The rise in competitive gaming over recent years means that eSports betting sites are becoming increasingly popular. Whether you follow CS:GO, League of Legends, Dota 2, Overwatch, FIFA eSports betting or other games, eSports betting UK is big business.
On this page, we will outline some of the eSports betting sites UK worth checking out. On top of this, readers will also gain an insight into how this form of betting works, including available markets, leading events and eSports betting tips. If you need to know what is eSports betting, then you are in the right place.
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365
Bet £10, Get £40
Bet £10, Get £40
£35 Free Bet + 10 Free Spins
£35 Free Bet + 10 Free Spins
50% Welcome Offer Up To £50
50% Welcome Offer Up To £50
Bet £10 Get £20 in Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £20 in Free Bets
£50 In Free Bets When You Bet £10
£50 In Free Bets When You Bet £10
Double The Odds On Your 1st Bet
Double The Odds On Your 1st Bet
We review each sportsbook in-depth further down this page, but if you’re just looking for a quick summary, here’s a list of the top 10 Esports betting sites in the UK as of 2024.
Spreadex offers a dedicated eSports betting UK platform, where customers can find a host of pre-match and in-play markets from events surrounding CS:GO, League of Legends, Call of Duty and Dota 2, among other games.
The betting site also regularly delivers the most competitive eSports betting odds around, while the ability to live stream matches is also very appealing. The bookie is also well known for their price boosts, which are available to both desktop and mobile customers. Note that Spreadex has both a fixed odds and spread betting platform.
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Created by Irish businessman Stephen Quinn, Quinnbet is a betting site that mainly caters for horse racing fans, although an eSports sportsbook is also available. CS:GO, Dota 2, league of Legends and Fortnite are just a sample of the markets available, with their coverage being among the best online today.
Almost all eSports events can be wagered upon at the Quinnbet site, and some can be even be streamed. The site has plenty of payment options too, so getting money into and out of your Quinnbet eSports betting website account is extremely easy.
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International bookie 10bet have perhaps unsurprisingly been at the forefront when it comes to eSports betting UK, with everything from FIFA eSports betting to Dota 2 being available. However, 10bet is particularly appealing for fans of CS:GO, with a huge number of markets being available here.
Live streaming of eSports matches are available daily too, while 10bet has developed a good reputation as a result of their ongoing promotions. Popular markets at 10bet include match winner, maps handicap and total maps, with the number of possible bets only increasing once games are underway.
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Coming with some 25 eSports markets, Virgin Bet is an excellent site for fans of CS:GO, Dota 2, LoL and other games, with a host of pre-match and in-play bets being available.
A decent welcome bonus and a variety of ongoing promotions can be found found too, including a generous rewards program. Live streaming is available from popular events and eSports personalities also, with Virgin Bet truly catering for all of your needs. Check out the Virgin Bet eSports Betting app too.
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Another Irish betting site appearing on this list is BoyleSports, who take eSports very seriously. All major eSports events and tournaments are covered, along with some less high-profile competitions. CS:GO, Dota 2, League of Legends and Call of Duty can be bet upon at BoyleSports.
Punters are able to back their favourite teams and players with everything from total maps to correct map score. Those signing up can also take advantage of a detailed sportsbook and an entertaining casino platform.
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Betfred is another experienced betting site that caters for eSports fans, however their platform does mainly feature sports markets such as football and basketball. 30+ different games are available to bet on in total, including CS:GO, Overwatch, Rocket League and Rainbow Six, demonstrating their diversity.
Deposits can be made using a huge number of payment options at Betfred. Meanwhile, 25+ different bet types can be placed on high profile eSports encounters, while in-play markets are available daily. Before placing bets, customers can also view the form of both teams, as well as the expected rosters.
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Esports feature heavily at Parimatch, with customers here being able to place pre-match, in-play and outright bets on their favourite events and teams. The Parimatch sportsbook site is very easy to use, with a built-in search engine making it simple for users to access their preferred markets.
Popular eSports markets include straight odds, match winner, outright winner and live bets, with CS:GO, LoL and Dota 2 featuring regularly. Additional eSsports games are likely to be added in the future too.
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Bet365 has long been one of the leading online bookmakers, with Esports markets having been found on their site for a number of years now. CS:GO, LoL and Dota 2 are among the most in-depth Esports markets at Bet365, however a number of other games are also found from time to time.
