Last Updated on January 7, 2024
Since the turn of the 21st century, arguably no area of online gambling has grown faster than casino eSports. Pitting professional players and teams against one another on popular video game titles such as Counter-Strike, Fortnite, League of Legends and FIFA, eSports betting is a multi-billion dollar industry that allows viewers to enhance their experience by wagering on a range of in-game markets.
On this page, we’ll take a closer look at the history of eSports betting and how players can get involved in the action at one of our top-rated eSports casinos. We’ll also explain the various eSport casino bonuses that are currently available to new customers and the games players can use them on, before answering some of the most frequently asked questions about betting on eSports at an online casino.
Online Casinos With eSports 2024
Due to the growing popularity of eSports, many online casinos not on Gamstop have begun offering eSports bonuses to help new customers get started. Working in much the same way as regular casino deposit bonuses or sportsbook risk-free bets, these eSportsbetting bonuses are a great way to reduce the risk of wagering on some of the biggest events and are a vital tool in any eSports bettor’s arsenal.
Big name brands like Slots N Bets, Red Lion, Fortune Clock and MyStake are all great examples of casinos with eSports, and all offer a variety of incentives for new customers. Of course, when betting on eSports at an online casino, players need to be aware of the wagering requirements and any time limits that are attached to the bonus, as these must be completed before winnings can be withdrawn.
£100
free eSports bet
£100
free eSports bet
£500
eSports betting bonus
100%
on eSports accumulators
£500
eSports betting bonus
£1,000
eSports betting bonus
£1,000
eSports betting bonus
£1,000
eSports betting bonus
£3,000
eSports betting bonus
£765
eSports betting bonus
History Of eSports
While betting on eSports has only become popular this century, the concept of video game competitions actually dates back to 1972. That year, Stanford University hosted the “Intergalactic Spacewar Olympics” in what was arguably the first eSports competition ever held. Eight years later, the well-known title Space Invaders took centre stage, with an event attracting 10,000 participants.
Over the following decades, more companies emerged and began developing competitive video games, but it wasn’t until the dawn of the internet in the 1990s that gamers really became connected. With international competitions – and the size of their prize pools – growing exponentially, it was only a matter of time before casinos started to take notice and began offering markets on their outcomes.
These days, millions of viewers tune in to witness professional eSports players and teams battle it out on games such as Smite and Overwatch, with eSports casinos only too happy to cash in on the action. With many sites streaming events live on their platform, customers can now choose to bet on a range of markets including the outright winner, the total points scored and props like the highest kill-count.
Types Of Games in eSports
When it comes to betting on eSports at an online casino, customers will usually have a great deal of choice over the titles they can wager on. Below we’ve outlined some of the most popular forms of competition available, along with a brief summary of their recent history and in-game objectives.
MOBA
Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games are among the most widely-viewed form of eSports and typically pit two teams of players against each other on a pre-defined map. With each competitor controlling one character with pre-set abilities, players on teams must co-operate to achieve their goals, with League of Legends and DOTA 2 being popular examples.
FPS
First-person shooter (FPS) games are another popular form of eSports that can be played by individual competitors or larger teams. The genre was first established through iconic gun-play titles like DOOM and Quake, but eSports betting became widely available on games like Call of Duty and Counter-Strike. These days, certain casinos even offer a CSGO betting bonus.
Combat
Dating all the way back to classic beat’em ups like Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat, fighting games are the definitive player-v-player eSports event. With competitors battling it out in a series of one-on-one bouts, those genre-defining classics still rule the roost today, with newer games like Super Smash Bros and Tekken now also a popular fixture at eSports betting casinos.
Battle Royal
Something of a hybrid between the last-man standing aspect of an FPS title and the exploration and scavenging elements of a survival game, battle royale eSports are massive multi-player events. These days, the most famous examples of the genre are undoubtedly Fortnite and Apex Legends, with many casinos offering a Fortnite Betting bonus on the former.
Sport
Given the popularity of actual sports betting, it wasn’t a huge leap to imagine customers would also be willing to place wagers on their video game equivalent. Sports-based eSports titles – as their name suggests – see players control virtual athletes on the football pitch, basketball court or ice-hockey rink, with the FIFA soccer franchise undoubtedly being the most popular.
RTS
Pre-dating MOBA games, real-time strategy (RTS) titles were where competitive eSports really took off. The Blizzard games Warcraft and Starcraft are easily the best-known examples of the genre, with players collecting resources to build bases and recruit armies with the ultimate goal of decimating their opponent in match-ups that can often last several hours or longer.
Casinos With eSports
Most eSports betting casinos will feature a dedicated lobby for games and competitions in addition to their regular sportsbook lobby. Here, players will be able to browse a list of live and upcoming events and place wagers on a wide range of markets including match results, points totals and much more.
To help them get started, most casinos with eSports usually include a special eSport betting bonus that is available when customers make their first deposit. This could be anything from a free bet to a match bonus and will help players unlock additional value from their transactions providing they wager on eligible events like Fortnite and CS:GO and complete any wagering requirements attached.
Types of eSports Bonuses
When betting on eSports at an online casino, you’ll often be able to find a variety of bonuses to help get you started. Esport casino bonuses come in many different shapes and sizes, with sites like Freshbet, MyStake, Agent No Wager, Maxim Casino, Tropic Slots and Admiral Shark all favouring deposit match offers, while Slots N Bets and Red Lion instead provide players with a free bet token.
No Deposit eSports Bonuses
As eSports still remain an unexplored area of betting for many customers, some casinos allow you to place your first bet without making a deposit. For this eSports betting bonus, you just have to sign up at your chosen casino and you’ll be given a free bet or credit to use on eSports.
Matched Deposit Bonus
Working in the same way as a casino deposit match, many eSports betting casinos offer will give players a certain percentage of their top-up as an additional bonus. These bonus funds must then be specifically bet on eSports events in order to work through the wagering terms.
Free Bet
Another popular way to issue eSports bonuses is in the form of a free bet. A site might offer a Fortnite betting bonus or a CSGO betting bonus that can only be used on that specific title, with customers then having to wager any winnings they make before they can be withdrawn.
Risk-Free Bet
This type of eSportsbetting bonus essentially lets you wager on a pre-selected market without the risk. If your bet is successful, you’ll receive your winnings as normal, but if it loses, eSports Casinos will refund a portion or all of your stake as an eSports betting bonus to use on-site.
Cashback
Operating much like a risk-free bet but with fewer caveats, Cashback offers allow you to bet on eSports with the added safety net of receiving a portion of your losses back after a set period. These loses will typically be paid as bonus credit which must then be used on eSports.
