In our eSports live betting guide for 2023, we let you into what you need to know to get involved in great live eSports betting.
Content Index
Check out what eSports to bet on, your eSports live betting options as well as info about live streaming. We also walk you through top eSports live betting tips, what the top betting sites are and more.
Our guide also answers your top questions about eSports live betting. Before you bet Dota, League of Legends, Overwatch, Rocket League or any other top live eSports games, make sure you’re well informed.
Top Operators for Live eSports Betting
We always recommend that you do your own research when picking eSports betting sites. Reading a LordOfOdds review will always help. Here are our top picks:
- The bonus code BETMAX365 can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way.
Lots of sites these days offer eSports betting markets. The best eSports sites also offer good live betting and live streaming options.
They should also offer you a solid deposit bonus to play with. Just be aware that some eSports betting sites will limit the bonus if you deposit with PayPal. Using Mastercard or Visa is usually best. Many sites don’t even accept PayPal at all in fact, while all accept Mastercard.
Pinnacle, Betway and bet365 are among the best eSports betting sites in our opinion. You can read a review on each site to check out exactly what they offer.
Some of the best odds, betting markets, live betting and live streaming are offered with these sites. Each has a deposit bonus too. Live eSports in fact is now becoming a major part of their operations.
eSports to Bet on Live
There are a number of different eSports and associated tournaments to bet on. Most can be bet on live with betting sites. We have some of the most popular here:
Live CSGO Betting
Counter-Strike, or CSGO, is the biggest and best eSport around for live betting. Lots of good eSports betting sites offer live odds on many games.
ESL Pro League, IEM, PGL and more have attached live betting markets. Top betting sites such as bet365 and Betway offer markets on CSGO.
Live League of Legends Betting
Known as LoL, League of Legends is incredibly popular. League of Legends is the chief rival for Dota 2 (see below) and features very similar betting markets.
You can play live markets at all the top eSports betting sites featuring League of Legends games.
Live Dota 2 Betting
Dota 2 remains one of the most popular games of its type. The markets offered for Dota 2 are huge, at least with the best online betting sites anyway.
With each game lasting up to 35 minutes, the in-play, live betting and live streaming options within Dota 2 are endless and offer great excitement.
eSports live betting is at its best with Dota 2. Those long games mean players can suss each match out as the players play before grabbing the best live odds.
Live Rocket League Betting
Rocket League isn’t at the top end of eSports live betting yet, but it’s getting there. More and more players, games and teams are popping up in Rocket League.
Now, the best eSports betting sites are producing live odds for each top Rocket League match with bet365 perhaps the best site to go to.
Live Overwatch Betting
Overwatch is a team-based action game. This colourful and exciting game produces awesome action in a 6v6 combat style, making it suitable for eSports live betting down to the ground. Overwatch is an up-and-coming game, featured in some of the live odds within the betting sites we review.
These particular eSports are great for in-play betting. Many are also shown via live streaming, meaning you can judge the odds much better for yourself.
Betting Options
It goes without saying that there are plenty of pre-game odds offered in eSports betting. The eSports live betting markets, however, are more exciting. Here’s what you can get involved in:
- Match Winner: The simplest bet. You can still bet on overall match winner odds live as the game goes on.
- Correct Points or Score: To boost your match odds, eSports live betting is available on the correct score. This is a good market to use in Dota 2 or Overwatch if you know your stuff. Live streaming can help you review how good the players are before betting.
- Round or Map Winner: In the best eSports live games, you can bet on the winner of individual rounds or maps.
- Group or Event Winner: Live betting is available at the best eSports betting sites on the winner of an individual group, or at a specific stage of an event.
- First Blood: Popular in the CSGO betting markets among others. This is a live bet on which player gets the first kill.
- Handicap Betting: A great leveller when one team is considered very strong and is a heavy favourite in the betting markets. A team may start the game at -1.5, for example, meaning they have to win by 2.
- Over/Under Betting: You may not want to bet on the correct score. However, live betting is available on under/over, meaning you can bet on under or over a certain number of points being scored.
- Time: In games such as Overwatch, time is limited. This means you can bet live on whether a match will run into overtime or not.
Streaming Live eSports Games
These betting markets are great for live games. A real bonus is getting to watch the gameplay out via live streaming.
Live streaming is often offered by the best eSports betting sites. Sites such as Pinnacle, Betway and bet365 may offer live streaming, but be aware that it may not be offered in your territory, and other terms and conditions may apply so always check first.
Live streaming offers a different dimension to your eSports live betting. Check the relevant LordOfOdds review before selecting your eSports betting sites.
Betting Tips
eSports in-play betting can be thrilling. Before you get going, however, keep our best eSports betting tips in mind:
- Be certain to use only the best eSports betting sites. We have named some above. Reading a detailed LordOfOdds review will also help you along.
- Find the best value odds. Each of the eSports betting sites may have very different markets with differing odds.
- Be well informed. Betting on eSports can be risky if you don’t know what it’s all about. The strategies used by eSports teams are available online. Learn how they play before you do.
- Bet on longer games. When a match lasts 30 minutes or so, it gives you a chance via live streaming to judge the strength of the teams. Then, use live betting odds accordingly to best effect.
eSports Live Betting Pros
eSports live betting and pre-game betting can be very different. Here are the pros of live eSports betting:
- You’re Betting on the “Now”. Pre-match, you may have to do lots of research. Live betting on the other hand allows you to ignore previous form and stats. You can simply see how a team is doing right now and bet on their play accordingly.
- You Can Hedge Your Bets. This means that you place different bets, potentially guaranteeing you a profit or at least a return. You may have bet on a team before the match at certain odds, but then during the game you spot a different opportunity. There is nothing to stop you using live eSports betting to change your mind and place a different bet.
- You Can Effectively Cancel Your Bet. Similar to the above, you can place a live bet to essentially knock out our pre-game wager. If you have placed bets before a game but believe you now may lose, you can use live betting to wager again in order to break even.
eSports Live Betting Cons
As with everything, for each plus regarding live eSports betting there is a negative. Watch out for these potential banana skins when taking part:
- You Can Be Tempted to Go on a Roll! When you successfully place live bets, you can end up with some quick profit. It’s always tempting then to keep betting. Once you’re ahead for the day, keep that profit and move on without losing and needing to make another deposit.
- You Need to Bet Quickly. You may spot some great value odds with your live eSports betting, but you won’t have long to act before these odds disappear. Research is not an option, so you’ll need to use instinct and be prepared to place bets very quickly.
- Your Betting Options Shrink. Pre-game, there is a whole host of things to bet on. Those betting markets naturally have to shrink as the play continues.
Conclusion
Whether you’re betting on CSGO, Dota 2, League of Legends or Rocket League, live eSports betting is exciting.
Live streaming helps you even more in terms of making an informed bet. This is something the best eSports betting sites can offer.
Remember to collect your deposit bonus before you bet live. If you deposit with PayPal rather than Mastercard, just be aware that your bonus may not count.
FAQ
Here you’ll find your top questions answered by our eSports live betting guide.
Live betting or ‘in-play’ betting means making bets while an event is playing out. After an event has started, such as a football game, cricket match or eSports game, you can place bets during the contest. This is best for those who like to see how a game has started and is often accompanied by live streaming.
Yes. eSports betting sites are perfectly legal. eSports live betting is usually offered by the best bookmaking sites alongside other sports.
In some cases, yes. Those with good knowledge of eSports can make more informed bets. Check out our tips on eSports live betting before taking any odds.
