Esports betting offers sports betting and online casino fans a chance to break away from the norm and try something new. Join us to learn how it works, what events you can enjoy, and why the move might be easier than you think.
Betting on the outcome of someone playing a video game is not the first thing that sparks interest in bettors used to taking action on UEFA, the NFL, the UFC, or other more traditionally accepted betting sports.
However, according to a recent Esports Insider report, this unique gambling vertical is thriving, with the 2024 results showing that 74 million bettors wagered more than $2.5 billion online. With much of this coming from the same betting type as in sports betting, in-play or live bets.
If you are looking to expand your online betting repertoire, join us as we take a look at why esports betting might just be the action you never knew you needed.
If you have ever used the virtual sports games tab in your favourite online casino or online sportsbook as a palate cleanser when gambling online, you might be more comfortable with esports betting than you realise.
Virtual sports are basically RNG versions of your favourite sports, including greyhound racing, soccer, and horse racing. In licensed gambling venues, the teams, players and other participants in any event are made to look like, and named after, their real-world counterparts, adding another layer of realism to the event.
With its high-end graphics, realistic movements, recognisable teams and players, and short turnaround time (a full-time virtual soccer match takes less than 4 minutes), these games from developers like Pragmatic Play are gaining popularity around the world..
Esports, much like virtual sports, allows punters to bet on their favourite sports, only with the added excitement of the results not being managed by a random number generator. These virtual games are played by esports teams or individual players, with champion teams boasting the same star power in their circles as prominent names like Ronaldo, Conor McGregor, and Mike Tyson.
If you want to make the move, here are four sports-based video games that are popular with esports betting fans:
As the world’s most popular sport, it comes a no surprise that you can bet on football. These events typically consist of 1v1 matches on FIFA, eFootball, or EA FC, where competitors control whichever on-screen player has possession of the ball. Far from button-mashing, the latest games in the genre make use of complex physics, team strategies, the ability to execute manual plays and calls on the fly, and spectacular graphics to create a true-to-life football-watching experience.
With the legalisation of global sports betting and an increasing appreciation for the sport in countries like the United States, football esports betting is beginning to dominate the sports-focused part of the industry.
Fans of the NBA will find the transition to esports betting an easy one, give the realism and increased on-screen action of esports basketball games. These matches take place on 2K’s officially licensed NBA video game, which means that player stats, player names, game venues, and even the titles and trophies are one-for-one parallels with the real thing.
Watch your favourite players slam buckets, rack up 3-pointers, and claim victory while being controlled by an esports star player. The plus side is that these games run all year round, and any losses or injuries here won’t impact your parlay down at the bookmaker.
The NFL has always been a sport that appeals to tacticians and adrenaline junkies alike. There is a reason why there is a spate of highly successful American football management games, and it is also why games like EA’s Madden generated more than $170 million in revenue last year.
Don’t let the term ‘gamer’ fool you. When it comes to understanding the stats, plays, in-game mechanics, and how to eke out a victory regardless of the circumstances, esports star players are professionals who know how to keep their fans on the edge of their seats, drive after drive, after touchdown-scoring drive.
While it is not the largest of the combat esports, there has been a growing interest in UFC matches. Traditionally helmed by games like Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat, MMA-based fighting games offer fans and bettors a more mature experience.
Gone are the flashy lights, dazzling combo’s and over-the-top shouts of victory or loss from the on-screen combatants. Much like its real-world counterpart, UFC games are technical and methodical, with competitors using the actual fighters' statistics and fighting styles to outmanoeuvre their opponents.
While there is a wide range of esports that allow for an easy transition to real-world sports, it may also be worth your time to check out the two games that dominate the scene: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) and League of Legends (LOL).
CS:GO, and now CS2, are first-person shooter games (FPS) where teams compete in fixed arenas to either successfully place and defend an explosive device or to be the last one standing. The weapons and arenas focus on realism, with the competitions pitting two 5-man teams against one another in a series of rounds.
This competitive esports offering features high-intensity, action-packed bouts that often have fans as intensely engaged as the competitors themselves. These events can attract more than 1 million concurrent viewers, with IEM and PGL events in 2024 boasting prize pools of $1 million or more.
In an interesting turn of events, the next biggest esports game is nothing like CS:GO. League of Legends is a fantasy-themed video game where two teams of five players advance from their base down a map cut into specific channels, with the intent of destroying the opponent's base. This war of attrition is a slow burn, offering many lessons for bettors and fans to learn, but it provides a gratifying experience once all the pieces fall into place.
In the 2024 World Championship, teams competed in person at the O2 Arena in London for their share of the $2.25 million prize pool.
If you are interested in diving into the $2.5 billion esports betting market, we have created a handy guide to the top esports betting sites. Here, you will find sportsbooks and online casinos that offer esports action, a filter that allows you to search by your preferred sport or video game, and access to the best bonuses and promotions to get you started.
Blackjack
Slots
Roulette
Baccarat
Craps
Poker
