With esports becoming increasingly popular, there’s now an increased demand for esports betting site reviews. These help players to figure out the best places to make their esports predictions by way of accurate and detailed feedback from genuine human users.
Of course, different betting site components matter to different people, and so this article looks at the key differentiators between esports betting platforms. It covers the markets available – both pre-contest and in-play – the match and tournament coverage, payment options and more. It’s a detailed overview of everything that you should be looking out for if you’re into esports betting.
Esports betting site reviews share a lot of similarities with sportsbook reviews, and that’s because these platforms work in pretty much the exact same way, except instead of offering betting markets on real-life sports, they offer betting markets on virtual games, such as Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Call of Duty. In fact, most of the best esports betting sites also come with traditional sportsbooks attached.
Along with the two mentioned games, some other popular esports contests take place using:
The selection of different contests and tournaments covered obviously plays a key part in the appeal of an esports betting platform, so when looking at reviews, look out for those mentioning the games that you are most interested in.
Unlike in prediction market reviews, the esports markets allow you to bet on a selection of different outcomes using betting odds. There are a few different ways these odds can be displayed, but the US format uses $100 as a baseline and displays the odds with a + or – figure.
In terms of the specific markets, most of the best esports betting sites come with the following options:
This is one of the simplest esports bets. You’re just picking which player or team you think will win the match, without worrying about the final score or how close the game is. For example, you could bet on Cupid Esports to beat Fuego in a League of Legends match. If Cupid Esports wins, the bet is successful.
This is similar to the Moneyline market, only one of the contestants is given an artificial head start for the sole purpose of the betting market. For example, Cupid esports -4.5 v Fuego +4.5. The team or player must both win and cover the handicap spread for your bet to be successful.
So, using the example above, here are the possible outcomes:
| If you back Cupid esports -4.5 | If you back Fuego +4.5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuego win or draw | Loss | Win |
| Fuego lose by 4 or fewer | Loss | Win |
| Fuego lose by 5 or more | Win | Loss |
Totals markets let you bet on whether a player or team will go over or under a specific number of rounds, maps, or matches. For example, you might bet on a team to play over or under 4.5 rounds in a match. The exact totals available can vary depending on the esports game and event.
Prop bets let you bet on what a specific player might do during an esports match rather than simply picking which team will win. For example, you could bet on a Call of Duty player to get over 6.5 kills in a match. Depending on the game, you may also find props for things like assists, damage, eliminations, or other player stats.
Most of the above markets should also be available ‘in-play’ if you’re looking at a positive esports bookmaker review. The main difference here is that the odds will change very quickly as the matches unfold, and you may also get additional betting markets like the ‘next map winner’, ‘next goal’, etc.
As with online casino reviews, this is where the user experience is absolutely critical. The last thing that you want when betting live is for the website to glitch or crash at a crucial moment in the match. As such, you should be very wary of any platforms that are reviewed poorly in this regard. It’s also worth looking out for platforms that offer a dedicated mobile app if you intend to bet in-play and prefer to use a mobile device, as otherwise the functionality might suffer on a smaller screen.
While potentially winning cash prizes isn’t a consideration with social casino reviews, it certainly is when it comes to esports betting sites. This puts extra emphasis on the available payment methods and their processing times.
Some of the deposit methods typically available include:
These are usually processed instantly, so you can start betting shortly after depositing.
When it comes to making a withdrawal, you will need to have a fully verified account, and that means providing a valid form of ID (such as a passport or driving licence) and a proof of address document dated within the last three months (such as a utility bill or bank statement). These are known as KYC checks, and they help to prevent fraud and money laundering.
Withdrawals are usually sent back to the initial deposit method, and processing times can be anything from instant, all the way up to 30 days, but two to three days would be about average for a good esports betting site.
While ever present in crypto casino reviews, the availability of cryptocurrency payments on esports platforms depends on the brand – some offer it, and some don’t.
If it is a payment option that you’re keen on, make sure that you follow the operator’s instructions exactly, as cryptocurrency that is sent to the wrong address usually cannot be recovered.
Some of the more common cryptocurrency payment methods include:
Discover which markets are available
Get user experience feedback
Find information on payment providers
Tournament and game interests vary
Right now, there’s no excuse to sign up to a poor esports betting site. Why? Well, firstly, there is lots of competition given its increasing popularity and, secondly, there are lots of excellent reviews available which give you a genuine insight into what each platform offers.
Operators can vary considerably in size and quality, so you should look out for reviews that highlight a good selection of betting markets (both pre-match and in-play), decent customer support, and payment options that suit you personally.
Perhaps most importantly, if you are intending on doing any in-play betting, look for the esports platforms that have the best comments on user experience. This is absolutely crucial if you bet in-play, as one website glitch or poorly positioned button on a mobile website could be the difference between placing the bet that you want or missing out.
With lots of detailed player reviews on this website, it’s well worth taking some time to investigate further if you’re looking to start betting on esports. To do this, just click on any of the banners or links on this web page that interest you.
Even though some of the esports games may be suitable for minors, you will have to be a minimum of 18 years of age to bet on them. There are also likely to be some regional restrictions, which means that residents of some US states will not be able to play with certain brands – check the specific operator’s terms and conditions for a full list of these.
Yes. They accept real money bets on the outcomes of esports matches.
It varies depending on the brand, but all legitimate esports sites will take customer support seriously, with options like live chat, email, telephone and FAQ sections.
Esports bonus offers can vary depending on the brand and even the region that you are based in. For details of any specific offers, head directly to the websites themselves, or click any relevant banners or links in this article.