Esports are grabbing a larger share of the total betting market every year and might become just as popular as traditional sports such as soccer. Among the most favorite ones, players are often seeking opportunities in League of Legends, Dota 2, CS:GO, and a couple of others. Everybody is talking about them, but they are far from representing all Esports available for betting.
Getting acquainted with all Esports available is more than just a matter of having a varied bet slip. During certain seasons and events, Esports that get less attention, such as Valorant, may have that great opportunity a punter is looking for. Therefore, learning about them can be considered essential.
What Esports to Keep an Eye on in 2021 for Online Betting?
Besides the big three (LoL, Dota 2, and CS:GO), the following Esports are often featured in high-quality betting sites:
- Battlefield
- Call of Duty
- FIFA
- Fortnite
- Hearthstone
- Heroes of the Storm
- Overwatch
- Rainbow Six
- Rocket League
- Smite
- Starcraft II
- Valorant
Games continue to be produced, and some recent ones are already being disputed in Twitch and other streaming websites. Those that are most appealing to the public – and therefore to bettors – start to produce their regional tournaments and world championships. Soon, there might be just as many Esports as traditional sports in betting websites.
What Esports Events to Bet on in 2021?
eSports World Convention: Also known as Electronic Sports World Cup (ESWC), this event started in 2003 as a first-person shooter-only event. Nowadays, it also hosts several other genres, but CS:GO and Call of Duty are its stars. Prize pools vary from anywhere around $30,000 and $160,000 per Esport, depending on sponsorship.
Fortnite World Cup: Currently one of the most popular games in the world, Fortnite has a world cup that is still open to most players worldwide. The game is so famous that its prize pool already reached the value of $30 million.
ESL Pro Tour StarCraft II: Blizzard funds its prizing, but it is ESL and Dreamhack that run the new Starcraft major event, which replaced the Starcraft II World Championship Series. It promises a $1.8 million prize pool for the first season, according to their official website.
Valorant Champions Tour: Both a great event to bet on and a try to make Valorant one of the most popular Esports in the world, its champions tour is ready for 2021. It will be divided into Challengers (regional competitions), Masters (the best Valorant teams in each region), and finally, the Champions rounds to give someone a crown.
Of course, those are only a fraction of the big world of Esports events with betting markets. After studying the basics of each game and getting to know those competitions, others will naturally show up as an alternative.
Hints and Betting Tips for Esports Punters
- It is not necessary to play a game to understand how it works, but it is recommended to learn the rules and how matches go before betting, similar to traditional sports.
- Every good bookie has special promotions for Esports events, especially big tournaments like the ones above. Explore that possibility for boosted odds.
- Compare odds between different bookmakers whenever you decide on a market or line.
- While it is necessary to wait for relevant matches in traditional sports, incredible players are streaming and showing off their skills every single day. Use that as betting study material.
- Prefer Major/Premier/Champion level events if you are starting. It is easy to analyze who are the best Esports teams and players.
