Updated: 24.08.2025
Competitive online gaming began as a small, little-noticed niche, but over the past twenty years it has grown into a global industry with a huge and devoted fan base. For the tens of millions of players and fans around the world, watching or participating in these events is as exciting as any mainstream sporting competition. Last year's League of Legends World Championship, for example, had a preliminary round watched by 60 million people, while the event itself was watched by 43 million people.
With the rise in popularity has come a surge in demand for betting opportunities on eSports, and bookmakers in the UK and around the world have been scrambling to provide punters with the best possible eSports betting options and the most attractive odds.
Esports betting enthusiasts can bet on a wide variety of games, from CS:GO to Warcraft, with betting markets available on everything from tournaments and leagues to individual players via Twitch streams. Betting on esports is one of the fastest growing sectors of the UK betting scene. To help you get started with this dynamic and modern form of betting, we've taken a close look at what's actually available to UK esports betting fans to give you the lowdown on the best deals and overall experience when betting on esports.
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MIN. deposit : 5 Free daily odds boost Highly prestigious brand |
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| 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, | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Wide range of offers Price boosts each day |
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| £10 min deposit using promo code 200BONUS • The bonus will be applied once the full deposit amount has been wagered at least twice with cumulative odds of 1.50 or greater • To withdraw any winnings from your bonus, you must wager the bonus amount at least 5 times • All deposit and bonus wagering requirements must be completed within 60 days • This offer may not be combined with any other offer • Wagering limit of £50 per bet Applies • Restrictions apply to withdrawals, payment methods and countries & full T&Cs apply. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 5 Extra places and BOG Correct4 football game |
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| 18+ Eligible UK+IRE players. Paypal & some deposit & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 4 days, stake not returned. No cashout, restrictions + T&Cs apply. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Very well-regarded bookie Fantastic range of offers |
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| For new customers only - Bet £10 & Get £50 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Innovative social features Free soccer betting tips |
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| New UK, IE & Malta users only. Min. £10/€10 first deposit only using Debit Card or Trustly. Free bets expire in 90 days. T&Cs apply. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Outstanding track record Fixed odds & spread betting |
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| Don’t miss our exclusive World Cup offers for new and existing customers. Terms apply. Full details available here. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Excellent track record New Bet Boost each day |
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| 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 apply. See full terms below. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 30 Specialise in horse racing Boost on football accas |
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| 21+, new UK + IRE members only. Min deposit £10. Singles, win part of e/w or multiples at odds of evens (2.0) or greater qualify. The Free Bet must be placed at odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater. Free bets expire in 7 days. The Free Bet stake is not included in the returns . Additional T&Cs apply. Bet responsibly. | |||||
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| 18+ New Customers opt in, bet £5 & get 2x £10 Free Bets for set events (odds 2.00+) + £10, Slots Bonus, selected games, 35x wagering to withdraw max £250. Bonuses expire in 7 days. Card Payments only. T&Cs Apply | BeGambleAware®: Gambling Help & Gambling Addiction | BeGambleAware | Please gamble responsibly | |||||
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| New customers only. Max one free £15 bet. Qualifying bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 (2.0) or greater. Paid as bonus token with min 4/5 (1.80) odds req. Skrill, Neteller & PayPal not eligible. T&Cs apply. 18+ | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Deep in-play section Widespread racing streams |
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| *New members. £10 min deposit & bet on sportsbook, placed & settled at 1.5 min odds within 14 days of sign-up. Win part of E/W bets. 2 non-withdrawable £10 Free Bet Tokens: accept in 7 days, valid for 7 days from acceptance (ex. E/Ws & Multiples), stakes not returned. Click here for Rules & Exclusions. Bet Responsibly. BeGambleAware.org | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Increasingly popular site Free bet refunds on racing |
