Just at the start of the century, esports betting was considered a niche activity not many people engaged in, but things look much different nowadays. Esports betting has become increasingly popular, and according to the statistics, its exponential growth is showing no signs of stopping.
Some of it has to do with the changing demographics and the advancements in technology that introduced online betting, but it also has to do with the influx of new and exciting esports titles. Nowadays, there are hundreds of esports games, and most have found their place in the esports betting world, yet some more than others.
Today, we will look at which are the best and most popular esports games for you to bet on and which you should consider checking if you’re new to the wonderful world of esports betting.
The Big Three
The esports scene is divided into two parts – the big three games and the rest. That is mainly because for over a decade now, the esports scene has been dominated by Dota 2, League of Legends, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive as three of the most popular games in the world.
All three games have a massive fanbase and consistently have the biggest viewership numbers out of all esports titles. Likewise, they host some of the world’s largest, most prestigious, and most lucrative esports tournaments.
Interestingly, the three games are not entirely alike. League of Legends and Dota 2 fall into the same genre of Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) and bear some similarities. In contrast, CS:GO is a tactical first-person shooter (FPS).
Given their status, it should not come off as a surprise that Dota 2, CS:GO, and League of Legends are all exceptionally well covered by most online sportsbooks, which only helps with the accessibility of their betting markets. This, in turn, makes betting on the three esports more accessible to new esports bettors, making them even more popular – and the circle goes round and round.
Many games released over the last decade were billed as CS:GO, Dota 2, or LoL “killers”, yet none succeeded. Heroes of the Storm completely fell apart shortly after its release, and while Riot Games’ response to CS:GO in Valorant is enjoying immense success, it has not quite dethroned Valve’s masterpiece as the king of esports FPS titles.
Which Are The Best Esports To Bet On?
There is no one “best esports game” to bet on, just like no one sport you could say is the best to bet on. But some esports titles hold an edge over the others, mainly because they enjoy much more attention from online sportsbooks. Moreover, the most popular esports titles are well covered by online esports betting sites, making it much easier to find various betting guides for them.
At the end of the day, you should pick what you like, but if you’re new to esports betting, you can’t go wrong by selecting either of the most popular esports.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a tactical FPS title released by Valve in 2014 and is one of the world’s biggest and most popular esports titles. It boasts millions of fans from all corners of the world and enjoys a lot of attention in the online betting world.
That makes sense, mainly because all online esports betting sites will offer CS:GO betting odds, and there is no shortage of traditional bookies where you’ll find CS:GO betting markets. But perhaps its biggest appeal is the simplicity of the game.
CS:GO is a very straightforward game where two teams of five people compete in a 30-round match as either terrorists or counter-terrorists. A team that plays as terrorists must eliminate all counter-terrorists or plant the bomb, while the opposite side has to eliminate all terrorists or defuse/prevent the bomb plant.
Even though CS:GO has very simple rules, it is highly tactical and filled with breathtaking and exciting moments, making it a perfect spectator esport and a highly entertaining game to bet on.
League of Legends
Released in 2009 by Riot Games, League of Legends stands tall as the most popular MOBA game and one of the most played online game in the world. Boasting over 150 million active users, LoL is also one of the biggest esports titles, with viewership numbers that dwarfed even some of the largest sporting events.
Notably, the LoL World Championship viewership numbers surpassed that of the Super Bowl in 2019. Of course, the main reason for LoL’s popularity is up to debate, but in the end, it comes down to one thing – it’s an “easy-to-learn, hard-to-master” game that plays much like any other MOBA out there.
Like CS:GO, League of Legends also is extremely well covered by online sportsbooks – even traditional bookies like Bet365, William Hill, Pinnacle, and more. Although things weren’t always like that, LoL has reached a status of a game on which you’ll be able to wager on, no matter which sportsbooks you use.
Dota 2
Although not as popular among viewers and esports bettors as CS:GO and LoL, Dota 2 boasts a sizeable group of fans, players, viewers, and bettors. That also explains why it’s very easy to find Dota 2 gameplay and betting guides on most online esports sites and why it’s not difficult to find betting markets on Dota 2 matches on any bookmaker.
The game is played very similarly to LoL, although the gameplay itself is different, providing you with a different MOBA betting experience. Notably, Dota 2 is known for hosting the most lucrative esports tournament in the world – The international, which reached over $40 million in prize pool in 2021.
Other Esports Games To bet On
Although it’s not entirely fair to call every other esports game besides LoL, Dota 2, and CS:GO “the rest”; the reality is that no esports title besides the major three enjoys as much attention from online sportsbooks. That’s not to say that you can’t bet on any other game if you so please, but it’s advisable to start with one of the “big three” and move from there.
But if you’re feeling adventurous, there are plenty of other esports titles to explore and bet on, including:
- Valorant
- Call of Duty
- StarCraft II
- Rocket League
- King of Glory
- Rainbow Six Siege
- FIFA
- NBA2K
Of late, even the “lesser” esports titles have been gaining in popularity and are, for the most part, well covered by online esports betting sites. Although the coverage is not as good as that on Dota 2, CS:GO, and League of Legends, it is not bad.
If you want to learn more about esports betting and how to do it, check out Esports-Gamblers.com, your no.1 source for anything esports-related!
