eSports has become a very popular betting activity in the United Kingdom. In fact, the sport has grown so much that you’re able to find it at most online sportsbooks, allowing you to enjoy eSports betting, UK eSports games, and more. But how does eSports betting actually work and why is it so big? Keep on reading to discover more about this new gambling activity.
For those of you who are unaware, eSports betting is the processing of placing bets on eSports; video game competitions known as electronic sports (eSports). Basically, anyone betting on eSports is betting on a person or a team of people winning a competition against other people in a video game.
Online and co-op play in video games have been popular for many years but betting on the outcome of competitions and matches is a very recent trend, something that’s only emerged in the last few years.
Betting on eSports games works just like all other sports betting, you simply register with an online casino or betting website, select the game or competition you want to bet on and then enter how much you want to bet and confirm the wager. From there, you simply have to wait for the competition or game to finish to then receive any potential winnings from your bet.
Although the act of betting on video game competitions has only become popular in the last few years, the eSports industry has become incredibly big, particularly in the United Kingdom. Newzoo’s Global eSports Market Report for 2020 claims that global eSports revenue will grow to over $1 billion in 2020, with three-quarters of the value coming from media rights and sponsorships.
There are more than 10 major eSports events that take place around the world and the largest prize pot to date was $20.7 million at the Dota 2 International tournament. While these figures are startling and eye-watering, they still hold nothing to traditional sports betting which generates well over $30 billion in revenue each year. So, despite its popularity, eSports betting still has a long way to go.
Today, eSports games and competitions are large-scale events attended by hundreds of people at real-life venues, and these events are also streamed on Twitch and YouTube where they’re watched by thousands. In short, eSports in the UK and around the world are big and it’s only going to get bigger.
While eSports are based on video games, the competitions, tournaments, and events are based on video games, not all video games qualify. Generally speaking, the video games used in eSports events are usually multiplayer competitive titles like first-person shooters, fighting games, and sports titles. A list of the most common eSports games include:
Those are the most common games you’ll find at an eSports betting website or online casino but it isn’t all of them. However, the games made available for eSports competitions and games will vary depending on the betting website and online casino, so it’s worth checking before registering with the gambling website.
If you are thinking about joining in on some eSports betting, we suggest you learn some of the above games and play them yourselves to get a better understanding of how they work and how things might unfold during games and competitions. It could help you a long way to securing a win…
Most sports betting websites allow you to place bets on eSports games and events meaning that eSports is widely available. What’s more, many online casinos have now launched their own sports betting services which means some casino websites also offer eSports betting. If you’re looking for the best UK eSports betting sites, you’ve come to the right place – just take a look below for some of our top suggestions.
Casumo Casino is one of the most popular online casinos in the UK. Primarily an online casino, the website offers a gigantic selection of casino games including video slots, table games, jackpots, live casino, and so much more. The site accepts a variety of payment options and it provides players with a vast selection of promotions and bonuses including a no deposit bonus.
Finally, Casumo runs an online sportsbook which launched in January 2020. Here, you can bet on various games including football, tennis, basketball, table tennis and more. Casumo Sports also allows you to bet on eSports games including Call Of Duty, League Of Legends, and Dota 2. You can read more about the website in our Casumo review.
Mr Play is an online casino operated by Marketplay LTD. and it is home to a large selection of casino games including video slots, jackpots, table games, and so much more. The site, which holds a valid UK license, offers a generous welcome bonus and accepts several payment options like PayPal.
If that isn’t enough, Mr Play also runs a sportsbook where you can place bets on eSports games like Counter-Strike, Dota 2, League Of Legends and so much more. If you’re interested in hearing more about the casino and sportsbook, we suggest you take a look at our in-depth Mr Play review.
32Red is another great online casino and sportsbook website. New users can enjoy a no deposit bonuses as well as plenty of other promotions and an in-depth rewards scheme that offers customers plenty of rewards for long-term play. There a wide selection of games available including video slots, table games, live casino, bingo, slingo, and so much more.
When it comes to sports betting, 32Red allows you to be on all traditional sports games like football and it also provides you with the chance of betting on eSports games. The games available here include Counter-Strike and League Of Legends. Discover even more about 32Red in our in-depth review.
Mansion Casino is another online casino popular in the United Kingdom. Operated by Mansion Europe Holdings, Mansion Casino offers all new customers a generous welcome bonus with a wide selection of casino games. This includes video slots, table and card games, as well as so much more.
Mansion Bet, an extension of the casino website, runs a sports betting service where you can bet on various games football, basketball, greyhound racing, horse racing, and so much more. Also available is eSports betting where registered players can bet on games like Counter-Strike, Dota 2, League Of Legends, FIFA, and so much more. Interested in discovering more about Mansion Casino and its sports betting service? Take a look at our Mansion Casino review here.
888 Casino is a hugely popular online casino in the UK and a brand that just recently launched in the United States. The website, which has numerous sister sites, offers a wide selection of traditional casino games including video slots, table games, live casino titles, scratchcards, and jackpots too. The website accepts various payment options and it provides players with lots of bonuses and promotions too.
888 Holdings, which operates the online casino, also has a sports betting service where you can wager on virtual games, traditional sports like football and horse racing, as well as eSports too. The games found here include Counter-Strike, Call Of Duty, FIFA, Dota 2, League Of Legends, and so much more. Are you interested in finding out more? Take a look at our 888 Casino review here.
There are plenty of other online casinos and betting websites which offer eSports games but we believe these are some of the best websites for you to play with, so why not check them out?
eSports has become so big now that there are dozens of professional and famous players. If you ever have a chance to bet on these big-name players, we suggest you go for it as they’re some of the best around!
Lee Sang-hyeok, known as Faker, is one of the best League Of Legends players and has won three major world titles. Faker has earned over $1,000,000 in 2020 alone, and he was the top earner on League Of Legends for three years in a row. He regularly streams on Twitch where he’s watched by hundreds of fans.
Andreas Hojsleth was a prominent member of the Astralis Counter-Strike eSports team until May 2020. Hojslth, known as Xyp9x, is widely regarded as one of the best Counter-Strike players around after having won the ELEAGUE Major Atlanta 2017 and season eight of the ESL Pro League. His net worth is estimated to be around $1,771,621, making him one of highest-earning eSports players.
Lasse Aukusti Urpalainen is a popular Dota 2 player and has been a member of Team Secret since November 2019. In 2014, Urpalainen, known as MATUMBAMAN, won the Assembly event and won the Epicenter tournament in 2016, as well as the DreamLeague in January 2020. According to reports, Urpalainen is one of the richest eSports players with a total income of more than $3,000,000.
Jae-hee Hong, known as Gesture, is a popular Overwatch professional eSports player. He regularly takes part in Overwatch tournaments and to date has earned more than $300,000 from his professional gaming. He’s currently on Seoul Dynasty, one of the more prominent Overwatch eSports teams.
There are dozens of other famous eSports players but the four we’ve listed here are the most well-known and popular. While betting on these won’t guarantee you a win, you may feel better going with some of the favourites.
Regardless, we suggest you focus on having fun and to simply enjoy yourself and the eSports games more than anything else. Remember, gambling is meant to be fun and if you ever feel yourself getting stressed or upset, we suggest you take a break and do something else.