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| 18+ begambleaware.org; New bettors get 50% of deposit up to £50; Once per household; Min deposit £15 (no Skrill/Neteller); Wager a total of 8 times deposit + bonus, with max qualifying bet stake equal to your initial bonus amount; Bonus expires after 60 days; Min odds of 4/5 on singles, or 2/5 per leg for acca; Some bet types excluded; See full terms; See full terms; Terms apply; 18+ | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 5 Famous Free Bet Club #BetYourWay for football |
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| New UK customers only. Min Deposit: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. First bet on a Football or Horse Racing multiple with 3+ selections. Overall odds: 3.00 (2/1) or higher. Free Bets available upon settlement of the qualifying bet. Debit card deposits only. This is offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. 18+ BeGambleAware.org Full terms apply. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Boosted specials on football Various free bet offers |
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| Get a Free Bet up to £35 based on 50% of your first days losses plus 10 Free Spins! UK 18+ T&C's apply. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Money-Back football deal Exceptional mobile apps |
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| Terms apply | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Acca protection & boosts Wide range of deals |
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| 18+, Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit: £10, max £15 bonus, valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at a min. odds of 1/1 (2.00) or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets no eligible. Full T&Cs apply | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 New specials bets each day Multiple acca promotions |
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| New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Mobile exclusive. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Payment method restrictions. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. 18+. T&Cs apply.**18+. Opt in. UK/IRE customers only. Max refund £/€20. Win or win part of e/w outright singles only. 5 or more runners. 1st bet on each race. Free bet expires after 7 days. Free/void/antepost bets don’t qualify. T&Cs apply | |||||
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| 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. PayPal and Card Payments only. Geographical Restrictions and T&Cs Apply, See Below. Please Gamble Responsibly. | |||||
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| New UK customers only. Register using the promo code BETFRED60, deposit and place first bet of £10+ on Sports (cumulative Evens+) within 7 days of registration. First bet must be on Sports. £20 in Free Bets to be used on Sports, £10 in Free Bets to be used on Lotto and 50 Free Spins (20p per spin) credited within 48 hours of bet settlement. Further £20 in Free Bets credited 5 days after settlement. Bonuses have a 7-day expiry. Payment restrictions apply. SMS verification and/or Proof of I.D and address may be required. Full T&Cs apply. Terms & Conditions Apply | |||||
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| 18+, Welcome Bonus: New Players only. Valid on 1st deposit only. Min Deposit £10. Max Free Bet £40. Min turnover of £20 must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater, and settled within 14 days of placement. System bets not eligible. PayPal, Skrill and Neteller deposits not eligible for promotion. Click to see full T&Cs | |||||
Betting on eSports is like betting on traditional sports. However, what may greet the novice in terms of the range and scale of betting options is likely to be nothing short of astounding. So here's a step-by-step guide to making your first bet on esports.
That's it! All you have to do is wait until the event is over to find out if your bet won. You may also be able to watch the event via a live stream if your sportsbook has that capability.
For many UK esports betting enthusiasts, Betway is at the top of the list. This bookmaker has demonstrated its allegiance to this emerging sector by sponsoring a very prominent esports team. The bookmaker surpasses many of its competitors in terms of the number of markets it offers, covering more than ten games. For fans of Dota 2, CS:GO, Overwatch and the Rainbow Six series, there is no better place to bet. Of particular note is the site's coverage of Overwatch, for which there are very few betting markets offered elsewhere.
Betway offers an excellent esports product. Their in-play betting options are numerous and they offer esports betting fans plenty of opportunities to get in on the action as it's happening. Their odds are very competitive with other bookmakers, and thanks to their esports betting expertise, they can still make a profit while pricing esports events quite generously. Esports betting fans can also benefit from a dedicated Esports blog and news section, making this a complete resource for betting on Esports.
Paddy Power has established itself as an innovative and eye-catching bookmaker, and while it does not cover esports betting quite as thoroughly as Betway, those looking to use the Paddy Power site to bet on League of Legends, Dota 2, or any other type of esports can rest assured that the kind of humor and personality that typifies the brand has made its way to the esports section of the site.
