No longer a niche option, eSports betting can now be found on online bookmakers all over the world. The question now is, which of these many options are right for you? Our guide to the best eSports betting sites UK is here to help you navigate and find an operator fit for the future.
- Top 12 eSports Betting Sites in 2022
- Best eSports Betting Sites – Top 12
- A Closer Look at some of our Favourite Esports Betting Sites – Reviews
- Positive
- Negative
- Positive
- Negative
- Positive
- Negative
- Positive
- Negative
- Positive
- Negative
- Positive
- Negative
- Positive
- Negative
- Positive
- Negative
- Positive
- Negative
- Positive
- Negative
- What Are Esports?
- What Are E-Sports Betting Special Markets?
- Payment Methods
- Esports Live Betting
- Are There Esports Betting Bonus Offers?
- Popular Esports Betting Tournaments
- A Brief History of eSports
- eSports Betting FAQs
- ThePuntersPage Final Say
|
#1
BetVictor
|
|
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY 18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet £10 at odds 2.00+ within 7 days, no cashout. Get 3x £10 Free Bets, set events at odds 2.00+. Plus a £10 Slot Bonus, selected games, wager 20x to withdraw max £250. Plus 100 Free Spins. 100 Free Spins have no wagering. Bonuses and Spins expire in 7 days. Card payments only. Please Gamble Responsibly. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
|||
|
#2
Parimatch
|
|
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY TCs 18+ New Customers opt in, bet £5 & get 2x £10 Free Bets for set events (odds 2.00+) + £10, Slots Bonus, selected games, 35x wagering to withdraw max £250. Bonuses expire in 7 days. Card Payments only. T&Cs Apply, see below. BeGambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly |
|||
|
#3
 bet365
|
|
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY 18+ Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
|||
|
#4
SBK
|
|
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY New UK, IE & Malta users only. Min. £10/€10 first deposit only using Debit Card or Trustly. Free bets expire in 90 days. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
|||
|
#5
 888sport
|
|
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY 18+ Minimum deposit of £10 using deposit code 30F - A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £10 placed on any sports market - Minimum odds of 1/2 (1.5) - Free bets credited upon qualifying bet settlement and expire after 7 days - Free bet stakes not included in returns - Casino Bonus must be claimed within 7 days. To withdraw bonus/related wins, wager bonus amount x40 within 14 days. Wagering requirements vary by game. Deposit methods, Withdrawal restrictions and Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
|||
|
#6
Vbet
|
|
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY Only available to new verified customers residing in the UK. Place a first ever sports bet (min. £10 stake;single bets only;min odds 1.4) Get 2x£5 on free sports bets, £10 bonus money at Casino and 20 free spins (£0.10 per spin) on eligible NetEnt slots. Payment method restrictions apply. 18+. Please gamble responsibly. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
|||
|
#7
 Unibet
|
|
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY New customers only. 18+, BeGambleAware.org. Min deposit £10. Money back as bonus. Wagering requirements: Sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), Casino 25x. Only one bonus can be used at a time, Sportsbook bonus must be wagered before using the Casino, unless the bonus has been forfeited. Bonus will expire after 7 days of opt-in. #ad |
|||
|
#8
Luckbox
|
|
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY This offer is not only eligible for those who place their first deposit, but can also be used later on. Bonus money must be wagered to 10 times its value before the bonus or any winnings from it can be withdrawn. For example, if you deposit £10 and get £10 bonus, you must bet a total of £100 on markets with odds higher than 1.5 before it’s released for withdrawal. This applies to each bonus amount separately. You have 14 days to complete wagering after each bonus is credited, otherwise the bonus money plus any winnings from it will be removed from your balance. The offer is limited to one per household. |
|||
|
#9
 Ladbrokes
|
|
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY 18+ New UK+IRE Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first 5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4x 5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. No cashout, restrictions + Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
|||
|
#10
 Betway
|
|
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY New UK customers only. Min Deposit: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. First bet on a Football multiple with 3+ selections. Overall odds: 3.00 (2/1) or higher. Free Bets available upon settlement of the qualifying bet. Debit card deposits only. This is offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. 18+ Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
|||
|
#11
Paddy Power
|
|
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY 18+ New customers only. Place your FIRST bet on any sportsbook market and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund for this offer is £20. Only deposits made using cards or Apple Pay will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply. Paddy's Rewards Club: Get a £10 free bet when you place 5x bets of £10+. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
|||
|
#12
 William Hill
|
|
T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY New customers using Promo code H30 only, Min £10/€10 stake, min odds 1/2, free bets paid as 2 x £15/€15, free bets credited after settlement of first qualifying bet, free bets will expire 30 days after the qualifying bet is placed, payment method/player/country restrictions apply. See full terms below. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
|||
Best eSports Betting Sites – Top 12
Our list of top eSports betting site candidates is something that required us to turn down a whole lot of our favourites. This isn’t just our list of the best eSports betting sites, it’s the best of the best.
