eSports – Online Casino and eSports Bonus

Which eSports Are The Most Popularly Played Today?

Nowadays, eSports have gained unprecedented levels of popularity. Many eSports games have competitive gameplay and are popular with different audiences for different reasons.

However, which eSports video games are the most popularly played nowadays, and why are they popular?

• Dota 2: Otherwise known as Defense of the Ancients 2, this MOBA game is one of eSports’ most prominent titles. Dota 2 is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game developed by Valve, which combines real-time strategy (RTS) games and tower defence games.

The game features two teams of five players competing to destroy the core of the other team’s base.

Cooperation and quick reflexes are crucial in this highly competitive game. The total prize money in Dota 2 so far is $8.2 million, and the most viewed tournament, held at ESL One Los Angeles, had half a million viewers!

• League of Legends: Nicknamed LOL, this is another MOBA game like Dota 2, which has its own avid fanbase, its own high number of casual and professional players, and its own highly active eSports scene. League of Legends was developed by Riot Games and features five-on-five matches as teams attempt to breach and demolish the other team’s base.

The total prize money as of 2020 was $7.8 million, and the League of Legends Worlds in 2020 had 3.8 million viewers!

• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO): Another popular eSports game. In the classic game mode of the strategic first-person shooter Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), two teams of five players compete as part of either the terrorist or anti-terrorist teams. The total prize money in CS:GO as of 2020 is $12 million, and the most viewed tournament, held at IEM Katowice, had 1 million viewers!

• Fortnite: Growing in popularity, this is a battle royale shooter, wherein a total of one hundred players compete against each other on a vast map. The last survivor wins. However, what sets apart Fortnite from other similar battle royale shooters is its particular focus on obtaining various resources and building offensive and defensive structures, which can create a tactical advantage in the fight against other players. The last player, partnership, or squad standing is the winner!

• Overwatch: A popular game developed by Blizzard Entertainment, was a hybrid game that links first-person shooters such as Counter-Strike and MOBA games such as Dota 2. On a basic level, Overwatch plays like a shooter in the first-person perspective but combines elements from MOBA games, wherein you can choose from many different characters for different roles, each with different weapons and four different skills.

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: This is an eSport first-person shooter game. The Call of Duty League debuted on January 24, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, with Launch Weekend. Teams competed in 12 more weekends to gain points to acquire seeding for the Call of Duty League Championship 2020. The total prize money as of 2020 is $6 million, and the 2020 Call of Duty League Championship Weekend had 330,000 viewers.

• FIFA Football: A long-time favourite video game developed released by Electronic Arts (EA). When the series began in late 1993, it was notable for being the first to have an official licence from FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), the world governing body of football. While the actual FIFA soccer league is a world-class franchise sport, the FIFA video game is one of the biggest eSports in the world in its own right. FIFA has hosted the FIFA eWorld Cup, formerly known as the FIFA Interactive World Cup, since 2004.

There are many eSports games with competitive gameplay and are popular to different audiences for different reasons. Many of these eSports live competitions are televised!

Multi-Player Online Battle Arena eSports

Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games such as Dota 2 and League of Legends are arguably the most popular eSports. If any video game genre is to be synonymous with eSports, it would be the MOBA games.

In the last decade alone, multiple MOBA titles have been responsible for a large percentage of the viewership and prize money in the industry. More than any other style of game, MOBAs have been highly appealing to players and spectators alike.

MOBA games have two teams of five players each. The game map is usually divided into three lanes that connect the two teams’ core structures. The first team to destroy the opposing team’s core structure wins the game.

This all adds up to an exhilarating playing and viewing experience for gamers and fans alike. In MOBA eSports games, players require training, hard work, ambition and perseverance, and excellent hand-eye coordination. These are indispensable prerequisites to be a good MOBA game eSports player. As a MOBA player, it is essential to have teamwork, as you need to work as a cohesive and effective team.

For Dota 2, the competitive circuit is more open circuit, as developer Valve lets third-party organizers compete. Certain events throughout the year are designated as “majors” and “minors”, with prize money and circuit points being awarded to top-performing teams of each event.

Groups that perform well throughout the year are invited to compete in The International, along with regional qualifiers. The International, or the Dota 2 event held in 2019 at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, had a prize pool exceeding $34 million. This was achieved by letting fans contribute directly to the pot to purchase a battle pass known as The Compendium, which rewards players with in-game currency and more for watching and competing in particular challenges.