A generous welcome bonus is accompanied by a host of ongoing promotions, many of which fans of eSports will be able to take advantage of. Customers here can also watch many eSports matches as they play out on either desktop or mobile. Useful eSports statistics are found too, helping punters in deciding which teams and players to back.
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VBet has great experience in the world of sports betting, with eSports being one of the latest markets to be added to their sportsbook. With a generous welcome offer and large number of ongoing promotions, VBet have unsurprisingly attracted a large number of punters over the years.
Pre-match, in-play and outright eSports markets are available, with many being accompanied by live streaming. Statistics surrounding the teams involved from the last three months are also on offer, including map wins and overall form.
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Grosvenor Sports is one of the most recognised sites with plenty of options for UK eSports betting. Attracting new customers thanks to their loyalty promotions, efficient payment methods and market coverage. CS:GO, League of Legends and Overwatch are just a sample of the available markets, with live betting being on offer daily too.
Customers can also keep up to date with the latest eSports news thanks to a regularly updated blog. Meanwhile, those signing up can look forward to quick deposits and withdrawals at Grosvenor Sport.
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With so many betting sites today offering eSports markets, selecting which one best suits your needs is no easy task. However, punters can help themselves by signing up on an eSports betting site which performs well in the following areas:
Bookie | CS:GO | Dota 2 | LoL | Overwatch | StarCraft 2 | Rainbow Six |
Spreadex | ||||||
QuinnBet | ||||||
10bet | ||||||
Virgin Bet | ||||||
BoyleSports | ||||||
Betfred | ||||||
PariMatch | ||||||
Bet365 | ||||||
VBet | ||||||
Grosvenor Sports |
Everyone has heard of the World Cup, or the Super Bowl, or Wimbledon (in tennis), but what are the big events in the eSports calendar? What do gamers get the most worked up about when they are watching the pro preds on Twitch streams? Here is the information you need if you want to back the biggest eSports events in the annual calendar.
Organised by Riot Games, the World Championship is the biggest event in the League of Legends calendar. With prize money of over $2 million, teams battle it out for the Summoner’s Cup, with almost 100 million people tuning in. Korean team Damwon Gaming came out on top in 2020, with the next event set to take place in Reykjavik.
Originally an eight-team tournament, ever since 2017 24 teams do battle over a period of one month. In the early elimination phase teams only play each other once, but in later rounds this is increased to best-of-five.
The concluding event of the Dota 2 season is The International, which offers one of the biggest prize funds in Esports today. Hosted by developers Valve, the event attracts teams from around the world, with European organisation OG having won in both 2018 and 2019.
In 2021 the competition moved back to Europe for the first time in over a decade with the finals taking place in Bucharest, Romania (moved from Stockholm after the 2020 tournament was cancelled due to the pandemic). The tournament was also delayed to October, with all previous tournaments taking place in August.
The Fortnite World Cup is an annual event based on the FPS loot-n-shoot video game from Epic Games. The tournament features two separate events, one for solo players and one for teams. Over 2 million viewers tune in on Twitch and YouTube to follow the action as it unfolds.
The first Fortnite World Cup took place in 2019 and ran over ten weeks. The solo event was won by 16-year-old Kyle Giersdorf who took home $3 million for being the best. The team event was won by Fish Fam led by Faze Cizzorz. The Fortnite World Cup in 2020 and 2021 were both cancelled due to COVID.
A professional eSports league surrounding the Overwatch game from Blizzard Entertainment, 20 teams battle it out for the main prize on offer. First taking place in 2018, London Spitfire (2018), San Francisco Shock (2019, 2020) and Shanghai Dragons (2021) are the only winners of the event to date.
The 2020 and 2021 versions of the Overwatch league took place online only, although some China-only live events took place in China itself. The Grand Final in 2021 was due to be played live in California but it was cancelled too and moved online, with the Shanghai Dragons battering the Atlanta Reign 4-0.
There are plenty of ways to bet on eSports, and we will now outline for you a few of the most popular.
Everyone knows how to bet in the ‘traditional’ fashion – you put your wager on an outcome and if your choice comes good, you get money back. At sites such as QuinnBet and 10Bet you can place bets on eSports just as you would on football matches, or any sport for that matter.
