eSports in Canada
eSports betting is one of the fastest-growing online gambling trends in Canada. Below you will find a list of the most popular gambling sites in Canada that offer esports odds and bonuses. On this page, we will provide you with everything you need to know to get started including the different types of eSports bets and bonuses, the most popular games, and which online gambling sites offer the best bets. THESE BONUSES ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR WAGER IN ONTARIO.
Top eSports Betting Sites Canada
Electronic sports or eSports for short have become one of the fastest-growing means of entertainment in the world. Popular competitive games such as CSGO or League of Legends are now played by professionals in eSports tournaments and we have the opportunity to watch them and also bet on them, just like on traditional sports games. Even better, you do not even need to have your own steam account or to be gamer yourself to be able to make a bet.
Choosing the best eSports betting site
Although eSports betting is still a relatively new market, there are already so many betting sites to choose from. So, how do you choose the best one? Well, there are some factors you should take into consideration, before making your first bet, for example, Ease of use, Quantity of games you can bet on, casino bonuses you can get, Reputation of the gambling site and of course Payment methods. We will go through each option in more detail below.
eSports betting bonuses
As the eSports scene grows in popularity, so does the number of gambling websites and competition between these sites as well. The best sites usually offer great sportsbook bonuses not just to entice players to keep betting, but also to stand out against other gambling sites. Here are some of the bonuses you may come across while searching for the best eSports betting site:
No deposit bonus
A no deposit bonus is one of the best bonuses you will ever find. It’s very simple, the site gives you free money that can be used to make a wager. So, if you are new to the world of online betting, this is probably the best option for you. However, it is important to note that these bonuses are usually very small and have quite a lot of limitations attached to them.
Cashback bonus
A Cashback bonus allows players to slightly reduce the risk by getting back a certain percentage of their unsuccessful bet. But be careful, because this type of promotion is not offered regularly.
Risk-free bet
Some gambling sites offer risk-free bet bonuses for all new players that create an account on their website. That’s an opportunity you cannot let pass. So, before making your first bet, check if the gambling site has this option available and if yes, make sure to use it. The way it works is that you get a certain amount to place a bet and if your bet wins you get the winnings minus the stake, but if you lose you get your money back.
Types of bets you can place on eSports
If you have any experience with traditional betting, there’s a chance you’ll be familiar with some types of betting options. Let’s take a look at the most common markets offered for eSports betting. Learn more about betting on all sports from our Sports Betting page.
Outright winner (Moneyline bet)
If you think you can predict the overall result of a particular eSport tournament, then you should consider making an outright winner bet. The odds for this type of bet are usually very generous and can provide you with really good rewards.
Match winner
Same as with traditional sports, you can just simply bet on one of the teams you think is going to be the one to win the match. Just like you’d predict a winner of a football match, you may try to predict the winner of an online game like League of Legends or CSGO.
Pre-match betting
Pre-match betting is one of the most common forms of betting that you’ll ever find on the market. You can make a bet anytime before the match starts. So check out the upcoming eSport matches and make sure to bet before the game starts.
Live betting
Live betting is one of the reasons why eSports betting has become so popular. Thanks to this option, you can still bet, even after the game starts. Isn’t that great? You can now watch a live stream of your favourite game and make a bet at the same time.
Other types of betting
As we mentioned earlier, there are specific types of bets, which are only available for eSports. Match of CSGO, Overwatch or Valorant sometimes take place across more than a single map, so you can bet on the winner of each map. Some CSGO betting sites even allow you to bet on the player you think is going to get the first kill or be the top player of the game. In League of Legends, you can bet on the team that slays the first dragon or destroys the first turret.
eSports games you can bet on
When it comes to gambling opportunities in Canada, you’ll find plenty of games and eSports tournaments to bet on. Each game, however, has different rules and gameplay, so there’s a quick explanation for the most popular ones:
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive or CSGO for short, is one of the most popular first-person shooter games in the world. CSGO was developed back in 2012 by Valve and Hidden Path Entertainment as the fourth game in the Counter-Strike series and it’s considered to be the best one in the series so far.
