Esports Betting: Things to Know Before You Place the Bet

Esports betting is one of the rapidly-growing markets of modern online entertainment and it seems to get even bigger with years. The reasons for it are many: betting on esports is a convenient pastime for those who like gaming (or observing it) regardless of one’s location, it can be done for real money, and it doesn’t matter what device you use. However, it’s hard to find good esports betting providers to enjoy the process and have no fear of being fooled. This review will show what to look for when trying esports betting and suggest reliable esports betting USA friendly websites to start with. Before that, let’s cover what is meant under betting on esports.

What is esports betting?

With such a vast array of choices, we understand that eSports bettors have a hard time finding the right place to gamble with their real money on online tournaments. Therefore, we decided to help both newcomers and experienced gamers and bettors to make a correct choice, by reviewing the best eSport sites available worldwide and comparing them based on several criteria. As a result, we came up with a comprehensive list of eSports sites, which we regularly update, where users can enjoy safe and prosperous online betting.

When it comes to evaluating the betting sites, we consider a number of criteria.

What Makes a Good Esports Betting Provider?

License and regulations of a reputable authority

Seal from an independent testing agency (i.e. eCOGRA)

Variety of payment options

Variety of games

Years active

Low wagering requirements, generous bonuses, loyalty program

Positive reviews from real players, on-site and on the independent review blogs

What Games Can You Bet at?

By a number of players:

Individual games (esports gaming bets are placed on a particular player who can compete against other players or machine)

Team on Team (esport gaming betting takes place during a team competition)

By eSports Categories

Regular esports gaming bets (bets are placed when real matches take place)

Fantasy Esports (when esports betting sites create a platform to you compete against other players rather than the bookmaker)

Skins Betting (to compete for virtual currency one can use in a game)

E-sports competitions (a player wagers on game outcomes he/she participates in)

Esport Gaming Betting Options

There are many options for gamers to participate in any type of betting, and some titles are known even for those who never played videogames even for fun. These are the most common:

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO)

League of Legends (LoL)

Defense of the Ancients (Dota 2)

Starcraft 2

Call of Duty

Smite

Hearthstone

Rocket League

Is Esports Betting Legal in the US?

Just like the whole legal system in the States, this is a far more complex question than it should be. Because the country is run on both state and federal laws, the issue is not whether it’s legal or illegal but where it’s not forbidden. For instance, there is one state, Indiana, where there is no such thing as “legal esports betting” as the state laws explicitly and specifically forbid it. So is betting on esports legal in the USA and how one can check it?

First, there is no federal law explicitly mentioning it illegal or forbidding it, which gave way for every state to decide its status as they see best. Here is the list of the states who have made some clear opinion on whether illegal or legal esports betting (standard betting) is.

Illegal

Indiana

Legal

Nevada, New Jersey, Tennessee, West Virginia

Unclear

Washington DC, Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, New Mexico, Montana, Mississipi, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania

How to Check Eligibility?

The simplest option is by trying to access the esports bookie website using your current location on your laptop, tablet or smartphone. If you can proceed with signing up – bingo, you can pick and choose gamers to place the bets or play to win on your own. After you verify your identity and age, of course.

What Age Should I Be to Bet on Esports?

Esports betting is available for those who are 18 or older at the moment of registration. You can be asked to provide a photo ID copy issued by the state authority (passport or driving license will do) and a residency proof: utility bill or letter from a bank with an address and your name on it. Only then you can bet on esports rest assured you don’t walk the line of any law.

Best US Bookmaker Site for Esports: a How-to-Choose Guide

Before making esport bets for any game or player, it’s important to find the most reliable and fair esports bookmakers for several reasons. First, playing at the scams can cost you a lot of money, which will never be returned whatsoever. Second, you risk letting all your financial and personal information out to the web if the esports betting provider doesn’t pay proper attention to secure your transactions. Our testers worked hard to collect the list of the most trusted esports bookmakers, so any trademark/brand you come across here is carefully reviewed according to the main criteria, and we hope you’ll take this guide into consideration:

Its legal status. Majority of the bookmakers operating in the USA hold their licenses from reputable gaming authorities like Malta Gaming Authority (BetWay), Isle of Man Gambling Supervising Commission (Unikrn), Curacao (BuffBet, MyBookie), Republic of Panama (BetOnline), Costa Rica (BetDSI). We don’t recommend making any esport bets at those who don’t have a seal or clause in their T&Cs about their license and regulating authority.

