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Esports betting guides

By the UK Esports Betting team · Last updated 20 October 2026

These guides cover esports betting for UK players at Gambling Commission licensed bookmakers, across League of Legends, Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2 and Valorant. They suit readers aged 18 or over who watch the matches and want to understand a bet before placing it. Every bookmaker on this site holds a Gambling Commission licence. Our team tests and checks every fact against the sources listed at the end, with the date each was read. There are no tips, predictions or quoted odds here, because odds and live scores change by the minute. Start with the guide for the game you follow, then read how bets are settled.

Guides to each game

How to bet on Counter-Strike 2

How to bet on Counter-Strike 2 takes a reader through a first bet on a Counter-Strike 2 match. Counter-Strike 2 is a free upgrade to CS:GO, and its sub-tick updates let the server know the exact instant a shot is fired or a grenade is thrown. The guide explains the round and map markets bookmakers list for it.

How to bet on League of Legends

How to bet on League of Legends shows how a bet on a League of Legends match is built. Players choose from over 140 champions, and killing Baron Nashor grants the slayer's team bonus attack damage and ability power. The guide covers the objective markets that rest on Baron Nashor and the Drakes.

How to bet on Dota 2

How to bet on Dota 2 explains the markets on a Dota 2 series. Dota 2 is free to play, and Team Spirit were Grand Champions at The International 2026. The guide covers objective markets such as Roshan and what to check before staking.

Markets, odds and offers

Esports betting markets explained

Esports betting markets explained sets out the bet types offered on esports matches. Midnite grades Match Winner, Map Winner, Match Handicap and Correct Score bets, along with kills totals, kills handicaps, First Blood, structure markets and Race To bets. Counter-Strike Race To markets (3, 6, 9 and 12 rounds) can take up to 2 hours to settle at Midnite.

League of Legends odds explained

League of Legends odds explained shows how to read the prices on a League of Legends bet. This site quotes none, because prices move by the minute. The wording of a bet matters as much as its price: at Midnite a Total Dragons bet counts both elemental drakes and elder drakes, and a Total Barons bet is on Baron Nashor.

LoL esports betting on leagues and tournaments

LoL esports betting on leagues and tournaments maps the leagues and events where League of Legends bets are placed. The season runs as Split 1, Split 2 and Split 3, each with regional leagues (LEC, LCS, CBLOL, LCK, LPL and LCP). First Stand, MSI and Worlds are the global events, and Worlds 2026 runs from 15 October to 14 November. At Midnite, if a tournament schedule is postponed by more than 30 days, outright bets on that tournament are void, while a short postponement leaves them standing.

Esports betting offers

Esports betting offers looks at the offers bookmakers attach to esports betting. An offer sits alongside the limits on what a bet can return, and Betway sets a maximum payout of £100,000 for eSports.

The four games in brief

League of Legends

League of Legends is Riot Games' team-based strategy game, in which two teams of five champions fight to destroy the other's base. The first Nexus to fall decides the game, and series run as best of one, three or five games (Bo1, Bo3, Bo5). The League of Legends betting sites hub is the place to start for its markets.

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2 is Valve's free upgrade to CS:GO, built on Source 2. A map is decided on rounds and goes to overtime when level, as at Midnite for a map at 15-15, and a Best of 3 series is over once one team wins 2-0. Bookmakers that list the game are gathered on the CS2 betting sites hub.

Dota 2

Dota 2 is Valve's 5v5 team clash, with over a hundred heroes to pick from, and each side defends its Ancient. Series are won on games, with scores such as 2-1 and 2-0. For Dota 2 bets, go to the Dota 2 betting sites hub.

Valorant

Valorant is Riot Games' 5v5 tactical shooter, with agents who each have unique abilities. Teams get 13 rounds to attack and defend their side, with one life per round, and series run as Bo3 or Bo5. Licensed bookmakers for the game are compared on the Valorant betting sites hub.

How esports bets are settled

Each bookmaker's own rules decide how an esports bet settles, so one match can settle differently at two bookmakers. Line-up changes show it: Betway lets all bets stand if a team's line-up changes once markets have closed, while Midnite voids every bet on a series when 3 or more stand-ins play for one team. Read the rules for your game and market before you bet.

