Best Esports Betting Sites 2026: Most Popular Esports Sportsbooks

The simplest esports bet. You pick which team wins the match. Odds are presented in American format with a favorite and an underdog. This is the best starting point for new esports bettors and is available across all three sportsbooks for every covered event.

You bet on which team wins a specific map or game within a series rather than the overall match. For example, in a best-of-three CS2 match you could bet on Map 1 Winner independently of the match result. This market is available at bet365 and to a lesser extent at DraftKings and FanDuel.

Similar to a point spread in traditional sports. One team is given a map advantage (+1.5 maps) to even out a mismatched fixture. A bet on the underdog at +1.5 maps wins if they win at least one map in a best-of-three series, even if they lose the match overall.

You bet on whether the total number of maps or rounds played will go over or under a set number. In CS2 specifically, Total Rounds in a single map is a common and liquid market at bet365.

A prop bet on which team secures the first elimination of the match. Available predominantly in CS2 and Valorant markets at bet365. It's a fast-resolving bet since the outcome is decided within the opening moments of a game.

You bet on which team wins a tournament before it starts. Futures are available at all three sportsbooks for major events including CS2 Majors, League of Legends Worlds, Dota 2 International, and Valorant Champions. Odds move significantly as tournament brackets develop.

You combine multiple outcomes from the same match into a single bet with a multiplied payout. For example: Team A wins the match AND Map 1 goes over 25.5 rounds. bet365's Parlay Boost token adds an extra cash percentage on top of the standard parlay odds for winning slips.

CS2 is the most consistently covered esport at licensed US sportsbooks and the one with the deepest sub-market availability. The game is a five-versus-five tactical shooter where two teams compete across maps to win rounds by either eliminating the enemy team or completing an objective. Its clear structure — discrete rounds, defined map pools, and consistent format — makes it ideal for a wide range of betting markets including Total Rounds, Pistol Round Winner, and First Blood in addition to standard match and map winner bets.

Major tournaments to bet on:

• CS2 Majors — The two flagship events of the year (typically one in spring and one in autumn), each featuring a $1,250,000 prize pool and the top 24 teams globally. The most liquid betting event in the esports calendar at licensed US books.
• ESL Pro League — A season-long league format running across multiple stages with top European and North American teams. Covered at bet365 during active stages.
• BLAST Premier — A circuit series covering Spring and Fall groups, showdowns, and the World Final. Consistently featured at bet365 and occasionally at DraftKings during finals stages.
• IEM Katowice and IEM Cologne — Two of the most prestigious non-Major events on the calendar, both attracting top global teams and strong betting market coverage.

League of Legends is the most played PC esport globally and generates some of the highest viewership numbers in the esport calendar, particularly around its annual World Championship. It's a five-versus-five multiplayer online battle arena game where teams destroy the opposing base. Betting markets at licensed US books focus primarily on match winner and series outcomes, with fewer sub-markets than CS2.

Major tournaments to bet on:

• League of Legends World Championship (Worlds) — The sport's biggest annual event, held in autumn and featuring the top teams from every regional league globally. The most heavily bet LoL event at all three US licensed sportsbooks.
• Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) — A mid-year international tournament bringing together regional champions. Covered at bet365 and at DraftKings and FanDuel during knockout stages.
• LCS (League Championship Series) — The North American regional league running Spring and Summer splits. More consistently available at bet365 than at DraftKings or FanDuel, where coverage may be limited to playoff stages.
• LEC (League EMEA Championship) — The European regional league, also covered at bet365 during splits and playoffs.

Dota 2 is a five-versus-five battle arena game published by Valve, the same company behind CS2. It has one of the longest-running esport histories in the industry and is best known for The International, which has historically offered the largest prize pools in esport history, funded partly by in-game purchases from the community. Betting markets are available primarily during The International and select Valve-sanctioned events.

Major tournaments to bet on:

• The International (TI) — The pinnacle of Dota 2 competition, held annually with prize pools that have historically exceeded $30 million. The most covered Dota 2 event at all three licensed US sportsbooks.
• Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) Majors — Three major events held throughout the year serving as qualifiers and standings events for The International. Covered at bet365 and occasionally at DraftKings during later stages.
• ESL One events — An ongoing series of premier Dota 2 tournaments featuring top teams from Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Available at bet365 for major editions.

