Best Esports Betting Sites in 2024

The intensity of Esports has taken over sports betting. Online sportsbooks are offering Esports odds due to its popularity around the world.

In this guide, we’re going to look at the top Esports betting sites! With so much to learn, we’ve broken down everything you need to know, including which betting sites have the best Esports coverage.

Esports are the newest betting craze on sportsbooks and with its rising popularity, we are here to help you learn about one of the most fascinating betting markets!

Although we think of Esports as a (relatively) new phenomenon, the first official Esports event took place in 1972 at Stanford University. Competitors battled it out playing Spacewar, with the grand prize being a year’s subscription to the Rolling Stone.

Since then, we’ve seen other games like Donkey Kong and Pac-Man dominate the Esports world, with competitions to see who could rack up the highest score! 

Now, the world of Esports has entered the world of sports betting. Bettors and gamers alike have combined their interests to place money on popular video games, like Call of Duty, Overwatch, League of Legends and CS:GO. 

With Esports set to be an Olympic competition, we’re entering a new world of Esports and their potential. There are professional Esports players dedicated to winning games and competing at the highest level. Like Michael Jordan practiced his jump shot, players like Scump practiced their mechanics on Call of Duty.

It’s hard to grasp for some but the world of Esports is fascinating. The entertainment and betting aspect of it has people locked in, even if they aren’t gamers themselves! 

In this guide, we’re here to dissect the world of Esports and its prominent stance in sports betting. Esports has taken over online sportsbooks and we’re here to hold your hand through this growing market!

Bettors will know that single-game sports betting is legal in Canada now and this includes Esports! 

You will find Esports betting odds across multiple bookmakers. If the betting site you are playing with is fully legal and regulated, then depositing and wagering on Esports will also be legal. 

While the majority of provinces have their own gambling organization, like OLG and Lotto Quebec, playing online with various sportsbooks is legal for Esports betting as well. Ontario became one of the first provinces to introduce and legalize online sports betting, which has gained attraction from reputable betting companies. 

Sites like Sports Interaction, Bodog, and Bet99 are fully legal for Esports betting across certain provinces. To determine if the betting site you are trying to wager against is legal in your area, simply go to the state and see if it is regulated by the governing provincial body. 

Bettors may become confused due to different regulations across various provinces. Many sportsbooks will use location services to determine if you are able to use that site in certain provinces. The easiest way to determine if you are legally betting is to use a betting site governed and regulated by the province in which you are gambling in. If you follow these rules, you can bet on Esports (and other sports) legally! 

In short, Esportsbetting is legal across Canada. As one of the biggest betting markets, more bookmakers are jumping to offer odds on the Call of Duty League, DOTA 2, League of Legends and other popular Esports! A rising market, if you follow the recommended guidelines from your respective province, you should be in the clear. 

Comparing the best Esports betting sites isn’t easy! With sites popping up every day, it’s hard to determine which sites are better than others. Thankfully, our unbiased formula helps determine which sportsbooks are the best in Canada!

When rating bookmakers, security and customer support are the biggest factors. Bettors will run into issues so it’s important to have measures to protect and help customers. Having multiple avenues of customer service and security is a good starting point. 

Of course, the actual Esports offerings are huge. Browsing Esports betting sites, we want the best betting markets, leagues, and tournaments to be available.

Why else would you be joining a betting site?

Bonuses are another category we take seriously. Betting bonuses and promotions can help be the difference between a good bookmaker and a great one, so we look for what bookmakers can offer bettors!

Lastly, we also look at general sports coverage and betting markets, as well as goodies like an online casino. Bookmakers that have everything you could want on a single site will do better than one without all these features. Jumping from bookmaker to bookmaker can be tiring, so we look to see if bookmakers are fully loaded.

Range of Betting Markets – From the number of games available to the number of markets, some of the best sportsbooks will need a wide range of betting markets.

Live Streaming – Being able to watch the bets you placed is a huge opportunity for sportsbooks. Live Streaming is prominent in sports betting, and it is a huge plus for Esports!

Live Betting – As one of the biggest betting markets in sports betting, Esports bettors like to feel included. One of the best features in sports is live betting and certain bookmakers and Esports have this market. 

To choose the best Esports betting site, you need to look at important features. Of course, one of the most useful features will be the betting markets and options. ESports has a ton of action and for you to be satisfied with your next betting site, make a list of what’s important to you. Some notable features you should look for include the betting markets and bonuses offered by Esports betting sites.

How to open an account

To wager on Esports, you’ll need to create an account. The good news is that opening an account is quite simple. Using Betway, we can show you how to easily create and register an account to begin betting.

