Betting Update: Impact on Esports Betting

Esports and Virtual Sports Betting – the New Normal

As the majority of major sports events have been wiped out for the foreseeable future many people are turning to online Esports and virtual sports which are always available for punters to bet on.

And with the news on Tuesday that horse racing in the UK is now also suspended until at least May, those wanting a few bets can look into Esports and virtual sports which most online bookmakers offer 24/7

One form of competition is still going strong despite the coronavirus pandemic—esports https://t.co/J18La6HlsD
— Bloomberg (@business) March 13, 2020

What are the Big Esports Events Right Now?

Most of the live Esports events held at venues have been cancelled but there are still many online events going ahead with players able to compete online from self isolation during this “online only” period.

For example the Overwatch League live events for March and April have been cancelled but they are continuing the prestige League with online matches only.

Here’s a list of some of the Esports events you can bet on right now…

League Of Legends – LPL Spring Split
CS:GO – ESL Pro League
CS:GO – Esports Championship Series
CS:GO – ESEA
DOTA2 – GGBet Championship
Starcraft 2

On Friday afternoon (20th March, 1.25pm) we fancy the Ninjas In Pyjamas to beat GODSENT in the CS:GO ESL Pro League at odds of 4/7 (1.57) with bet365.

On Saturday morning in the League Of Legends LPL Spring match, Invictus Gaming have won 3 of their last 4 completed matches and should have too much for Top Esports and can currently be backed at 1/4 (1.25) on the Betfair betting exchange.

Finally, in Sunday’s Starcraft Starleague game Soulkey are as short as 4/9 (1.44) to beat Soma with Skybet but you can get much bigger Esports odds of 4/7 (1.57) over at bet365.

Is the Situation Impacting Esports?

Yes, most of the major live Esports events including the huge E3 convention in Los Angeles have now been cancelled.

We have entered an ‘online only’ period with even Formula 1 racing drivers, NBA players and other sports stars turning to online Esports to fill the void during this shutdown period.

F1 drivers and other pros switch to esports in the age of coronavirus https://t.co/ILtGQ19tak by @drgitlin
— Ars Technica (@arstechnica) March 16, 2020

A quick check of your bookmaker sites under the Esports category will show there are still plenty of online events available to bet on.

Betfair and bet365 are particularly good choices when it comes to Esports betting with lots of competitions with full Esports betting lines for individual matches and in some cases individual Map betting.

What about Virtual Sports

During these uncertain times with little to no sport to bet on, virtual sports are always available 24/7 with most of the major online betting firms.

Virtual Sports Betting Offers

888Sport Virtual Sports Bet £10 Get a £40 on Virtual Sports with Promo Code: VS40 claim
New Customers only - £10 minimum deposit using promo code "VS40" – £10 qualifying bets required – Selected casino games only - Max winnings £500 – Bonus expire after 60 days - Deposit balance is available for withdrawal at any time. Deposit methods, Withdrawal restrictions and Full T&C’s apply
BGO Virtual Sports Bet £10 on Virtual Sports and win up to £50 Casino Bonus. claim
UK only. Bet £10 on Virtual Sports, win up to £50 Casino Bonus on Box Boost game with 1st deposit, use code “SPORTS”. 24-hour expiry. Max bet £2.50, max win 10x Bonus awarded, selected games & 65x wagering on winnings. No neteller/skrill. Deposit/withdrawal fees apply. Full T&Cs apply.
Mansionbet Virtual Sports Get a £10 Free Bet on Virtual Sports claim
18+. Play Safe. begambleaware.org. T&Cs apply.
Betvictor Virtual Sports Bet £5 on any Virtual Sports Get a £1 Free Bet claim
18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet £5 at odds 2.00+ within 7 days of registering, no cashout. Get 2x £10 Free Bets, set events at odds 2.00+. Plus a £10 Slot Bonus, selected games, wager 20x to withdraw max £250. 7 day bonus expiry. Card payments only. T&Cs apply, see below. begambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly
NetBet Virtual Sports Bet £10 on Virtuals & Get £5 Free Bet Every Week claim
18+. UK Only. Customers must place a acca of at least £10 on any English leagues with 4 selections or more minimum odds 1/2 (1.5) per selection. First bet placed will qualify. £5 Free Bet will be given on settlement. Valid once a week until 22nd May 2022.
Unibet Virtual Sports Win up to £3,000 on Virtual Sports with Unibet's Virtual Sports Betting Championships claim
18+ begambleaware.org. New customers only. Min deposit £10. Money back as bonus if first bet loses. Wagering requirements: sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), casino 35x. Unless forfeited the sportsbook bonus must be wagered before using the casino bonus. Bonus expires 7 days after opt-in. No deposit required for NI customers. Call 08081699314 to claim. Full T&Cs apply.
VBET Virtual Sports Bet £20 Get £10 Free Bet on Virtual Sports + 10 Free Spins claim
Only available to new, verified customers residing in the UK. Place a first ever bet (£10 min. stake; single bets only; min. odds 1.4). Get 2 x£5 free sports bets, £10 in bonus money at Casino and 20 Free Spins (£0.10 per spin) on eligible NetEnt Slots. Payment method restrictions apply. T&Cs apply.18+. Please gamble responsibly. BeGambleAware.org
Paddy Power Virtual Sports Get a Free Bet up to £10 & Power Up claim
New customers only. Place your FIRST bet on any Sportsbook market and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund is £20. Only deposits made using Cards will qualify. £5 Bet Builder free bet will be available to claim from the promotions hub after the qualifying bet has been settled & will be valid for 7 days. T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
MobileWins Virtual Sports Get a Virtual Sports Free Bet claim
New Players Only. Free bet - one-time stake of £10, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £200. Valid for 7 Days from issue. Withdrawal requests voids all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill deposits.
Betdaq Virtual Sports Bet £10 Get £10 on Exchange Virtuals if you lose your bet claim
18+ only. Offer applies to customers who have not placed their first bet on Exchange virtuals before 01/12/2015. Minimum odds of 2.0 or greater applies. Free bet stake not returned on winnings and must be placed at odds of 1.5 or greater. Free bet can only be used on Exchange virtuals. Free bet valid for 7 days. T&Cs Apply.

Virtual sports are a series of fixed odds events which use a random number generator (RNG) to decide the outcome.

The types of virtual sports available to bet on include horse racing, greyhound racing, football, speedway, motor racing, cycling and tennis.

These events are played out using computer graphical simulations and are available around the clock. Many online betting sites will also offer an introductory free bet for new players of their virtual sports.

Check out our ‘ Virtual Sports Betting Offers’ section for the latest virtual sports betting guide.