The biggest bookmakers in Ireland have been ramping up their eSports coverage, offering more markets on the major events taking place. For example, when it comes to the CS:GO ECS League, Paddy Power has some of the best odds around, as well as a nice array of markets worth checking out.
As well as being a straightforward and easy-to-navigate betting site, Paddy Power is also well known for the inventive and rewarding promotions they offer their players. Because of this, along with their solid and substantial esports betting product, it is well worth checking the Paddy Power site regularly to see what fresh offers and esports betting bonuses they have waiting for you.
As one of the largest online gambling companies in the world, Bet365 has become the dominant player in the UK for in-play sports betting and has applied the same expertise to in-play eSports betting. Their coverage of Dota 2, CS:GO and Starcraft is extensive and their League of Legends betting operation is well thought out.
Bet365 has around 30 markets for League of Legends, some with over 50 types of bets. Dota 2, CS:Go, and Overwatch are also heavily covered - all fan-favorite bets for the dedicated London bookmaker. Not all competitive video games get the same coverage, and high-profile tournaments for titles like Rainbow Six or the Fifa series don't seem to generate many betting opportunities at Bet365, meaning they're not a comprehensive option if you want to bet on all esports.
At the beginning of the century, the UK betting industry was completely transformed by the advent of the betting exchange, and Betfair was quick to add esports to its offering. Unlike the traditional betting shop, where odds are set by a bookmaker, a betting exchange allows customers to bet against each other.
The esports section of the Betfair Sportsbook is minimalist to say the least. It does not even cover a range of esports, let alone the full spectrum. Where it does seem to attempt to cover some popular options - such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and League of Legends-it does not do a great job of providing a complete set of markets. Even for the events it does cover, I often find the available odds to be on the lower end of the competitive spectrum.
Live betting is where Betfair esports really excels. Both the Sportsbook and Exchange sections of the site offer a variety of live betting opportunities, and you will also find an ever-growing range of esports betting markets on the Betfair Exchange, which generally offers better odds than any other betting company in the UK. Go to Betfair >>
One of the best known betting names in the UK, William Hill, covers esports betting with excellence. They're not as effective as some outfits when it comes to League of Legends betting markets, but they offer an excellent range of esports betting options on Dota 2, World of Tanks, Heroes of the Storm and Starcraft, and their coverage of esports betting for events like the ProData Cup is second to none. They also have a reputation for being one of the best CS:GO betting platforms in the UK, covering the game extensively with live betting and pre-match odds.
While William Hill does not present esports specific betting promotions, the bookmaker does offer a constantly updated sign up offer that is open to any new customer who registers for sports betting. Go to William Hill >>
The competitive video game universe encompasses dozens of titles, and the list continues to grow as some games gain popularity and developers release new offerings. Despite this growth, a few competitive video games are perennial favorites, attracting by far the most interest and dollars.
A relative newcomer to esports, League of Legends was released in 2009, but has quickly garnered a large and loyal fan base around the world. In fact, it is now one of the most popular Real Time Strategy (RTS) games on the planet.
League of Legends, sometimes abbreviated to LOL, pits two teams of five players against each other in a series of battlegrounds. Each battleground is an arena-like structure where the action takes place. The goal of the game is to destroy the other team's base, but there's a lot that has to happen before that can happen. Teams need to gain resources and experience, and it takes quite a bit of time and action in the arena to make that happen.
LOL has a strong role-playing aspect. The heroes that players choose from are an ever-growing aspect of engagement for esports fanatics. Other aspects definitely add to the interactive nature of this being one of the most interactive esports in terms of pro/fan relationships. The heroes that players use certainly engage fans more than ever in terms of the professional scene.
Launched in 2013, DOTA 2, short for Defense of the Ancients, is another RTS strategy game that has captured the hearts of players and fans around the world for its combination of cutting-edge game design and tactical depth.
Similar to LOL, a DOTA 2 match consists of two teams of five players each, selected from a pool of 115 unique Heroes. Notably, each Hero can only appear in one match, meaning players must choose wisely and use some tactical thinking to ensure they have the right Heroes to ensure victory.