The most popular bet involves selecting the winner, but other markets are always available. Such markets include team handicaps, over/under, betting the spread and map winners.
Spread betting is different to fixed odds betting as your wins (and losses) could be much, much higher than your stake (and your returns from the equivalent bet at a fixed odds site).
Lets say Evil Geniuses are playing Invictus Gaming at DOTA 2. You back Evil Geniuses to win. If Evil Geniuses win 3-0 then you win more than if they won 3-2. Alternatively, if they lose 0-3 then you will lose more than if they lost 2-3. You are rewarded (or punished) for the scale of victory. Spreadex is by far and away the UK’s number one spread betting site.
Many popular eSports titles are free to play. The companies behind them make money by selling ‘skins’ – unique versions of characters and weapons that players can buy with in-game currency (which they either earn via playing or spend real money on).
Skin betting is betting using in-game currencies as opposed to real cash. Traditional betting companies (as listed on this page) do not offer skin betting though.
Fantasy Sports (also known as DFSs) are extremely popular in the US and Asia, and are becoming more popular in the UK. This is not sports betting as such, but fantasy betting where players build their own teams of eSports players and compete with other team builders. Contests can last just a single day or much longer.
Some contests require an entry free and prize money is given to the most victorious competitors. None of our recommended sites offer fantasy betting on eSports, so you may have to do some Google searching if such a thing interests you.
Placing an eSports bet is really no different to placing a traditional bet. Just in case you are unsure of the process, we are here to walk you through it using one of our favourite betting sites, Bet365.
Live betting on eSports is as popular as live betting when it comes to football. An eSports match (depending upon the game) can last well over an hour with plenty of action available to be bet on eSports live.
For example in Dota 2 there are always numbers for gold and kills, and for the number of towers, roshans (creeps that generate buffs) and barracks (building where minions spawn) destroyed. These numbers fluctuate during the game which means their prices fluctuate too. If you are live betting you may get an idea of which team is going to gain the most gold or kills, or be the most destructive.
Handicap betting is also popular in eSports betting and with live betting too. Teams may be handed a handicap for kills or gold gained, or other aspects. Prices for over/under (kills, towers and so on) will fluctuate too so if you know your eSports stuff you could have the chance of making a tidy profit.
Naturally, live betting is best at a site that offers live streaming of eSports events, like 10bet.
Exchange betting is an alternative to fixed odds betting where bets are exchanged between punters as opposed to punters betting against a sportsbook. Via the exchange, someone who thinks Team A will win is put in contact (automatically) with someone who thinks Team B will win. The money is pooled based on the odds offered by each player, and the winner is paid accordingly. An eSports betting exchange makes money by charging a small commission on all bets placed at the site.
Above is the eSports betting exchange page at Betfair, the UK’s leading exchange betting site. If we look at the Vici Gaming v Quincy Crew match-up, you have the chance of backing Vici at 1.01 or laying them (betting against them) at 1.06 (they are hot favourites!) or backing underdogs Quincy Crew at 15.00.
The numbers here are not true odds, but what is known as your liabilty. If you back Vici Gaming at 1.01 then a £1 stake would only give you a 1p profit! If, however, you lay them (bet against them) your return for a £1 stake would be £1.06 and your liabilty £0.06. Your profit by backing Quincy Crew at £1 would be £14. All eSports betting exchange sites have a full explanation of how exchange betting works, so make sure you check any guide out before backing or laying eSports betting exchange bets.
Esports are massive in Asia and the US but have yet really to establish a stronghold in the UK. That is likely to change soon and sports betting sites will want to grab their share of the eSports betting pie. Some sites may offer exclusive eSports betting bonuses and if they do, you can be sure that Safe Betting Sites will be right there with the ‘hot off the press’ eSports betting bonus news.
Here to get you started are a couple of free bets you may be interested in.
Betway offers regular eSports deals on specific tournaments such as the International and the Worlds, so check the site’s specialist eSports page for details. It also offers a regular welcome bonus for new eSports customers – get up to £10 in free bets. This is for new UK customers only. Min. deposit £10. First deposit matched up to £10. 1 x wagering at odds of 1.75+ to unlock Free Bets. Debit Card deposits only. Full terms apply.
