How to Bet on Esports in Australia

Australia is following the global trends when it comes to esports betting. It is going through a growth phase as more and more esports tournaments are being held both locally and globally. All this has resulted in more people betting on the most popular esports titles. That’s the primary reason why the biggest sportsbook brands in Australia are offering a wide range of betting markets on sports. When players want to take a break from best online pokies qld , they can just hop onto Twitch, stream their favorite tournament, and enjoy either regular betting or, in some cases, even live betting. If you want to bet on esports, here’s our definitive guide that’ll help you understand the whole space and how to bet on esports, too.

Legal Status

The legal status of gambling in Australia is clear. Essentially, if you are looking to bet on esports games, you should know that, in the same way as Aussie online pokies, it is fully legal in Australia. This category of gambling goes under sports betting, as esports is perceived as a sport. That’s because game winners solely depend on the skills of the players.

To keep things fully legal, it’s necessary to use locally licensed operators. The local regulators ensure that all the sportsbooks play by the rules, ensuring fair odds and the security of players’ private information.

Like sports betting, only individuals who are 18 or older can bet on esports titles. Local sportsbooks cannot permit younger players to participate in any way, which is crucial because a large portion of the esports audience is underage.

Popular Esports Titles

The esports game popularity is similar in Australia like everywhere else in the world. The three most popular categories include MOBA games, FPS shooters, and battle royales. Some bettors also like strategy games, but they’re not as popular as the other categories.

The most popular in each of these categories are:

● Dota 2 - One of the most popular games with millions of fans around the world. Developed by Valve, this game is the true heir of the original DotA. It holds a bit more complex elements compared to its main competitor and has a strong community.

● League of Legends - The biggest name in MOBA for years that is loved by hundreds of millions of players. After all these years, it’s still among the most-watched games on esports streaming platforms. Its simplicity is what makes it popular and inviting to new players.

● Counter-Strike 2 - Counter-Strike franchise is the single most popular tactical shooter in the world. The latest iteration was well received and already counts numerous tournaments around the globe.

● Rainbow Six Siege - Created by a respectable Rainbow Six studio, this game quickly gained popularity and is now loved by players and bettors in Australia too.

● Valorant - This game was developed by Riot Games, the same studio that has developed League of Legends. With such massive support, the game continues to gain popularity globally and is a shooter enjoyed by millions.

● Marvel Rivals - With all the heroes it has, it was a matter of time before someone took the Marvel universe and turned it into a tactical shooter. This game quickly became popular as it was only released in 2024. Like in other parts of the world, it’s also popular in Australia.

● Overwatch - Blizzard wanted to have another game that’s big in esports, and the company heavily invested in Overwatch. Its latest iteration is popular and a league and multiple tournaments during the year, making it a popular esports betting market.

● Fortnite - This title is a global phenomenon that quickly became one of the most streamed games next to League of Legends. This battle royale is still popular even in Australia.

● PUBG - One of the biggest names in Battle Royale is PUBG. It’s known as the fastest-growing game that has successfully expanded to mobile. Some tournaments are only held for the mobile-only version of the game, which speaks volumes of its popularity.

● StarCraft 2 - Some Australian bettors are into strategies, and the StarCraft franchise has remained the household name in the genre for decades now. The game is one of the best real-time strategies ever made.

Types of Bets

The list of bet types is extremely long. Here are the most popular ones and how they work.

● Outrights - This bet type predicts who will win the match and it’s the most common bet type.

● Tournament/Bracket winner - Place this bet to predict who will win a tournament in the end. Alternatively, if teams are in the bracket (group) phase, you can predict who will win and move forward to continue a competition.

● Score - Predict the exact score. It’s a high-risk, high-reward type of bet.

● Player score - This bet predicts the performance factor of a single player. It’s for advanced esports fans who know their players well. It’s an extremely high-risk bet.

● Prop bets - Each game and tournament is going to have a different prop bet available. You’re betting whether something will happen or not, and the odds are usually high.

● Over/Under - This bet predicts whether a match will finish over or under a particular number of rounds.

● Handicap bets - This bet type gives an advantage to a particular team, however, if they win, the payout is better.

● Accumulator bets - combine multiple different bet types into one. The odds multiply, and the payout can be massive. However, the chance of winning is slim.

Where to Bet

If you’re wondering what is the best site to bet on esports, here are our most popular suggestions.

● Bet365

● Unibet

● PointsBet

There are plenty of other licensed bookmakers, but these three are among the biggest names in Australia and the United Kingdom.

Payment Methods

Bookmakers in Australia offer a wide range of payment methods. Here is the list of the most popular ones:

● BPay

● POLi

● PayPal

● VISA

● Mastercard

● Apple Pay

● Google Pay

● Neteller

● Skrill

● Paysafecard

● Flexepin

As crypto continues gaining popularity, we might start seeing more crypto payment gateways becoming a standard at online sportsbooks. There are players who would use crypto to deposit and withdraw their winnings seamlessly.