SSL-encrypted transactions. This is easy to check as usually, they have a link-based badge at the bottom saying that all financial operations regardless of banking options are secured by technology that prevents any third party involvement. NB. All esports betting websites that have an “eCOGRA certified” icon (like BetWay) are tested for SSL-encrypted protocols while making transactions.

Types of payment. The more options the provider gives for you to place esport bets, the more trust it should evoke. However, you should definitely check if it allows worldwide operators like Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, and others.

Can I Trust the Esports Bookmakers?

That’s a good question, and to answer that you need to make a checklist of those points we’ve mentioned above. If esports bookmakers are licensed and legal if their software was tested for RNG, they have fair odds, secure payments, and have good reviews from real players, then you can rest assured these bookmakers are nothing more than a betting platform for you to test your luck.

Top Safest Betting Sites Esports

With many providers on the Internet, it’s hard to pick and choose one, let alone run tests or read the reviews from the independent sources. The esports betting providers below are the ones that we consider the most reliable according to the software they use, legal information, wagering requirements, and odds.

Unikrn

BetDSI

BetOnline

Betway

How to Deposit to Bet on Esports?

Credit/Debit cards (Visa, Visa Electron, MasterCard, Maestro, American Express)

Web-wallets (Skrill, Neteller, PayPal, EcoPayz, QIWI wallet, Yandex, etc)

Direct Bank Transfers (DBT)

Electronic checks (e-Check)

Wire banking

Crypto wallets (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, etc)

Prepaid cards (Paysafecard)

How to send money to bet on esports?

Create a real account on a bookmaker’s website, fill all information needed, prove you are of legal age and resident of the allowed territory > Choose a game/team/member to wager on > indicate the amount you want to bet on esports > choose payment method > confirm your transaction in pop-up window > win as they play.

P.S Sometimes providers can process withdrawal by the same method the deposit was made, so make sure you check this before you upload money.

Can You Use Bitcoin (BTC) to Wager on Esports?

While esports wagering uses regular currency more often, more and more providers allow bet bitcoin on esports or other cryptos. You can place esports wagering using your mobile device as well.

Other Methods for Esports Bet Deposits

You can also bet real money on esports with having your deposit processed by a provider’s call center (like at BetOnline) or bet money on esports using short SMS codes. No wagering on credit money is allowed.

Withdrawal Options

Credit/Debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, rare – Maestro)

Web-wallets (Skrill, Neteller, PayPal, EcoPayz, QIWI wallet, Yandex, etc)

Direct Bank Transfers (DBT)

Wire banking

Crypto wallets (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, etc)

Esports Online Betting: Bonuses and Rewards

When you’ve decided to try betting on esports online, one of the most important things to know is how one provider is different from others in terms of the bonus system. Some esports betting websites have VIP clubs and seasonal perks for their players (like Risk-free $20 bet at MyBookie), other esports online betting platforms have great welcome bonuses (like 100EUR Welcome offer at BuffBet), yet there are providers who don’t have any welcome bonus at this time (Unikrn). Esports online bet can also grant you free bets for consistent play or logging back or the in-site currency you can spend while betting on esports online at a particular provider (Unicoins from Unikrn). Normally, the bonus systems of the e-sport bookmaker platforms that deal with betting on esports online are somewhat less diverse as it is at the online casinos.

Esports Betting Websites for the United States

The United States esports betting market is the second-largest in the world, which makes it understood why there are so many websites to allow betting on esports matches in USA. There is, however, something that unites them all.

Odds Format Options

American, Decimal or Fractional – the USA esports betting allows you to adjust to the format you are used to without changing the odds.

American Esports Betting on Mobile Devices

It’s not only the desktop you can wager – the United States esports betting is also available on the go. Many esports betting USA websites come with mobile versions or apps for you to upload it or view a game from iOS, Android, or Windows-powered devices.

How Many People Are Betting on Esports?

According to recent stats, esports betting is most popular with the Asians, then comes the American market, Europe, and other countries. Because betting on esports grows its popularity each day, more countries and states are reconsidering their esports betting regulations, and as the case with Unikrn showed, it’s possible to comply with the legal issues, organize tournaments, and let people bet on esports outcomes.