The rise of esports has not only revolutionized how we watch competitive gaming but also how we wager on it. From humble beginnings with informal skin bets among friends, the market for real-money esports betting has matured into a multi-billion-dollar industry. Watching a tournament live feels more thrilling when there’s something riding on the outcome, and that excitement has drawn a growing number of bettors to major esports spectacles.
Esports titles vary in their betting appeal, but a handful of games consistently dominate the wagering landscape. Tactical shooters and MOBAs lead the pack: Counter-Strike 2 regularly accounts for more than half of all esports betting turnover, while League of Legends and Dota 2 vie for the next largest share. Emerging titles like Valorant are quickly elevating their status, offering fresh markets and attracting younger audiences eager to place live bets .
For many UK-based bettors, finding a reliable platform is crucial to enjoying these markets. I’ve tested dozens of bookmakers over the last year, and time and again I return to the best betting sites UK because they offer deep esports coverage, competitive odds, and fast withdrawals—essentials when you want to react quickly to in-play swings.
League of Legends World Championship
When Riot Games launched its first World Championship in 2011, few imagined it would become the crown jewel of esports betting. The 2024 Worlds tournament shattered all records, peaking at 6.94 million concurrent viewers and accumulating just under 191 million hours watched over 109 hours of competition . Those staggering viewership numbers translate directly into betting volume: Worlds accounts for nearly two-thirds of all League of Legends wagers each season.
What makes Worlds so bet-worthy isn’t just the global scale but the depth of its markets. Bettors can wager on which region’s team will claim the Summoner’s Cup, predict first blood and first tower, or even bet on the total kills in a best-of-five series. In my own experience, live betting on dragon kills has yielded better value than pre-match odds, since dragon control often shifts based on draft picks and in-game momentum.
Counter-Strike 2 Majors
Counter-Strike’s status as a betting juggernaut is rooted in its long history of high-stakes tournaments. In 2024, ESL Pro League led all events with 14% of total esports bets in Q3, followed closely by BLAST Premier at 13% and the Intel Extreme Masters Cologne at 9% . These Majors feature best-of-three or best-of-five matchups across multiple maps, allowing for nuanced wagers on map handicaps, round totals, and pistol-round outcomes.
One memorable weekend for me was the PGL Major Copenhagen, where I backed an underdog team at +2.5 map handicap. Watching them claw back through OT rounds to cover the spread was electrifying, and it underscored how map handicaps can offer superior value when you’ve done your homework on team tendencies and map pool strengths.
Dota 2’s The International and Annual Circuit
Valve’s Dota 2 scene peaks each August with The International (TI), famed for its record-breaking prize pools and dramatic storylines. While exact betting figures for TI are proprietary, it regularly ranks among the top three most-bet-on events each year. In Q3 2024, smaller tournaments like DreamLeague and PGL’s fall events combined for 5% of all esports wagers, but TI alone commands a far larger slice due to its viewer frenzy and unpredictable draft strategies .
Beyond TI, regional leagues in China and Europe—such as the ESL One series—offer frequent betting windows with similar markets to Live King of the Hill, including bets on first Roshan kill and game duration. Veteran bettors often track hero pick rates and patch win rates to find edges in these markets, turning Dota’s immense strategic depth into wagering opportunities.
Valorant Champions Tour: The New Challenger
Riot’s tactical shooter Valorant has exploded in popularity since its 2020 debut. The Valorant Champions Tour (VCT), culminating in the Valorant Champions world final, saw peak concurrent viewership of 1.4 million and nearly 47 million hours watched in 2024—nearly on par with some established MOBAs Esports Insider. Although Valorant’s outright betting share is still smaller than CS2 or LoL, its rapid growth and youthful audience make it one of the fastest-rising markets for esports bets.
Live betting on VCT matches offers a unique thrill, especially around trending strategies like Operator-only halves or default-push rounds. I’ve found that in-play line movements often lag behind the actual state of the map, providing savvy bettors with profitable inroads when they watch pro streams and pick up on shifting team momentum ahead of the sportsbooks.
Other Events Drawing Significant Wagers
While LoL Worlds, CS2 Majors, Dota 2’s TI, and VCT hold the crown for highest betting turnover, other leagues also command dedicated followings. The Overwatch League playoffs draw robust betting pools in Asia, and the Call of Duty League’s majors see spikes around new title releases. Rocket League Championship Series and Rainbow Six Siege Six Invitational round out a diverse ecosystem of niche events where specialized market knowledge can pay dividends for early adopters.
Even smaller regional competitions—like South Korea’s LCK Spring split or China’s LPL Summer playoffs—can attract 2 to 3 percent of global esports bets during peak weeks . That makes them fertile ground for bettors willing to study regional metas and capitalize on language-barrier inefficiencies in odds-making.
Factors Driving Betting Volume
Several common threads link the most-bet-on esports events:
Massive Viewership: Events with viewership in the millions naturally draw higher betting interest.
Varied Markets: Tournaments that offer a breadth of prop bets—first kill, map handicaps, total rounds—engage both casual punters and sharp bettors.
Storylines and Rivalries: Intense team rivalries, underdog runs, and star player narratives create emotional investment that often translates into betting action.
Frequent Scheduling: Leagues with regular seasonal play (like Pro League and VCT) keep bettors engaged year-round, boosting cumulative handle.
Understanding these drivers helps explain why certain events dominate: they check all these boxes.
Tips for Bettors: Making Informed Wagers
Through years of betting on esports, I’ve learned that research is king. Start by analyzing head-to-head records, recent patch impacts, and matchup histories. Don’t neglect the importance of sample size: a dominant team in Bo1 matches can struggle in Bo3 or Bo5 settings. Line shopping—comparing odds across multiple bookmakers—can improve your ROI by 5–10% over the long run.
Live betting requires quick reflexes and reliable streaming. I use second-screen apps to monitor live stats and commentary, which often reveal momentum shifts before sportsbooks adjust their lines. Sticking to familiar titles and events where you’ve developed expertise helps avoid the pitfalls of overextending into unknown tournaments.
Choosing Your Bookmaker Wisely
When you’re ready to place a wager, picking a reputable bookmaker is paramount. Look for operators licensed by respected gaming authorities, with transparent terms and rapid withdrawals. Market depth and competitive odds on niche prop bets are hallmarks of a top-tier sportsbook. I gauge a site’s quality by how narrow its spreads are on live totals and by the variety of exotic props it offers for big events.
Responsible Betting
Esports betting can be exhilarating, but it carries risks. Always set a budget and stick to it—never chase losses. Use self-exclusion tools and set deposit limits if you find yourself overindulging. Remember that even the best-researched bets can lose; focus on long-term profitability rather than single-match outcomes.
Esports betting offers a thrilling way to enhance your viewing experience, but success requires discipline and informed strategy. By targeting marquee events like League of Legends Worlds, Counter-Strike Majors, Dota 2’s The International, and Valorant Champions Tour, and by leveraging data-driven insights, you can engage with the action while managing risk responsibly.