Forfeits

At Midnite, if a team forfeits before a map starts, wagers on that map are refunded. A map has started once the game clock runs or either side takes a game action, including picks and bans. If a started map is won through a surrender, the bets that can be determined stand and the rest are void.

Abandoned and postponed matches

At Betway, a match that starts but is not completed voids match betting, unless a team is disqualified, in which case the team progressing is the winner. A match not played within 3 hours of its original start is void, or within 48 hours at LAN events. Midnite refunds a series that is not resumed within 48 hours of its scheduled start.

Overtime and rounds

Betway settles Counter-Strike and Valorant bets on regulation time plus overtime. In Valorant at Betway, if the spike explodes and kills the remaining opponents, the round counts as a round elimination, not a spike explosion.

Checking a bookmaker before you bet

  1. Check the licence. Find the licence number in the bookmaker's footer and match it against the Gambling Commission register.
  2. Read the offer terms. Find the minimum odds, qualifying stake, free bet expiry, maximum payout and withdrawal limits before accepting an offer.
  3. Read the esports settlement rules for your game and market, since they decide what happens when a match is forfeited, abandoned or postponed.
  4. Set limits first. Set a deposit limit before the first bet and keep to it. Do not raise a stake or a limit to win back a loss, and stop if betting stops being fun.

Our team tests each bookmaker before it is rated. The criteria are set out under how we rate, and the GG.Bet review for UK players is one worked example.

Terms every esports bettor meets

  • Match winner: a bet on which team wins the whole series. At Midnite it stands even if the announced number of maps changes.
  • Map winner: a bet on which team wins one map. At Midnite it stands as long as the map is played.
  • Handicap: a head start or deficit applied to one side before the bet is judged, counted in maps or rounds.
  • Total: a bet on whether a count, such as kills, dragons or maps, finishes over or under a set line. At Betway, if the map is not completed, totals bets are void.
  • Outright: a bet on who wins a whole tournament. At Betway, outright bets are void if the tournament is not completed.
  • Correct score: a bet on the exact result of a series, such as 2-0 in a Best of 3. At Betway, if the match is not completed, correct score bets are void.
  • Qualifying stake: the amount a bet must stake to count towards an offer.
  • Minimum odds: the shortest odds a bet may carry and still count towards an offer.
  • Free bet expiry: the date after which an unused free bet can no longer be used.
  • Cash out: settling a bet before the event ends, at the amount shown. At Betway a cash out cannot be reversed once the button is pressed, and Cash Out is not guaranteed to be available at all times. Midnite can turn Cashout off on any account at any time.

Questions

What is the difference between esports betting and virtual sports betting?

Esports betting is on real matches between professional teams. Betway settles those bets on the official result supplied by the tournament officials. Virtual sports are events generated by software, and Betway lists In-Play Virtuals as a separate section.

Which esports guide should I read first?

Start with the guide for the game you watch: Counter-Strike 2, League of Legends or Dota 2. Then read the markets guide for the bet types the games share.

Are esports bets taxed for UK players?

Our team checks licences, bookmaker rules and game facts, and tax is outside that. For a tax question, ask HMRC or a qualified adviser.

Can I bet on esports in play?

Yes, where a bookmaker offers it. Betway marks its Esports section as in-play. William Hill applies an automated time delay before accepting an in-play bet, and a market can be suspended.

How do I know a bookmaker is licensed?

Look in the footer of the bookmaker's site for the licence statement. Betway Limited is licensed and regulated in Great Britain by the Gambling Commission under account number 39372. WHG (International) Limited, which operates William Hill for customers in Great Britain, is licensed under account number 39225. Match the number against the Gambling Commission register before you register.

What does a map handicap mean?

It adjusts the map score of a series before the result is judged, so the outcome depends on how many maps are played. If the announced number of maps changes, Midnite gives Match Handicap bets no action and refunds them, while Match Winner bets stand.

If you think we are wrong

When a bookmaker changes a term, a market or a figure, our team reads the source again and corrects this guide. The checks behind every fact are explained under how we check and rate. Corrections come from our own rechecks.

Sources