League of Legends (aka LoL) is the most popular competitive game in the world. If you’ve ever been to the esports betting on Reddit, you’ve likely found at least a couple of threads discussing this MOBA betting opportunity. Two teams compete with the straightforward goal of destroying the enemy Nexus, and the sheer number of ways to achieve this goal and express your skill in the process turns every LoL esports match into an experience unlike any other.
Esports Betting Sites 2020
YOUR EXCLUSIVE GUIDE TO THE TOP ESPORTSBOOK SITES
Esports Betting Sites: Your 2020 Guide to Top Esportsbook Sites
Esports betting is the fastest growing niche at both land-based and online bookmakers. It is also the most promising one, as a significant percentage of new punters are younger people with a keen eye for video game competitions. As the number of punters grows, so does the collection of esports betting options, with dozens of generic and specific markets available. The list is on a constant expansion, with first-person shooters, real-time strategy, multiplayer online battle arena and battle royale games dominating the lineup.
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Esports Betting Canada
Canada has always been a great place for esports. Much like their US neighbors, Canadian players have access to some of the largest tournaments in the world, and the likes of Sasha “Scarlett” Hostyn (StarCraft 2), Mike “Shroud” Grzesiek (CS:GO), and Lane “Surefour” Roberts (Overwatch) have already established their home country as a gaming powerhouse. Unlike the US, though, Canada doesn’t restrict its citizens with rigid rules and gambling legislation, making it the perfect place for online esports betting.
Indeed, if you live in Canada and want to bet on CS:GO, Overwatch, League of Legends, Rocket League, StarCraft 2, or even PUBG matches, you’ll have a multitude of gambling providers at your disposal. Their numbers are, in fact, so large that they get overwhelming, and the question of finding a good esports betting Canada operator becomes more important than ever before.
Tackling this task on your own can be daunting.
Fortunately, our EsportsBettingSite.com experts have already done all the grunt work! We’ve analyzed dozens and dozens of bookmakers to find the best operators for Canadian customers. The result? Three esports betting sites that will set you up for long-term success with their solid welcome bonuses, flexible payment methods, and well-rounded betting offers.
We’ve also made a brief overview of the most popular competitive games in Canada and compiled a list of practical esports betting tips to help you kick-start a successful gambling career. Without further ado, let’s get to it!
Top 5 Esports Betting Sites in Canada
Every gambling journey begins with a betting site. In the past, gaming fans only had a handful of operators to choose from, but if you’re interested in esports betting Canada now, the world is your oyster. The market is huge, and it’s easy to spend tens (if not hundreds) of hours in a never-ending hunt for greener pastures. Don’t worry, though, because we’ve already narrowed this search down to the top 5 esports betting sites for Canadian customers!
Unikrn
Unikrn puts a different spin on esports betting. You will find fair odds, varied markets, and a solid welcome bonus (50% up to $150) on this platform. But the main thing that stands out about Unirkn is crypto. Every Unikrn customer can download the Vault App and start collecting Unikoin Silver and Unikoin Gold crypto tokens free of charge. These tokens can be used to bet on esports matches, purchase in-game skins, enroll in on-site promotions, or get other goodies like event passes and computer parts. You can extract a lot of value out of this.
GG.Bet
GG.Bet are well-known for offering a substantial array of Esports markets, and you’ll find everything from CS:GO, League of Legends, Dota 2, Starcraft 2 and more; they also offer some of the less-common markets which you may struggle to find at other sites including Smite, PUBG, Call of Duty, Hearthstone, Halo, NBA2K18, Overwatch, Heroes of the Storm, Vainglory and World of Tanks. New customers at GG.Bet are treated well, and the bookmaker offers a lucrative welcome bonus offer which is formed around a 100% matched deposit bonus.
Arcanebet
ArcaneBet is the new kid on the block. This online esports betting site was founded in 2016, but it’s already put some of the most established bookmakers in the world to a test. Not only does ArcaneBet greet its customers with a compelling 100% deposit bonus up to $100, but it reinforces this welcome offer with wide esports coverage and vast betting markets. Combine that with great odds and excellent live betting opportunities, and it’s not exactly surprising why thousands of gamblers from all over the globe chose ArcaneBet as their go-to gambling platform.
Betway
Betway is one of the “big name bookies” in the Esports market, and this online gambling giant offers punters the chance to bet on a variety of tournaments and events from all corners of the world. They offer a lucrative new-player bonus where you can enjoy a £30 free bet when you deposit and wager £10, and with a huge array of payment methods, quick withdrawals, and excellent customer support it’s not hard to see why Betway quickly became a big name in the Esports world.