For League of Legends, developer Riot Games takes a more hands-on approach. There are numerous franchised competitions worldwide, from the League of Legends Championship Series in North America to China, Korea, Europe and minor leagues in South America, Turkey, Japan and more. League of Legends uses the regional league format, where the developers have complete control of how they decide to run their scene.

The 2019 League of Legends World Championship featured a prize pool of at least $2.2 million combined with additional secondary funding generated via sales from specific fan purchased in-game items during the tournament. In fact, League of Legends currently holds three of the top ten largest prize pools in eSports history dominated by Dota 2’s The International.

There are sponsorship possibilities for players and live and televised events for fans to support their preferred teams in both these games. MOBA games are undeniably the face of the modern-day eSports scene.

In the last decade alone, multiple MOBA titles have been responsible for a large percentage of the viewership and prize money in the industry!

Single-Player eSports Games

One of the most exciting things about eSports is the wide range of different video games that can be played and spectated. Many eSports video games are team-based such as MOBA games, but there are single-player eSports games that garner a comparable number of professional players and avid fans.

In single-player eSports, single players compete against others. These can be interesting to watch since fans can follow a single competitor all the way throughout that player’s career, regardless of what organization they end up playing with.

Fighting video games like Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, and Super Smash Bros are some of the most popular single-player eSports games that you can play or watch. These games provide intense solo competition. In some ways, focusing on one player versus one player makes these games even more intense since there is nothing between the two rivals except their competition to be better than their opponent.

Viewers don’t need to know much about the specific techniques of the game to be wowed by the incredible execution of professional players.

Similar to other eSports games, single-player games have their own eSports events. In 2013, Capcom launched its own pro league for Street Fighter 4 called The Capcom Pro Tour, which led to an end of season tournament called The Capcom Cup.

This Pro Tour continued for Street Fighter 5, released in 2016. There are also several events for Street Fighter outside The Capcom Pro Tour, including the tournaments held by Evo and ELEAGUE’s own professional tour for the game.

Real-time strategy games are another genre within eSports that are gaining popularity. Games such as StarCraft and StarCraft 2 are structured as single player eSports games in professional tournaments. The competitive version takes place in a one-vs-one tournament format.

Card games such as Hearthstone are among the popular single-player eSports games too. The professional scene for the game started in 2013, with a Hearthstone tournament at BlizzCon.

Since that first tournament, hundreds more have taken place hosted by various eSports organizers. The prize pool of many of those tournaments exceeds $500,000, which shows that these types of single-player eSports are popular.

These games provide intense solo competition. In some ways, the focus on one player versus one player makes these single-player eSports even more intense, since there is nothing between the two rivals except their competition to be better than their opponent!

eSports Played on the PC and Game Consoles

Some eSports can be played on both the PC and on game consoles. Computer and game console players have found it possible to play eSports using their particular devices. In addition to the technical aspects required by other eSports, the same rules apply in playing eSports on PC and game consoles as in others.

Most of the most popular eSports are playable on computers. This is due to the advantage of new PCs and PC parts coming out multiple times a year. Graphics and frame rates are essential for eSports players.

Moreover, many eSports are exclusive to PC. Some of these PC-exclusive games include Dota 2, League of Legends, and StarCraft II.

However, just because PC is the standard for most video games with an eSports following does not mean that console eSports do not exist. The three main game consoles, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch, are all host to specific eSports competitions that the PC scene does not have access to.

PlayStation is home to the world-famous Call of Duty: Modern Warfare league, Xbox has its competitive Halo Championship Series, and Nintendo Switch is the only place to find Super Smash Bros competitions. Consoles aren’t as competitive as PC because they come out every seven to ten years, meaning the graphics, frame rates, and general performance of the console are set until the next version comes out.

Competing for a seven-year-old console that can’t be upgraded past its base model versus the yearly upgradeable PC with its branching makes and models results in no contest. However, consoles are generally much cheaper than PCs, offering a launchpad for gamers to get their feet wet into eSports.

Cross-platform games, or games playable through both PCs and game consoles, include video games such as Fortnite. In Fortnite, professional competitors come from both PC and console.

Nevertheless, if you are unsure which device you should use for eSports, PC is the more powerful and future-proof option. However, if you are a casual gamer or if you want to play specific console exclusives, a console is the better option!

eSports Betting Markets

Now that you are more familiar with eSports, and now that you know the most popular eSports games across different genres and audiences out there, how can you get more involved?

You can bet on some of the most popular eSports game available, such as Dota 2, League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Fortnite, Overwatch, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and FIFA Football, among many others. You can do this through establishments that take bets on eSports events and pays out winnings, usually called bookmakers or sportsbooks.

