Esports Betting in the US in 2025

 

Betting on Esports in the US in 2025

Esports betting in the USA offers you the chance to bet on top competitive games, including:

• League of Legends (LoL)
• Valorant
• Counter-Strike 2 (CS2)
• Dota 2
• Call of Duty (CoD)
• …and more!

 

The EsportsBets team welcomes you to a comprehensive guide covering everything you need to know about esports betting in the USA.

• How to bet on esports
•  Legality status
• Best esports betting sites in the USA (2025 reviews)
• Insights & expert tips

Stay tuned as we break down the essentials to help you bet smarter on esports.

 

🎮 How Esports Betting Works in the US

Esports betting follows a similar structure to traditional sports wagering, The basics remain the same:

• You bet on outcomes, with odds guiding you.
• A wide range of betting options is available, including live bets.

We’ll dive deeper into the details later in this guide.

 

🔄 Key Differences Between Esports & Traditional Sports Betting

While the mechanics are similar, esports betting differs from regular sports wagering in a few key areas:

• Demographics – Esports attracts a younger audience.
• Historical Data – Esports has less historical data compared to traditional sports.
• Player Condition – Performance in esports is based on skills and strategy, rather than physical condition.

 

🏆 Common Esports Betting Types

There are four main types of esports betting:

• 1️⃣ Real Money Fixed-Odds Betting – Available at the best esports betting sites in the USA.
• 2️⃣ Social & Challenge Betting – Arranged between two individuals.
• 3️⃣ Fantasy Betting – Pick a team and earn points based on performance.
• 4️⃣ Items & Skins Gambling – In-game betting using virtual currency.

Esports betting continues to grow, providing exciting wagering options for fans of competitive gaming!

 

 

Getting Started with Esports Betting: Step-by-Step

 

✅ 1. Understand the esports world
Before placing bets, it’s crucial to know your game by familiarizing yourself with:

• 📖 Esports history
• 🎯 Teams & players
• 🏆 Tournaments & formats 

You can’t expect long-term success in esports betting without understanding the fundamentals.

 

✅ 2. Sign up for an account

• Choose a top USA esports betting platform from our list.
• Register for an account using our links and promo codes to unlock exclusive welcome bonuses.

 

✅ 3. Make your first deposit

• Deposit funds into your account.
• We recommend starting with a small initial payment to get familiar with the process.

 

✅ 4. Check the odds

• Navigate to the esports section of the sportsbook.
• Review the available markets and odds.
• Understanding odds and payouts helps you project potential returns.

 

✅ 5. Place Your Bet

• Select your team and place your first esports wager.
• Watch the action unfold and see if your bet wins.
• If successful, withdraw your winnings and enjoy your profits.

 

Understanding Esports Genres

They might be enormously popular, with certain events commanding millions of viewers. Esports are video games played in an organized and competitive environment between individuals or teams.

These games may involve survival battle royales, real-time strategy games, first-person shooters, multiplayer online battle arenas games, or simulations of physical sports.

You can follow the action and watch the event as it is streamed live to millions of viewers through platforms like YouTube and Twitch. As such, esports have become increasingly popular among fans and a lucrative enough for online gambling sites in the US to add esports

Today, you will find two main types of Esports: real-life sports simulations and classic games. If you prefer real-life sports simulations, you will find games like Madden NFL 25 and NBA 2K25, while classic game fans can play games like Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2, and LoL.

🟠 First person shooter (FPS) esports

These games simulate action from a first person perspective. Simply put, you experience the action from the perspective of your character. Popular examples include Call of Duty, Overwatch, Fortnite, and Counter Strike 2 (CS2) formerly Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO). Typical markets include first blood, total kills, first map, race to ‘number of’ kills, race to ‘minutes of’ time survived, most headshots, match winner, round winner, first double, triple, quadruple, and Pentakills.

🟠 Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) esports

These games involve two teams, each setting its base on each side of the map. The focus is to destroy the other party’s base while protecting yours. Popular MOBA games include League of Legends (LoL) and Dota 2. Typical markets include first blood, first tower, total kills, first dragon, race to ‘number of’ kills, race to ‘amount of’ gold, baron, first double, triple, quadruple, and Pentakill, and first team fight win.

🟠 Real-time strategy (RTS) esports

These games will involve players playing simultaneously in real-time and let them manage resources, build bases, and command them as they employ strategies to outdo opponents. Popular RTS games include StarCraft: Brood War, StarCraft 2 and Age of Empires.

🟠 Sports sims esports

These games simulate real-life sports and offer the easiest route for Esports beginners. Popular games under this genre include FIFA, NBA 2K, and Rocket League.

Bets Available For Esports Betting in the USA

A wide range of Esports options exists, with each game providing different options/markets on which you can bet. Below, we look at the most popular betting options:

🟠 Match winner

It is the most straightforward bet where you predict the winner of an esports match.

🟠 Outright winner

Involves betting on the team or player winning an entire esports tournament. In most cases, the top esports betting sites in the US will offer this option before the competition begins.

🟠 Over/under bets

The bet lets you bet on whether the team or player scores more or less than the specified threshold set on the platform.

🟠 Odd/even bets

The bet allows you to predict whether there will be an odd or even number of players killed, games won, or rounds played.

🟠 Esports-specific bets

You will find other specific bets for individual games.

 

 

⚖️ Where is Esports Betting Legal in the US?

The US online gambling scene is highly regulated, with esports betting legislation varying state by state—similar to traditional sports betting and iGaming (online casino gaming).

