Updated: 24.08.2025
British punters have seen one of the fastest growing markets when it comes to eSports. Titles such as Dota 2, Overwatch and FIFA are clearly popular, but from a betting perspective you could argue that CS:GO is the biggest game of the bunch. In this article, we will give you the lowdown on Counter Strike betting, and by lowdown, we mean everything you need to know to get started. This includes not only the five best CS:GO betting sites we could find (along with some details on important bet types and focuses), but also a rundown on virtually all the important tournaments you should know about.
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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 | |||||
Online games like Counter Strike are team-based online first-person shooters. Two teams of five people work together to either eliminate their opponents or achieve some other goal. Matches are divided into 30 segments, with each round - at the competitive level - lasting just under two minutes. Teams switch between playing as "Terrorists" and "Counter Terrorists" at the halfway point. If one group wins 16 rounds (more than half the total rounds), they've won the game. You could use a knife to cut the tension during each match.
At this level of competition, teams typically compete in a best-of-three format within a match to determine the ultimate champion. Battles take place on a variety of maps, each with its own unique layout and structure, providing a different challenge to win. One of the most obvious requirements for becoming a champion is having winning strategies.
Top CS:GO players can spend up to 80 hours a week playing the game, and often spend at least 10,000 hours over the course of the game's lifecycle. Untold millions of hours have been sacrificed on the altars of Counter-Strike worship. The level of skill among elite players is staggering, to say the least. What makes these players tick? Is it some kind of seedy underground? Well, not exactly.
Counter Strike started way back in 2000 with its first release. After that, the subsequent releases brought with them the competitive scene associated with Counter Strike and its derivatives. The release of version 1.6 was the starting point for the development of the game into a competitive eSports title. After that, it was all smooth sailing to the high-end title of CS:GO that we have today. Once it reached the version of GO, things started to heat up and the turbo engine associated with Counter Strike eSports now goes towards the odds that we analyze today.
Almost all modern sportsbooks have an eSports betting section, and almost all of them include CS:GO. However, not all sportsbooks are created equal. We've vetted and researched the vast majority of sportsbooks that offer CS:GO betting and have identified these five as the best options. They are reliable, have a good variety of betting lines and interface, and pay out when you win.
At the moment, Bet365 is arguably the best all-round sportsbook in the UK. So it's no surprise that when it comes to markets for CS:GO, they certainly excel.
They offer coverage of almost every Counter Strike tournament in the world, not just in Europe but further afield as well. This coverage includes pre-match and outright Bet365 CS:GO markets, but it's the live betting where this brand really shines. Their odds for CS:GO matches in progress are constantly updated and the range of in-play bets is absolutely exceptional.
Bet365 offers one of the best selections of additional eSports games you can find anywhere. Rainbow Six: Siege, Valorant, Starcraft II, LoL, Overwatch and more all have a place here in addition to some remarkable in-play coverage.
Unibet has experienced exceptional international growth over the last few decades. A major factor in this has been their ability to move with the times and this is well illustrated by their commitment to eSports.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has the best market coverage of all the eSports you can bet on at Unibet. No matter how high or low the stakes, every match from the European Developmental Championships to the Masters is represented here with comprehensive odds that are very easy to understand. Unibet may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of leading eSports betting sites, but they actually do a fantastic job. Their CS:GO offering is undoubtedly a key ploy in doing just that - drawing you into the eSports section. From there, they make it pretty hard for you not to consider betting on various other eSports as well.
Over the past few years, 888sport has made tremendous strides. This has included the development of features for mobile users; in fact, the mobile app is now widely regarded as one of the best in the entire UK gambling market. Customer service has been improved and now includes a 24/7 live chat option available in 5 different languages. The market selection at 888sport is truly impressive and includes a wide range of options; almost too many if we're being honest. You can bet on just about anything you can think of, including eSports. Not just Call of Duty or FIFA; they have betting lines on League of Legends and Dota 2 as well.
They have a particularly robust offering for eSports CS:GO coverage. On a daily basis, fans can place bets on various tournaments from all over the world. The types of bets you can place aren't the most extensive, but the ones that are available come with good odds, even for in-play bets. In particular, the in-play odds are updated with a pleasing regularity to reflect the moment-to-moment action.
Otherwise, 888sport offers bets on Overwatch, Dota 2, Rainbow Six, FIFA and LoL. Again, there's not a huge variety of bets on these titles, but the odds are excellent.
Widget not foundBetway is certainly an all-round sportsbook. However, they have recently made a big move into the world of gaming and Betway's eSports section is arguably the best around at the moment.
Of course CS:GO is covered, with bet types ranging from Match Winner and Maps Handicap to Correct Score. All live events can be watched via the free Twitch integration.
