Electronic Sports (or eSports for short) have exploded in popularity in the past 10 years. Let’s take a closer look at what eSports actually are, where to find the latest leagues at 10CRIC and how to bet on them.
What are eSports?
eSports are not what you might think at first – it’s not virtual versions of football or cricket or horse racing, as the name may suggest. eSports are online video games. Video games have been hugely popular since the late 70s to early 80s when the first video game console became a common feature in households everywhere. PC gaming increased in popularity alongside console gaming and with the launch of the fast internet came the ability to compete with others people playing the same game around the world.
Check which game competitions are currently in play. Bet on your favorite now!
eSports Markets
So now you know what eSports are – global video gaming competitions – what are the major games played in these competitions? Let’s take a closer look at four of the most popular ones.
League of Legends (LoL)
This is arguably the most popular eSport with audiences that often outnumber those of major sporting events such as the Super Bowl! In this multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, there are two teams, each with five players. Each player chooses a champion to play as, and as a team they must work to build up their skills and abilities with the ultimate goal of destroying the other team’s base or ‘nexus’. There are a variety of LoL leagues in various countries and regions including North America’s Championship Series, the European Championship, Champions Korea and China’s Pro League. There are also minor and major worldwide competitions including the Mid-Season Invitational and the World Championship.
Bet on your favorite game now!
Dota 2
Another hugely popular multiplayer online battle arena game, Dota 2 was developed after the success of a community created mod called Defense of the Ancients (DotA) for the video game Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos. Similarly to League of Legends, two teams of five players each battle to destroy the other team’s base or ‘ancient’. There are several regional leagues for countries around the world including North America, Southeast Asia, China and Europe, and a worldwide tournament called The International.
Counter-Strike
This multiplayer first person shooter game was originally developed back in 1999 as a PC game and has seen various new releases and spin-offs since then. In this game, players are split into two teams: Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists with each team’s objective being to either plant bombs and take hostages, or defuse bombs and rescue hostages, depending on the team they’re in. The game is played over several rounds with players gaining in-game money for achieving certain goals that can be used to upgrade weapons for the next round. In terms of eSports, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO) is the game and there are a number of regional leagues covering Europe, Asia, America and Oceania. There is also the ESL Pro League and the Major Championships (Majors).
Overwatch
Another multiplayer first person shooter, Overwatch involves two teams of six players each that must work to secure and defend certain map locations or take items to certain map locations within a limited amount of time. The Overwatch League (OWL) is played in a similar way to North American sports leagues with permanent city-based teams. 20 teams from six different countries participate: USA, UK, China, Canada, South Korea and France.
Enjoy the best eSports odds here!
How to Bet on eSports
So, how do you actually bet on these various leagues and tournaments at 10CRIC? Very easy! Simply log in to your 10CRIC account, make sure you’re in the Sports tab and look at the list of sports down the left side. Find the option for E-Sports and click it. You’ll then see a list of active and popular leagues, any of which you can click on to see available matches to bet on. At the top of the centre section of E-Sports you’ll see links for Top Leagues, All Leagues, Daily Match List and Live E-Sports. Click on any of these to see all available leagues and/or matches. When you’ve found a match to bet on, simply click it and you’ll be shown a list of available betting opportunities such as full-time winner, map winner, handicap, over/under and any other available options. Simply choose the bet you’d like to make and your bet slip will appear on the right. Enter how much you’d like to bet then click the yellow Place Bets button when you’re ready.
Got a favourite eSports game? Take that passion to new heights by betting on these fantastic competitions at 10CRIC!
