Updated: January 3, 2023
Bitcoin eSports Betting: Top Sportsbooks, Bonuses and More
Cryptocurrency and eSports are a match made in heaven. With buzzing communities and a flair for innovation, it’s no wonder so many eSports fans choose to bet using crypto.
Are you a Dota 2 enthusiast or League of Legends aficionado? You’re in luck!
This is your one-stop destination for everything you need to know about Bitcoin eSports betting.
In this guide:
- We will show you the best Bitcoin sportsbooks to bet on eSports in 2023
- We’ll take an in-depth look into each provider, comparing the top-rated options on the market
- We will also discuss the most popular eSports you will find on Bitcoin sportsbooks and how to bet on them
Ready? Let’s jump right into the best Bitcoin gambling options:
Best Bitcoin eSports Betting Sites: Quick Picks
In a time crunch? Here are our three favorite Bitcoin sportsbooks for eSports betting:
- Thunderpick: The Best Overall eSports Bitcoin Sportsbook
- Stake.com: The Best eSports Bonuses
- Cloudbet: The Most Well-Established Sportsbook
Check them out today:
Now, let’s take a closer look at each of these Bitcoin sportsbooks and see what sets them apart from the competition.
Why These Sportsbooks?
When it comes to eSports betting with Bitcoin, there are plenty of options out there. So, what makes these three Bitcoin sportsbooks the best of the best?
Well, for starters, all three of these sportsbooks offer a wide range of eSports markets. From Dota 2 to Overwatch, you’ll find all of your favorite games covered.
What’s more, they also have some of the most competitive odds in the industry.
Just like crypto casinos can afford super low house edges, Bitcoin sportsbooks also enjoy lower overhead costs – translating into better odds for you. Whether you’re betting on the outcome of a match or trying to predict the next map, you can be sure that you’re getting a fair price.
Finally, these sportsbooks also offer a variety of bonuses and promotions to help you get started. Do you prefer a deposit bonus, free bets, or a unique VIP experience? Good news – crypto sportsbooks can offer all of these and then some more.
Now, let’s break down each of our top picks and explore what it has to offer:
Thunderpick: The Best Overall eSports Bitcoin Sportsbook
First on our list, Thunderpick is a stellar crypto bookie with a knack for eSports betting.
What separates Thunderpick from the competition is truly their focus on eSports – they have the largest number of markets and games covered, and they also offer very competitive odds.
In terms of user interface, the site is modern and easy to navigate. You can find the odds for each match easily, and they also provide a handy match tracker so you can follow the action live.
Thunderpick also offers a decent bonuses and promotions for both new and existing players. There is even a weekly eSports quiz where you can win some juicy rewards.
Stake: The Best Sports Betting Bonuses
Not only is Stake one of our favorite casinos, but it’s also one of the best Bitcoin sportsbooks in terms of sports-specific bonuses.
We are happy to report that Stake offers frequent promos on both sports bets and the casino. Their daily races can earn you a share of $100,000 prize pools, while the special events keep you excited about upcoming matches. Keep an eye on their players’ forum for the latest offers.
This sportsbook offers multiple eSports markets, including all of your favorites like Dota 2, Counter-Strike, and League of Legends. What’s more, the odds are competitive and the user interface is easy to use.
Finally, Stake is also one of the most reputable sportsbooks in the industry. They are licensed by the Curacao eGaming Authority and have a solid reputation online.
So, if you’re looking for a safe and reliable place to bet on eSports with Bitcoin, Stake is a great option.
Cloudbet: The Most Well-Established Sportsbook
While Cloudbet doesn’t offer as many eSports options as Thunderpick or as nice a bonus scheme as Stake, they have one major perk going on for them:
Reputation
With nearly a decade in the game, Cloudbet is one of the longest-running and most respected names in Bitcoin sports betting. If you’re looking for a reliable and trustworthy sportsbook, Cloudbet is the way to go.
How to Get Started With eSports Betting (Even as a Complete Beginner)
As eSports grow in importance and viewership, eSports betting becomes more and more mainstream. Whether you’re a recreational Dota2 player looking to wager on their favorite team or a sports betting fan, exploring new markets, here is how you get started with Bitcoin eSports betting:
- Create a cryptocurrency wallet.
Your crypto wallet is like a physical one – this is where your money goes. We have a guide on choosing the best Bitcoin wallet for online gambling with tips to help you pick out the best option. - Buy Bitcoin.
Next, go to an exchange like Binance or Kraken and deposit some fiat money. Then, use the fiat to buy BTC. - Transfer your Bitcoin to the wallet.