#1 BetVictor
#2 Parimatch
#3 bet365
#4 SBK
#5 888Sport
#6 Vbet
#17 Unibet
#8 Luckbox
#9 Ladbrokes
#10 Betway
#11 Paddy Power
#12 William Hill
Looking especially for eSoccer? Check our list of FIFA betting sites!
A Closer Look at some of our Favourite Esports Betting Sites – Reviews
Our favourite eSports betting sites provide the best value and diverse range of markets when it comes to wagering online. We’ll now take a closer look at how these operators have risen above the rest of the field to provide the ultimate eSports betting experience for their customers. By looking at our quick review, you can determine which one of our top 10 might be the best suited for your wagering requirements.
eSports Betting Site – Vbet
There are an outstanding array of betting markets available on Vbet, which is why we placed them at top spot on our list. It was evident from entering their website how seriously they take their eSports betting coverage by providing a tab directly at the top of the page. Once in the eSports section of their website we were overwhelmed by the amount of games and eSports odds provided by the operator. When betting with Vbet you will have access to markets on Counter-Strike: GO, Dota 2, Call of Duty, League of Legends, Rocket League and StarCraft 2. The majority of leagues regarding these games are covered extensively, although in our research we discovered that Vbet provide wider coverage on League of Legends, offering up to 130 markets at the time of writing. These markets include wagering on live games and outright options such as championship winners.
Source: Vbet
During our research were determined to discover the value provided by Vbet on their eSports odds. We used a League Of Legends match from South Korea pitted Team Dynamics vs Asura. Team Dynamics were given odds to win of 26/100, which translates to 79.4%, while ASURA had odds of 12/5, which translates to 29.4%. Together this comes out to 108.8%, which is more than the sports example, but that’s to be expected and it is still well within the realms of high-quality odds.
Positive
- Extensive coverage of eSports
- Great value on eSports odds.
- eSports speciality
Negative
- Lack of live streaming
eSports Betting Site – Unibet
While Unibet excels in so many different areas, we think that eSports betting might represent them at their absolute best just as they may be the best eSports betting site. In terms of the sheer range of markets available, they are tough to beat with not only monstrously popular titles like League of Legends, CS:GO and Call Of Duty available, but also classics like Starcraft are also represented.
Source: Unibet
Mix that with an amazing set of creative and interesting markets for each and every game with competitive odds and you’ve got something truly special. And all of this is without mentioning the incredible Unibet TV which offers some of the finest eSports UK live streaming the online world has to offer, and plenty of promotions relevant often exclusive to eSports. An absolute triumph.
Positive
- Amazing market variety
- Consistently promotional offerings
- World class live coverage
Negative
- Some games available elsewhere are not here
eSports Betting Site – bet365
When we look at pretty much any kind of list of the best UK betting sites, bet365 usually deserves a top position in them all, whether it’s a candidate for the best for six nations rugby, the finest cricket betting site, or yes, the best eSports betting site.
