With the rise of the Esports industry, League of Legends (LoL) has arguably shone the brightest in competitive gaming, leading to an array of betting sites offering LoL markets to fans worldwide.
LoL is a medium-paced, team-based strategy game engrossing millions of players across the globe.
There are numerous League of Legends Esports teams and organizations that are well established, which has led to the growth of huge community fanbases for each competitive Esports game.
With such a large market there are many Esports sports betting sites for punters to choose from, so we advise to be careful and always deposit with a trusted sportsbook.
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What is League of Legends?
League of Legends (LoL) was released by Riot Games over a decade ago, in 2009, and quickly commanded a huge player base.
The LoL Esports scene is most prominent in North America, Europe and China, though there are servers providing the game to LoL fans on a global scale.
Competitive Esports has been dominated by the Chinese and Korean teams, though the European and North American teams are beginning to make their mark.
The growing popularity of the game has meant League of Legends odds can be found on all major online sportsbooks.
The League of Legends season is concluded with the biggest major annual event in Esports, which is a tournament known as Worlds.
The event amasses a huge following from LoL fans as the tournament tours the world holding the qualification rounds before heading to the Worlds Grand Final. In 2019 the Grand Final took place in Paris, with over 100,000 spectators in the sell-out venue.
Upcoming LOL Events
5 – 7 April : EU Masters 2020
30 September – 1 October: World Championship 2020
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How is LOL Played?
LoL is a strategic team-based game played on “Summoner’s Rift,” which is the map the teams compete on.
The game is simplistic in essence – each team is made up of five players who fight in their respective roles/lanes, with games lasting anywhere between 20 minutes and an hour.
There are various types of dragons and objectives (Towers, Inhibitors) to take that can quickly swing the game in favour of one team, with a game-changing monster known as “Baron Nasher” to try to slay.
Regional tournaments are held annually, with the top teams going to the major tournaments and ultimately Worlds. Games are played as best of 3 series, with the quarter-finals and beyond as a best of 5 series.
The game is intense and any wrong move can cost the team the game. It requires a superior level of concentration and years of experience playing games in order to manage a full game without making a mistake.
Teams are quick to capitalize on any miscalculations, much like in any major sport, and will punish teams that aren’t properly coached.
Competitive Esports is taken very seriously, with major companies investing millions into these teams. As such each team has a coach and works tirelessly on tactics and executing plays.
Each team has their own style, with Asian teams playing a highly aggressive style while European and North American teams generally play a longer more calculated game. At the same time, certain teams break the mould, such as G2 Esports who lost out in the Worlds Grand Final in Paris last year.
How to Bet on LOL
The fact we see League of Legends betting odds popping up on all major oddsmakers is testament to the progress the Esports industry has made.
While there many types of Esports bets to choose from a match winners bet is the most popular type of bet.
Take a look at some of the major providers like bet365, William Hill and 888sport, which all offer odds on LoL markets and in some cases live ‘in-play’ Esports betting which change as the action unfolds.
It’s safe to say, League of Legends betting is readily available!
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League of Legends Betting Markets
There is an array of League of Legends odds and betting options for Esports fans to get stuck into all year round.
Here are some of the most-popular LoL bets so you know what to look for when you get started.
- Match Winner – Simply put, you are betting on a team to win. In order to win a game of LoL a team must destroy the other team’s Nexus. You may see match winners’ odds listed as “Moneyline” or “Head to Head”, but they mean the same thing. The odds will reflect the likelihood of that particular team winning the game, based on recent results, roster changes and more.
- First Baron or Dragon – Throughout a game of LoL there are a variety of Dragons and the big prize “Baron Nasher” to kill, which are pivotal in claiming victory. Due to the importance of these computer-controlled objectives they are a popular form of LoL betting.
- First Inhibitor/Tower – Another popular LoL betting line is who kills the first inhibitor or tower. Each lane on the map has towers and inhibitors and these are objectives that are crucial to success.
- Handicap – A handicap bet on League of Legends esports betting refers to a wager on whether the team with the handicap advantage or disadvantage win one map in a series or win without dropping a map. (in a 3-set series)
- Outright Winner – Slightly different from “Match Winner”, this type of bet refers to the winner of a tournament overall.
- Live Betting – Similar to what sportsbooks provide for mainstream sports, live betting allows users to bet on the LoL game as it’s happening!
Where to Bet on LOL
Esports is fast becoming one of the major spectator sports, which has drawn a lot of attention from the oddsmakers. Here are a few of the top-rated sportsbooks offering LoL betting;
- Betway – Offers a dedicated esports page, offering a wide variety of odds on LoL. They have outright winners odds for the major tournaments, as well as handicaps, first kill, first Baron kill and some special prop bets.
- bet365 – Right now bet365 is offering a range of great LoL betting markets, including the LPL (Chinese league), LCK (Korean league), and LCS (North American league).
- 10Bet – 10Bet is another sportsbook that is dedicated to providing the very best odds for esports fans. Their commitment to esports is clear from the range of betting options, available. As well as covering the major regions (LPL, LCK, and LCS), 10Bet are offering League of Legends betting odds on the Brasilian, Turkish and Oceania LoL markets.
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Tips & Strategies on Betting on LOL
First of all, we would advise the same thing we say to all newcomers to the betting industry, explore the market you’re going to bet on and learn the game.
1. Understanding the Markets
Whether it’s football or League of Legends, understanding what you’re betting on will give you insight and provide you with the opportunity to maximize the value of your bet. For example, if a bettor wants to bet on a LoL game, they should know how important that game is: is it just a regular season game, or is it a Worlds match? These are important questions.
2. Is the Market Rapidly Evolving
Another thing to be aware of is that the game is constantly changing and evolving. This is something we see in many sports, but it happens a lot quicker in Esports as game developers are constantly tinkering with aspects of the game in order to reach a perfect “balance”.
Balancing a game is a never-ending process, so being aware of changes is important. Even minor changes can drastically affect the way the game is played, or how champions interact.
3. Compare the Odds
Finally, when looking to deposit with a sportsbook to place your first LoL bet, it’s worth shopping around the various sportsbooks to find which provider has the odds and markets to suit the user.
We’d advise keeping track of the odds on a few different sportsbook providers and compare the odds on a regular basis. This will give you an idea what’s on offer, from there the bettor can find the best odds for their stake.
Betting strategies are always focused on finding the best value in any bet placed, following these simple steps will give you a leg-up before you even get started!
Where to Watch LOL
There are a few big sites that offer coverage of all esports events throughout the year.
One of the most popular is TwitchTV, which is a well-established and trusted platform for Esports fans to watch every game platform in the competitive gaming scene.
Another option is to go directly to Riot Games League of Legends esports site, where users can view all the LoL action as it happens.