888sport has a unique eSports game called ‘The Shoot Out’. After every £50 of settled bets (min. odds 1.8) on any eSports market, you’ll qualify for a free entry into The Shoot Out. Free bet is credited on settlement and must be claimed and is valid for 7 days. You can take part in the offer once a day. Withdrawal restrictions and full T&Cs apply.5 Ultimate Betting Tips
As with any form of betting, it is important to have a strategy when staking on eSports events. With that being said, the following Esports betting tips have been put together in order to give punters the best possible chance of being successful:
If you have not played games such as CS:GO, League of Legends or Dota 2 in the past, understanding how to bet on them will be difficult. As a result, we recommend playing the games beforehand. Alternatively, watch streams on Twitch or other platforms from professional gamers. Betting should be an enjoyable pastime. As such, eSports betting customers must set themselves a budget, based on their disposable income. Never go above this budget, with eSports betting sites UK making it easy to set deposit limits today. When deciding which site to sign up on, be sure that it is 100% safe and trustworthy. This will include a gambling license from the relevant gambling authority. There are a number of platforms offering useful statistics and news articles from the world of eSports. So, before betting, be sure to do your research, with even a minor roster change potentially impacting a result. Value can often be found when betting on less high-profile eSports events. As such, it is often worth steering clear of major events such as The International or DreamHack.Play the Games
Set a Budget
Select a Safe eSports Betting Site
Do Your Homework
Bet on Smaller Events
eSports Betting Guides
Learn the ropes and improve your eSports betting skillset with our in-depth “How to bet and win” guides for CS:GO, League of Legends and DOTA2. On top of it, we bring you the best betting platforms for each one of the leagues and the hottest sign-up offers.
The eSports betting sites in which we have recommended on this page range from traditional bookies to more modern and dedicated platforms. If you are looking for eSports betting UK, it is important to understand exactly how eSports real money betting sites work. So, just what is the difference between the two?
eSportsbook | Traditional SB | |
Markets | Potentially more in depth and offer different bet types, such as Map 1 1st Pistol winner and total number of rounds. | Generally offer a smaller variety of markets, including match winner and map handicap. |
Available bonuses | eSportsbooks may well offer promotions that are specific to Esports events, whether it be price boosts or enhanced winnings. | Other sportsbook sites will prioritise other sports when it comes to bonuses. eSports markets may also not qualify for free bets or bonus funds. |
Odds | eSports betting sites established by gamers and enthusiasts may well be more accurate when it comes to eSports betting odds. As a result, punters could well find good value on a more regular basis. | Traditional sportsbook sites may not have as good an understanding of the eSports industry, meaning that prices could well be inaccurate at times. |
Live Streaming | Whether it be CS:GO, LoL, Dota 2 or Fortnite, eSportsbooks make it easy for customers to watch the action as it unfolds. Live streams from popular Esports personalities will also be accessible on some sites. | While traditional bookmakers may cover some eSports matches when it comes to live streaming, other disciplines take priority. |
Payment Methods | Dedicated eSports betting sites are likely to offer payments using cryptocurrencies and skins. | Traditional sportsbooks will likely accept deposits and withdrawals via debit cards, ewallets and bank transfer. |
With eSports now being a billion dollar industry, it should come as little surprise that eSports is also prominent on a number of betting sites. Fans of professional gaming now have a variety of options when it comes to backing their favourite players and organisations. All of the sites on this page are nothing but safe and potentially rewarding, so be sure to check them out for yourself. We hope we’ve answered the question what is eSports betting, and left you hungry for more.
Bet £10, Get £40
Bet £10, Get £40
As long as you register at an eSports betting website that is fully licensed and regulated. Online safety is of huge importance, however our recommended sites ensure that all personal and financial information remains safe at all times.
An increasing number of eSports betting sites UK offer live streaming. For those that don’t, platforms such as Twitch and YouTube make it easy for punters to watch eSports matches.
For first-person shooters such as CS:GO and Rainbow Six, popular bets tend to be map and round based. Meanwhile, the likes of Dota 2 and LoL offer greater diversity.
CS:GO, League of Legends, Dota 2 and Overwatch are generally the most popular eSports games to bet on. However, there are an increasing number of additional titles available.
A good eSports betting website performs well in a number of areas, including safety, markets, odds, bonuses, streaming and customer support.