In CSGO, players are divided into 2 teams, Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists. Each team consists of 5 players, but the objective for each team is different. The most common game modes involve the Terrorists planting a bomb while Counter-Terrorists attempt to stop them, or Counter-Terrorists attempting to rescue hostages that the Terrorists have captured. A normal CSGO game consists of 30 rounds, so you need to win at least 16 rounds to win the whole game.
CSGO is one of the few games, that also offers skin gambling. CSGO skin gambling is one of the reasons, why CSGO is still such a popular game. Actually, there are CSGO gambling sites that allow players to open skin cases, which are similar to slot games, and play CSGO gambling games or other casino games. The only difference between traditional casino games and CSGO gambling games is that CSGO gambling sites reward you with skins, not real money.
League of Legends
League of Legends, commonly known as LoL, is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) pc game. League was first published in 2009 by Riot Games which took great inspiration from other similar games like Defense of the Ancients (DotA) or Warcraft III. One of the reasons, why League of Legends is so popular is its accessibility. Unlike other games, League has been free-to-play since its release and has also very low pc requirements.
In League of Legends, two teams of 5 players battle against each other, while defending their half of the map. Each player takes control of a character with special abilities known as a “champion”. Your champion becomes more powerful the more experience points and gold you collect. The goal of the game is to destroy the enemy base and the “Nexus” within it. The team that manages to be the first to destroy the enemy Nexus wins the whole game.
Dota 2
Dota 2, the sequel to Defence of the Ancients (DotA), is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), the same as League of Legends, Dota’s greatest competitor. Dota 2 was developed by Valve, the same video game developer that created CSGO, and was first published in 2013. The rules of the game are very similar to League of Legends.
Dota 2 is played in matches between two teams of five players, each team defending the base on their half of the map. Every player controls a different “hero” with different abilities and playstyle. When the player manages to defeat the opposing team’s heroes, he earns gold, that he can use to buy items to make his character stronger. A team wins by being the first to destroy the other team’s “Ancient”, a large object located in the centre of their base.
Overwatch
Overwatch is a 2016 multiplayer first-person hero shooter game developed a published by Blizzard Entertainment. Unlike CSGO, Overwatch is one of the shooter games that give players the option to choose from a large selection of characters, with unique weapons, roles and abilities. The objective of the game differs depending on the map players play on. The team that is the first to complete the objective wins the game.
Valorant
Valorant, released just in 2020, is one of the CSGO-themed games that has become active within eSports tournaments. It’s clear that Riot Games borrowed some of the features and mechanics from other games such as CSGO or Overwatch, when developing Valorant.
Just like in CSGO, one team has to plant a bomb on a specific location, while the other team is trying to stop them. But unlike in CSGO, players now can choose from 19 different agents to play as, each with unique abilities. The first team to win 13 rounds out of 25 wins the match.
FIFA
FIFA is a popular series of soccer (football) video games developed by Electronic Arts and released annually every year since 1993. In FIFA, you are free to choose from a great selection of the most famous football teams in the world. Thanks to FIFA’s amazing graphics, you won’t be able to see a difference between a real and eSport football match.
Rocket League
Rocket League is another soccer-type game, developed by Psyonix and was first released in 2015. Instead of normal players, in this game, you’ll be playing as rocket-powered cars. The rules of the game a pretty much like football.
Famous Canadian eSports teams
Canada has a prominent place in the global eSports industry and has produced some of the best players in the world. It’s partly thanks to Canada’s geographical and cultural proximity to the USA, which is the second strongest eSports market in the world.
Vancouver Titans
The Vancouver Titans started as one of the expansion teams for the Overwatch League in 2019 and hit their stride right away, finishing as a finalist in the league in the same year. They currently hold the record for the longest regular season win streak in the history of the Overwatch League, winning a total of 19 matches in a row.
Toronto Ultra
The Toronto Ultra is a professional Call of Duty eSports team that succeeded from the Splyce team in 2019. They managed to win 1st place in the Call of Duty League 2021 – Stage 2 Major, earning $200,000 worth of cash.
Payment methods you can use in eSport betting
Before making your bet, make sure your preferred payment method is available. These are some of the payment methods you will come across:
eSports FAQs
Here are the most common questions that we get asked about eSports in Canada.
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