Best esports betting sites in the USA
Start betting on esports at one of our top recommended sportsbooks in the US. Compare legal video game wager sites with competitive odds, real-money markets and fast payouts, then pick your favorite welcome offer to make your move on Lol, CS2, Valorant and more.
| Sportsbook logo | Rating | Bonus | Go-to-sportsbook button | Show more | T&C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
Time2play's choice
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96/100
Sports and markets rating
by
Paul P.
91%
Playscore
based on
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Up to 200,000 Gold Coins + 9 Sweeps Coins
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Play now |
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2
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100/100
Sports and markets rating
by
Paul P.
86%
Playscore
based on
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250 Virtual Credits
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Play now |
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3
|
91/100
Sports and markets rating
by
Paul P.
86%
Playscore
based on
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Second Chance Bet of up to $500
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Play now |
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4
|
81/100
Sports and markets rating
by
Paul P.
89%
Playscore
based on
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Bet $5 get $150 in Bonus Bets
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Play now |
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Minimum $10 deposit required. Minimum odds -500 of greater. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. New customers only. T&CS, time limits and exclusions apply. Gambling Problem? Call or Text 1-800-GAMBLER 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-GAMBLER (AZ/CO/IN/IL/LA/NC/NJ/OH/PA/TN/VA) 21+, (KY) 18. |
5
|
81/100
Sports and markets rating
by
Jack B.
89%
Playscore
based on
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Second Chance Bet of up to $500
|
Play now |
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6
|
80/100
Sports and markets rating
by
Alexander T.
81%
Playscore
based on
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Play $5 Get $50
|
Play now |
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NY: Call the 24/7 HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY or Text HOPENY (467369). Must be 18+ (19+ in AL, NE; 19+ in CO for some games; 21+ in AZ, MA, and VA) and present in a state where Underdog Fantasy operates. Terms apply. See assets.underdogfantasy.com/web/PlayandGetTerms_DFS_.html for details. Offer not valid in MD, MI, NY, OH, and PA. Concerned with your play? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit www.ncpgambling.org. |
7
|
76/100
Sports and markets rating
by
Jack B.
91%
Playscore
based on
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Bet $5 get $150 in Bonus Bets if your bet wins
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Play now |
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8
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51/100
Sports and markets rating
by
Alexander T.
86%
Playscore
based on
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$20 Free on Sign-Up
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Play now |
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No Purchase Necessary. Void where prohibited. All bonus funds returned from free entries require a Ix play-through before withdrawal. Other restrictions apply. See chalkboar.io for details and contact information. Age, location and other restrictions apply. Must be 18+ to enter (19+NE, 21+ MA) and present in a state where Chalkboard operates. *Terms apply. Concerned with your play? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit www.nop.ambling.org |
When you look at the sites above, you can be sure of 3 things:
- Each of them brings the best esports online betting experience
- They are safe and legal to bet on
- They have the most competitive odds and markets
But Iet me give you a detailed review of the very best esports betting sites with apps:
Top esports betting apps, reviewed
The best esports betting apps for games like Valorant, CS2 or League of Legends, must also be the easiest to download and set up on most popular devices. So if you’re looking for legal esports betting apps to try right now, here are 3 suggestions for you:
Sportzino
Sportzino is a social sweepstakes sportsbook app with an ample betting section for video games. In a day, you can place live bets and watch live streamed matches on the embedded twitch account for Dota 2, Fortnite and so much more.
Since this is not a classical real-money bookmaker, you will wonder if you can win real money when you play Sportzino esport games. The answer is yes: when you purchase virtual Gold Coins, you are also given bonus Sweeps Coins which you can play and convert in real money gifts.
This allows for a larger availability of their esports, across the United States. But if you prefer standard real-money esport bets, have a look at my next proposals.