One of the very few to stand toe to toe with Unibet in terms of sheer choice, one area in which Bet365 truly excels is in its British betting markets. Put simply, bet365 have eSports betting UK markets that few, if any, cover. One of the aspects of bet365’s coverage of eSports that we love more than any other aspect is the addition of sports games such as FIFA and NBA2k22, which have outstanding markets and odds along with the option of live streaming.
Source: bet365
The fact that they provide great odds consistently, and a wide selection of relevant coupons really puts them on another level against all but the absolute best. On top of that, you’re also just point blank getting one of the finest all-rounders the online world has ever seen.
Positive
- Part of an all-around amazing betting product
- Great coverage of British esports betting markets
- Many great coupons available
Negative
- Use own platform for live streaming rather than Twitch
eSports Betting Site – Luckbox
While there are some instances, as you can see from this list, of the more established bookmakers doing everything they can to get their slice of that delicious eSports betting pie, it does represent relatively new ground.
And for that reason, it is an ideal chance for a lesser-known bookmaker to grab it with both hands and really create a name for themselves as a candidate for the title of best eSports betting site. Luckbox is a perfect example. This is an eSports exclusive site and they look to cover all major eSports games putting them right up there with our top pick in terms of variety.
Source: Luckbox
On top of that, they have live streams, statistics and promotions all focused on one thing and that is crafting the best eSports betting experience they possibly can. They only downside is that they are so single-minded, meaning those who want a more rounded experience may wish to look elsewhere. This is especially the case for British readers.
While Luckbox might be an eSports betting UK site, the traditional sportsbook is not available in that market. We appreciated the great attention to detail in regards to their eSports product, and we hope in the future that this spreads towards a traditional sportsbook in the future for UK users.
Positive
- Dedicated esports betting options
- Amazing level of esports betting variety, including many niche markets
- Promotions bult for esports
Negative
- Not much beyond esports to offer
- Traditional sportsbook not available at all in the UK
eSports Betting Site – 888Sport
With around the clock news coverage, updates, eSports tips and more from all around the world, it is clear that 888Sport take esports betting very seriously. They also have a bit of a niche in the form of extensive FIFA betting coverage, a game for which you could argue they are the finest eSports bookmaker around. Actually, their whole coverage is quite action orientated, with first person shooter Rainbow Six being another one of their most covered eSports options.
Source: 888Sport
Aside from that, they really do get the fundamentals right. 888Sport is simple enough for newcomers to these markets to understand while also providing enough depth to please more experienced and demanding bettors. Part of this is thanks to their fabulous design, which is always a highlight of our time with this often-underrated bookmaker.
Positive
- Great useability
- Often neglected action orientated markets well covered
- World class site design
- Top streaming options
Negative
- A little less variety in some major markets
eSports Betting Site – Ladbrokes
Perhaps because of their position as an industry heavyweight, one associated with tradition and the high street, people don’t always view Ladbrokes as one of the premier players in the world of eSports betting. This is not a fair reflection of what they offer because Ladbrokes bring the variety and the quality that they’re known for all around the betting industry to this world just as they would for something like Formula One or MotoGP betting.
Source: Ladbrokes
In fact, from map markets to tournament winners, it’s clear that when they cover an E-Sports, they never do so with less than their maximum effort. Also, their consistent enhanced odds boosts are a huge positive here, as they are available on the sport of your choice. This opens up eSports to the benefits we often take for granted in traditional sports.
Positive
- Utilise your bet boosts on eSports betting
- Great market depth for available games
- No let down in quality from traditional sports
Negative
- Not many left field eSports covered
- Less innovation than some other options
eSports Betting Site – BetVictor
As one of the titans of the betting industry there is no surprise that BetVictor provide a top-notch eSports betting experience for their customers to go along with their premier sportsbook. We were pleased to see on our scan of their betting site and app that markets were provided on eSports on all the major games, ensuring that there were no shortage of eSports bets available. They covered all the leading games such as Call of Duty, League of Legends, Counter-Strike, and Dota 2.