Valorant is a five-versus-five tactical shooter developed by Riot Games, built on a similar round-based structure to CS2 but with additional ability-based mechanics. It launched in 2020 and has grown rapidly into one of the most-watched esports titles globally. A key consideration for US bettors is the under-18 restriction: Virginia and Massachusetts prohibit betting on any event featuring a player under 18, and because Valorant has a number of teenage professional players, sportsbooks sometimes pull entire VCT tournaments from those state apps to avoid regulatory issues.

Major tournaments to bet on:

• VCT Masters — Two international events held mid-year featuring the top teams from each Valorant partner league region. Covered at bet365 for both events.
• VCT Champions — The annual Valorant World Championship, the most bet Valorant event at licensed US sportsbooks. Held in autumn and featuring the top teams from all regions.
• VCT Americas — The North American regional league covering teams from the US, Canada, Latin America, and Brazil. Covered at bet365 during splits and playoffs.

Fortnite and Apex Legends are both battle royale titles with significant competitive scenes and some coverage at US licensed sportsbooks. However, both titles have a notably high proportion of teenage and young adult professional players, which creates regulatory problems in states like Virginia and Massachusetts where betting on events with under-18 competitors is banned. Sportsbooks commonly pull entire Fortnite Championship Series (FNCS) and Apex Legends Global Series events from these state apps entirely rather than risk fines.

Major tournaments to bet on:

• Fortnite Championship Series (FNCS) Global Championship — The pinnacle Fortnite event each year. Available at bet365 in fully permissive states but pulled from restricted state apps.
• Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS) Championship — The flagship Apex event, similarly affected by under-18 restrictions in some states. Covered at bet365 where available.

EA FC (formerly FIFA) is the most widely recognised sports simulation game in esport and attracts bettors who follow traditional football. Markets are primarily match winner and tournament winner, with limited sub-market depth. Coverage is available at bet365 during major events.

Major tournaments to bet on:

• EA FC World Championship — The annual flagship event for EA's football simulation series. Covered at bet365 for the main championship.
• ePremier League — The official esport league tied to the English Premier League, featuring club-affiliated players. Available at bet365 during the finals event.

Esports markets are most efficient on high-profile events like CS2 Majors and LoL Worlds. Below that tier, pricing can be inconsistent, but only bettors with genuine knowledge of the scene can identify where the value lies. Stick to titles you actively follow before branching out.

In games like League of Legends and Valorant, a roster change or game patch can shift team performance significantly within days. Sportsbook lines don't always update quickly enough to reflect this. Staying on top of team news before a tournament is one of the most practical edges available to an esports bettor.

Before moving into map markets, Total Rounds, or same-game parlays, get comfortable with simple match winner bets. They're straightforward, easy to evaluate, and available at all three sportsbooks for every covered event.

bet365, DraftKings, and FanDuel will often price the same esports match differently. Opening accounts at more than one operator and comparing the available odds before placing a bet is one of the simplest ways to get more value over time.

bet365's Parlay Boost token applies a multiplier to winning multi-leg bets, including esports parlays. This is genuinely useful but doesn't change the underlying math of a parlay. The boost improves the return on a winning slip but doesn't make losing slips less likely.

If you're opening an account specifically to bet on esports, confirm your state allows esports betting before depositing. Players in New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Delaware cannot access esports markets at licensed US sportsbooks regardless of which operator they use.

The number and variety of betting markets available per event is the most important factor. bet365 is the clear leader in the US licensed market on this measure, offering sub-markets that DraftKings and FanDuel do not carry. A sportsbook that only offers match winner markets on the biggest tournaments is a Tier 2 esports product at best.

The ability to watch an event and bet in-play simultaneously without leaving the app is a significant advantage for esports betting. bet365 is the only licensed US operator that currently offers this. In-play market quality and odds refresh speed are also assessed separately.

We check which game titles are covered year-round versus only during championship season. Consistent CS2, LoL, and Dota 2 coverage outside of major events is a positive sign that the operator treats esports as a core product rather than a seasonal add-on.

We assess how clearly each sportsbook communicates esports state restrictions to users. A sportsbook that simply removes the esports tab without explanation is less user-friendly than one that proactively informs players about state-level limitations.

We confirm that standard welcome offers and sitewide promotions can be applied to esports markets. We also flag any Parlay Boost or multi-bet promotions that add direct value to esports betting specifically.

We test each app during live esports events to assess odds loading speed, in-play market stability, and whether the live betting interface holds up when multiple markets are updating simultaneously.