Esports Betting Sites in South Africa

Esports certainly divides opinion, some people don't think it should be recognised as a sport while others do. It shares similarities to chess in that aspect. Whether you consider it a real sport or not is irrelevant when it comes to betting though. The esports betting opportunities this year are absolutely phenomenal. The best bookmakers in South Africa have some of the most competitive odds and vast betting markets. There is pretty much something for everyone.

All of you esports fans here, we definitely suggest considering becoming esports bettors as well. It adds a completely new dynamic to watching your favourite gamers tear it up on the sticks. Real money bets make for more high-tension situations and things can get incredibly exciting, especially when your team clutches an all-important 1v5 in R6 for example.

This guide aims to teach both esports fans and novices about all that the best esports betting sites based in South Africa can offer! So get yourself comfortable and prepare to become an expert on how esports betting sites work.

Best Esports Betting Sites in South Africa

As we've mentioned, esports betting sites have been gaining high traction in recent years. The overall rise in popularity of the esports industry is largely the reason for this. The quality of the major titles and world championships is better than ever with so many SA bettors tuning in to esports coverage.

This has led esports betting sites and betting apps to an all-time high and we can understand why! Betting on competitive gaming isn't quite like anything else the betting industry has to offer. Some esports betting sites offer virtual sports but this is nothing on the League of Legends World Championships for example.

On this page, we are aiming to share with you everything you need to know about the best esports bookmakers and betting options. By the end, you should be ready to place your first esports bet!

How We Choose the Best Esports Betting Sites in South Africa

There are a lot of things that go into the makings of a great esports betting site, including a high-quality welcome bonus, competitive odds, live streaming and coverage of the top tournaments. We spend loads of time testing out the sites so we can produce an accurate and reliable list of recommended esports betting sites. This text section will give you a taste of how we find the best esports bookies for you.

Popular Esports Games in South Africa Bookmakers

One of the most crucial aspects of esports betting is the games themselves. It's all well and good being able to bet on video games but if none of the games interests you then it's all a waste of time. Here are some of the most popular esports games around and ones that you'll likely see at the best betting sites.

CS:GO

Counter Strike: Global Offensive or CS:GO is one of the most popular online games around. It is a tactical-based first-person shooter where two teams go head to head in objective-based action, whoever wins the most rounds, wins the game. The most popular CS:GO bet types are money line bets and outright bets, more on these later.

CS:GO is largely popular as a PC game and involves a collection aspect too. There is a form of loot boxes in CS:GO and some weapons that you can find are very rare. We always suggest trying out the games you bet on before betting as it will give you more contextual knowledge of them.

League of Legends

League of Legends, often to referred to as 'league' is a popular online battle arena game. It has a massive fanbase of players that range from casuals all the way up to seasoned professionals who are paid for their efforts in major and minor tournaments.

League of Legends is a 5v5 online battle game that involves team play. Each individual has their own strengths and weaknesses. They can be combined with other team members in strategic ways to take down the competition. Competitive League of Legends can make for some very interesting and exciting action. Placing bets on it adds another element of tension and nerves to the action.

One great perk of League of Legends is that it is super accessible, it is free to play and the only thing real money can be spent on is cosmetics. A similar model is run by Epic Games with Fortnite and Rocket League.

DOTA 2

DOTA 2 is similar to the League in the sense that it has an online battle arena gameplay style. This is one of the most popular of gaming for esports as it requires different members of a team all having unique roles in taking out the opposition and completing objectives. Having team games as well as individual games as esports is crucial. We all have our preferences when it comes to sport and this gives you the choice.

DOTA 2 is also free to play, which once again makes it hugely accessible to anyone with an adequate PC or laptop. Both the minor and major DOTA 2 tournaments are very high stakes and exciting with prize pools worth upwards of a million USD in some cases.

Starcraft II

Starcraft II is an online strategy game that is very popular at esports betting sites. It involves building an army of soldiers and a base of operations to take on other armies. There are three classes that are referred to as 'races'. One is an explosive, high fire power race, one relies on sheer numbers and brute force and the final relies on high-end mythical/sci-fi technology.

It is a very interesting game and offers some great opportunities for fun at esports bookmakers. The franchise has been floating around since before esports evend and their latest title is very much worth betting on. It can be very fun and profitable with the right research. It isn't quite as big as the League but it can still pack a punch.

FIFA

The FIFA series is the pinnacle of football simulators. The series began back in 1993 with 'FIFA International Soccer' by EA. EA have continued to develop the series ever since and it has come by leaps and bounds since its first release. FIFAd to really grow in popularity when it introduced a game mode called 'FIFA Ultimate Team' or 'FUT'. FUT involves building a team of player cards and playing matches with said team. The high-end cards can be unlaced through challenges, in loot boxes and on the virtual transfer market.

The micro-transactional aspect of the FIFA series brings a lot of controversy to the game, as you can essentially buy a shortcut to success. The better the players you have at your disposal, the more chance you have at winning. Some players require lots of money. This model may change though as EA Sports will no longer be at the forefront of FIFA from next year. EA Sports are instead making their own football game titled 'EA Sports FC'. The esports betting markets based around FIFA are similar to those you see in real football.

Esports Betting Types

Before you're ready to place bets in the esports world, you'll need to know about the types of esports bets you can expect to see. There are a lot of very interesting types that all have their own unique purposes and awesome odds. There are a lot of opportunities for fun when it comes to esports betting sites, you have plenty of different betting options you can choose from. This section will take you through some of the most popular types of esports bets that you might be interested in.

