop your personal strategy.

Single bets instead of combination bets

Of course, you can achieve much better profits with a combination bet. But when you are betting for the first time, this is not ideal. You should rather concentrate on the single bets. If you miss one, you have only lost one match. If only one bet in the combination is wrong, then the whole betting slip is lost. You should try to keep the risk as low as possible at the beginning.