Best Esports Betting Sites 2021
Bet365 - Terms and conditions apply : Sports betting | Casino | Poker | Terms and conditions apply : William Hill - Sports | Casino | Poker | Vegas | Live Casino | T&Cs apply | Wagering and T&Cs apply | Commercial content | New Customers Only | 18+
There are hundreds of esports betting sites open to UK bettors, so how do you decide where to put your money? Let our ultimate comparison guide help you out. We assess everything from the latest esports sign up offers, and free bets through to the top betting apps, esports odds, and much more.
What are the Best Esports Betting Sites in the UK?
The best esports betting site is the one that strikes the right balance for you. Below, we’ve listed ten of the UK’s leading esports bookmakers. You can review the welcome bonus information and see which games they have to offer.
Betting Site | Bonus Info | Games | Claim Bonus |
---|---|---|---|
bet365 | New customer offer available on the website | Wide range of games available | |
18+, T&Cs apply | |||
Ladbrokes | Bet £5 Get £20 | Dota 2 League of Legends Counter-Strike:GO Overwatch Rainbow Six Call of Duty | |
18+ New UK+IRE customers. Paypal and certain deposit types and bet types excluded. Min £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4 x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days on sports, stake not returned, restrictions apply. T&Cs apply | |||
William Hill | Bet £10 Get £30 | Dota 2 League of Legends Counter-Strike: GO Overwatch Rainbow Six Call of Duty StarCraft King of Glory | |
18+. Play safe. New customers using Promo code H30 only, Min £10/€10 stake, min odds 1/2, free bets paid as 2 x £15/€15, free bets credited after settlement of first qualifying bet, free bets will expire 30 days after the qualifying bet is placed, payment method/player/country restrictions applySee full T&Cs | |||
Paddy Power | £20 Risk-Free Bet & Get £5 on Same Game Multi Bet | Dota 2 League of Legends Counter-Strike: GO Overwatch Rainbow Six Call of Duty StarCraft 2 FIFA | |
New customers only. Place your FIRST bet on any Sportsbook market and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund is £20. Only deposits made using Cards or Paypal will qualify. £5 Same Game Multi free bet will be available to claim from the promotions hub after the qualifying bet has been settled. T&Cs apply. | |||
Coral | Bet £5, Get £20 in free bets | Dota 2 League of Legends Counter-Strike: GO Overwatch Rainbow Six Call of Duty | |
18+ New Online UK+IRE players. Paypal & some deposit & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4 x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. No cashout, restrictions +T&Cs apply | |||
Betfair | Up to £100 in free bets | Dota 2 League of Legends Counter-Strike: GO Overwatch Rainbow Six Call of Duty StarCraft 2 FIFA | |
New customer offer. Place 5 x £10 or more bets to receive £20 in free bets. Repeat up to 5 times to receive maximum £100 bonus. Min odds 1/2 (1.5). Exchange bets excluded. T&Cs apply | |||
Betfred | Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets + 60 Free Spins | Dota 2 League of Legends Counter-Strike:GO Overwatch StarCraft | |
18+.New UK & NI customers only. promo code ‘SPORTS60’. Deposit & place first sports bet of £10+ in one bet transaction, at odds of Evens (2.0) +. settled within 60 days. First bet must be on Sports. £30 in Free Bets credited within 48 hours of bet settlement, 7-day expiry. Payment restrictions apply. SMS validation may be required. Max 60 Free Spins on Justice League Comics. 7-day expiry Full T&Cs apply | |||
Unibet | Up to £40 moneyback bonus on first bet + £10 casino bonus | Dota 2 League of Legends Counter-Strike:GO Overwatch Call of Duty StarCraft StarCraft 2 | |
18+ begambleaware.org. New customer only. Min deposit £10. Money back as bonus if first bet loses. Wagering requirements: sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), casino 35x. Unless forfeited the sportsbook bonus must be wagered before using the casino bonus. Bonus expires 7 days after opt-in. No deposit required for NI customers. Call 08081699314 to claim. Full T&Cs apply. | |||
Betway | £10 in Free Bets | Dota 2 League of Legends Counter-Strike: GO Overwatch Call of Duty StarCraft 2 StarCraft BroodWar King of Glory | |
New UK customers only. £10 Min Deposit. 100% matched free bet on your first deposit of £10. 1 x wagering at odds of 1.75+ to unlock Free Bets. Debit Card deposits only. This offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. Full Terms apply. 18+. BeGambleAware.org. Bet The Responsible Way. | |||
BetVictor | Bet £5 Get £30 | Dota 2 League of Legends Counter-Strike:GO Overwatch King of Glory Call of Duty StarCraft 2 | |
18+ New Customers only. Deposit, opt in and place a £5 qualifying bet at odds of 2.00 or greater within 7 days of opening a new account; excludes cashed out bets. Receive 2x £10 Free Sports Bets, valid on set events only at odds 2.00 or greater, expires in 7 days. Plus a £10 Game Show Bonus, selected games, wager 40x to withdraw a max of £250. T&Cs Apply. Please Gamble Responsibly. | |||
- What are the Best Esports Betting Sites in the UK?
