How to Bet On Esports in the US in 2025

If you want to learn how to bet on esports, you’ve come to the right place! In this comprehensive esports betting guide, we’ll explore all of the main betting markets. We will also take a closer look at the leading teams and players!

We’ll also look at the upcoming esports schedule for 2024/25 while offering some tips to help you make the most informed esports bet picks!

How to Place a Bet on Esports

When registering at your choice of eSports betting sites, you’ll find a diverse selection of games available. Each of these boasts unique gameplay and betting markets, so you’ll need to develop some understanding of the games that you’re wagering on. Here’s an introduction to the most popular esports titles!

• Counter-Strike (CS): Counter-Strike (CS) includes a series of different titles, each of which are multiplayer first-person shooter games. Players compete in teams here, either as terrorists looking to carry out a specific attack or counter-terrorists whose goal is to thwart their opponents. You can engage in round and map winner betting here. Also, the ‘First Blood’ market lets you identify the player who will complete the first kill.

• Dota 2: Launched back in 2013, Dota 2 is another esports staple for bettors. This is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video game with a strong competitive element. Five players from each team do battle for supremacy in this game. The goal is to defend geographical bases on a map. Once again, traditional map betting and moneylines are popular here, while you can also wager on the correct map score per round.

• Call of Duty: This iconic video game launched back in 2003, and has become incredibly popular among esports bettors. This military-themed first-person shooter game has also spawned several spin-offs and an entire media franchise. In terms of available betting markets, wagering on match and tournament outcomes is the most popular among players. Call of Duty also unlocks many prop bets, such as first blood, number of kills completed, and even bomb plants.

• Valorant: When betting on esports, Valorant is another popular option. This is a free-to-play first-person shooter game, which is highly tactical and contested over several different maps. You can wager on the outcome of individual maps here. Other markets include the outright winner and the over/under on how many maps will be contested. You can even handicap one team against another when engaging in match betting. This allows you to wager at enhanced odds when backing favorites.

• Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six, which is also known simply as ‘Rainbow Six’, ‘R6’, or ‘Siege’, was designed and developed in partnership between Red Storm Entertainment and Ubisoft. This is another military-themed video game that adopts a tactical, first-person shooter format. It unlocks many of the same betting markets as Call of Duty or Valorant. These include moneylines, tournament outrights, and map betting.

• League of Legends (LoL): League of Legends is truly iconic, and one of the most enduringly popular esports games to bet on. This is a multiplayer online battle arena video game that launched in 2009. It is largely free-to-play and monetized through in-game purchases and customizations. In addition to standard real money esports betting markets, LoL also enables you to place ‘Quadra’ and ‘Penta’ kill bets, which relate to the number of kills carried out by a particular player.

• Mobile Legends: Bang Bang: This is a mobile variation of the LoL franchise, and another multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game that was released in 2016. Two teams of five players each compete against each other here, with basic matches typically lasting between 10 and 30 minutes. In terms of how to bet on esport games like this, you can engage in match and series wagering, while also accessing the over/under on the total number of kills.

• Arena of Valor: While this is a less renowned esports game, it spawns basic betting markets such as match and outright tournament winners. Formerly known as the ‘Strike of Kings’, this game has been adapted from the ‘Honor of Kings’. It remains a multiplayer online battle arena setup that was designed and developed by the TiMi Studio Group. Once again, series betting is accessible when wagering on this game.

• Warcraft III – Reign of Chaos: This is an unusual esports game, which combines elements of high fantasy and real-time strategy, and has been available on the market since July 2002. It’s the second sequel to Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, and its fictional and creative gameplay unlocks many exciting betting markets. However, the most popular lines include individual map winners and various tournament outrights.

• Crossfire: This game launched in South Korea in May 2007, although it remains one of the less popular esports titles. Crossfire is an online tactical first-person shooter game, which introduces complex map betting and associated markets like over/under lines. If you’re learning how to bet on esports or learning this particular game, you may also want to prioritize picking the outright winners of competitive tournaments.

What is Esports Betting?

Esports is characterized by competitive video gameplay, in which teams and individuals compete while playing different games. While there are several esports genres (including sports), tactical multiplayer games and first-person shooter formats are the most popular online.

These competitive games and tournaments unlock numerous opportunities to bet, which are now covered by a large selection of sportsbooks. As a result, you can now bet live on esports or engage in pre-match wagering, targeting particularly popular markets such as moneyline, tournament outrights, and the outcome of individual rounds and maps.

Lewis Humphries

Sports Betting Expert

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Global Esports Betting

As of 2023, the global esports betting market was worth $1.72 billion. It’s also expected to peak at a value of $9.29 billion by 2032, revealing a CAGR of 20.7% during the reporting period.

Is Esports Betting Legal in the US?

Since the US Supreme Court struck down the controversial PAPSA legislation in May 2018, some 38 state authorities have sought to legalize sports betting. However, esports betting is only legal in 18 states, due to market complications and concerns over regulatory frameworks.

Of course, we expect this number to grow as markets evolve, and demand increases. It’s also possible to access some esports betting markets through Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) platforms, creating a legal loophole for bettors to exploit online.

However, no federal law currently prohibits you from wagering at offshore sportsbooks. Through these operators, you can place a lawful esports bet online and wager across a diverse selection of markets with genuine peace of mind.