Source: BetVictor
BetVictor specialise in providing optimum value on their betting odds across their sportsbook and we’re pleased to see that this continues in regards to their prices on eSports. They’re competitive with the rest of the industry, although we would like to see a few more promotions provided to customers. BetVictor has more than a solid product and the quality of its betting site and app should certainly be considered when wagering on eSports.
Positive
- Competitive odds for eSports betting
- Good range of markets across a number of eSports games
- Solid in-play betting options
Negative
- Lack of streaming available
- No specific eSports bonuses
eSports Betting Site – Betway
Betway are one of the leaders in eSports betting, providing extensive coverage of all major leagues and games. It became clear on our visit to their betting site and app how seriously they cater for eSports bettors due to the vast array of markets, which was comparable to their coverage of major sports such as football, cricket and tennis. They have the usual suspects when it comes to wagering including Call of Duty, League of Legends, Counter-Strike, and Dota 2, but also Rainbow Six, King of Glory, StarCraft 2, VALORANT, Free Fire, Warcraft 3.
Source: Betway
The most impressive aspect of Betway’s eSports betting coverage comes with the form of their promotions. Betway provide price boosts on matches and competitions, especially from the major eSports leagues on Call of Duty and League of Legends. We were also delighted to see free bets designed specifically for bets on League of Legends, offering bonuses up to £10. When it comes to looking for a betting site for eSports, operators don’t come much better than Betway.
Positive
- Great range of specific eSports promotions
- Optimum value on eSports odds
- Live streaming available through site and app
Negative
- In-play offerings could be more substantial
eSports Betting Site – Paddy Power
Paddy Power are one of the best betting operators in the industry, and although eSports is a new venture for many of the traditional powerhouses, they ensure they are remaining competitive with a terrific eSports coverage. We found markets available for all of the major leagues, including FIFA. As ever with Paddy Power the betting odds provide great value compared to their rivals on both matches and other outright markets.
Source: Paddy Power
Perhaps the standout feature of Paddy Power’s eSports betting product is their in-play betting odds that provide premium value on event as they happen. We also appreciate Paddy Power provide their acca insurance if one leg fails option that is prevalent for major sports such as football and the NFL on their eSports product.
Positive
- Good specials such as acca insurance for eSports
- Excellent in-play betting options and odds
Negative
- Lack of market variety
- Do not cover eSports with great detail
eSports Betting Site – William Hill
William Hill are an exceptional betting site when it comes to betting on sports, and we’re pleased to see that their habits of offering competitive value and extensive wagering markets has continued with their eSports betting options. All of the major games are covered to a high standard, ensuring that you receive odds on all your favourite teams.
Source: William Hill
We also noted the impressive live betting options that were available, which at the time of our visit was offering in-play odds on League of Legends. William Hill usually sets a high standard when it comes to their betting odds and markets, and their eSports product is certainly up there with the best.
Positive
- Solid coverage of eSports
- Decent in-play options available
Negative
- Lack of depth regarding eSports markets
- No live streaming available for eSports
What Are Esports?
If you’re not too sure what we mean by eSports, we’re going to break it down really simply for you. The name is short for electronic sports, and they are video games played competitively on a global scale. Esports betting websites are where you can bet on those competitions on select games. Not every game has a major tournament, although these are increasing by the year with more games becoming available for players to showcase their talents on the world stage.
If you have memories of sitting around with your friends playing games in your living room, then you know how multiplayer games work. And that’s all eSports are: they are multiplayer games but played at an incredibly high level in money-making tournaments and events. If it seems strange that something you could play at home could be considered so huge, consider playing these games at home with your friends the equivalent of having a kick around in the park compared to the Premier League.
We’ll go into more details on some of the biggest games themselves but that is the gist of what every eSport games boil down to. If you want more information, we have a complete esports beginners guide to help further your understanding.
