How to Bet on Esports: A Complete Betting Guide

How to Bet on Esports: Everything You Need to Know Learn how to bet on esports with crypto! Find top platforms, strategies, and tips to maximize winnings on your favorite games. Start betting securely today! Start now

Esports betting has rapidly grown into one of the most exciting markets in online betting, attracting fans of video games like League of Legends (LoL), Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), and Valorant. With massive esports tournaments offering million-dollar prize pools, the industry now rivals traditional sports like the NBA or FIFA in popularity.

This guide will help you understand esports betting markets, explore the best betting options, and provide tips to maximize your profits when you place bets on your favorite esports games.

Understanding Esports Betting Markets

  1. Match Winner
    The most straightforward bet involves picking the match winner in an esports match. Popular teams like FaZe, T1, or G2 Esports dominate games such as CS:GO, LoL, and Dota 2.
  2. Outright Winner
    In major esports tournaments like The International or the League of Legends World Championship, bettors can wager on the outright winner of the event.
  3. First Blood
    Common in MOBA games like LoL and Dota 2, this bet predicts which team will secure the first kill, known as First Blood, during a game.
  4. In-Game Betting
    Live betting lets you place wagers in real-time as gameplay unfolds. This is especially exciting during esports events streamed on platforms like Twitch.
  5. Prop Bets
    Prop bets in esports include wagers like total kills, map winners, or whether specific objectives (like destroying towers or winning pistol rounds in FPS games) will be achieved.

Top Esports Games for Betting

1. League of Legends (LoL)

A highly strategic MOBA, LoL is a staple of the esports betting market. Key tournaments like the World Championship feature large prize pools and global fanbases.

2. Dota 2

Known for its flagship tournament, The International, Dota 2 offers some of the biggest esports odds and betting opportunities, including first blood and outright winner markets.

3. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO)

A premier first-person shooter (FPS), CS:GO tournaments like ESL One are among the biggest esports events. Common bets include match winners and map-specific props.

4. Valorant

A fast-growing FPS, Valorant is making waves with its competitive structure and skilled esports teams. It’s perfect for live esports betting.

5. Fortnite

Popular for its high-energy battles, Fortnite tournaments offer unique bets on individual performance and survival.

Best Esports Betting Sites and Bookmakers

  • Overtime Markets: Offers the best odds in the world if you use the platform-native OVER as collateral. You can get a 2% boost to your payouts per prop bet or match added to parlay. New types of prop bets are constantly added to the platform.
  • DraftKings: Offers comprehensive betting options on top esports tournaments, including live betting and exclusive promo codes.
  • BetMGM: Known for its user-friendly interface and strong coverage of esports odds.
  • FanDuel: Perfect for real money betting on popular games like FIFA and Call of Duty.
  • Caesars: Provides competitive payouts and a generous welcome bonus for new users.

Betting Tips for Esports Betting

  1. Understand Gameplay
    Familiarize yourself with the mechanics of the different games you’re betting on, whether it’s a MOBA like LoL or an FPS like CS:GO.
  2. Follow Esports Players and Teams
    Keeping up with top esports players and teams helps you make informed decisions. Teams like FaZe and Cloud9 often dominate their respective scenes.
  3. Use Live Streaming Platforms
    Watch live esports events on platforms like Twitch to gain insights into real-time team performance and momentum shifts.
  4. Explore Underdog Bets
    Underdogs in esports often provide great value, especially in unpredictable games like Valorant or Fortnite.
  5. Leverage Promotions
    Take advantage of promo codes and welcome bonuses from bookmakers like Overtime Markets, DraftKings and FanDuel to maximize your betting bankroll.

Popular Esports Tournaments to Bet On

  • The International (Dota 2): Known for its record-breaking prize pools and thrilling competition.
  • League of Legends World Championship: A must-watch event for fans of MOBA games.
  • CS:GO Major Championships: Perfect for FPS enthusiasts.
  • Overwatch League: Features global teams battling it out in fast-paced first-person shooter action.

FAQs for Esports Betting

What is esports betting?

Esports betting involves wagering on competitive video games like LoL, CS:GO, and Valorant.

Which games are best for esports betting?

Popular choices include Dota 2, League of Legends, CS:GO, FIFA, and Overwatch.

Where can I bet on esports?

Leading betting sites like Overtime Markets, DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM offer extensive esports betting markets.

What types of esports bets can I place?

Common bets include match winner, outright winner, first blood, and prop bets like total kills or map victories.

Is live betting available for esports?

Yes! Many bookmakers offer live esports betting, allowing you to wager in real-time during matches.

What do I need to play on Overtime?

All you need to play on Overtime Markets is a crypto wallet or you can generate a new one on Overtime using social login such as Gmail, Apple, GitHub, Twitter, or Discord. Beginners and first-time users can use our tutorials to find out the basics of using the platform.

Why should I play on a fully onchain instead of traditional sportsbook?

Unlike traditional online sportsbooks or betting websites, onchain sportsbooks require no registration. You just connect your crypto wallet and play with funds from the wallet. Payouts also happen automatically by open smart contracts and aren’t controlled by a centralized entity internally. Your data isn’t stored anywhere and you can’t get banned or limited. All activity of the platform is open and transparent on the public blockchain. Odds are also fully transparent and the Overtime API is freely available in public documentation for any developer. Simply put, Overtime is built to be more fair, transparent, and can’t withhold your payments by design.