Your BTC wallet has a unique address that you can use for transactions. Go to the withdrawals section of the exchange to transfer the Bitcoin from the platform to your wallet. - Pick out a crypto eSports bookie.
Our top three options include Thunderpick, Cloudbet, and Stake, but you can shop around to find the best sportsbook for you. - Deposit Bitcoin into the eSports gambling site.
Again, you’ll get a wallet address (for the bookie’s wallet). Use that to transfer funds into your profile. - Place your bets.
- Withdraw back to your wallet.
When it’s time to cash out, the withdrawal goes to your original wallet.
And there you have it – it really is as easy as 1-2-3 (…4-5-6)!
Now, let’s talk about betting on specific eSports and what makes a good sportsbook for each of them:
Dota 2 Sports Betting
Dota 2 is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video game developed and published by Valve Corporation.
The game is a sequel to Defense of the Ancients (DotA) – hence the two – and it’s one of the most popular MOBAs in the world. It’s also among the eSports receiving the largest number of bets in the world.
Dota 2 matches are typically played between two teams of five players, with each player controlling a “Hero” character with unique abilities.
The objective of the game is to destroy the enemy team’s “Ancient” – a large structure located in their base.
Dota 2 betting works in a similar way to traditional sports betting. You can bet on the outcome of matches, and also on props such as which team will get the first blood, or which player will get the most kills.
Dota 2 Betting Markets
The most popular betting markets for Dota 2 include:
- Moneyline where you bet on who wins the game
- Total Maps, referring to the number of rounds
- Exact Score, which tends to have juicier odds than Moneyline (but you’re also risking far more)
- Map Handicap, in which the “advantage” that the bookie offers is giving an extra map (or more than one map) to a specific team
With some bookmakers, you can also bet on specific events within each map – for example, which team will take down the first Roshan, or which team will destroy the first tower.
How to Bet on Dota 2
Before you start betting on Dota 2, you need to understand how the game works. Pay attention to the Heroes each team selects, keep up with the characters most chosen (DotaBuff helps a lot here) and study the teams to understand their style.
While it’s not necessary to know how to play the game to bet on it, it definitely helps. The better you understand the game, the better your chances of winning bets.
Check out the range of Dota2 markets on Stake:
CS:GO Sports Betting
Another one of the top three most popular games to bet on is CS:GO. The Counter Strike franchise was initially launched in 1999 and has only grown in popularity over the years. The franchise has come a long way since the early days and it’s currently one of the major eSports games out there.
CS:GO betting can be quite profitable if you know what you are doing. Here is what you need to know about gambling on the game:
CS:GO Betting Markets
The major betting markets for CS:GO include:
- Match-Up Winner – pick the team that you think will win the match and keep your fingers crossed
- Correct Score – since matches are best-of-two, best-of-three, or best-of-five, you can use this option to bet on the specific score; you can also wager on the number of rounds overall.
- Handicaps – CS:GO’s rules give ample space for handicaps. Use them to add bonus rounds to a team, shifting the odds in the direction you choose.
- Draw No Bet – this option protects you from losing your bet if a tie happens in a best-of-two series. If there is no winner, you get your money back.
- Pistol Round Winner – the first and second round are “pistol rounds” where teams have a very limited budget, which makes them an exciting period of the game to bet on.
Check out CS:GO markets at Cloudbet, one of our favorite eSports betting providers:
League of Legends Sports Betting
Last but oh-so-not-least, LoL is another incredibly popular eSport with a massive global following.
Just like with CS:GO and Dota 2, there are plenty of tournaments and leagues to bet on when it comes to LoL – including the LCS (League of Legends Championship Series) in North America, the League of Legends European Championship (LEC), and the rest of the regional leagues supported by Riot Games.
But League of Legends is also unique in that it has the World Championship, which is the pinnacle event for the game and takes place once a year (and has a prize pool of over $2 million)
League of Legends Betting Markets
As with the other games on this list, you can bet on who you think will win outright, but there are tons of other options, too.
Here are the major markets to know about:
- Map Winner – the most popular (if a little basic) market is where you try to predict which team wins which map.
- Correct Match Score – this is where you usually find the best odds, but predicting the results can be tricky business. We usually only use Correct Match Score bets if we’re very well-informed about the teams playing, as performance tracking plays a major role in correctly predicting these scores.
- Total Maps Played Over/Under – for this market, you bet on the total number of maps played in the match. For Bo5 games, you can bet up to 4.5, whereas Bo3 are limited to 2.5.
- Number of Kills is where you bet on how many kills the teams get on each map
- First to Reach 5 Kills is another self-explanatory market where you guess which team will get to five kills first.