Top 3 video games and markets to bet on at Sportzino
| Esports | Market |
|---|---|
| Dota 2 | Match winner, Odd/Even maps, Map winner, map spread, total maps, Correct match score, Total kills Odd/Even |
| Valorant | Map winner, Total rounds, 1×2, Will there be overtime, Odd/even rounds |
| Counter-Strike | Map winner, Total maps/spread, Kills over/under, Odd/even maps |
Why choose Sportzino esports bookmaker
- Best for beginner esports bettors
- Live streaming
- 13+ esports to bet on
- Compatible with both iOS and Android
- Using virtual Gold Coins perfect for practice bets
- Uses bonus Sweeps Coins perfect for real-money conversion
- Available in over 40 US states
- Multiple other betting options: Sports and virtual sports
- Bonus: politics and entertainment betting
For more, read out the Sportzino sportsbook review
Betrivers.net esports platform
A social casino sportsbook supported by the renowned Betrivers (real-money) Sportsbook, but available in the majority of the United States. Being backed up by such a powerful brand, Betrivers.NET wins points for being a trustworthy esports site to entrust your payment methods with.
Currently, it hosts four video games: CS2, Dota 2, Valorant and Call of Duty, with the following betting markets:
Top 4 esports and markets to bet on at Betrivers.net
| Esports | Market |
|---|---|
| Dota 2 | Match winner, Odd/Even maps, Map winner, map spread, total maps, Correct match score, Total kills Odd/Even |
| Valorant | Map winner, Total rounds, 1×2, Will there be overtime, Odd/even rounds |
| CS2 | Match/Map Moneyline, Total maps, To go overtime |
| Call of Duty | Moneyline, Total kills by player, Map handicap, Correct map score |
Why choose Betrivers.net esports bookmaker
- Free coins sign up and daily logins
- 4 esports to bet on
- Compatible with both iOS and Android
- Live scoring for all sports events
- Available in all US states
- Multiple other betting options: Sports and virtual sports
- Bonus: politics and entertainment betting
For more, read out the Betrivers.net sportsbook review
Betrievers esports
If you are from one of the 15 US states from where you can bet live on sports at Betrivers, (CO, AZ, NY, IL, MI, OH, PA, DE, IN, IW, VA, WV, LA or NY), then you can bet real money on the same four main video game sports like on the play-for-fun version just covered above.
Each category includes 2-3 upcoming events to bet on, including the Blast Slam for Dota 2 and Shanghai Esports Masters for Valorant.
Why choose Betrivers.net esports bookmaker
- Second chance bet of up to $500 with code SPORTS
- Bet with real-money from 14 US states
- 12+ events across four video games
- Live scoring for all sports events
- Multiple other betting options: Sports and virtual sports
Best video games you can bet on online
When it comes to US esports betting, you can’t just look at the number of markets available for the sport. You’re going to want to see what leagues are on offer, and all the different types of video games you can bet on. You don’t just want to see League of Legends (LoL) appear for the billionth time, you want the esports betting website to have other games such as DOTA 2 or Valorant.
Unfortunately, if you want to bet on esports, USA sportsbooks tend to be a bit lacking. Most, like Caesars, don’t even have the option for egames betting, and the ones that do tend to focus heavily on LoL. So I’ve gone ahead and put down a handy table for you guys, which should help out if you’re looking for a particular video game betting market.
For example, Bet365 offers quite a few markets for Valorant and DOTA 2, with the NJ esports betting site letting you bet on both the DPC NA Div 1 and Div 2 for DOTA 2. It also features a massive lineup for LoL, with markets for 10 championships. Other esports gambling sites like BetRivers and Sugarhouse also have LoL, but they don’t offer anywhere near as many LoL leagues.
BetRivers, though, is the best esports betting site for CS:GO, with several markets in the ESL Pro League, and occasional odds boost to spice things up.
| Video game | Top esports betting sites | Best market |
|---|---|---|
| CS:GO | BetRivers sportsbook | Match Markets |
| League of Legends (LoL) | Bet365 sportsbook | Map Markets |
| DOTA 2 | BetRivers.NET sportsbook | Map Markets |
| Valorant | Bet365 sportsbook | Tournament Betting |
League of Legends (LoL)
2 teams of 5 players each compete to destroy the other team’s ‘Nexus’. Every player picks a ‘champion’ and fights to defeat the other team’s champions and destroy their base.
