How to Bet on eSports Online 2025
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Last Updated: 28 July, 2025
eSports betting is growing fast across the United States, but legal access still depends on where you live.
With more states opening up, it’s getting easier to place safe, legal bets on eSports, especially through licensed apps and sportsbooks.
How to bet on eSports in the US
If you're new to esports betting online, here's how to get started legally in states that allow it:
Where is eSports betting currently legal?
While not every state allows online betting on eSports, the number is growing.
Thanks to the 2018 repeal of PASPA, states can now regulate bets on eSports just like traditional sports.
As of now, the following states allow some form of legal eSports betting online:
Legal eSports Betting States (as of 2025):
Arizona
Arkansas
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Mississippi
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Ohio
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Tennessee
Virginia
Washington DC
West Virginia
Laws vary by state, so check out your legal sportsbooks here.
Some allow full bets on esports (including live and prop bets), while others limit wagers to major events or specific games.
Always check local rules before placing a bet.
How to bet on FIFA eSports
FIFA, now known as EA Sports FC, has a strong eSports scene with official tournaments and global players.
If you follow pro football, learning how to bet on FIFA eSports is a natural next step.
Types of eSports bets
Most eSports bets online work just like traditional sports wagers.
If you’ve bet on football or basketball, these formats will feel familiar.
Moneyline: Pick who wins the match, simple and common across all games. It’s the go-to option for most bets on eSports.
Spread Betting: Spread bets are based on maps, rounds, or games won. If a team is favored at -1.5, they must win by two or more maps to cover.
Over/Under (Totals): You can bet on how many maps or rounds will be played. Totals bets are popular in CS:GO and LoL matchups.
Prop Bets: Props include first kill, most kills, or whether a team will win a specific map. These are great for experienced fans who know team tendencies.
Futures: Futures let you bet on a tournament or season winner before it ends. This is common in major events like The International or the ePremier League.
Live Betting: Odds shift as matches unfold. Many legal sportsbooks now offer in-game betting with live updates and stats.
Game-specific betting
eSports can be separated into different types of games to choose and bet on.
Here are the most common game types within the industry you can look at when on eSports betting sites.
CS:GO eSports betting
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) is one of the most active eSports in the betting world.
With weekly matches and global tournaments, it offers near-constant opportunities to bet.
Key Events: Look for events like ESL Pro League, BLAST Premier, and the CS:GO Major Championships. These are heavily covered by sportsbooks.
Popular Bets: You can bet on full match winners, map winners, total rounds, and player props. One unique market is total headshots or bomb defusals, depending on the book.
Where to Bet: Platforms like Bet365 and William Hill consistently offer odds on CS:GO. Legal US sportsbooks vary by state, but CS:GO is usually the most supported eSport.
League of Legends (LoL) eSports betting
League of Legends is one of the longest-running and most-watched eSports titles worldwide.
With structured pro leagues across regions, it offers consistent betting opportunities year-round.
Key Leagues & Events: Major leagues include the LCS (North America), LEC (Europe), LCK (Korea), and LPL (China). The World Championship is the biggest event each year and draws global betting interest.
Popular Bets: Most sportsbooks offer moneylines, spreads (typically 1.5/+1.5), map totals, and props like first blood or first turret. We've found that props often carry the best value if you follow specific teams or regions closely.
Where to Bet: LoL odds are more widely available than other titles. Books like Bet365, FanDuel, and Caesars often carry match lines and tournament futures during the regular season and World Championship.
Dota 2 eSports betting
Dota 2 has a huge global following and some of the highest prize pools in all of eSports, especially at The International, its flagship tournament.
Key Events: Outside The International, top events include ESL One, DreamLeague, and the Dota Pro Circuit (DPC). Major tournaments often run multi-week formats, giving bettors more matches and markets to choose from.
Popular Bets: Standard bets include match winners, map totals, and exact scores (2-0, 2-1, etc.). Dota 2 also features prop bets like first Roshan kill, first blood, and most kills by team or player.
Where to Bet: Bet365 usually offers the deepest Dota 2 coverage. Some US sportsbooks offer limited markets depending on the tournament and local rules, but Dota 2 is growing in visibility.
Top 5 Tips to Bet Smarter on eSports
1. Stick to What You Know
Start with games you understand. Knowing how CS:GO works gives you a major edge when reading odds and team stats.
2. Watch Recent Form
eSports is streaky. Even elite teams can slump. Look at recent match results, player form, and head-to-head history.