1. The first thing you’ll want to do is head to Betway’s home page. From there, you’ll see Sign Up in the upper-right hand corner. Click that!
2. Next, you’ll want to enter your title, first, middle and last name. Once that is entered, you will need to enter your date of birth. 
3. Once that is entered, users will need to create a username and create a password. They will also need to provide their e-mail. 
4. Bettors will then need to enter their address and mobile number. They can also add limits on their account, but it isn’t required. Users will also need to declare the industry they are in. 
5. Continuing with the registration process, users will need to select their occupation and which welcome bonus they would like to receive. Lastly, bettors will need to read and confirm the terms and conditions of the site. Once that is complete, they can click continue, which will register their account. 

Recommendations For Joining a New Betting Site

Joining a betting site is easy but there are recommendations we would suggest when registering. Following these recommendations will help you make an educated decision for your next Esports betting site!

Market Research – Play how you want to play! Before committing to a site, ensure they have the betting markets you like. 

Security – Protecting your data is important! Research what security measures are in place before handing over important data.  

Customer Service – While you never want to run into trouble, chances are you need customer support. When browsing sportsbooks, see how they can help you when issues arise. 

Before placing any wagers on Esports, it’s important to be informed of the world! There are a ton of different markets, bet types and Esports to take in and it can be a lot for newbies and veterans alike. Below, we’ll teach you the different categories of Esports betting and how you can bet on Esports!  

Markets and Betting Types

• Tournament Winner: As it sounds, you are betting on the outright winner of a tournament, such as DreamHack. Known as a futures bet as well, betting on the tournament winner can give you better odds than placing a wager when play has begun. It can be difficult to win these bets, but the payout is usually greater!
• Moneyline: One of the biggest and easiest bets to understand when wagering on Esports, the Moneyline lets you choose the winner straight up. In a CDL matchup between OpTic Texas and Toronto Ultra, you will find one team to be the favourite and one to be the underdog. Simply choose which team you think will win head-to-head and that’s it! If you choose the correct team, you win your bet.
• Bracket/Group Winner: Some EsportsEsports have brackets in their tournaments. Like betting on the World Cup, you can wager on which Esports team will win their bracket. You will find bracket/group winner bets for some of the biggest tournaments, like Rocket League!
• First Map: Those who frequent betting on first-person shooter (FPS) games will know of first map bets. This is a wager on who will win the first map (game) of a match. Being knowledgeable of teams that tend to win their first maps can help give you an advantage! This wager is popular in games like CS:GO and Call of Duty.
• Over/Under: Over/Under bets typically apply to total score in professional sports but in Esports it can be applied to score, maps and other statistics you can quantify in Esports. Over/Under bets can also be applied to how many series a team will win in round robin play to how many points a team will score over the course of a season. This wager is popular among online sportsbooks due to its versatility.
• Parlay: Also known as accumulators, parlay bets is the combination of multiple wagers into one. You can combine professional sports with Esports but unfortunately you will not be able to add multiple bets from the same match up (unless otherwise stated). Parlays on Esports betting sites can give you better odds but at increased risk, since you need all legs to win for your slip to cash. If one wager fails, then so will your bet.
• Live Betting: Momentum can swing and live betting allows you to take advantage of that. You’ll see live betting options on sites like Sports Interaction, where a simple round loss could impact odds. Live betting is great for those that want to bet on the fly, with the odds reflecting how the game is unfolding.
• Fantasy: Like fantasy football or basketball, you can draft players for fantasy Esports! This is popular in team games like Call of Duty and the NBA 2K! Bettors are usually given a budget to work with and then they must build their team based on how much Esports players are worth, set by the bookmakers. There is a ton of strategy involved and if the team you pick performs well, you could win big. 

Esports Odds

Odds indicate how much money you would earn on a certain bet! It also indicates the favourite and underdog. The most common Esports odds will be American, Decimal and Fractional. Below, you can see how the different odds are integrated with payout percentage!

Payout Percentage

Payout percentage refers to the total money given back to the player that wins. Payouts are determined by your original stake (wager) and the odds from the bookmaker. 

If the Toronto Ultra are listed at –110 on the moneyline, a $100 wager would earn $90. Then the total payout would be $190.

How the odds are displayed also gives insight into your payout percentage. Typically, you’ll find American, Decimal and Fractional odds on sportsbooks.

American Odds: Indicate the amount you need to stake to win $100. Toronto Ultra at –120 means you would need to wager $120 to win $100.

Decimal Odds: This number represents the amount one wins for every $1 wagered. FaZe Clan at 4.00 means you would win $4 for every $1 wagered. On a $20 bet, you’d have a payout of $80.

