Esports Betting Games

Esports betting has become hugely popular in recent years, as competitive video gaming has become a massive spectator sport. Millions of people across the world follow the fortunes and results of top esports teams like Natus Vincere, Ninjas in Pyjamas, and Vitalis these days. It is no surprise then that betting on these esports teams has also become so popular.

Here, we’re going to take a closer look at esports games on which you can bet. If you are already a fan of esports then many of these games may already be familiar to you. If you’re a newcomer to esports then it is a good idea to have a go at playing these games before you start betting. They are all great games in their own right as well as being perfect for esports betting.

Popular Esports Games for Betting

When it comes to esports, the games can be divided up into six broad categories or genres. We’ll take a closer look at each of these categories of esports betting games here for you. If you like betting on esports games then we’re sure that you have seen markets on these games offered at your favourite bookmakers. If you’re less familiar with the world of esports, then we’re sure you’ll be interested to see which games are popular with bettors!

Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games

Many MOBA games were originally spin offs from strategy games but have gone on to become hugely popular games in their own right. There are several games of this type that have become mainstays of the esports betting scene in recent years. You will usually find esports bookmakers covering many tournaments for MOBA games.

Defense of the Ancients 2 (Dota 2) remains a hugely popular MOBA esports game, as does League of Legends (LoL). You might also see markets on offer for games like Smite and Heroes of the Storm, though these are less common.

First person shooter games

First person shooter games have been around since the 1970s, though the genre really picked up steam in the 1990s when Wolfenstein 3D set a new standard. The premise of these games is really easy to understand, as players take on the role of a soldier that they control, seeing the world through the character’s eyes.

Games of this type have been a mainstay of the esports scene since the very beginning. There are single and multiplayer versions of these games and most competitive esports tournaments in this genre are played between teams.

Counter Strike Global Offensive, usually referred to as CSGO, remains the most popular game of this type on the esports scene. Originally released as a custom mod for another game – Half Life – by developers Valve, CSGO has taken on a life of its own. The premise of the game is that two teams – terrorists and counter-terrorists – compete against each other on a map.

Halo, Battlefield and Overwatch are popular first person shooters too

Another popular first person shooter game is Halo, while you may also see markets offered at bookies for tournaments for Battelfield and Overwatch. Although Halo has been around since 2001, and its popularity dropped in and out over that time, it remains a stalwart of the esports scene.

Overwatch, from Blizzard entertainment, is one of the newer esports games, having been released in 2016. Call of Duty is, of course, one of the most popular video games of all time. It is not surprising then that there are many esports tournaments featuring the game that often involve lively betting activity.

Fighting games

One versus one combat games have always been a popular genre of video games so it is not surprising that they have also become popular as competitive esports. These games usually involve characters facing each other in some kind of hand-to-hand combat over a number of timed rounds. Victory is often achieved by one character ‘knocking out’ the other. As you might expect, this structure also lends itself to esports betting.

Two games of this type in particular have proved enduringly popular when it comes to esports betting. Street Fighter is an iconic video game in its own right, but it also a hit with punters who enjoy betting on esports games. It was actually released way back in 1987, with the latest version, Street Fighter V, being released in 2016. Several earlier versions of the game still appear at esports tournaments too.

The other fighting game that has proved popular with esports fans is Super Smash Bros. This game was originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1999. It has featured characters from a number of other Nintendo games. Tournaments like the Evolution Championship series have featured this game.

Real time strategy games

Real time strategy (RTS) games are games for the more cerebral esports fan. Players need to make decisions in these games that are based on events that occur in real time rather than them being turn-based, like other esports games. In many ways, it is surprising that RTS games feature in esports events at all, as they are not ideal for spectators and can often only be played by a single person rather than teams.

There are some exceptions to this state of affairs, however, and one of these exceptions is Starcraft II, which was released in 2010 as a sequel to the original Starcraft. Starcraft II was a groundbreaker in the world of competitive esports games, as it was one of the first video games to be considered as a legitimate spectator sport. This meant that it helped to cement the validity of esports as worthy of respect, with the presence of live audiences giving the concept legitimacy in the eyes of many who were previously skeptical about esports.

Other RTS games that have featured at esports events include Age of Empires, Warcraft III and World in Conflict. These are less common to see at esports bookies, but you can still find markets for them if you’re prepared to look carefully.

Sports & racing games

One of the more interesting developments in esports games in recent years has been the way that video game versions of conventional sports like soccer and basketball have become popular with competitive gamers. Indeed, many conventional sports teams have dipped into the esports scene by launching teams to play these esports games.

FIFA is possibly the world’s most popular soccer video game and you can find plenty of esports betting markets on a whole host of events across the world. Other popular esports games of this type include NBA 2k, Pro Evolution Soccer and Madden NFL.

Miscellaneous games

As well games in the categories we have outlined above, you may come across some games at esports bookmakers that are not so easily classifiable. One of these is Hearthstone, a game derived from World of Warcraft. Players use cards and crystals in a turn-based set-up to attempt to defeat each other.

Another game that is hard to categorise but has proved enduringly popular on the esports scene is World of Tanks. Players must choose from a range of tanks before going into battle against their opponent, with the aim being to destroy all of the enemy tanks or take out their base.

Conclusion

As you can see, there is plenty of scope for esports games that are good for betting. Whether you are a fan of first person shooters like CSGO or MOBA titles like Dota 2 you can find plenty of great tournaments featuring world-class players on which you can bet. You can even bet on esports versions of mainstream sports like football and basketball now, such are the options on offer.

When you’re betting on esports games it’s important to remember that betting is supposed to be fun and is all about entertainment. If betting on esports ever starts to feel frustrating or makes you angry then you need to have a break. Manage your bankroll carefully, bet sensibly, and don’t chase losses – then we’re sure you’ll have a great time betting on esports.