Outright

Outright betting is simple to understand when it comes to anything and esports is no exception. Outright betting involves betting on a long-term outcome, such as the winner of a tournament. In regular sports, this can be very difficult to predict as many things can happen over the course of a season. With esports, a lot of major tournaments are settled much quicker and therefore can be easier to bet on. Data can be used to drive predictions too.

Tournament winner

Tournament winner betting is a form of outright betting that is very popular. It is usually the larger tournaments that draw the most eyes towards esports and betting on the overall winner is an easy entry point. Both experienced and new esports bettors can enjoy tournament-winner betting.

Match winner/Moneyline

The money line bet is perhaps the most easy bet to get your head around as a new bettor. It simply involves picking the result of a single match within a league or tournament. The betting site will set a line for win/loss/draw and it's your job to pick which. You can use the esports odds to calculate a probability to give you even more of an idea of what the more likely outcomes are. As we have mentioned before, online esports betting has one of the most unique aspects in that data plays an even more significant role than in conventional sports.

Live Betting

Live betting or in-play betting is one of the most exciting betting options that esports has to offer. If the esports betting site you're looking at doesn't offer live betting or live streaming, then we recommend leaving them behind. There is just something so great about watching an event that you have just placed a bet on. It brings plenty of suspense and nerves, which is one of the main perks of being in the betting world.

Skin betting

Skin betting is a completely different bet type and is unique to esports. It involves betting with in game cosmetics as opposed to real money. For example, you and another person could bet your skin on a team and win another skin back if it comes in.

This isn't something that can be offered within the games themselves but third-party esports betting sites host skin gambling. If you're already a gaming aficionado and have some digital cosmetics to spare, then why not bet with them? Just don't bet anything with too much sentimental value as esports online bookmakers will take your skin away for good if you lose.

Fantasy betting

Fantasy betting works just as it does in real sports and if you're unfamiliar with that, then do not worry since it's pretty simple to understand. You essentially build a team of real-life competitors and they score points based on performances, you can do this with or without real money too.

Many esports betting sites will offer esports fans a separate welcome bonus when engaging in a fantasy betting program.

Esports Betting Odds in South Africa

If you're planning on getting stuck in at an esports betting site then you must first make sure that you are familiar with how the esports odds really work. Allow us to give you a quick explanation of the basics.

Esports betting odds work just as real sports odds do. The odds are based on probabilities that are generated from computer algorithms that take into account a number of factors including the previous form and quality of players.

In order to calculate winnings from decimal odds, you will simply need to multiply the amount you plan to stake by the odds. For example: If you were to bet 10R on FaZe at 8.00 odds then you would be returned 80R. Essentially, the higher the decimal is, the lower the chance the betting site gives them of winning.

There are also fractional odds which are very popular among UK bettors. It is also easy to get your head around. If the odds are 8/1 the., you will receive 8R for every 1R you spend.

Tips for Choosing the Best Esports Betting Sites in South Africa

Choosing the right esports betting sites can be very difficult in the beginning, especially due to the legal grey area in some cases. There are not tremendous amounts of Esports bookies which can make it even tougher to find the right place for you. The online gambling industry never makes things too easy for new bettors, which is why we're here to give you all the esports betting tips you need.

This next section will help you choose between the best online sportsbooks and will stop you from potentially making some grand mistakes. Without further ado, let's get right into some dedicated esports betting tips.

Look out for Live Streaming

Live streaming is a feature that we have mentioned a couple of times already but because it is such an influential and high-quality feature. It allows you to watch the action that you're betting on,ctly at the betting site in question. Esports may be growing rapidly but it's still not on TV that much, so this gives you the perfect way to watch esports while betting. A lot of the top online bookies all offer this feature now which is absolutely brilliant, we definitely suggest looking out for sites that offer it. It will enhance your online betting experience hugely.

Strong Esports Markets

When choosing between esports betting websites, it is very important to take markets into account. Esports betting is a very recent thing and has only really started to gain popularity in the last few years. Because of this, a lot of online bookies are a little bit behind the curve. Have a scour of the markets before registering for a particular site. You should see all of the top titles offered, including League of Legends, Rocket League and Starcraft.

If you're choosing one of our recommended esports betting sites, then you will have vast markets offered to you, which is why we push you in the direction of our list. You will also have an opportunity to earn some free bet credits upon registration.

Look for Dedicated Esports Betting Sites

Some betting sites are dedicated to video gaming and thus offer some fantastic esports betting options. There are more markets than the average and they'll offer unique ways to bet such as 'skin betting' that we mentioned earlier. You will also find exclusive esports betting bonus offers, these offer free bets that can only be used on esports markets.

Conclusion

The rise of Esports betting sites is a welcome one in this industry. It is important for things to stay fresh and there is a new variant of competition to bet on and the watch is fantastic. Even if video games are not your thing, it's worth trying your hand at. There are a lot of fantastic opportunities to make some nice profits and learn about the next generation of betting at online bookmakers. The beauty of joining an esports betting site is that you'll be granted free bets straight away. Using free bets gives you an opportunity to test the waters before placing any real cash bets. This is massively helpful.

Esports betting takes a bit of getting used to, but it is definitely worth getting to grips with. Some of the major esports contests are incredible to watch and placing a few bets only enhances the experience. However, always maintain responsibility when betting. It is easy to fall down a slippery slope and lose lots of capital by chasing losses and placing too many bets. To avoid this, get a strategy in motion straight away. Have your plan set and stick to it. If it's not working, change things up. There are plenty of betting guides here at Betpack to help you and there are multiple free tipsters around that can help you get well on your way at esports betting sites.