CS:GO
One of the most popular esports. Here 2 teams, the Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists, are pitted against each other in different objective-based game modes.
World of Warcraft (WoW)
Easily the most famous Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG), where players fight against each other in PvP battles, or as a team to complete ‘Raids’.
DOTA 2
Originally a mod for Warcraft 3, this is a Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) game similar to LoL. Players use ‘heroes’ to destroy the opposing team’s base and claim victory.
Fortnite
A ‘battle royale’ game with a small dose of construction mixed in. Each game is played with 100 players, and players compete to be the last man standing.
Valorant
A first-person hero shooter. Players pick a hero, each with unique abilities and skills, and in teams of 5, they compete in different objective-based game modes.
Rocket League
Soccer, but with cars. What more do you need to know? Players play as cars, and in teams, they drive their cars into a large soccer ball and score goals in the other team’s net.
FIFA
FIFA is a good, old-fashioned soccer video game. Players build a soccer team and compete against other teams in leagues to win. Some players are associated with actual soccer teams.
PUBG
A classic ‘battle royale’ game. Players can either play solo or in teams and will fight in matches of up to 100 players to be the last man standing.How do odds on esports betting sites work?
Odds are indicators that show the likelihood of a specific outcome and payout of an event. Bigger odds are clear indicators that the majority of people voting on that outcome, expects that win. Bigger odds also mean lower payouts, since the risk of losing that bet is lower.
Esports betting sites use brokers and data analysis tools to find a balance between the risk and the potential of an event. Basically to make sure that the losing side will always be bigger than the winning side. This way, bookies have enough funds to pay the winners and their profit.
How we choose the best sites for esports gambling
Here at Time2Play, we want to give you the complete picture when it comes to esports betting sites.
Here’s a breakdown of everything we look at to make sure you have the best esports betting experience:
Video games available
A lot of esports betting USA sites throw in esports as a bit of an afterthought, so there’s usually only 1 videogame available, often LoL. For us to consider a site to be the best though, we want to see a bit more than just one. We expect to see games like CS:GO, DOTA 2, or Valorant. At the end of the day, you guys want to make esports bets, not just LoL bets. For the best esports betting sites per videogame, check out our top esports betting sites.
Odds
We look at the payout percentages of esports betting sites to see if any of them are trying to be sneaky. Since odds are always changing it’s hard to be precise, but the best sites usually offer a 96%-97% return on 2-outcome bets. Bonus points if the live payouts are not that much lower than the normal ones, though it’s common for them to be a touch lower.
Live betting
Everybody loves a bit of live esports betting. If an esports betting site gives us the option to bet live, with some live streaming, in-depth data, and decent live percentage payouts, then we’re certainly going to rate them highly and consider the site to be a strong one.
Bet types
Another common problem when gambling on esports is the severe lack of bet types. A lot of esports betting USA sites tend to just have the basic moneyline bets. Even parlays, the most popular of bet types in US sportsbooks, are often left out. For us though, we want to see some spreads, some futures, the ability to bet on maps and players, and every other option under the sun.
Bonuses
Nobody can resist a good bonus. One of the first things we do at Time2Play is hit a sportsbook’s promo tab to see if there are any good promos on esports bets. Some odds boosts, a few competitions, and even a good refer-a-friend deal can go a long way in making esports betting on the site more attractive.
Apps and platforms
We expect our esports betting sites to have both mobile and desktop apps, and we expect them to run smoothly. No bugs, glitches, or compromises, just some good platforms that let us make as many esports bets as we please.
Payments
Sportsbooks need to be able to handle transactions smoothly if they want to get a good review from us. How many payment methods can we use? We hope for 10-15. How fast are the deposit and withdrawal times? Instant deposits and <24hr withdrawals are the way to go. Are the limits high or low? These can all be determining factors in choosing the best. We go into more details about this in the payments section.