Fractional Odds: Listed with a slash (6/1), these odds would mean that you win $6 for every $1 wagered. With odds at 6/1, a $100 would win you $600, with a total payout of $700.

Strategies and Tips

Playing to your strengths when beginning your Esports betting career can help give you the best advantage. Here are some strategies and tips to help make you a successful Esports bettor. 

Bet on Games You Know: This seems like an obvious answer but betting on Esports you are knowledgeable of is a great way to start your career. We don’t want you throwing away money on Esports betting sites by wagering on the unknown. When it doubt, trust what you know!

Set a Betting Budget: Esports is notorious for upsets, which is why setting a budget can help you be a responsible gambler. Setting aside a certain amount to wager on and sticking with it will help you avoid overindulging.

Use Betting Bonuses: Bonuses are there for a reason! Seek out the best bonuses that impact on you and use them to your advantage.

Reasearch Teams and Players: Professional sports have advanced statistics and so does the world of Esports. Researching head-to-head competition and how players perform will help with your success as an Esports bettor. 

Esports Betting Bonuses

Bonuses are a way for sportsbooks to encourage wagers on events. You will find bonuses across major events, but smaller events like weekly match ups may feature bonuses as well.  

The most common bonuses include welcome bonuses for first-time players. However, Esports bettors can also take advantage of bonuses like free plays and boosted odds. 

Leagues and Tournaments

Esports will have leagues and tournaments to help crown winners. Some of the most popular Esports tournaments you can find odds on include the Arena of Valor World Cup, Call of Duty League, CS:GO Majors, DreamHack, ESL, Fortnite Cash Cups, Halo Championship Series, and Intel Majors.

Any serious eSport (whether Console, PC or Mobile) will have tournaments, leagues, and cups to help crown winners with various prizes. Some leagues, like the Call of Duty League span across multiple months to crown a winner, culminating in a final playoff. The majority of serious Esports will have competitions in seasons with an eventual winner.

Smaller events like the LeagueGaming Friday Night Face-Off will begin and conclude in one weekend, with various prizes. 

Esports Categories

No two Esports are the same! With different objectives and goals, the entertainment never ends. The beauty of betting on Esports is that there is a variety of games and competitions that you can choose from, which we break down below!

First Person Shooter (FPS): Call of Duty, Apex Legends, Halo, CS:GO, PUBG.

Third-Person Shooter: Fortnite.

Sports Games: Madden, NBA 2K, PGA, NHL.

Fighting: Mortal Kombat, Tekken, Super Smash Bros.

Card/Table: Online Poker, Chess, Checkers, Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh, Hearthstone.

Racing: iRacing, Needs for Speed, Mario Kart.

Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA): Dota 2, League of Legends, Arena of Valor, Warcraft.

Most Popular Esports Games

The variety of popular Esports is what excites bettors! Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is a popular mobile game that has a chokehold on the Southeast Asian market.

Looking at other mobile Esports, PUBG Mobile and Arena of Valor dominate mobile Esports, with peak viewers in the hundreds of thousands.

Many Esports bettors and fans will know of PC/Console games, such as Valorant and CS:GO. Viewers for these matches and events can reach in the millions, which shows their strength in the market.

Not done there, games like League of Legends, Apex Legends, DOTA 2 and Call of Duty are other popular Esports that garner interest from fans and bettors alike.

While games like Rainbow Six Siege, Rocket League, Fortnite and Halo have slightly fallen off, we’d consider them to be among the most popular Esports games in the world.

Bettors looking to wager on popular Esports can turn their attention to the games listed above. While other games like Madden and NBA 2K may offer betting odds, they aren’t as popular as the games listed. The majority of popular Esports console games will have betting odds, and niche sites may provide odds on mobile Esports.

Much like regular sports betting, Esports wagering will also have promotions and bonuses tied to events! Some of the popular promotions that bettors can take advantage of including the Welcome Bonus, Free Bets and Boosted Odds!

Welcome bonuses are applicable to every sport but new users looking to gamble on Esports can use this to their advantage! Welcome bonuses usually come in the form of matched deposits. This means that the online sports betting site you join will match your initial deposit, which is usually 100%. Bettors looking to wager on Esports should look at different welcome bonuses!

Free bets are like they sound! These bets allow you to place a wager on an event, with the bookmaker refunding you if you lose. This will allow you to bet on Esports without risk, because whatever you risk will be returned if the bet doesn’t cash. Free bets are popular during hot events, like the CDL Finals. 

Boosted odds are another way Esports players can take advantage of promotions and bonuses. Boosted odds