There are a number of other specials markets to try out with League of Legends. For example, you can bet on Quadrakills (will one of the teams have a player achieving four kills), Dragon Type (where you bet on which type of dragon appears in the match), First Blood, First Baron (the first team to eliminate Baron Nashor after he spawns), etc.
You can bet on all the standard and special League of Legends markets at Thunderpick:
How to Make the Most of Bitcoin eSports Betting Sites?
Variety is the best thing about eSports betting. With a range of special markets and an ever-growing list of games to bet on, you can always find a market that interests you.
In this section, we’re looking at the most important tips to help you get the most of your eSports betting efforts:
Understand Main and Specials Markets
There are four main markets you can usually bet on with eSports. Beyond that, specials markets allow you to wager on unique, game-specific events like First Kill or Map Winner.
If you’re still new to eSports betting, we suggest you start out with the traditional markets. They are:
- Moneyline.
This is the simplest option out there – you bet on who will win the game. Much like with other sports, the odds reflect how likely the bookmaker thinks it is that the competitor or team will win the race.
With eSports, you’ll often see major differences between odds. This is especially common in smaller events, where some teams or individual players are much better than their opponents. - Handicap
This market is designed to even the playing field and make betting more interesting. With a handicap, the bookmaker will give one team or player a virtual head start.
For example, if Team A is playing Team B and Team A is the clear favorite, the bookmaker might give Team B a +1.5 handicap. This means that for you to win your bet, Team B must not only win, but they must win by two or more goals.
The specific way in which handicap bets work in eSports depends on the game. In FIFA, for example, it’s very similar to a regular game of soccer. With Dota 2, on the other hand, it usually relates to how many maps the teams have conquered. - Total
With this market, you bet on a total number of goals (FIFA), kills (League of Legends or Dota 2), rounds (CS:GO), etc. You’re essentially predicting whether the overall number will be over or under the line set by the bookmaker. Not all bookies offer this type of eSports betting, though, so shop around to find the best one for you. - Proposition Bets
With proposition (or prop) bets, you’re betting on whether a certain event happens during the game. You can bet on anything from the first team to get a kill to how many maps will be played.
Proposition bets are usually available for the bigger tournaments and they add an extra layer of excitement to watching the game.
What about special markets?
Special markets are special because they’re specific to the game you’re gambling on. For example, if you’re betting on Dota 2, you can try to predict:
- Which team will get the first kill?
- Who will kill the first Roshan?
- How many Roshans will be defeated?
- Which team takes the first tower?
- … etc
The number of special markets available varies from bookmaker to bookmaker and from game to game. If you’re looking for something specific, your best bet (no pun intended) is to go to Thunderpick, which has an amazing selection of special markets for all the popular games.
Keep Up With the Game You’re Playing
Gambling is about trying to predict the outcome of a game. Whether it’s FIFA, CS:GO or Dota 2, the better you know the eSport, the better your chances of developping a winning Bitcoin eSports betting strategy.
eSports is a young industry and is constantly growing.
New tournaments, teams, and players seem to appear out of nowhere all the time. If you’re not keeping up with the scene, you’re at a disadvantage.
Gaming streamers are a great place to start – people like Admiral Bulldog for Dota 2 or Faker for League of Legends. Of course, nothing can replace being a fan and playing the game yourself – this is how you truly get to know the eSport through and through.
eSports Betting Legality and VPNs
Depending on where you live, some bookmakers may not be available to you – simply because they aren’t licensed in your area. In that case, some people choose to use a VPN service to access offshore betting sites.
While this can help you circumvent geo-restrictions, however, it’s also important to remember that gambling with a VPN is still technically illegal in some countries. If you do choose to go this route, make sure you’re familiar with the laws in your area.
Read up on the bookies’ Terms & Conditions, too.
Some sites will let you sign up without asking for ID verification, but run a Know-Your-Customer (KYC) check when you try to withdraw money. This can cause delays, so it’s always best to be prepared in advance.
Misleading the sportsbook about your location can get you banned and your funds blocked. This is why we only recommend VPNs as a way to protect your privacy – not to help you commit fraud.
Final Thoughts
The key to making the most of your eSports betting is to shop around for the best odds. Different bookmakers offer different odds on the same markets, so it pays to compare.
It’s also important to remember that odds can change quickly, so it’s worth checking multiple times before you place your bet. This way you can be sure that you’re getting the best possible price.
Don’t forget to take advantage of bonuses and promotions. Many bookmakers offer special deals for eSports bettors, so it’s best to explore a bit to see what the best option is for you.
And, if in doubt, check out one of our top picks:
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