Where Betway stand out, however, is in their promotions. They are the only major sportsbook to offer a Free Bet Club specifically for eSports, where you can get a £10 free bet every week. On top of that, you can get a £10 matched in-play free bet on Saturdays and the £10 free bet welcome offer can also be used on eSports.
Although Marathonbet started in Eastern Europe, the company has expanded significantly westwards in recent years. Today, it offers CS:GO fans a state-of-the-art eSports betting experience.
The design of Marathonbet's platform leaves a lot to be desired, but once you get past that, you will definitely find an excellent eSports section. Their biggest strength lies in the variety of different types of bets they offer, which can almost be called abundant. For their top events (such as matches featuring teams like FaZe Clan or Dignitas) there are dozens of different markets to choose from, with not only the usual Match Winner and Handicap bets on offer, but also some innovative 'Statistics Markets': Over/Under Total Kills, Most Kills Per Map, and so on.
In short, Marathonbet gives you a degree of control over your CS:GO gambling which is extremely rare.
If you're logging into a betting site for the first time, you should try to understand what bets are available and how they work. At best, you'll find a few dozen types of bets to choose from, both at regular sportsbooks and at betting sites for CS:GO skins (explained below). When you're getting started, though, we highly recommend focusing on these mainstays.
This is the simplest form of Counter Strike betting. It only has two outcomes for you to choose from, which makes it perfect for new eSports bettors. In short, when you bet on Head-to-Head, you are placing a bet on which of the two teams will win the match.
A CS:GO Handicap works in much the same way as an Outright Winner bet, but gives you more control. You are not only predicting the winner, but also the margin of victory. This is usually expressed in terms of Total Maps Won. For example, if you pick Iberian Family to beat Sharks with a -1.5 Maps Handicap, they must win by at least two maps for your bet to win.
Correct Score betting is a simple matter of predicting the number of maps won by each team in a match. Like handicap betting, this type of bet is settled on a map basis, not a round basis. In the example above, you would be betting that the Iberian Family wins the match 2-0 (i.e., they win two maps and the Sharks win none).
In addition to single bets, you often have the opportunity to place multiple bets. For example, if you believe that Dignitas will destroy their opponents, you can bet on Dignitas to win along with Under 2.5 cards. Betting in combinations like this increases your odds, but (again) makes it harder to win, since almost every outcome you back has to come to fruition.
As with other eSports betting, bookmakers sometimes offer special markets for CS:GO. These can vary greatly depending on the event and the teams involved. More often than not, however, these are just pre-packaged accumulators with jacked up odds. As with any type of betting, it's imperative to have a proper understanding of what you stand to win and what you stand to lose before pulling the trigger.
Over/Under bets are one of the other types of bets that have gained popularity. Just like in football, a point is set and you have to predict whether the result will be over or under that point. The simplest over/under bet in CS:GO is the total cards (e.g. Over/Under 2.5 cards). However, Total Rounds is a more interesting and trickier alternative.
In other places, you can bet on Map Winner, which means that you are backing a team to win a specific map rather than the entire match. In the meantime, if you just want to have some fun, we recommend betting on Pistol Rounds. This is simply picking the winning team in the first round. It is always a short bet, but there is a certain pleasure in it.
As mentioned earlier, you will earn "skins" as you play CS:GO. These are merely cosmetic enhancements that allow you to customize your weapons. They have no direct effect on the actual gameplay, but a miniature economy has sprung up around them.
Counter Strike players can not only trade skins, but also use them to fund their accounts at certain betting sites. They work the same way as regular cash - using a Counter Strike skin is the same as placing a bet with cash.
The appeal is obvious. You have the ability to place bets without any real money changing hands, using only the digital goods you have lying around, most of which you got for free. The problem is that the places you might go for CS:GO skin betting are mostly offshore and unregulated, making them ripe for fraud. If you care at all about the integrity of what you're doing, or the security of your account with Valve, we recommend that you do not go down this slimy road.
One of the things that makes this game so enticing on the best CS:GO betting platforms is its perpetual state, with almost non-stop matches and excellence occurring in an almost unbroken string throughout each calendar year. Still, some contests undeniably shine brighter than the rest, and these five Counter Strike tournaments deserve top billing.
The creators of Counter-Strike, Valve, run the Major Championships. The winnings can't quite compete with those of The International - Valve's other major eSports tournament - but a $1 million prize pool for the CS:GO 2025 edition is still nothing to sneeze at.
The Majors are held twice a year, although the specific dates are not always the same. The locations of the Majors also alternate between the USA and Europe on a regular basis. Lately, however, the Majors have been dominated by Astralis, who have won the last three tournaments at the time of this writing.