The goal of DOTA 2 is to destroy the enemy's base while preserving your own, but first you must take down their fortifications. Every 30 seconds, both teams are supplied by "creeps," waves of semi-autonomous characters that attack the enemy and help you dismantle their structures. DOTA 2 combines deep tactical play with the demand for smooth, polished teamwork, making it the perfect team sport. ⭐⭐Check out the best Dota betting sites >>
Counter Strike: Global Offensive, or CS:GO for short, is one of the oldest and most popular e-sports since its release in 2000. It is second only to Dota 2 in terms of total prize money available to professional players.
At the heart of the game is a conflict between teams of terrorists and counter-terrorists battling it out on different maps. Each CS:GO match can have a variety of objectives and unfold in different scenarios, such as rescuing hostages, that pit players against each other. Players earn points for completing tasks and scoring "kills," and they lose points for dying, making stupid moves, or otherwise not following the plan.
One of the most popular esports team games is CS:GO. Several major CS:GO events attract millions of live viewers and esports fans who enjoy betting on the competition.
There is no set list of official e-sports titles, which means fans can bet on all kinds of games. Aside from League of Legends, the most popular game to bet on seems to be Fortnite, a battle royale game that pits players against each other on a massive map. Fortnite has one of the largest fan bases in the world, and many of today's best-known e-sports athletes and Twitch personalities rose to fame playing the game.
PUBG is a Fortnite-like game that can attract betting interest, while the Call of Duty franchise leads a long line of esports shooters that includes Rainbow Six, Quake, World of Tanks, and Overwatch. Hearthstone is an esports card game that has a large audience, while sports video games like FIFA and NBA2k and the retro fighting game Streetfighter have their own highly dedicated fan bases.
Choosing the right bookmaker for eSports betting is just as important as knowing the games themselves. Below is a detailed comparison of the top platforms, highlighting their strengths, weaknesses and what will make them stand out in 2025.
| Bookmaker | Main Esports Covered | Unique Features | Bonus Offer (2025) | Overall Rating |
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| Betway | Dota 2, CS:GO, LoL, Overwatch | Sponsorship of pro teams, extensive live betting | 100% up to £100 + free bets on esports | 9/10 |
| Paddy Power | LoL, Dota 2, CS:GO | Humorous branding, creative promotions | £20 risk-free esports bet | 8/10 |
| Bet365 | LoL (30+ markets), Dota 2, CS:GO, Starcraft | Deep in-play betting, market variety | Bet £10 get £50 in credits | 9.5/10 |
| Betfair | CS:GO, LoL | Betting exchange with user-set odds | £20 free exchange bet | 7.5/10 |
| William Hill | Dota 2, CS:GO, WoT, Starcraft | Strong live betting, reputation & trust | £30 free bet on registration | 8.5/10 |
Bet365 remains the market leader thanks to its unrivalled depth of betting markets, particularly on League of Legends. Betway appeals to fans who value live betting and community involvement, while Paddy Power attracts casual bettors with its quirky brand personality. Betfair stands out for sharp odds via its exchange, but its coverage is limited. Finally, William Hill combines heritage with a solid eSports offering, making it a trusted option for newcomers.
When choosing a bookmaker, look beyond the welcome bonus and consider long-term value: odds, live stream availability and market variety are often more important to consistent success in esports betting.
The esports professional circuit includes a growing number of tournaments and competitions that test the best players in the world and offer a wealth of betting opportunities. This guide briefly describes the most important of these esports betting competitions in 2025.
Esports has grown from humble beginnings into a massive global industry. As bookmakers compete to provide betting markets for the swelling ranks of esports fans, opportunities abound for those willing to put in the time to prepare. The key to realizing these opportunities and potentially profiting from the modern betting phenomenon that is esports is site selection - finding the best esports betting site and doing your due diligence on the games, teams and players you intend to bet on.