Usability
It doesn’t matter if a site is the prettiest esports site in all of the USA, it also needs to be usable. We expect to see a search bar, some good filtering, and an easy way to select which videogame we actually want to bet on. We also look for extra features such as bet builders, that help make everyone’s life a little easier. If it’s all there and easy to understand, then it gets a good rating from us.
Overall betting site rating
This pretty much covers ‘everything else’ in an esports betting site. Things like how many states is the site available in, and if it offers other sports or a casino. We’re not going to get angry at an esports sportsbook if it doesn’t let us also gamble on a game of marbles in Finland, but it will certainly get extra points from us if it does.
Types of esports bets you can place online
Making esports bets can sometimes be a little weird, especially for first-timers. There are some unusual bet types in esports, to put it mildly. Luckily for you guys, we’re here to give you a quick rundown of all the different bet types that you can find when betting on esports. We’ve popped a quick summary of all the main types below, to help get you guys started on esports betting:
Skin betting
Why make bets with money when you can make bets with ‘skins’ instead? ‘Skin betting’ is the idea of placing bets not with cash, but with cosmetic ‘skins’ from various videogames. This is a common bet type for CS:GO, where players will bet using skins that they earn in-game, and then transfer the skins between each other. It’s a nice way to make bets whilst keeping your hard-earned cash for yourself.
Fantasy betting
Why rely on any random team when you can just build your own? In fantasy sports betting, bettors choose a line-up of esports players, and then sit back and watch them play games and score points. The better they play, the more money you make, nice and simple.
Betting on streamers
Instead of betting on a professional esports team, sometimes you have the option to bet on a streamer instead. These will be streamers who compete in competitive rounds that are usually just for Twitch streamers, though sometimes Facebook and Youtube streamers feature as well. This is fairly similar to your average live betting, with AI constantly monitoring the streamer and giving you fast, updated odds for you to bet on whilst they play.
Betting on yourself
The beauty of video games is that you don’t need to run miles around a track to become decent. All you need is a functioning console and good internet, and you too can play LoL in your pajamas. Add the glory of online matchmaking into the mix, and you’ll be playing against people at your skill level. So, if you’re playing anyway, and if you have a decent chance of winning, then why not bet on yourself? Just toss a few bucks on the chance that you’ll win this LoL match, and go all out on the game to make sure you win. Just don’t pick Yasuo in Bronze, or your team will afk, and we won’t blame them.
Social betting and challenges
Social betting is the idea of wagering on the outcome of esports games done with family, friends, or online contacts. This can be done in tandem with other bet types, like ‘skin betting’ or ‘betting on yourself’. There’s also challenge betting, which is just between two people, but the fundamentals are the same.
Pool betting
Instead of having individual bets, everyone can instead decide to go for a ‘pool bet’. In pool betting, everyone pools together all the bets of a particular market, and then divides the total up amongst the winners. It lowers your chances of losing money quite a bit, but you’ll also get smaller wins since you have to share with everyone else.
Esports specific bets
If you’ve ever done a ‘prop’ bet in sports betting, then you probably know what to expect here. These are the special bets that you can only get in esports and can be pretty much anything. Perhaps you want to bet on the first team to get 10 kills in CS:GO, or the first player to smash his keyboard in half when he dies to a Teemo shroom in LoL. Here is where you can go crazy, and throw down some wild bets that can lead to tons of cash if you win.
Payments and currencies available at esports sites
The last thing anyone wants is to get stuck on payments when trying to make some esports bets. We all want payments to be fast, smooth, and not have low limits so that we can move on and get to the betting. Here’s a list of some betting payment methods that you can use and how they work:
Credit/Prepaid cards
Your standard cards such as VISA and Mastercard. These are the most widely accepted across all sportsbooks, with some fast transaction times. Be careful though, as sometimes sites only allow deposits with cards and not withdrawals.
E-wallets
E-wallets like PayPal and Skrill are fast, easy to set up and let you make transactions without handing your card details to the esports betting site. Making transactions through a 3rd party site such as PayPal also gives you an extra layer of security, making this one of the safest options around.
