How to Bet on Esports: The Complete Guide to Top Games & Betting Markets 2025

Best Bookmakers for Betting on Esports

Find a sportsbook that offers you the best esports betting markets. The best bookmakers offering top esports betting for beginners include those that provide detailed game coverage, market depth for specific games, live streaming integration (such as Twitch), and bonuses.

Understanding the Biggest Games in Esports Betting

Popular esports games that are wagered regularly typically consist of two main genres. Knowing what these are can be beneficial, as it may help you to understand the esports betting odds that have been listed.

• FPS (First-Person Shooters): One of the most common esports to bet on is FPS titles. Counter-Strike 2 and Valorant are among the most popular. These titles are based on tactics and strategy, featuring rounds that players can compete in, with bettors wagering on specific outcomes.
• MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena): League of Legends and Dota 2 are popular MOBA titles for bettors. These games highlight team strategies and objectives, with several outcomes possible to wager on. It’s like wagering on a team sport, rather than an individual.

The Main Types of Esports Bets Explained

Several different esports betting markets exist that you should understand if you want to enhance any session you engage in. Some games will feature specific prop bets, although many share common markets. These include:

• Match Winner: Placing a bet on which team will win the match.
• Map Winner: A bet that is placed on which team will win the specific map within a series.
• Handicap Betting (Maps/Rounds): A virtual advantage/disadvantage is placed on a team to try and even the odds. This could be placed on maps or rounds. For example, the favourite may have a -1.5 line in a best-of-3 series. If this is the case, they must win two of the three for the bet to win.
• Total Maps/Rounds (Over/Under): An esports bet in which the bettor will predict whether more or fewer rounds/maps will be played over a line that the sportsbook has set.
• Game-Specific Prop Bets: In LoL and Dota 2, you may find a ‘First Blood’ prop, which is simply betting on the first kill. In CS2 or Valorant, you may find ‘Pistol Round Winner’, which is betting on the first-round winner.

How to Analyse an Esports Match: A Strategy Guide

The best esports betting strategy available is to learn how to analyse a match before and during. To do this, you should conduct research before placing a bet. Consider the following:

Team & Player Form

Before betting on any esports match or tournament, bettors must conduct thorough research to ensure they have all the necessary information. This should include analysing player and team form.

Players can play events individually in solo campaigns or as part of a team. Their form can indicate what to expect when they play. Bettors who examine the form may be able to identify trends and patterns, while also recognising which players are doing well/poorly in recent contests.

Past form can highlight where a player may have specific strengths or weaknesses, including whether they perform well in a particular event or achieve certain outcomes consistently. Knowing each of these aspects and having insight can help maximise esports betting success.

Head-to-Head (H2H) Record

In addition to recent form, British esports bettors should focus on players’ head-to-head records against their opponents. It’s not uncommon for athletes to face opponents they have faced before, allowing inferred decisions to be made when records are compared.

A H2H may reveal data such as whether a player has an advantage over another when they meet in contests. It may also reveal that one individual or team is stronger in specific events compared to their opponents. This data can then be used to create informed betting decisions and maximise potential success.

Understanding “The Meta”

“The Meta” is a term that is used across esports. Understanding what it is can be essential for bettors, as it can help them make bets with a greater chance of success.

“The Meta” refers to how game updates and patches can alter the effectiveness of strategies, characters, and weapons. These are key aspects of any esports title, and not everyone handles them the same way. Some players/teams can adapt more quickly to these changes, thereby increasing their chances of success.

Bettors who recognise these trends and notice that some are struggling may find value in esports betting odds.

Roster Changes

Esports teams can undergo numerous changes to playing personnel, with each tournament sometimes featuring a change or two to the roster. Bettors must recognise this and keep it in mind when placing esports bets.

Checking the latest player roster is essential, as teams frequently update it. If new players are on a team, chemistry can be affected; still, performance in a particular game can be enhanced, which is why some teams can make numerous changes.

The Flashscore Advantage: Your Essential Esports Data Hub

When engaging in esports betting, you must use Flashscore to obtain an advantage! It’s a free-to-use tool that can provide huge value across all esports betting.

Live Score & Round-by-Round Updates

With esports being a sport that can be based on momentum as much as strategy, live coverage is essential for bettors. Flashscore’s comprehensive live data coverage allows users to access real-time analytics of all esports matches that are taking place.

Bettors can use Flashscore to receive updates on how each round is played, helping them stay on top of the action and identify informed betting opportunities.

Detailed Match Statistics

Along with live data being available as soon as possible, Flashscore keeps bettors in the loop with its detailed statistics.

Bettors can access any match or tournament being played and receive a comprehensive rundown of key stats, helping them make betting decisions that are maximised by the available data. Prop betting markets can become more accessible, as stats such as Kills/Deaths/Assists (KDA) for MOBAs and Headshot percentage for FPS games are readily available to view.

Tournament Brackets & Standings

Bettors can use Flashscore to view an overview of specific tournaments and their brackets. This can be useful when making future bets, such as betting on the overall winner of a competition. It can also be used to track a team or player’s display and identify potential upcoming matches that can then be researched in detail.

This feature is essential for punters who wish to wager on future markets, such as the overall winner of a tournament/event. With the ability to check out individual player/team form on top of this, knowing the overall picture and the route to the final can further maximise betting success.

H2H to Settle Rivalries

Flashscore’s ‘H2H’ tab provides an overview of how two teams have competed against each other in the past and gives bettors the big picture, whether it is the eventual outcome or specific details, such as when betting on maps.

With the availability of this feature, punters wagering on esports betting events can ensure they have a fuller picture about what could happen. The H2H can be used to identify historical trends, which may provide additional value across certain betting markets, such as prop markets.