Top 6 Most Competitive eSports You Can Bet On With Crypto
eSports competitions provide attractive prize pools that draw a massive audience, including the eSports betting community. According to research-based projections, the eSports betting market could reach $24 billion by 2028, up from $9 billion in 2021.
Read on to discover the top competitive eSports that you can wager on using crypto to get in on the growing industry.
Table of Contents
- What is eSports?
- Most Competitive eSports Games You Can Bet On
- How to Bet on eSports Using Crypto
What is eSports?
eSports refers to a world of competitive, highly organized online video gaming events. Players face off in the games, which take different forms, including the popular first-person shooter (FPS), multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), and real-time strategy. Other common eSports genres include:
- Third-person shooters
- Digital card games
- Sports games
- Fighting games
- Racing games
In each sport, players compete against each other in tournaments individually or in teams, either online or at live events with spectators. Each match includes different kinds of eSports activities depending on their popularity and audience. They can follow other formats for placement and elimination, including open or closed format, single or double elimination, swiss, and double round-robin.
Players use their skills to try and win against opponents for a championship title and a cash prize. The prize pool differs based on the game or tournament.
As the eSports world keeps growing, there are bound to be numerous opportunities for you to win when you wager on a match. To start you off, here are the most competitive eSports you could wager on.
Most Competitive eSports Games You Can Bet On
The eSports betting scene comprises many games beyond popular titles. For those interested in the most competitive eSports games, here are the top picks you can bet on.
Dota 2
Dota 2 is a continuation of the Defense of the Ancients (DotA) game, which launched as a modification for Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos. Created by the gaming developer, Valve, Dota 2 is among the most popular free-to-play multiplayer online battle arena games in the competitive eSports scene.
The gameplay involves two teams of five players each. Each unit is tasked with protecting its territory on the map while battling to eliminate opposing team members. Players can choose from over 100 characters known as heroes based on their unique abilities to help level the battlefield.
Players earn points for every kill and for collecting rare items, which, in some instances, help in the battle. The team that destroys the opponent’s ‘Ancient,’ the most important structure within their base, first becomes the winner.
League of Legends
League of Legends launched in 2009 to become one of the top competitive eSports games in the world. The Riot Games-developed eSport is fondly known as League among the gamers community. Its creation was inspired by the Defense of the Ancients to be a stand-alone game in the genre, although it still incorporates elements of other genres.
The multiplayer online battle arena has gameplay involving two opposing teams of five players each. The teams engage in a combat battle, each defending their side or territory on the map. Characters are known as ‘champions,’ and each controls unique attributes essential for winning against the other team.
The characters earn points, gold, and other in-game items during gameplay and become more powerful. Eventually, the team that conquers the opponent’s base and destroys their ‘Nexus’ is the winner.
CS: GO
Released in 2012, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO) presents a multiplayer first-person shooter game from Valve and Hidden Path. It’s a sequel of the original counter-strike game, but with a more thrilling multiplayer experience.
Gameplay involves pitting players in a team against another team of opposing players. The teams are categorized as terrorists and counter-terrorists, with the two teams pursuing conflicting objectives. The terrorist team wins the game by executing terror activities like planting bombs and holding hostage and preventing them from being rescued. On the other hand, the counter-terrorist team tries to defuse the bombs, free hostages, and kill the terrorists.
Ultimately, the team that manages to kill the opponent’s characters is the winner.
Fortnite
Fortnite launched in 2017 with no competitive elements found in other eSports games that came before it. However, after the game's success, the developer. Epic Games introduced the Battle Royale game, Fortnite’s competitive multiplayer element. Since then, Fortnite has risen to become a top competitive eSport and held the first Fortnite World Cup in 2019.
During gameplay, players face off against many zombies or similar creatures as they move across an extensive stretch. Players also interact with different environmental elements, which help them in gameplay and building refuge against zombies.
Overwatch 2
Overwatch 2 was released by Blizzard Entertainment in 2022 to continue the 2016 Overwatch game. It’s a first-person shooter game in which players are categorized into two teams, and then each player chooses a hero from a collection of 35 characters. The characters are then grouped into a ‘damage’ category which initiates the offensive efforts in the game, and a ‘support’ category that recovery. The ‘tank’ category is responsible for protecting the teams.
Typically, the game centers around player vs. player combat on various modes and maps for casual games and competitive matches.
Rainbow Six Siege
Rainbow Six Siege is an online tactical first-person shooter eSports game launched in 2015. Players take roles of either a defender or an attacker for the various game modes and then engage in activities such as defusing bombs and rescuing hostages.
Gameplay in the Ubisoft Montreal-developed competitive assumes an asymmetrical structure, so players are only sometimes balanced in their abilities. Typically, the game provides counter-terrorist units for the defenders' side, mimicking real-world units such as the FBI SWAT, GSG-9, and SAS, among others.
How to Bet on eSports Using Crypto
Now that you know some of the top competitive eSports available, here’s a quick guide to betting on them using crypto.
Ideally, you start by identifying a sportsbook that supports crypto betting. 1xBit is a crypto-only bookmaker and can be an excellent place to start.
Here’s how you can start betting on any eSports using 1xBit.
1. If you have an account with 1xBit, visit the website and log in. For new users, go to the 1xBit homepage and register your account by providing the necessary details. It’s a straightforward process and typically requires providing your email address and creating a password. However, if you are joining the sportsbook and have a promo code, there’s a section for you to fill in the code.
2. Use your login details to log into your account’s dashboard and click on deposit to fund your account.
3. Select the cryptocurrency you want to deposit from the list. You can also buy crypto directly from the crypto exchanges linked to the sportsbook by clicking on the red ‘Buy Cryptocurrency’ icon.
4. If you have a crypto wallet with some crypto, click on the crypto you want to deposit to obtain your wallet address and deposit.
5. With your account funded, go back to the homepage and click on ‘eSports.’
6. Choose the eSports games you want to bet on, enter your stake amount, and place your bet.
The eSports scene has many competitive games that online gaming enthusiasts can enjoy. However, betting on competitive eSports with crypto compliments the thrill with the potential of cashing out some crypto at the end of the game.
Register your account on 1xBit today and be part of the eSports crypto betting experience!