Betting on eSports may seem daunting, but it is actually manageable. If you do it with just enough knowledge of the games and the betting markets involved, you will be able to take the most advantage of this exciting activity. Think of betting on eSports just like betting on traditional sporting events. Below are your options.

• Traditional Online Sportsbooks: These include Betway, 10bet and bet365, which offer eSports alongside other sports like football and tennis. Traditional sportsbooks are generally more established and tend to serve more markets than eSports-first books. Moreover, limits are often higher in traditional books like Pinnacle.

• eSports-first Sportsbooks: These include Unikrn’s primary (or even a completely exclusive) focus on eSports. These sportsbooks generally offer broader eSports coverage, provide more eSports streaming or other content around the betting product, and provide a more familiar experience for gamers or eSports fans than traditional sportsbooks.

• Informal betting sites: Websites such as CSGOLounge are another option. These are a popular option for gamers. However, as evident by the name, these sites are informal, and you often have little idea who is actually behind the site or insight into the inherent fairness of the site. You also don’t necessarily have a path for recourse if something goes wrong with your bet or balance. If you are not sure about the security of informal betting sites, you can move your betting to a mainstream sportsbook, either traditional or eSports-first, to mitigate those concerns. In those cases, you get to work with an often heavily licensed and regulated operator – in fact, many of the sports betting operators we list are publicly traded companies.

When you decide to begin betting on eSports, there are betting markets where you can do this. Detailed below are the main betting markets available for you. These eSports betting markets are among what you can choose from when you make your first bets!

Betting on eSports

• Group of Winner: In this betting market, you place a bet on the group containing the entire tournament’s overall final winner.

• Group Winner: In this betting market, you are placing a bet on the winning group of the specified tournament (if teams are organized in groups).

• Draw: In this betting market, you place a bet on whether the match’s outcome results in a draw.

• Handicap bet: When a sportsbook places a set margin (called the line) which gives an unfavourable team a slight advantage (usually in the form of rounds) and effectively places the game on equal footing. It is only available when there are only two possible outcomes (two teams). You are placing a bet on whether the team with the handicap advantage or disadvantage wins in this betting market.

• Outright Winner: In this betting market, you are placing a bet on which team you think will be the tournament’s overall winner.

• Region Winner: In this betting market, you are placing a bet on the specific region the winner is from if the tournament separates them by region.
  Total Rounds: In this betting market, you are placing a bet on whether the overall match will go over or under a certain number of rounds.

Usually, betting on eSports is for future results; in other words, you are placing a bet before the game. However, while the simplicity of pre-game eSports betting markets makes them ideally suited to novice bettors, in-play betting is becoming increasingly popular.

In fact, there are betting websites that offer live eSports stream for free. If you are up to the challenge, you may try in-play betting as an alternative and exciting option. This means that odds can change within seconds of in-play betting, so it is important to react quickly when you want to place a bet.

All bets are made between after the match starts and when it finishes in in-play or live eSports betting.

Betting on eSports may seem daunting, but it is actually manageable, and if you do it with just enough knowledge of the games and the betting markets involved, you will be able to take the most advantage of this exciting activity!

eSports Bonuses – How Do They Work?

If you are just starting out in eSports betting, know that it is not that difficult and overwhelming as it may seem when you do not have much experience yet. When you bet on eSports, you have many opportunities to claim and redeem generous bonuses, cash-back offers, and other real money incentives.

These are exciting bonuses that add additional value to your account and maximize your eSports wagering experience.

Earning rewards is one of the most exciting things about joining a new eSports betting site. These offers help you jump-start your success by collecting free money.

The easiest way to get eSports bonuses is to find a betting site that offers a welcome deal. You shouldn’t have to look hard, because most offer some kind of welcome bonus.

Then, register for an account and become a member. This process involves entering required details, such as your name, username, password, email, home address, and bonus code (if needed).

You also need to make a deposit to qualify for the welcome offer. Look for the site’s list of available banking options and select one that you can use.

Some of these options for eSports bonuses and how they work are detailed below.

• eSports Deposit Bonus: This is the most common eSports betting bonus. You get 100% of your first deposit back as free bets or bet credits in a deposit bonus. All you have to do is register for a new account with the betting site and make a qualifying deposit, usually a minimum of a few dollars.

You can now receive bet credits or free bets equal to your deposit amount but limited to a specific value, perhaps around a hundred dollars.