Rivalry
Rivalry is a perfect esports betting site for beginners and rookie gamblers. For starters, the welcome bonus here is a risk-free bet up to $25. This is a no-strings-attached type of deal, so you can jump right into the action without being afraid of losing your money. If that wasn’t enough, there’s a fun rewards system that can give you up to $350 in bonuses for completing exciting quests and interesting missions. Rivalry also does a good job of streamlining the betting process, so you won’t get bogged down by confusing markets and unnecessary details.
Best Payment Methods for Esports Betting Canada
Alright, now that we’ve walked you through the best esports betting Canada sites, how do you actually start wagering? The first thing you need to do is get some money on your gambling account. There are multiple ways of achieving this, but most of them can be divided into three categories: credit/debit cards, e-wallets, and cryptocurrencies. Let’s take a look at these categories to find out which payment methods suit you best!
Credit and Debit Cards
These are the Visas and MasterCards of the world. The great thing about credit and debit cards is that they’re almost universally accepted. With that, you can jump into the betting action as soon as your transaction is processed, which usually doesn’t take longer than a minute.
So, what are the downsides? Despite the fact that most esports betting sites use encryption protocols and other security measures to protect customer data, it still feels a bit weird to share your credit card information with third-party platforms. On top of that, credit and debit cards are tied to your identity, so you won’t be able to place anonymous wagers.
e-Wallets
The other option you have is e-wallets. Payment methods like Skrill, Neteller, and PayPal are quite popular in the online esports betting crowd. Sure, they’re not exactly anonymous, but they still add another layer of protection to your credit card information. Combine that with the fact that pretty much every bookmaker is willing to work with at least a couple of e-wallets, and this is a fairly reliable payment option.
The flip side is that deposits can take some time to get processed. There’s also a decent chance to run into annoying transaction fees, so make sure to read the small print and double-check all the details before making your first deposit with an e-wallet.
Cryptocurrencies
A few years ago, betting on esports matches with cryptocurrencies was almost unheard of. Times change, though, and many operators have already adopted crypto as one of their primary deposit methods. This payment option is completely anonymous, making it a great fit for bettors that want to protect their personal information or bypass rigid country restrictions.
However, crypto transactions can take a while to process. There’s also the fact that the only widely accepted cryptocurrency is Bitcoin, so you will have a much harder time depositing funds with Ethereum or Litecoin. Finally, many betting sites will let you make a Bitcoin deposit only to force you to verify your identity when you make a withdrawal request. This completely negates any further attempts to remain anonymous, so try to find out whether your esports betting Canada site requires identity verification in advance.
Which Esports Should You Bet On?
Okay, you’ve decided on your betting site and payment method. Where do you go from here? The obvious answer is to the actual games! Usually, you want to put yourself in position to make the best decisions possible, meaning that you need to have a solid grasp of the game’s mechanics and what it means to play this game on a high level.
Still, don’t be discouraged if you don’t fit these criteria. Online esports betting is a learning experience, and you can always start by getting familiar with some of the most popular competitive titles in Canada. Here is a brief rundown:
CS:GO
CS:GO (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive) is one of the few esports that withstood the test of time. The concept is simple: two teams of five—Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists—fight each other in an effort to plant (or defuse) the bomb or kill the entire enemy team. Yet, when you mix in exciting gunplay, complex setups, and rapid flick shots you get a stunning blend of action and suspense.
Overwatch
Overwatch is also a first-person shooter, but it’s a very different beast to CS:GO. For starters, each team has six players instead of five. Moreover, every player can pick a hero with unique weapons, traits, and abilities that turn Overwatch matches into thrilling displays of tactics, mechanics, and split-second decision-making.
Rocket League
Rocket League is pretty much soccer. Except the ball is huge. And you’re playing with cars! The concept might sound like something out of the left-field, but once you witness the clutch saves, spectacular trick shots, and stirring mid-air battles, you’ll forget about the ridiculous premise and jump right on the wild Rocket League ride.
StarCraft 2
StarCraft 2 is like chess on steroids. Each player assumes the role of a commanding officer that directs one of three races—Zerg, Terran, or Protoss—on a battlefield. The catch is that all decisions are made in real-time, so StarCraft 2 matches quickly turn into fierce contests of wits and dexterity.
PUBG
PUBG is a battle royale title. Up to one hundred players parachute onto a small island to scavenge for weapons, search for equipment and engage in an all-out deathmatch. Only one team (or one player) will remain standing, and skill and strategy will both play a huge role in this struggle for survival.