- How we Picked our Best Online Bookmakers
- How Does Esports Betting Work?
- Current Events to Bet On
- Best Esport Welcome Bonus: Ladbrokes
- Best Esport Sportsbook: bet365
- Best Esport Mobile app: Betway
- Best Esport Odds: Betfair
- Best Online Esports Betting Sites in the UK – F.A.Q.
How we Picked our Best Online Bookmakers
There are several factors that you must consider when deciding on a bookmaker to bet with in order to improve your betting experience. Furthermore, individual esports bettors will rank these according to their personal preference.
For instance, some esports bettors want plenty of live esports betting for esports events, whereas another punter may value betting bonus and convenient payment methods as more important.
With that in mind, these are the criteria we used to hand-pick our list of top esports betting sites. Each of these brands has a proven track record, wide selection of esports markets and of course, they are licenced and regulated by esports gambling institutions. While we highly recommend those esports bookies, the choice of where to bet is entirely yours.
Betting Offers
All punters love a good offer. It could be a hefty welcome bonus, bonus codes favourable minimum odds or weekly esports free bets, for example. However, when selecting our top esports betting sites, we judged the site’s offers by how much value they give to punters, just like traditional sports betting works.
A good betting offer should give esports fan a sporting chance of making a profit. If the wagering requirements are too high, or there are other stipulations, such as strict payment options and a limited range of esports the offer may not be player-friendly. We’ve chosen esports bookies whose bonuses and promotions are fair, and the terms are straightforward.
Odds
Some players look beyond the bonus offers and head straight to the bookmaker’s margins and betting odds. The brands listed in the table offer competitive esports odds, so bettors are assured of getting a good value.
However, there is no one bookmaker that always offers the best esports odds for every match. Therefore, you should always compare a few esports betting sites to locate the highest value on your wagers.
Betting Markets
Successful esports bettors will always tell you that the secret to earning larger profits in esports gambling is by predicting ‘how’ a team will win, rather than just backing the esports match outcome. Hence, it’s important that the bookmaker provides good market depth, betting bonus, as well as betting options.
This is a vital criterion. For example, in LoL, we chose esports betting sites that offer markets for barons, towers, and inhibitors, as well as total dragons slain, race to #kills, and several others. This range of options means you can maximise your esports betting tips to secure the highest payouts.
Mobile App
Most esports bettors are millennials and generation Z. Also, these bettors prefer to bet via their mobile device. Therefore, a high-quality mobile app is required. Every brand on the list we’ve composed offers downloadable iOS and Android apps, as well as web-based mobile apps.
When looking at the apps for your favoured esports betting sites, you should read the reviews left by other users. These will help you find out the pros and cons so that you can pick the best one for you.
Live Streaming
Just having a bet is not enough in the modern era of sports betting entertainment. Punters also demand in-play wagering and live streaming.
Many sites these days provide this service – including the ones you can see above. Live streaming definitely adds more value to your betting pastime, as you can sit back and watch the action unfold.
Whether you choose one of the esports betting sites promoted on this page, or you scan the market to find your own, these factors should all be taken into consideration. Use them to filter down the bookmaker that fulfils your betting needs.
How Does Esports Betting Work?
In many ways, esports betting is the same as betting on other sports, but there are also unique elements to bear in mind as well. Before betting, the first thing you should do is research. This involves:
- Understand the game that you are betting on. Dota 2 is different from CS: GO, which is different from the King of Glory. The more knowledge you have, the better quality esports betting tips you’ll discover.
- Learn about the teams and players. Many teams compete in multiple Esport games, but it doesn’t mean they are equally strong. For instance, PSG.LGD is a top side in Dota 2 but Astralis rules in Counter-Strike.
- Knowledge of the various leagues, splits and tournaments is helpful. As with all sports, there are different tiers to esports. When you combine this with what you know about the teams and players, you can evaluate if the esports odds are worth accepting.
Next, you must decide on which market holds the most value. Will you bet on the match outcome or go for a handicap wager? On certain games, such as Dota 2 and LoL, you can bet on ‘Map Markets’. The leading esports betting sites cover all bases.
Lastly, it’s wise to have a betting strategy. Do you prefer to back several hot favourites in an accumulator bet, or perhaps, you like to put your money on the underdog, and look to profit from early cashout? The key is to do your research and bet smart.
Current Events to Bet On
Every day of the week, there are esports matches taking place. Many of these are league games and qualifiers which whittle down the teams to compete in the major tournaments. These are some of the dates, you should add to your diary:
- Epicenter Major (1st – 10th May) in Moscow. Dota 2 teams battle it out for the lion’s share of the $1 million prize fund and DPC points to qualify for the international.