The Most Popular Esports To Bet On
While almost any multiplayer videogame can be used for eSports betting, there’s no doubt that some are simply much more popular than others. Here’s a shortlist of some of the biggest and most successful eSports betting options out there right now, so you know what to look for on your favourite eSports betting websites.
The Legality of esports Betting Websites
One thing that we’re asked consistently with regards to eSports is if there is any significant difference between its legality and the legality of traditional sports. The answer to that, quite simply, is no in the United Kingdom, and no in every other jurisdiction we are aware of.
Esports are just like any kind of sport you can wager, just like there is no substantial difference we are aware of in any markets between betting on Wimbledon or the FIFA Club World Cup. Both are as legal, or not, as each other depending on the laws of the land. In the United Kingdom, both are entirely legal, as is betting on eSports. It also means that the top esports betting sites don’t just provide the best eSports betting experience, but are often the finest online gambling options all round.
What Are E-Sports Betting Special Markets?
When you’re looking for an online betting site, you want to find a diverse range of betting markets. It is what separates the great from the good, and it is no different when looking for an eSports betting site than with a traditional sportsbook. Simple betting options include backing a team to win an individual game or their respective league. However, the best betting sites go above and beyond those usual wagering options to provide a comprehensive list of eSports bets.
Here, we’re going to give you six examples of some more left field examples to showcase the creativity and innovation found amongst the best, and how the top eSports betting sites are pushing the envelope to provide the best wagering options for their customers.
Payment Methods
The traditional forms of payment methods are available when betting on eSports. These will inclide debit cards, PayPal, Skrill, Mastercard, Neteller, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Boku, PaySafeCard, EcoPayz, Much Better and NeoSurf.
Due to the rise of cryptocurrency in online mediums a portion of betting sites are now accepting payment methods through Bitcoin and others. Out of the mainstream betting sites, only 888Sport is accepting Bitcoin as a method of payment, although others will no doubt follow in the future. LuckBox also accept cryptocurrency from Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP and Litecoin.
Skin betting is another form of payment method used for wagering on eSports, although you will have to find a specialist betting site as the traditional operators do not have that function yet.
Esports Live Betting
- Of course, we’ve already made it pretty clear that live betting and live streaming are both things you should be able to expect from eSports. However, we thought it important to be a bit more precise about what you can expect.
- Not only can eSports betting match up with some of the most popular sports in the world in terms of live streaming and coverage: it can often usurp them.
- At the moment at least, there’s not as many issues in terms of licensing deals, which are a key barrier to the live streaming of many sports. As such, eSports betting often has fantastic live coverage, and you can catch many major events while you bet online. Even better, many of the best betting apps allow you to do so on the go.
- Betting sites either use their own platform to broadcast games as they happen or they use a Twitch stream embedded on their page or app. You will have more of a multimedia experience with Twitch rather than a simple stream provided by a betting site, depending on your preference. Paddy Power for example use Twitch embedded in their web page, where bet365 on the other hand use their own service. It’s all down to personal preference as the quality of the streams is of the highest calibre.
- In-play betting must be a staple of any quality betting site, and the ones that we have highlighted offer this level of coverage on the majority if not all of their games and leagues. The odds presented fluctuate just as they would with any live-action sport, therefore, the onus is on you to know when to wager on live events to get the best value.
Are There Esports Betting Bonus Offers?
Once again, the answer to this is yes. Unlike live streaming though, we would say that there are generally less promotions than other sports for the most part. Esports are unfortunately, still not as big in the betting world as some traditional money makers for the bookmakers and the more popular a market is for bets, the more attention it tends to get from promotions. This can even be the case in some of the top esports betting sites.
There are exceptions to the rule and if you pay close enough attention to the leading betting sites you will find there are offers. In our research we found offers from Betway that included bet £10 get £5 free wagers on Blast Spring and bet £10 get £10 offers on League of Legends.
Betway also provided price boosts on major eSports betting events. Paddy Power are on the mark with acca insurance when it comes to accumulators over five legs, providing your stake back if your selection loses by a single leg. Elsewhere, 888Sport provide free entry into their Shoot Out game to win free bets if you wager £50 or over on eSports.