Different Types of Bets for Esports

If you’re going to bet on esports, you’ll need to develop a comprehensive understanding of the most popular wager types. While you may find some of these familiar, you can apply them differently in the realm of esports, which requires careful consideration. So, let’s take a closer look at how to bet on esports and how you can incorporate these lines into your esports betting strategy!

Esports Match Winner Betting

The moneyline or ‘1×2’ bet is synonymous with all regular sports betting players. In this market, you simply need to pick the winner of a particular match, in the same way you would wager on an NFL or NBA game.

In the example below, we’ve picked the in-form Gun5 Esports Counter-Strike team to defeat Permitta Esports in the YaLLa Compass tournament. The world’s 39th-ranked CS team is priced at -345 to defeat their 67th-ranked opponents, implying a 77.5% probability of this outcome occurring.

Esports Correct Score Betting

As with traditional sports like hockey (which produce typically consistent results and goals-per-game average), you can also engage in correct score betting in esports. This may offer additional value depending on the game or tournament structure.

For example, you could back moneyline favorites Avulus to defeat Nouns by an exact margin of 2-0 in the PGL Wallachia. This unlocks highly competitive odds of +225, even though Avulus has won four of their previous seven tournaments since September 29th, 2024. Of course, although the reward is higher here, so too is the risk of losing if their opponents win 1 map.

Esports Total Maps Betting

Given that most esport teams and games are tactical, and based in different locations, they tend to offer a variety of ‘maps’ betting markets. Maps generally refer to each round or game in a particular series. You can usually bet on associated moneylines, handicaps, and the over/under on how many maps will be completed.

For example, you can back under 2.5 maps being contested in the CS CCT Series clash between 3DMax and Cybershoke. The former is the overwhelming moneyline favorite, so there’s value in backing a short game in which they win decisively by a score of 2-0. The odds of -141 imply a 58.5% probability of your wager being successful.

Esports Overtime Prop

Overtime isn’t as commonplace in esports as it may be in some traditional sports. However, you can place this type of wager when betting on NBA2K and FIFA, while it’s also common in CS iterations like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Counter-Strike 2.

In CS games, overtime occurs when both competing teams have played all rounds or maps in regulation time. Periods of overtime typically feature six additional rounds. This gives the opportunity to wager on enhanced moneylines, spreads, and over/under markets during this time.

Esports Total Rounds Betting

As we’ve mentioned, you can also access the over/under on the total number of rounds (or maps) that will take place during a game. This works similarly to traditional over/under markets, in which sportsbooks set individual round totals as betting lines. You’ll then have to select one before determining whether the actual total will be over or under this threshold.

Using the example of the CCT Counter-Strike clash between 3DMax and Cybershoke, you can bet on under 21.5 rounds being played during map one. This is priced at -127, reflecting the perceived dominance of the former team and their current ranking as the 25th-best CS side.

Most Popular Esports Games to Bet On?

As esports betting volumes show, competitive gaming has become increasingly popular and lucrative in recent years. This has certainly inspired a new generation of gamblers who have learned how to bet on esports for profit. Many leading Bitcoin esports betting sites offer a diverse selection of markets. But what are the most popular esports games and their most successful team and player?

5 Tips for Betting on Esports Online

Now that we’ve answered the question “Can you bet on esports?” and explored the most popular bet types, we will offer some expert wagering tips. So, let’s help you get started with esports betting online!

  2024/2025 Esports Schedule

Esports tournaments are held all year round. Most major leagues commence in January (including League of Legends and Apex Legends). Typically, they split regional leagues and seasons into spring and summer halves. This means that two domestic champions are crowned each calendar year. Here’s a summary of the major upcoming events in 2024!

What is Skin Betting?

In the esports realm, ‘skin’ refers to something that can be purchased or won in-game. Skins will vary in terms of their form. This might include a new outfit for your character or a more powerful weapon.

Each skin has its own price and inherent value, but it usually doesn’t change the mechanics of how players engage with the games. Their development has also introduced the concept of ‘skin betting’ in esports when players stake their skins during online games.

You may bet your skin to win a particular match against an opponent. If you place a wager and they accept it, you’ll also have to stake your skin, with the winner claiming both skins for themselves. In recent times, spectators have also engaged in skin betting across a wide variety of games and tournaments.

Other Sports Betting Guides?

While you may now know how to bet on esports in the US, this may still not be for you. Fortunately, our expert team has created a wide range of traditional sports betting guides, which will help you to identify the most suitable disciplines and markets!

• Horse Racing Betting
• Boxing Betting
• Baseball Betting
• Golf Betting
• Ice Hockey Betting

Conclusion

If you’ve ever asked “What is esports betting?”, this guide has been tailor-made for you. However, we’ve also discussed some of the more complex points about betting on esports online, so there’s plenty to keep experienced bettors interested here too!

Ultimately, the esports vertical is still relatively immature and unheralded, despite its rapid growth in recent times. So, learning how to bet on esports and leverage its core markets can give you an advantage in the space, especially if you also follow the most influential gamers on Twitch.

This will certainly help you to identify value bets and make the most informed picks. You can also benefit by wagering at BetOnline, which covers 12 different game iterations and is our pick as the best e sport betting site!

References

• Esports Market Size
• Esports Statistics
• Esports Chart Data
• Esports events calendar 2024: Major leagues and tournaments (esportsinsider.com)
  

FAQs