When Nevada validated eSports as skill-based in 2017, it attracted the attention of bookmakers from all over the world. William Hill had already launched an eSports betting service in 2016, and a few other bookmakers had done the same in 2015.

Despite that, eSports betting sites exploded into popularity after Nevada’s approval. The best betting sites all support betting markets for CS: GO, PUBG, Fortnite, and other games. But if you want to get quality services, you might have to narrow to a few of the best five companies.

But we dig into how to find a good bookmaker; here are some quick facts about betting on eSports.

• Esports betting is similar to conventional betting markets
• Total Esports wagers will hit $7 billion by 2020
• Tournaments are held weekly, so you can be sure of finding betting markets regularly
• Regulatory authority continuously work hard to protect the sport’s integrity
• High School and College tournaments are steering eSports into the mainstream arena

Where to bet

As mentioned above, you can bet on eSports tournaments through your favorite bookmaker. However, ensure the betting site provides eSports wagering and avails betting markets regularly. Otherwise, you might miss out on betting against the many tournaments held around the world weekly.

You also need to find out what wagers a betting website offers to eSports punters. Some bookies only allow you to predict match-winners and not map winners or the number of rounds completed.

Additionally, it is also essential to assess betting websites based on their customer services, payments, and apps. While accessing many wagers is necessary, it is also crucial to deposit and withdraw your wins fast.

Popular eSports Games

When betting on football, tennis, and other traditional sports, you choose specific leagues, conferences, players, or teams to support. Similarly, eSports betting involves selecting a player or a team participating in a particular tournament. You can also bet on an entire eSports team, particularly during online multiplayer tournaments.

Of course, you must be familiar with how different games work so that you make informed betting decisions. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is arguably the most famous game in the world of eSports. Since its launch in 2012, the game has been growing more prominent in popularity each year. 

Valve Corporation, the company behind CS: GO, frequently invests in leagues and players to enhance the eSports betting scene. It runs multiple leagues throughout the country, leading to hundreds of tournaments all year round.

If you are new to eSports wagering, learn about CS: GO betting before delving into other video games. Speaking of more games, Fortnite and League of Legends are two more games with high coverage on betting websites. Players Unknown's Battlegrounds, Overwatch and Rocket League, are other popular games in the eSports industry.

Betting Odds

Esports bookmakers format their wagers and odds similar to traditional sports wagers. You can use American, decimal, or fractional odds depending on your preferences.

For the uninitiated, American odds are calculated based on a $100 bet. They also feature a (+) to signify odds for the underdog or (-) sign for the favorite. In an example, let’s say the Patriots are about to face underdogs Miami Dolphins.  A bookmaker could set odds -150 for New England and odds +150 for Miami.

If you bet on New England to win, you would have to wager $150 to earn $100 from the bookies. By comparison, you would only need a $100 bet to win $150 by backing the Dolphins.

Outside of the US, decimal odds are the most popular odds on betting websites. Typically, bookies set more generous odds to the underdog and odds closer to 1.0 for the favorite side. Odds 1.05 for instance, means you only get five dollars for every $100 you wager.

Many football, basketball and baseball bettors invest a great deal of their time to find high-quality odds before placing any bet. The same case applies to eSports betting. You must shop around to find the best odds on any wager.

Esports betting Outcomes

Before you hunt betting websites for quality odds, you’ll have to decide what to wager on. Do you bet on your favorite Fortnite team to win or predict how many maps the team collects? Betting on a specific group or player to win sounds easy. But similar to traditional sports, underdogs also win.

Predicting how many maps or how many enemies will be killed requires a great deal of research to do it correctly. That also applies to props like who kills the first Baron or clinches a specific map. Many betting websites also let you make predictions regarding the outcome of an entire event or league.

New eSports betting fans are often advised to gain experience by predicting match winners. That is because there’s plenty of information surrounding the top gamers, their skills, and records. However, it's more difficult to analyze a spread bet unless you are experienced at it.

How to Bet

Betting on eSports is easy. You first find a reliable bookmaker that provides the service. You must invest your time to research and find the best bookmakers. That is because need a bookie that offers banking options you like. Again, it should also be quick in processing payments.

Before placing bets, you should also shop around for quality odds. That is why you need to join a few bookmakers. Quality odds can magnify your profits significantly. However, it's also crucial to analyze games and pick your bets carefully. Similar to traditional sports, you can win or lose an eSports bet. If you don't research and analyze games thoroughly, you'll lose more than you earn.

To Conclude

If you have heard of eSports and want to give it a try in the bookies, there’s no better time to do it. All the top bookmakers already cover major eSports tournaments around the world. So, choose a video game you learn and find out how to bet on its tournaments. Bet on a reliable betting website for great odds and overall reliable services.