Originally known as Europe's largest LAN festival, DreamHack has since expanded to the U.S. For CS:GO players, one of the most important events on the calendar is the DreamHack Masters. The prize pool is a whopping $250,000, and the DreamHack has a reputation among fans as one of the best-produced tournaments around, always providing a top-notch viewing experience.
This is the premier league-level CS:GO competition, as opposed to the knockout format cups mentioned above. Each season, 24 teams from around the world compete in the Pro League, 13 of which are permanent members. In addition to the incredibly high level of play, the Pro League is known for its unpredictability. At the time of writing, there have been six different Pro League winners in each of the last six years - 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
The Premiership is also run by the ESL (Electronic Sports League) and has a league-based format. However, this tournament is only open to teams from the UK and Ireland. Each year there is a $20,000 prize pool available, which - in recent years - has been dominated by END.
The Master, which is also sanctioned by the ESL, defines a global CS:GO tournament. Smaller events take place all over the world, and the best teams compete in the IEM World Championship, which is held several times a year.
Even in the updated version of Counter Strike - Global Offensive, there is no consensus on who deserves the title of GOAT. Like in other sports, it usually ends up being a discussion of whether to give the edge to individual or team performance.
A lot of people think that the most talented player out there is Ukrainian S1mple. However, even though he has won a total of 13 MVP awards, he has had a really hard time winning the big tournaments. At the other end of the talent spectrum is Dev1ce. He has won four: count 'em, 4! Majors when he was part of Astralis, including two of those "Most Valuable Player" (MVP) awards that S1mple can't seem to get at the moment.
When it comes to a player who has truly stood the test of time, it's hard to look past GeT_RiGhT. Born in Sweden, Christopher Alesund started playing in the days of version 1.6, rose to the top of the pro scene in 2007, and stayed there until 2025. Remarkable consistency keeps him a constant presence in the world of professional gaming.
Like any other gambling activity, CS:GO betting offers no surefire way to come out with more money than you started with. However, there are several things you can do to increase your chances of cashing out after a game.
While luck always plays a role in gambling, successful CS:GO betting requires structured strategies. Experienced bettors rarely rely on instinct alone. Instead, they combine match statistics, team form, and map-specific performance to make informed decisions.
One of the most effective approaches is map veto analysis. In professional tournaments, each team vetoes maps they dislike and picks maps they excel at. By tracking vetoes, bettors can more accurately predict outcomes. For example, teams like Na'Vi historically perform better on Nuke, while others may struggle on Vertigo.
Another useful strategy is to track economy fluctuations. CS:GO is unique in that losing several rounds can actually put a team in a better position later due to stronger buy rounds. Skilled bettors often wait for these crucial economic shifts before placing live bets.
Finally, bankroll management cannot be overstated. Many pros use a unit system where each bet is a fixed percentage of their bankroll (usually 1-2%). This prevents emotional betting and ensures long-term stability.
Raw excitement is not enough to place profitable bets. The smartest players study statistical trends. Here are the most influential CS:GO statistics worth following:
Combining these metrics with live viewing gives bettors the edge over casual gamblers who rely on superficial odds.
Not all betting platforms are created equal and security should always come before excitement. UK players are fortunate to have a well-regulated market overseen by the UK Gambling Commission. Licensed operators must adhere to strict rules to ensure fair play, protect customer funds and promote responsible gambling.
When choosing a CS:GO betting site in the UK, make sure that the platform has
By betting only on regulated platforms, you reduce risks such as account fraud, unfair odds or even withheld winnings. Remember, a safe betting environment is the foundation for a positive experience.
Now that you're a fan of CS:GO, there's never been a better time to try your hand at some CS:GO betting. The number of bookmakers covering CS:GO is quite extensive, and we have handpicked five of the best CS:GO betting sites for you at the top of this page.
All of this provides an efficient, comprehensive gaming structure that allows you to place many different types of bets. In many cases, you can also watch your bets go live with high-quality streaming. All in all, if you follow our CS:GO betting tips and gamble responsibly, you'll have a great time.
The Valve-backed Major Championships is arguably the most important tournament of the bunch. But there are plenty of other events throughout the year, including Pro League, DreamHack, and more, for fans to enjoy.
It works just like any other sport. The most common method is to bet on the match before it starts, but you can also bet on the tournament as a whole for what is called outright betting. If that doesn't appeal to you, there's also a betting format called in-play betting, where you put your money down while the game is still in progress.
Most definitely. Although the professional scene in the UK cannot hold a candle to those in Europe or other parts of the world, CS:GO enjoys immense popularity in the UK. This is partially evidenced by the many British bookmakers who go to great lengths to offer their customers all sorts of Counter Strike betting markets and features.