Dota 2
Dota 2 is second only to League of Legends in terms of popularity among esports betting fans. Valve’s sequel to the MOBA that made the genre so popular is also the best paying videogame in the world. The International is the culmination of a rich season and it pays tens of millions of dollars to the most successful players. The two teams involved are rushing towards the enemy base trying to reduce it to ashes before their own capital building is destroyed.
FIFA
FIFA is the first thing that comes to mind when it comes to football esports betting. This franchise has been around for more than two decades and EA Sports releases a new title every year. Granted the differences are small and often players end up paying for a slightly changed product, FIFA is the obvious choice for football esports. High profile tournaments are hosted throughout the year in land-based locations and online, with bookmakers dedicating ample coverage to virtual football matches.
Call of Duty
Call of Duty trails Counter Strike Global Offensive as the second most popular first-person shooter. It is head and shoulders above the rest of the competition, with major tournaments having guaranteed prize pools that exceed $1 million. CoD was refined over the years and each installment is dedicated to a different period, but its gameplay has remained just as competitive. When it comes to esports betting markets, one can bet on the outright winners, the total number of kills, winning margins, and much more.
Esports Betting Tips And Tricks
Everyone wants to be a winning player. Unfortunately, even if you know what sites to use and which games to bet on, this knowledge alone won’t be enough to put you in the black. With that in mind, here are some practical tips and tricks that will push your gambling game to the next level.
First, do your research. Every esports match has a ton of variables ranging from something as simple as player skill to something as complex as team identities, and if you want to be a profitable bettor, you need to get familiar with these. Watch recent VODs, evaluate player strengths and weaknesses, look for patterns in teams’ playstyles, and analyze how they fit in the global meta. Go online and look at Power Rankings and find out teams’ standings. The more information you have, the better decisions you’ll make – and this equally applies when betting on the world’s best LoL teams during huge tournaments like the League of Legends World Championship and smaller events like the Canada Esports League.
Second, get outside opinions. No competitive scene exists in a vacuum, and there’s a constant stream of discussions, predictions, and match breakdowns surrounding it. Make full use of this data. Ideally, you want to find trustworthy experts that know what they’re talking about, but even something as simple as reading fan opinions on an esports betting Reddit can give you a good idea of what the community thinks of particular players and matchups.
Third, stock up on patience. If you’re at the very beginning of your gambling career, you won’t become a winning player overnight. Learning is a process. It will take time before you can analyze esports matches and navigate betting markets on a high level, but once you put in the hours, the results will definitely follow.
Is esports betting legal?
Some countries prohibit all forms of online gambling, while others chose to regulate the market. Normally, as long as classic sports betting is legal in your country, you can also bet on esports in complete accord with the law (exception made for the USA). Do your due diligence and get up to speed with your local gambling legislation.
Where can I bet on Esports?
It is possible to bet on esports at most bookmakers, not only those dedicated to video game competitions. We advise going over several bookmaker reviews to find the best odds, the most generous bonuses and the most comprehensive selection of special betting markets. We always recommend selecting one of the top-rated betting sites, reviewed by our team.
How do you win an Esports bet?
To win in Esports betting you need to correctly predict the winner of the match for the outcome of a specific betting market. If you add multiple events on the same betting slip, all your selections must be accurate, while betting systems give you more room to ever in exchange of lower odds. You may also bet on game-specific markets, like “First Blood”, “First Dragon/Baron” or first team to score 10 kills.
How safe is esports betting?
As long as you choose a reliable & honest bookmaker covering video game competitions, esports betting is perfectly secure. Your funds and the private data shared with the esportsbook are protected and your withdrawals will be paid on time and in full.
Is CSGO Betting legal?
CSGO Betting on CSGO betting sites that hold a valid Gambling License to operate in your country, is a hundred percent legal. CSGO betting is often confused with Skin Gambling, but these are two different things. CSGO betting is all about making money wagers on the outcome of tournaments and events, whilst skin gambling is the use of virtual goods and in-game items from CSGO to make bets on third-party websites, which often are unregulated and thus dangerous to use.
Is it worth joining several esports betting websites?
It is always wise to give yourself multiple options: signing up for several esports betting sites can be a good idea. You have an easier time finding the best odds, generous promotions, and play multiple sign-up bonuses when you join the bookmaker.
Which bookmakers offer the best Overwatch betting markets?
Overwatch is a popular esports and most esportsbooks will cover Overwatch tournaments such as the Overwatch League and the Overwatch World Cup. The best Overwatch betting sites to look at when comparing odds are GG.Bet, BUFF.Bet, Arcanebet, and Betway.