 

📜 How esports betting is legalized

• In most cases, esports is included in sports betting bills as an eligible sport.
• These laws specify which esports tournaments and events are allowed for betting.
• Legality depends on your state of residence—some states permit esports betting, while others restrict it.

 

📍 US States where esports betting is legal

The following states have legalized esports betting.

🔽 View the full list below:

State	Mobile Sports Betting	Legal Esports Betting
Alabama	❌	❌
Alaska	❌	❌
Arizona	✅	✅
Arkansas	✅	❌
California	❌	❌
Colorado	✅	✅
Connecticut	✅	✅
Delaware	❌	❌
Florida	✅	❌
Georgia	❌	❌
Hawaii	❌	❌
Idaho	❌	❌
Illinois	✅	❌
Indiana	✅	❌
Iowa	✅	❌
Kansas	✅	❌
Kentucky	✅	✅
Louisiana	✅	✅
Maine	✅	✅
Maryland	✅	✅
Massachusetts	✅	✅
Michigan	✅	❌
Minnesota	❌	❌
Mississippi	❌	❌
Missouri	❌	❌
Montana	❌	❌
Nebraska	❌	✅
Nevada	✅	✅
New Hampshire	✅	❌
New Jersey	✅	✅
New Mexico	❌	❌
New York	✅	❌
North Carolina	✅	✅
North Dakota	❌	❌
Ohio	✅	✅
Oklahoma	❌	❌
Oregon	✅	❌
Pennsylvania	✅	❌
Rhode Island	✅	❌
South Carolina	❌	❌
South Dakota	❌	❌
Tennessee	✅	✅
Texas	❌	❌
Utah	❌	❌
Vermont	❌	❌
Virginia	✅	✅
Washington	❌	✅
West Virginia	✅	✅
Wisconsin	❌	❌
Wyoming	✅	✅
*District of Columbia	✅	❌

 

 

Top Picks for Esports Betting Sites in the US

While esports betting continues to grow, the number of legal and regulated betting sites remains limited. Not every esports site is worth your time, which is why we only recommend betting on legal platforms licensed by official regulators in your state.

🔽 Check out our recommended sites below:

	DraftKings - For a solid coverage of betting options and competitive odds, DraftKings is your go to platform. Join the Esports party through the Fantasy Esports section, allowing you to play games like CS:GO, Call of Duty, League of Legends, and Rocket League. The task is simple here: join DraftKings, choose the Esports contest you wish, draft your lineup, and watch the action as you rake up points based on the performances of your players!
	FanDuel - FanDuel is also noteworthy. While it compares to DraftKings in several aspects, FanDuel falls short on its Esports betting options. Unlike DraftKings, which has around five Esports games, FanDuel only hosts League of Legends tournaments accessed through its Fantasy section. Signing up is easy, and plenty of other betting options are available for pre-match and live bets.
	Sleeper - Sleeper is another platform that passes as a top daily fantasy site but caters to Esports fans. Those signing up will play League of Legends, and if you are adventurous enough, you can try your luck in fantasy sports like fantasy football and basketball. The highlight is the mock draft, where you can demo before the actual draft. It is a great tool for beginners, including those looking to take part in the LoL tournaments.

What if esports betting is restricted in your state?

If your state does not allow esports betting, you can explore:

• Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) platforms offering fantasy esports.
• Regular sports fantasy betting, which is legal in most US states.
• Sweepstakes and social casino play-for-fun gaming.

 

How to Choose the Best Esports Betting Site

Fancy a trial? Here is what our experts check as we recommend your next platform for Esports exploits:

🟠 Esports betting markets

Nothing beats having a wide range of Esports gaming options and markets for players to bet on.

🟠 Bonuses and promotions

They are always a nice gesture to welcome and retain customers. We give a thumbs up to those sites with new and existing player bonuses and favorable terms and conditions.

🟠 Competitive odds

We expect competitive odds on these betting sites to ensure profitable returns for the players.

🟠 Legality and reputation

We ensure each site is legalized by the official regulators in that state. These sites should also have a reputation for high-level security, positive user reviews, and fair play.

🟠 Payment methods

The banking section on esports sites is essential to ensure effortless transactions. Popular and convenient payment options, such as credit/debit cards, e-wallets, and bank transfers, facilitate easy, fast, and secure transactions.

 

Esports Betting Alternatives: Sweeps, Social Casinos & Sportsbooks

If you’re a US esports bettor, you’re likely aware that real-money esports betting is subject to strict state-by-state regulations. However, there are alternative ways to engage with esports wagering legally.

 

Social Sportsbooks & Sweepstakes Casinos

One popular alternative is social sportsbooks, such as Fliff, which operate under a sweepstakes model. This model is:

• Legally accessible across most US states
• Free-to-play with no real-money wagering

 

How Sweepstakes & Social Casinos Work

Many social sportsbooks also include a social casino or sweepstakes operation, offering:

• Virtual Coins for gameplay
• Sweeps Coins that can be redeemed for real prizes

 

These platforms allow you to enjoy casino-style games without wagering real money, including:

• Slots from top software providers
• Poker & blackjack
• Live casino games
• Exclusive games

 

No Purchase Necessary

By law, sweepstakes casinos must operate in a “no purchase required” environment, meaning:

• Players can earn virtual coins simply by playing games.
• No direct real-money wagering is involved.

For those in states where real-money esports betting is restricted, social sportsbooks and sweepstakes casinos offer a legal and entertaining alternative!