The Best eSports Betting Sites Compared
Bookmaker | Our Rating | Best For | CS2 | LoL | Live Betting | Welcome Offer | Review |
|---|
Midnite | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Best Overall | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets | Read Review |
Betway | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Counter-Strike 2 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bet Tokens | Read Review |
bet365 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Live Betting | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Bet £10 Get £30 in Bet Credits | Read Review |
BetVictor | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ | Competitive Odds | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets | Read Review |
Betano | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ | Tournament Outright Winner | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Bet £10 Get 3x Boost Tokens + 2x £10 Free Bets | Read Review |
Parimatch | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ | Dota 2 Betting | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Bet £10 Get £20 in Free Bets | Read Review |
NetBet | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ | League of Legends | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Bet £10 Get £20 in Free Bets | Read Review |
Betfred | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ | Value Betting | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Bet £10 Get £50 in Free Bets | Read Review |
Paddy Power | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ | Promotions | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Bet £5 Get £40 in Free Bets | Read Review |
CopyBet | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ | Alternative Betting | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Bet £20 Get £20 Free Bet | Read Review |
Best eSports Betting Sites by Category
Here's where we think each bookmaker does best.
Category | Winner | Why We Selected It |
|---|
Best Overall eSports Betting Site | Midnite | Excellent coverage of esports, competitive odds and one of the best specialist betting sites. |
Best Counter-Strike 2 Betting | Betway | Impressive tournament coverage, plenty of markets and excellent for live betting. |
Best League of Legends Betting | NetBet | Impressive market depth and competitive odds, especially for major LoL competitions. |
Best Dota 2 Betting | Parimatch | Solid Dota 2 coverage with excellent outright and live markets. |
Best Valorant Betting | Midnite | Superb tournament coverage and smooth live betting on major events. |
Best Live Betting | bet365 | Quickly updated odds, responsive and decent in-play markets. |
Best eSports Betting App | Midnite | Modern, intuitive navigation and excellent for mobile betting. |
Best Welcome Offer | Betfred | One of the best welcome bonuses currently in the industry. |
Best Competitive Odds | BetVictor | Lots of competitive prices for the biggest esports tournaments. |
Best New eSports Bookmaker | Betano | Modern sportsbook with plenty of eSports betting options and regular odds boosts. |
Popular eSports Betting Markets
The most popular esports betting markets at the best betting sites are:
Match Winner
Match betting is the most popular of all betting markets. You're just betting on which team or player you think will win the match overall.
Map Winner
Lots of esports matches are played across various maps - and instead of betting on the overall winner, you can bet on which team you think will win a specific map. This is a particularly popular option in CS2 and Valorant.
Correct Score
You just have to predict the exact match result, such as 2-0, 2-1 or 3-2… tougher than a simple match winner, but for much bigger payouts.
Handicap Betting
This gives one team a virtual advantage or disadvantage to help even it out if there’s a big favourite.
Total Maps
Instead of trying to pick the winner, you need to predict how many maps you think will be played during the match. Markets like Over 2.5 Maps are common when it’s a best-of-three competition.
Player Performance Markets
Top eSports sites offer player props bets - like total kills, assists, headshots or first kills. They’re always popular in Counter-Strike 2 tournaments.
Tournament Winner
Who do you think will win the entire competition? You can bet before the event begins, but they’ll remain open throughout the tournament with prices and odds changing after every round.
Live eSports Betting
Live or in-play betting is hugely popular in esports betting. Odds are constantly updated, so you can react to momentum swings, tactical pauses and kills, etc.
Major eSports Tournaments
The top eSports bookmakers will provide decent coverage of all the top tournaments.
Game | Major Tournaments | Popular Markets |
|---|
Counter-Strike 2 | BLAST Premier, IEM Katowice, PGL Major | Match Winner, Map Winner, Total Maps, Player Kills |
League of Legends | World Championship, MSI, LEC, LCK | Match Winner, Handicap, First Blood, Total Maps |
Valorant | Champions Tour, Masters | Match Winner, Correct Score, Total Rounds |
Dota 2 | The International, DreamLeague | Match Winner, Handicap, Tournament Winner |
Rocket League | RLCS World Championship | Match Winner, Correct Score |
Call of Duty | CDL Championship | Match Winner, Map Betting |
Rainbow Six Siege | Six Invitational | Match Winner, Handicap |
Apex Legends | ALGS Championship | Tournament Winner, Outright Markets |
Overwatch | Overwatch Champions Series | Match Winner, Map Betting |
StarCraft II | ESL Pro Tour | Match Winner, Tournament Winner |
The Main eSports to Bet On
Counter-Strike 2 (CS2): CS2 is a major title in the first-person shooter (FPS) category.
Dota 2 (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena - MOBA): Dota 2 is the third most popular Esport in the world.
Valorant (Tactical FPS): Valorant has quickly become a popular Esport since its release.
League of Legends (MOBA): One of the world's biggest esports, attracting millions through its regional leagues and the famous annual World Championship.
Overwatch 2 (Hero FPS): Overwatch 2 is Blizzard's primary Esport game now.
Call of Duty (FPS): A popular first-person shooter with a huge competitive esports scene.
Rocket League (Sports/ Vehicular football): A fast-growing esport that combines football and driving... perfect for live betting.
Rainbow Six Siege (Tactical FPS): Has regular international tournaments and an ever-expanding betting audience.
Apex Legends (Battle Royale/ Hero FPS): Featuring major global championships.
StarCraft II (Real-Time Strategy RTS): One of the originals, with a well-established history and dedicated fans.
Odds in esports betting are often displayed as fractions in the UK.
How We Test & Rate eSports Betting Sites
At MaxFreeBets, our experienced team tests each eSports betting site using the same criteria. We’ve looked at 40+ online sportsbooks, spent 500+ hours reviewing them and placed real-money bets on major esports events using verified accounts.
And it’s not just promotions we look at. We focus on the whole betting experience:
The number of eSports markets
The quality and generosity of the eSports odds
The speed of live betting.
The mobile app design.
The generosity and fairness of welcome offers. Promotions should always be examined for wagering requirements and expiration dates.
The other sports betting options - i.e. horse racing, football, tennis, basketball, virtual sports and other traditional sports.
The payment methods available - debit cards, Apple Pay, PayPal and speed of withdrawals.
Its safety, security and licensing.
The availability and helpfulness of customer support and the overall user experience.
eSports Betting Tips
If you are new to eSports gambling… or you lack confidence and aren’t sure how to get the best experience, here are some top tips and strategies:
Compare the odds on different sites first.
Learn the strengths and rules of each game and how the different betting markets work.
Look at the form of the teams and players, roster changes and head-to-heads before you pick your winner.
Use betting bonuses to maximise your bankroll - if they actually provide value.
Use live betting with care - as odds can change a lot during the match.
Check for details on instant banking, minimum withdrawal amounts and processing times.
Manage your bankroll carefully, don’t chase losses and bet responsibly.
Are eSports Betting Sites Safe?
Absolutely - as long as you opt for a recommended, UKGC-licensed site. Before you open an account, to keep yourself safe, you should:
Verify the bookmaker's licence yourself on the UKGC public register.
Only sign up with a reputable bookmaker that uses a secure connection.
See what responsible gambling tools it offers:
Use a safe, trusted payment option like debit cards, Apple Pay or PayPal if possible.
Read bonus T&Cs before you claim any offer.
Game-specific comparisons
Counter-Strike is the most-bet esport in the UK — see our dedicated CS:GO (CS2) betting sites comparison for its markets, the Major calendar and how to bet on it safely.