Bank transfer
This is arguably the most secure way of making transactions, and usually comes with higher deposit and withdrawal limits. Unfortunately, these usually also have the slowest transaction times, so make sure to bring a packed lunch as you might be waiting a while.
Alternatives
If the esports betting site also happens to have a physical location, then sometimes you can just hop on down and give them cold hard cash. You can even sometimes pay at your local 7-Eleven using PayNearMe. This however means you also need to consider traveling time and not just transaction time.
Bitcoin
Let’s get one thing clear: Cryptocurrency of ANY kind is not accepted in any legal US sportsbook. If a site is accepting a cryptocurrency like Bitcoin, then that site has not been state-approved and you should stay as far away from it as possible.
How to start betting on esports online
Now that you know what esports betting websites to use, you also need to know how to place the actual bets. Going in blind can lead to you losing a lot of money, so we made a quick how-to list to help you place bets, and what you should be looking out for along the way.
Choose an esports betting site
You should always research a sportsbook before using it, regardless of whether it’s for esports. Take your time to see what bonuses they have, what type of bets they have available, and what games you can bet on. Above all else, make sure that you check to see if the site has ever been blacklisted. The last thing anyone wants is to lose money to scam artists, so research as much as you possibly can. You can also check out our betting site reviews, to see which sites are best for esports.
Set up an account
Once you’ve chosen a site, it’s time to set up that account. You’ll need all your details for this, so make sure to have those handy. Most importantly though, keep an eye out as sometimes you can put in a bonus code here, and get access to a nice first-timer bonus to make a bit of extra cash. See, that research is paying off already.
Head to the ‘esports’ section
Let’s be real, most sportsbooks are going to have a lot more than just esports. You’re going to need to hit the search bar and type in ‘esports’ to find what you’re looking for. Good esports betting sites will also have a toolbar with all the sports listed, so you can head there and pick ‘esports’ from the list. From here, you can also click on the particular videogame you want to bet on, so clicking on it will take you right where you want to go.
Place a bet
You’ll probably see a sea of markets in front of you, so take the time to read them all and understand what each one is. When you’ve taken a look at all the bets available and found the one you like, just pop a bet on it. Try not to bet all your money at once on a million bets you don’t understand, and instead make 1 or 2 bets on the markets you know, at least until you get comfortable with esports betting.
Wait, and hopefully, win
Now all you have to do is wait and hope that the team you bet on doesn’t mess it all up. You can also try live betting, for faster results and instant gratification. With any luck, you’ll end the day with a nice pile of winnings, which you can withdraw or instead use to make more esports bets.
Can you bet on esports? The legal situation
Esports betting is rather new in the USA, and unfortunately not every state has embraced it. It can be a real juggling act to try and figure out which states allow for esports betting, and which don’t.
We’ve gone ahead and parsed through the laws ourselves to try and figure out which states consider esports betting to be legal, which states are unclear, and which ones prohibit it entirely. So feel free to click on the states on the map to see where you can get bet on your favorite video games.
FAQs
What is the best betting site for esports?
There are a ton of great esports betting sites out there, though we would recommend bet365 for its bet boosts and markets in LoL, CS:GO, DOTA 2, and Valorant. For more information on the best esport betting sites, check out our top-rated sites.
Is betting on esports legal?
Betting on esports is unfortunately not legal everywhere, with a lot of states either prohibiting it or leaving its legality very unclear. Our legal section goes into detail on esports in the various states, so we would recommend checking it out to see if you can bet on esports in your state.
Why should you bet on esports?
Esports is an up-and-coming sport with a ton of potential, and bettors have a real chance to get in early here and make some real cash before everyone else. There are also a lot of unique and interesting bets, such as the ability to make social bets with your friends, bet using cosmetic ‘skins’ instead of cash, and even the ability to bet on yourself.
How we rate esports sportsbooks?
We take a large number of factors into consideration when we rate esports betting sites. We want to make sure that a ton of video games are available. We also look at odds, bet types available, esports bonuses, payment options, and everything else. Trust us, we won’t recommend you guys any random old sportsbook. Head to our section on how we rate for a full breakdown of the process.