Given the fact that these operators are beginning to provide solid bonuses, we believe more operators will be inclined to follow suit to keep pace with their rivals which is very beneficial for eSports bettors.
Popular Esports Betting Tournaments
- European Championship (LoL LEC) January 2022 – March 2022
- Championship Series (LoL LCS) January 2022 – April 2022
- Champions Korea (LoL LCK) January 2022 – April 2022
- Pro League (LoL LPL) January 2022 – April 2022
- World Championships October 2022 – November 2022
- ESL Pro League August 2022 – September 2022
- The International August 2022
- ONE Esports Singapore Major March 2022 – April 2022
- Call Of Duty League – January 2022 – July 2022
- Rocket League Spring Series May 2022
- Overwatch League April 2022 – September 2022
- Team Of The Season Cup – April 2022 – May 2022
- FIFA Global Series – December 2022
- FIFAE World Cup – December 2022
A Brief History of eSports
The popularity of eSports exploded alongside online gaming, a product of an increasingly online world in the turn of the millennium. But we’ll get to that in a moment. The earliest serious competition though was actually held in 1972 for the game Spacewar: a predecessor to the epically popular Space Invaders.
That’s relevant because the next big competition was actually the Space Invaders Championship held by their developer Atari in 1980, it had over 10,000 participants. The first national video game teams emerged in 1983, and eSports even aired on television in America in the early 1980s. In the 90s, new titles emerged, with Street Fighter being a standout of the earlier years of the decade. Fighting games remain a staple of the eSports world to this day.
The late 90s saw the beginning of the explosion which would turn both the gambling and the gaming world on its head, as more people got access to the internet and began playing each other online. This time period saw early versions of huge titles like StarCraft and Counter-Strike.
The new millennium saw internet access accelerate and with it so did eSports, and online gambling. These two have had a lot of parallels in their histories. One interesting curiosity is that eSports aren’t very popular in Japan, a country perhaps more associated with the medium of video games than any other. Many believe it is down to the very strict gambling laws in the country.
By the 2010s, serious money and viewership had taken eSports betting to the next level, with the emergence of many ultra-popular new titles – some of which are still commonly played today, like DOTA 2 and Call Of Duty. Suddenly, eSports were big business, and could be found on betting sites throughout the world, with an ever-increasing selection of interesting markets.
Just as important during this time was the emergence of several major tournaments and platforms, with Twitch being the most lasting and successful this far. What is clear is that today, just like any other major sport, eSports are major entertainment and betting extravaganzas with millions of loyal fans. In other words, if now you’re not taking eSports betting seriously, you’re simply behind the times. If you’re not an expert or familiar with eSports there are a raft of quality tipsters out there to help guide your bets and capitalise on the top markets. That’s why we take the quality of our eSports betting sites to be every bit as important as other, more traditional options.
eSports Betting FAQs
-
Yes. You will see the same types of betting markets and odds as you would any other sport as you find with eSports.
-
Betting sites will provide live streaming for eSports for the majority of matches. Alternatives include Twitch and Youtube along with online mediums.
-
Yes, in any jurisdiction where sports betting is legal, esports betting should be legal as well.
-
Counter Strike, Dota 2, Call of Duty, League of Legends and Fortnite are a few examples of popular eSports.
-
This is a form of betting with in-game currency, most notably aesthetic models that can be added to characters or weapons known as “skins”.
ThePuntersPage Final Say
Not only does the future look great for eSports, but eSports are the perfect symbol for betting‘s bright and innovate possibilities as well. Right now, betting online has never been more versatile, varied or innovative. You should not only view the best eSports betting as a great thing on their own, but as part of a fabulous betting buffet filled to the brim with possibilities.
Finding the right betting site for you for eSports can be a challenge in the sense that there are so many great options. Our job is to make sure you don’t settle for less simply because you’re overwhelmed by choice. We hope our article here has helped you on your journey to find the right betting experience for you.