• eSports No Deposit Bonus: If you are looking for an eSports betting bonus online where you don’t have to risk a cent, there is a possible option for you to consider. There are betting sites that offer a free bonus with no deposit.

These are understandably attractive, especially if you are new to eSports betting and are trying to start out in this area. However, eSports no deposit bonuses are hard to find.

With a no deposit bonus in eSports, you are rewarded for signing up for a new account at a bookmaker without having to add any money to your account. The bookmaker hopes his new customer will enjoy their eSports free bet so much they will make a real money deposit and keep betting.

• eSports Free Bet: One of the popular eSports betting bonuses is the classic free bet. An eSports free bet, “bet credits”, or a matched bonus offers the chance to try eSports betting and put a stake on eSports odds without the risk of losing money.

An eSports free bet allows you to place one eSports bet without assuming any risk. Win, and you receive your entire winnings. Lose, and the money goes right back into your account and will be yours upon meeting terms and conditions.

The best thing about eSports free bets is that they are simple to understand, especially if you are just starting out in eSports betting. You either win your wager, collect the money, or lose and become eligible to reclaim the funds.

• eSports Reload Bonus: A reload bonus is essentially the same thing as a deposit bonus given as part of the welcome process. The only difference is that reload bonuses are available to existing customers.

This means that you can get a match percentage bonus beyond just your welcome offer. You simply need to wait for a reload bonus opportunity and take advantages.

• eSports Objective-Based Bonus: Finally, some eSports betting sites have a little fun with their bonus offers. They may offer an objective-based bonus, for example, which sees you complete specific challenges to earn your reward.

Objective-based offers can confuse newer eSports gamblers, but they are exciting when you’re an experienced bettor who knows the ropes.

Taking advantage of eSports bonuses is a good way for you to get started. However, you have to be careful and vigilant when you do so. An excellent way to keep safe is to always read the terms and conditions for every eSports bonus you have.

Read—and reread—the terms and conditions before making a single bet for you to know exactly what is needed to earn your money from your eSports bonuses.

When you bet on eSports, you have many opportunities to claim and redeem generous bonuses, cash-back offers, and other real money incentives!

Regulated eSports Markets

As with any market, eSports and betting on eSports have their own requisite regulations. These regulations may vary depending on where you live, which is why it is essential to note which licenses apply to your location.

• MGA: The Malta Gaming Authority License provides a globally recognised and powerful regulatory system for iGaming, including eSports. This provides onshore jurisdiction, whose legislation is in line with applicable EU legislation and international agreements.

This is covered in Canada, South Africa, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and India.

• Antillephone: The Curacao Gaming License is the eSports gaming license covering every kind of eSports-related activity in one license. Game providers, software developers and providers, operators, and games such as sports betting, online casino, lotto, online poker, eSports, live games, scratch cards and games of chance are all covered.

This offers high levels of cost-effective flexibility to gaming companies that may want to diversify their portfolio of offerings in the future. This is covered in Australia, Canada, South Africa, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, and India.

• UKGC: In the case of the United Kingdom, a UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) license is required. The UKGC mandated that betting on eSports should be treated no differently than betting on any other live event. Moreover, the UKGC has thus far chosen to regulate eSports the same way it does regular sports betting.

As such, most UK betting sites have eSports included within the sportsbook sections.

Rounding Up eSports Betting Strategies

At this point, you might be wondering: what can you do to make sure that you become better at betting on eSports? The main strategy that you must have is arguably the most important: You must know the game and the game players you will be betting on.

If you put your hard-earned cash down on a team or individual player you aren’t familiar with or immediately bet high on a game, you don’t know much about, there is a higher risk that you will not be able to make good betting decisions. You don’t need to personally be an expert-level gamer yourself, but you need to be familiar with how the game you will be betting on works.

It is alarming how many casual eSports fans jump straight into placing bets without sufficient knowledge of the game and the players they bet on.

Betting on eSports is undeniably exciting. However, it is crucial to not let yourself get caught up in the excitement too much that you forget to make informed and confident decisions. Usually, people bet on the most popular team at any given time, given the assumed simplicity of that decision.

Yet, if you do not make an effort of checking the situation, maybe you will discover that the most seemingly obvious betting decisions might not be the best decisions you can make. If you do not consider your options well beforehand, you may walk away without cash return and with disappointment instead.

This is the primary strategy of common sense decisions and applies to anyone and everyone placing real money bets on any live sport.

The main strategy that you must have is arguably the most important: You must know the game and the players of the game you will be betting on!