What currencies or cryptocurrencies can I use on Overtime?

All you need to play on Overtime is a crypto wallet, i.e. Ethereum wallet. The digital currencies accepted on the platform are USDC, USDCe, USDbC, USDT (Tether USD), DAI, ARB, WETH, ETH, OP, and OVER. You can also onramp funds using a credit card. BTC is not currently supported. Other popular cryptocurrencies on the Ethereum network and payment options will be added in the future.

How quickly do payouts take place after games?

Payouts happen as soon as the matches on your ticket end and the results are confirmed. There are no humans involved and payouts happen via smart contracts.

Will Overtime prevent me from playing if I win too often?

You will not get banned from Overtime if you have a history of winning. It’s that simple. Unlike a betting account on web2 online betting platforms, your account cannot be suspended.

What additional rewards does Overtime offer?

Overtime Markets regularly offers you various types of betting bonuses, promos, VIP programs, rewards, cashback offers, and similar incentives on Optimism and Arbitrum. You can use this page to keep track of ongoing promotions and perks and see how you can qualify for them. There are currently no deposit bonus/welcome bonus options, or first deposit bonuses.

What types of markets are there on Overtime?

Overtime offers market types on par with the most popular bookmakers, including money line wagers, player props, in-play or live betting markets, esports betting, and even political prediction markets such as election results.

Can I earn airdrops on Overtime?

Yes, you can earn airdrops at the end of the season by farming experience points (XP) using the Overdrop system. You can think of Overdrop like a loyalty program. Check out this link to learn more about Overdrop.

What do the experience points on my profile mean?

Experience points are collected for everything you do on Overtime, including maintaining daily and weekly usage streaks, sharing your parlays on X, using OVER as collateral, and more. Your share of airdrops at the end of the season is determined by your collected XP. You also unlock free bets as you level up through the Overdrop XP system.

What sports, leagues, and events are available on Overtime?

There is a wide range of sports, including 50+ leagues and sporting events available for trading on Overtime: the biggest American leagues like the NFL, NBA, MLB, March Madness; tennis Grand Slams (Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, US Open), English Premier League, the Spanish La Liga, German Bundesliga, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, esports tournaments and online sports like CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends, fighting sports like MMA, boxing, and many, many others. Overtime is constantly working on adding new sports betting markets to make the platform better than the web2 betting experience. The most popular sports are usually added by popular demand and when odds become available for them through odds providers.

What networks is Overtime available on?

Overtime is currently available on L2 networks Optimism and Arbitrum, and Base and add a range of cryptocurrencies in the future.

How is a crypto sportsbook different than a traditional sportsbook?

In addition to accepting crypto as a payment method, a crypto sportsbook offers the same market offerings as traditional sports betting platforms. However, a crypto sportsbook like Overtime ensures transparency by operating trustlessly, i.e. using smart contracts. This ensures greater transparency and prevents the house from withholding winnings arbitrarily. In addition, a crypto sportsbook allows users to sign in with their social account and accepts FIAT payment methods. In general, cryptocurrency betting offers a much more user-friendly interface with fewer hurdles imposed on users.

How do I withdraw money from Overtime?

Any winnings you make on Overtime are immediately deposited into your Ethereum wallet, so there’s no need to withdraw it from the platform.

I have an issue with a wager/my account. Who do I contact?

You can use the Overtime Markets channel in Discord to contact the team and get customer support regarding any issues you have with your account.

How are odds calculated on Overtime? How do they compare to other sportsbooks?

Overtime uses different top-rated data providers such as OddsJam (OpticOdds) and Enetpulse to generate odds. In the vast majority of cases, odds are the same or sometimes better than web2 sportsbooks. In other words, they are highly competitive odds.

Can Overtime be used on mobile devices?

Yes, Overtime offers mobile compatibility and the same betting options without downloading a dedicated mobile app. Just access the URL, connect your wallet using Metamask, Rabby, Rainbow, or use a social profile to place bets on the platform. It is a really straightforward user experience and is what separates a top crypto sportsbook from an average one.

Are there any transaction fees on Overtime?

Overtime does not require transaction fees, however bettors using the Ethereum network are required to pay for gas, which usually amounts to close to 5-10c per transaction.

Do I need to do KYC to play on Overtime?

No. Overtime Markets is built on the blockchain, it is fully decentralized, and won’t collect the personalized data of sports bettors. You can sign up using an Ethereum wallet or your social account.

Conclusion

Esports betting offers a dynamic and exciting way to engage with your favorite esports games. Whether you’re betting on Dota 2, CS:GO, or League of Legends, understanding esports odds and key betting options is crucial for success.

With top esports tournaments offering massive prize pools and platforms like Overtime Markets, DraftKings and FanDuel providing user-friendly online betting, now is the perfect time to explore the world of esports.

Useful links

If you are into betting on other sports onchain, here are some other guides and resources on how to do so on Overtime:

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to hit us up on X @overtime_io or on Discord.