- The International (12th – 23rd August) in Stockholm. It’s a big one! TI10 will decide which team reigns supreme at Dota 2 in 2020. The total prize fund hasn’t been announced yet, but it’s expected to eclipse the $34 million that was up for grabs in 2019.
- LoL World Championships (TBA) in Shanghai. Whether it’s the spring or summer split, or the MSI, all roads lead to the World Championships.
- ESL One (21st – 24th May) in Rio. Starting at the regional qualifier level, teams advance to the Minors, then the Challenger Stage to see who will be left standing for this mega CS:GO event.
- Capcom Cup (28th December) in Paris. The Pro Tour decides the 16 finalists who will battle it out for the Street Fighter V Capcom Cup.
Best Esport Welcome Bonus: Ladbrokes
Essentially, it depends on what type of bettor you are as to which one of the esports sign up offers is the best for you. Our pick is Ladbrokes (or Coral) because you only need to bet £5 to get £20 worth of esports free bets.
Furthermore, the minimum betting odds are only 1/2 (1.50), which makes it player-friendly.
However, for punters who want to up the stakes, you may find more value in the £100 of free bets available at Betfair. The qualifying requirements are far higher for this particular esports sign up offer, but the reward is larger.
You can find out more about this welcome bonus by visiting our dedicated Ladbrokes review page.
Best Esport Sportsbook: bet365
bet365 has a staggering 45 million customers worldwide, which is a testament to the all-round quality of this brand. For us, it’s the top esports betting site because it provides everything a punter could wish for.
Also, bet365 provides numerous statistics on many matches, it varies from game to game.
This data is fantastic for researching your esports betting tips. And, this company’s in-play betting is a cut above most other sportsbooks in terms of the number of live events. Plus, there is a plethora of live streaming on this platform, too.
Best Esport Mobile app: Betway
Betway has invested a lot of time and money to position itself as one of the leading esports betting sites. Its mobile app, which has a 4.7 out of 5 ratings in the App Store, matches this ambition.
Users can bet on the full range of pre-match and live betting markets. Furthermore, hundreds of matches are streamed live every month, which can be viewed through the app or web-based platform.
Betway’s Esports Objectives – a unique promotion that’s specific to esports – is also accessible via the app. This invites bettors to complete weekly objectives to win some esports free bets. Lastly, app users are treated to Betway Esports Boosts, and it has a ‘Pros Predictions’ section where you can find out what the top players think will happen.
To know more about this topic, visit our page dedicated to Betway’s mobile application.
Best Esport Odds: Betfair
We chose Betfair as the esports betting site that offers the best odds overall. There are two reasons for this decision. Firstly, punters get good value from the Betfair sportsbook by itself. However, a Betfair account also gives you access to the world’s best betting exchange. Often you can pick up slightly better odds on the exchange, so there’s great value betting at Betfair.
To highlight Betfair’s prices, we compared them against bet365 for the LoL European Masters. As you can see, Betfair offers better prices on most of the favourites. For example:
- BT Excel – 1.24 at Betfair compared to 1.20 at bet365
- GamersOrigin – 1.58 at Betfair compared to 1.50 at bet365
- Schalke 04 – 1.38 at Betfair compared to 1.33 at bet365
Even though the price differences aren’t huge, it all adds up. You would definitely notice the increased payout on a five-fold accumulator, for instance.
Best Online Esports Betting Sites in the UK – F.A.Q.
That’s our expert analysis of the leading esports betting sites punters in the UK have access to. Even if you choose to find a different site, use the tips and advice we’ve provided to help guide your decision. To round things off, here are a few popular questions on this topic.
Where can I bet on Esports?
Any online bookmaker worth it’s salt will offer esports betting now. This is a multi-billion pound industry, and all operators want a piece of the action.
Which Esports sites are Available?
The best place to start when looking for esports betting sites is the table at the top of this page. These brands have been hand-picked by us. They all provide plenty of betting options and lots of promotions.
Is Esports Betting Legal in the UK?
Absolutely, yes! The UK gambling industry is highly regulated, and that gives punters confidence that esports betting is fair and just. If it weren’t, the UK Gambling Commission wouldn’t allow it.
Can I get Esports Tips?
There are many esports tipsters on the internet. However, we think that Betway’s Pros Predictions articles are the best. These are high-quality tips from reliable sources.
Which Betting Sites have Live Esports in the UK?
Live sport is a stable of all the top esports betting sites. Ladbrokes, bet365, Betway, and Coral are among the brands. Our table lists many others.
What is the Best Betting app for Esports?
Although this is subjective, our reviewers rated Betway’s app as the best for esports. It’s packed with features, unique promotions, live streaming and expert tips and predictions.