3. Avoid Overpriced Favorites
A -900 moneyline might look safe, but the payout is tiny, and upsets happen often. Look for value bets, not just winners.
4. Shop the Odds
Odds can differ between books. A team at -150 in one place might be -130 elsewhere. Over time, those extra points add up.
5. Know the Schedule
Some teams play three matches in a week, others get time to reset. Use schedule info to bet smarter, especially on underdog spots.
Common mistakes to avoid when betting on eSports
Even experienced bettors slip up when it comes to eSports.
The fast pace, unique formats, and constant meta shifts can catch you off guard.
Before placing your next bet, watch out for these common mistakes:
Betting Big Favorites Without Value: Odds like -800 might feel safe, but they offer little payout—and upsets happen more often than people expect in eSports. If there’s no value, skip the bet.
Ignoring Team and Player Form: Past stats don’t always reflect current performance. Always check recent match results, lineup changes, or fatigue before betting.
Wagering on Low-Tier Events: Smaller tournaments often involve lesser-known teams and inconsistent formats. There’s less data to work with, and the results are harder to predict.
Using Only One Sportsbook: Odds vary between sportsbooks. Limiting yourself to one platform means you could miss better prices or bet types elsewhere.
Overlooking Match Format and Rules: Not all matches are best-of-three. Some are best-of-one or use unusual rules. Always double-check if you're betting on the full match, individual maps, or live lines.
Two smart eSports betting strategies
We’ve tested these two strategies across different titles, and they consistently help new bettors stay sharp and avoid common mistakes.
1. Stick to One Game at First: Don’t try to bet on every match across multiple titles. Focus on one game, like CS:GO or LoL, so you can learn the teams, events, and trends. The more familiar you are with how matches play out, the better your decisions will be.
2. Avoid Chasing Favorites With No Value: A -800 favorite might seem like a safe pick, but the risk isn’t worth the small payout. Upsets happen in eSports just like traditional sports. If the odds look lopsided, consider skipping the match or looking for a better market, like a prop or map total.
Frequently asked questions
You can view our dedicated page for more information on how we test and review sportsbooks.
Additionally, you can view all of our sportsbook reviews for the top platforms you can bet on eSports online.
How to bet on eSports betting sites responsibly
Although knowing your sports helps, betting is primarily luck-based, so use these top tips to practice responsible gambling when placing a bet:
Limits: Betting sites allow you to set betting limits, i.e. limit how much you can bet in a day, a week, or a month.
Cashouts: You can withdraw your winnings quite easily from any betting site, which prevents you from spending all of your winnings.
Help & resources: Betting platforms provide access to resources for problem gamblers and point them to organizations that can help with gambling addiction.
To help with gambling, we created a 'How To Bet On Sports' guide that helps new sports bettors understand the industry better, to play safer and more securely.
Problem gambling organizations and charities in the US
Why you can trust us
At Sporting Post, we prioritize accuracy, objectivity, and transparency in every piece of content we write.
Our expert team conducts thorough, real-world testing of betting platforms, ensuring reviews and insights are unbiased and reliable from a human perspective.
We adhere to strict ethical standards, maintaining editorial independence and avoiding conflicts of interest, while regularly updating our content to reflect the latest trends and developments.
Our mission is to empower bettors with trustworthy information, backed by rigorous research and a commitment to responsible gambling.
You can trust us to provide clear, concise, and honest advice, helping you make informed betting decisions.
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This process maintains the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.
References
To test betting site products accurately, we dive into analytical research of the betting industry, so we understand what features are best for you.
Below are some of the references we use when making such decisions:
https://wsb.wharton.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Beggy_2023__Betting_Kelly.pdf
https://sc.edu/uofsc/posts/2024/01/stephen-shapiro-sports-gambling.php
Contributors
Josh Miller
Author
Josh Miller, Sporting Post’s Sports & Casino Editor, brings over five years of experience in feature writing, blogging, and SEO.
With a strong background in football coverage and sports betting, his work has been featured in VAVEL.
Josh also writes extensively about online casinos, providing expert insights into games, bonuses, and gambling trends.
His engaging and informative content makes him a reliable resource for Sporting Post readers.
Bradley Gibbs
Reviewed By
With over 12 years of experience, Bradley Gibbs is a seasoned sports betting writer and analyst specializing in uncovering value bets across football, horse racing, tennis, and golf.
His extensive coverage of these sports has been featured on numerous websites and in The Racing & Football Outlook, a renowned UK betting publication.
Bradley's expertise lies in identifying betting edges and delivering insightful, data-driven content for informed wagering.